The 2026 Bafta Awards ceremony delivered a night of stunning upsets and emotional victories, with an unknown British actor stealing the spotlight from Hollywood heavyweights. Robert Aramayo, the star of the British drama I Swear, pulled off a shock win for Best Actor, defeating favourites Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet.
Aramayo's Emotional Triumph
Holding back tears during his acceptance speech, Aramayo expressed disbelief at his victory. "I absolutely can't believe it," he said. "I can't believe that I'm looking at people like you, in the same category as you, never mind that I'm stood here." The actor's breakthrough performance was further recognised when he also pocketed the EE Rising Star award, cementing his status as the breakout name of the evening.
Major Winners of the Night
While DiCaprio left empty-handed, his film One Battle After Another emerged as the big winner overall, securing six trophies. These included the prestigious awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay for writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson. During one of his acceptance speeches, Anderson paid tribute to his long-time first assistant director Adam Somner, who passed away in 2024.
The Shakespearean weepie Hamnet also enjoyed significant success, with Jessie Buckley winning Best Actress and the film itself claiming Best British Film. In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Buckley humorously recalled her first meeting with her agent Lindy King upon arriving in London from Ireland. "I had a nuclear bad fake tan on, white hoop earrings, a polka-dot red skirt and had the audacity to say one day I wanted to be like Judi Dench," she joked.
Other Notable Victories
Sinners took home two major awards: Best Original Screenplay for writer-director Ryan Coogler and Best Supporting Actress for British actor Wunmi Mosaku. Meanwhile, Sentimental Value was honoured with the award for Best Film Not in the English Language.
In a surprising turn of events, the sports drama Marty Supreme, despite receiving 11 nominations in total, failed to win a single award.
Host Alan Cumming's Diplomatic Approach
The ceremony, hosted by Alan Cumming, largely proceeded without incident, though Cumming did have to address viewers who may have been offended by bad language heard during the broadcast. He explained that Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, whose life inspired I Swear, was in attendance and experiences involuntary tics and outbursts.
"Tourette's Syndrome is a disability and the tics you've heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette's Syndrome has no control over their language," Cumming clarified. "We apologise if you are offended tonight."
Avoiding Political Commentary
Cumming largely steered clear of political commentary or the biting jokes about attendees that often characterise awards shows. However, in his final monologue, he subtly referenced the current political climate. "We have welcomed people from all over the world, people who look and sound and love differently, for a celebration of stories and ideas and culture, in fact, a celebration of diversity and equality and inclusion," Cumming said. "And guess what? Nobody died."
The 2026 Baftas will be remembered as a night where emerging talent triumphed over established stars, with Robert Aramayo's unexpected victory symbolising the unpredictable and thrilling nature of the awards season.
