All eyes were on Kate Hudson as she made a spectacular entrance at the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards, held at The Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday evening. The 46-year-old actress, renowned for her role in Fool's Gold, captivated onlookers in an elegant red silky gown by Prada that exuded timeless Hollywood glamour.
Stunning Red Carpet Appearance
The strapless Prada number featured a cinched waist that beautifully enhanced Hudson's slender silhouette, while she accessorised with delicate jewellery pieces, including a striking pendant diamond choker. Appearing in great spirits, the American actress flashed her radiant smile on the star-studded red carpet, where she was joined by her partner, musician Danny Fujikawa, 39.
Fujikawa looked dapper in a smart all-black suit as he cosied up next to Hudson, with whom he shares their eight-year-old daughter, Rani Rose. The couple's appearance added to the evening's glamour, which saw numerous celebrities converge at the Southbank Centre venue.
Nominated for Best Leading Actress
Kate Hudson has earned a nomination for Best Leading Actress at this year's BAFTA Awards for her performance in Song Sung Blue, a role that also secured her an Oscar nomination. This marks a significant milestone, coming 25 years after her previous nomination in the same category for Almost Famous' Penny Lane.
In Song Sung Blue, Hudson stars as Claire Sardina, who, alongside her partner Mike, portrayed by Hugh Jackman, finds love and success performing as the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder, based on a true story. She faces stiff competition in the category from fellow nominees Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Chase Infiniti, Renata Reinsve, and Emma Stone.
Star-Studded Ceremony Highlights
Hosted by Alan Cumming, the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards welcomed a glittering array of stars, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Jacob Elordi, and Michael B. Jordan, to honour the year's biggest cinema releases. The red carpet experience was elevated with a DJ set by Magic FM presenter Neev Spencer, while Clara Amfo and Ali Plumb provided live reporting from outside the legendary London venue.
A lengthy list of celebrity guest presenters included Aimee Lou Wood, Alicia Vikander, Cillian Murphy, Ethan Hawke, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sadie Sink, and British grime artist Stormzy. Additional appearances on The Royal Festival Hall stage featured Kerry Washington, Minnie Driver, Monica Bellucci, Patrick Dempsey, and Regé-Jean Page, among others.
Diverse Performances and Special Awards
Entertainment on the night spanned a diverse spectrum, with a first performance outside the United States of the record-breaking track Golden from KPop Demon Hunters, sung by JAE, AUDREYNUNA & REI AMI. British singer Jessie Ware delivered a moving tribute during the In Memoriam segment with a Barbara Streisand cover.
Special awards were presented to Dame Donna Langley, who received the BAFTA Fellowship, the arts charity's highest accolade, in recognition of her prolific career as one of the most influential figures in the entertainment industry. Clare Binns, Creative Director of Picture House Cinemas, was honoured with the BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award for championing diverse and independent work on big screens across the UK.
Notable Film Nominations
Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, One Battle After Another, led the nominations with an impressive fourteen nods, including Best Film and Best Leading Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio. The film faces strong competition from supernatural horror Sinners, with thirteen nominations, and Hamnet, director Chloé Zhao's moving drama about the death of Shakespeare's only son, which earned eleven nominations.
Adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning novel, Hamnet has broken the record for the most nominations for a female-directed film in BAFTA history. Irish star Jessie Buckley, nominated for her lead role, has already secured a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award, alongside nominations for the Academy Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Other notable contenders include Marty Supreme and Timothée Chalamet, with eleven BAFTA nominations, Frankenstein and Sentimental Value each with eight, and five nominations for I Swear and Bugonia. First-time BAFTA Film nominees this year include Robert Aramayo, Odessa A'zion, Rose Byrne, Chase Infiniti, Michael B. Jordan, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Stellan Skarsgård, and Teyana Taylor.
BAFTA's Mission and Broadcast Details
Emma Baehr, Executive Director of Awards and Content, expressed delight at welcoming the remarkable nominees, highlighting the ceremony as a vibrant celebration of creativity, craft, and collaboration in British and global cinema. BAFTA's mission as a charity is to champion the screen arts across film, games, and television through awards, talent initiatives, and learning events.
The ceremony was broadcast at 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK, and on E! in North America at 8:00pm Eastern Time, with availability on various international broadcasters, ensuring audiences worldwide could partake in this unforgettable occasion.
