This morning, BAFTA HQ was the place to be as the final five were announced for the 2012 Orange BAFTA Rising Star Award. A panel of 13 people including Simon Pegg, Sienna Miller and Harry Potter Director David Yates scoured the globe for those rising stars and came up with  list of 8 including Adam Deacon, Chris Hemsworth, Felicity Jones, Tom Hiddleston, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris O’Dowd, Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne. It was your turn to whittle that list down even further and below are you final 5. The next job you have is to get that list down to the main winner and you can do that by voting here.

The final five are:

Adam Deacon, Chris Hemsworth, Chris O’Dowd, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston!

Let us know what you think of that list in the comments section below. Strikes me that no women made the final five and I’m very surprised not to see Jennifer Lawrence make the list. You can now vote for your favourite here.

Ben Mortimer is currently our man on the ground at BAFTA HQ and will hopefully be talking with three of the five who are in attendance launch event today.

When it comes to the BAFTA Awards, as you probably know from last year, we like to go all out and will cover every inch of it if we can. The final winner is announced at the Orange British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 13 February 2012.

 

NOMINEES ARE UNVEILED FOR

THE ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD IN 2012

  • The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award is the only award at the Orange British Academy Film Awards to be voted for by the British public
  • Orange Wednesdays customers have selected the shortlist of five from a long list of eight determined by the award jurors
  • The winner will be announced at the awards on 12 February 2012
  • Previous winners include: James McAvoy, Eva Green, Shia LaBeouf, Noel Clarke, Kristen Stewart and Tom Hardy

London 11 January 2012. Today at BAFTA’s headquarters, Pippa Harris, award jury chair, Deputy Chair of BAFTA’s Film Committee and producing partner of Sam Mendes, announced the hotly anticipated nominees for the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award 2012 as selected by Orange Wednesdays customers from a long-list of eight. The nominations recognise five international actors and actresses whose talent has captured the imagination of the British public. The nominees are:

  • ADAM DEACON – Hackney-born Adam rose to fame in Noel Clarke’s KIDULTHOOD, before reprising the role in the follow-up ADULTHOOD and again working with Clarke in 4321. Adam then went onto make his own mark on the film industry by co-writing, directing and starring in Brit comedy and box office success ANUVAHOOD.
  • CHRIS HEMSWORTH – Australian actor Chris became an overnight success after landing the title role in film version of the Marvel comic THOR and he will reprise the role in
  • THE AVENGERS next year. Chris is next starring in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN opposite Kirsten Stewart and Charlize Theron and will play Formula One driver James Hunt in Ron Howard’s RUSH.
  • CHRIS O’DOWD – Chris began his career in the cult comedy series THE IT CROWD before breaking into film with roles including THE BOAT THAT ROCKED, GULLIVER’S TRAVELS and hugely successful BRIDESMAIDS. Chris will next be seen in Judd Apatow’s THIS IS 40 alongside Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann.
  • EDDIE REDMAYNE – After receiving much critical acclaim on the West End and Broadway stage Eddie burst onto the film scene in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN alongside Michelle Williams, Dame Judy Dench and Kenneth Branagh. He recently finished filming BIRDSONG the BBC adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Sebastian Faulks and will soon be starring in the film version of the musical LES MISÉRABLES.
  • TOM HIDDLESTON – RADA graduate Tom broke onto the big screen earlier this year in Kenneth Branagh’s THOR. Tom’s recent projects include Woody Allen’s film MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, Steven Spielberg’s WAR HORSE, and THE DEEP BLUE SEA opposite Rachel Weisz. Tom has recently finished filming THE AVENGERS which is due for release in May 2012.

Orange’s accolade for up and coming talent is the only award at the Orange British Academy Film Awards to be voted for by the public. Voting takes place both at orange.co.uk/bafta and via text*. The winner will be announced at the star-studded Orange British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 12 February 2012.

Now in its seventh year, the award has set a standard for identifying talent destined for super-stardom. Previous winners include James McAvoy in 2006, Eva Green in 2007, Shia LaBeouf in 2008, Noel Clarke in 2009, Kristen Stewart in 2010 and Tom Hardy in 2011.

Potential rising stars were proposed by BAFTA members and leading film industry insiders to create an initial list of contenders who have appeared in one or more feature films, with at least one of those films released in the current awards year, 1 January to 31 December 2011. The jury for the award featured a raft of leading figures from across the film industry, including actors Simon Pegg and Sienna Miller, jury chair Pippa Harris, producing partner of Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road, Jarhead), four-time Harry Potter director David Yates, producer Allon Reich (28 Weeks Later, The History Boys, The Last King of Scotland), casting director Nina Gold (The King’s Speech) and film publicist Kate Lee. These jurors whittled down the names to a long list of eight. These eight were then voted on by Orange Wednesdays customers, who have determined the final five that will now be voted for by the public.

Pippa Harris, Orange Wednesdays Rising Star award jury chair and Deputy Chair of BAFTA’s Film Committee, said: “It’s great to involve the general public in championing the stars of the future, which is why the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award is such a fantastic initiative. The jury had a tough job deciding the long list of eight, as we were spoilt for choice. With such an array of new talent, I can’t wait to see who the public choose as their winner.”

Spencer McHugh, Director of Brand at Orange, said: “With the award now in its seventh year, we continue to be awed by how enthusiastic the British public are when it comes to celebrating future film talent. The fact that figures such as Simon Pegg, Sienna Miller and the rest of our esteemed jury so kindly offer their time shows how the film world has embraced the award.”

The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award was created in honour of Mary Selway, the highly respected BAFTA-winning casting director whose career spanned three decades and over ninety films before she died in 2004. She worked with notable directors such as Steven Spielberg, Roman Polanski, Clint Eastwood and Ridley Scott, contributing to the creation of some of the silver screen’s most memorable characters.

For more information on the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award go to www.orange.co.uk/bafta