This morning, at the BAFTA headquarters in in the heart of London, Broadcaster Edith Bowman and BAFTA Chief Executive Amanda Berry, announced the 2019 BAFTA EE Rising star nominations.

The five nominated actors and actresses have been chosen for their truly outstanding talent on the big screen in the past year and captured the imagination of both the public and film industry.

The lucky five are:

  • Jessie Buckley (Beast, Wild Rose) – Buckley commented: “I would like to thank both BAFTA and the jury from the bottom of my heart for putting me forward for the 2019 EE Rising Star Award – it’s a huge honour and a fantastic category to be nominated for, especially as the winner is decided by film fans at home.”
  • Letitia Wright (Black Panther, Black Mirror) – Letitia Wright, commenting on her nomination, said: “It’s an incredible feeling to be chosen by BAFTA and the jury as a candidate for the EE Rising Star Award. It means a lot that my work has been recognised, especially in the country I’ve grown up in, and that I get to share this recognition with so many talented actors.”
  • Lakeith Stanfield (Sorry To Bother You, Get Out) – “On behalf of the entire Sorry To Bother You team, thank you BAFTA. It is an honour and a pleasure to be considered.”
  • Barry Keoghan (American Animals, Dunkirk) – Keoghan on his nomination said: “I want to thank BAFTA and of course the jury for this incredible honour. It’s really exciting to be put forward for the EE Rising Star Award. Over the years, I have watched so many actors and actresses that I admire be nominated in this category, so to think that I’m now on that list is an amazing feeling.”
  • Cynthia Erivo (Widows, Bad Times at the El Royale) – Erivo said: “I’m ever grateful to BAFTA and the jury panel for nominating me for the 2019 EE Rising Star Award. It means the world to me to be acknowledged by the community that, for most of my life, I’ve known as home. Thank you for this incredible honour.”

Also in the news – Florence Pugh struggles with life in the US in new trailer for ‘Fighting With My Family’

This year’s BAFTA awards ceremony will be taking place at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, on Sunday 10 February 2019 and broadcast on BBC One and BBC One HD. For the second year running, Absolutely Fabulous star, Joanna Lumley, will be hosting.


For the third year, the EE British Academy Film Awards will feature entertainment company Cirque de Soleil, which will be in residence at the Royal Albert Hall at the time of the Awards with its latest show to tour the UK, Totem. Cirque de Soleil will perform a piece especially created for the ceremony.

2019 celebrates the 14th year of the EE Rising Star Award, the only award at the EE British Academy Film Awards voted for by the British public. Voting is now open at ee.co.uk/BAFTA and the winner will be announced at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 10 February 2019.