Timothée Chalamet made a solitary appearance on the red carpet at the 2026 BAFTAs, held at London's prestigious Royal Festival Hall on Sunday evening. The acclaimed actor, aged 30, arrived without any sign of his long-term girlfriend, billionaire make-up mogul Kylie Jenner, who is 28 years old.
Elegant Solo Entrance for Nominated Star
Chalamet, who is nominated for the Best Actor award for his compelling performance in the film Marty Supreme, exuded suave sophistication as he walked the red carpet. He wore a meticulously tailored black suit, featuring a double-breasted blazer layered over a black shirt and complemented by a matching dickie bow. His confident demeanour set the tone ahead of the highly anticipated, star-studded ceremony.
Supportive Partner Absent from Spotlight
Although Jenner has been a steadfast supporter throughout Chalamet's recent awards season success—including his victories at the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards—she chose to allow him to bask in the spotlight alone on this occasion. The couple, who have been dating for over three years and already share a home, are reportedly considering marriage, according to a source speaking to the Daily Mail.
Star-Studded Ceremony and Performances
Hosted by the charismatic Alan Cumming, this year's BAFTA ceremony welcomed a glittering array of celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jacob Elordi, and Michael B. Jordan, to honour the year's most significant cinema releases. Those attending the red carpet were treated to a vibrant 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 and impressive list of celebrity guest presenters included Aimee Lou Wood, Alicia Vikander, Cillian Murphy, Ethan Hawke, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sadie Sink, and British grime artist Stormzy. The Royal Festival Hall stage also featured appearances from Kerry Washington, Minnie Driver, Monica Bellucci, Patrick Dempsey, and Regé-Jean Page, among many others.
Diverse Entertainment Line-Up
Entertainment for the evening spanned a diverse spectrum, highlighted by the first performance outside the United States of the record-breaking track Golden from KPop Demon Hunters, sung by JAE, AUDREYNUNA, and REI AMI, the voices of HUNTR/X. Additionally, British singer Jessie Ware delivered a moving tribute during the In Memoriam segment with a cover of a Barbara Streisand classic.
Special Awards and Nominations Highlights
This year's Special Award recipients were celebrated for their outstanding contributions. Dame Donna Langley, the British Chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment, received the BAFTA Fellowship, the arts charity's highest accolade, in recognition of her prolific career and status as one of the most influential figures in the entertainment industry. Clare Binns, Creative Director of Picture House Cinemas, was presented with the BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award for her role in championing diverse and fiercely independent work on big screens across the United Kingdom.
Record-Breaking Nominations and Competition
Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, One Battle After Another, led the nominations with a remarkable fourteen nods, including one for lead star Leonardo DiCaprio, who could earn his second ever BAFTA after scoring his seventh nomination. However, it faces stiff 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 garnered 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 earned a lead role nomination in the film, following her Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award wins, along with nominations for the Academy Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Co-star Paul Mescal, overlooked during Oscar nominations, received a Supporting Actor BAFTA nod.
Elsewhere, Marty Supreme and Timothée Chalamet aim to continue their winning streak with eleven BAFTA nominations, including Best Film and Best Actor, after recent triumphs at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. Other notable nominations include eight for Frankenstein and Sentimental Value, five for I Swear and Bugonia, and three for The Ballad of Wallis Island, Pillion, and F1.
Leading Actress and Actor Contenders
The competition for the Leading Actress BAFTA features Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Chase Infiniti for One Battle After Another, Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, and Emma Stone for Bugonia. In the Leading Actor category, alongside Chalamet and DiCaprio, contenders include Robert Aramayo for I Swear, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, and Jesse Plemons for Bugonia.
The full list of nominations spans multiple categories, celebrating excellence in filmmaking, from outstanding British films and debut works to technical achievements in cinematography, editing, costume design, and special visual effects. The EE Rising Star Award, voted for by the public, includes nominees such as Robert Aramayo, Miles Caton, Chase Infiniti, Archie Madekwe, and Posy Sterling, highlighting emerging talent in the industry.
