Sean Penn Triumphs at BAFTAs as Paul Mescal and Jacob Elordi Miss Out
In a surprising turn at the BAFTA awards ceremony in London on Sunday night, Sean Penn clinched the Best Supporting Actor accolade for his performance in One Battle After Another. This victory came at the expense of highly anticipated nominees Paul Mescal and Jacob Elordi, both of whom were absent from the event.
Notable Absences and a Presenter's Jest
Penn, who portrayed Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw in the Paul Thomas Anderson film, was not present to accept the award. This led presenter Gillian Anderson to humorously quip, 'I'm going to take it.' Meanwhile, Paul Mescal, despite receiving critical acclaim for his role in Hamnet, was overlooked for the honour. His co-star Jessie Buckley, however, has secured nominations for Leading Actress at both the Oscars and BAFTAs.
Jacob Elordi, nominated for his portrayal of the Monster in Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein, also missed the ceremony. Other contenders in the Supporting Actor category included:
- Benicio Del Toro for One Battle After Another
- Petter Mullan for I Swear
- Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value
Wunmi Mosaku's Emotional Supporting Actress Win
Elsewhere at the awards, Wunmi Mosaku emerged as an early winner, securing the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Sinners. The pregnant actress, expecting her second child, delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech, thanking her husband, family, and daughter. She reflected on how playing priestess Annie allowed her to reconnect with a part of herself she had 'dimmed as an immigrant trying to fit in.'
Mosaku, a Rada graduate born in Zaria, Nigeria to professor parents, was raised in Manchester and sang in the Manchester Girls' Choir for 11 years. Her breakthrough came with the 2010 film I Am Slave, and she has since starred in blockbusters like Deadpool & Wolverine and Batman vs Superman. She previously won a TV BAFTA for her role as Gloria Taylor in Damilola, Our Loved Boy.
Of her win, Mosaku expressed, 'It's just been the best feeling ever because we really loved this film. We poured everything we had into it, and so the audiences showing up and showing so much love for the film last year was so overwhelming and so affirming. Now to have these nominations come in, it's just been the cherry on top.'
Other Key Awards and Honours
The ceremony, presented by Paddington Bear, saw several other notable wins:
- Best Children's & Family Film was awarded to Boong, an Indian Manipuri-language coming-of-age drama.
- Best Production Design and Best Makeup and Hair both went to Frankenstein, featuring Jacob Elordi.
- Special Visual Effects was claimed by Avatar: Fire and Ash.
In addition, this year's Special Award recipients include Dame Donna Langley, who will receive the BAFTA Fellowship—the charity's highest honour—for her influential career as British Chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment. Clare Binns, Creative Director of Picture House Cinemas, will be presented with the BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award.
