The competition heats up as the film "One Battle After Another" leads the pack with an impressive 14 BAFTA nominations, narrowly surpassing its rival, "Sinners," which has garnered 13.
Last week, "Sinners" made headlines by becoming the first film in history to achieve a remarkable 16 Oscar nominations (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/22/sinners-becomes-first-film-in-history-to-earn-16-oscar-nominations). However, it’s "One Battle After Another," directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, that is currently taking the lead in the BAFTA race.
Anderson’s satirical comedy about counterculture is poised for the big night with 14 nods, while Ryan Coogler’s chilling vampire thriller, "Sinners," follows closely with 13 nominations. Other notable contenders include "Marty Supreme" and "Hamnet," both with 11 nominations, and "Frankenstein" and "Sentimental Value," each securing eight nods.
In a surprising twist, the British comedy "I Swear" has earned five nominations, including a Best Actor nod for Robert Aramayo, who plays a pioneering figure in raising awareness about Tourette syndrome. Additionally, both "The Ballad of Wallis Island," a British musical comedy/drama, and the Bromley-set BDSM biker romance "Pillion" each received three nominations.
Interestingly, there were no significant snubs this year, largely due to BAFTA's decision to expand its acting shortlist to six nominees, unlike the Oscars, which only names five. This provided room for talents like Paul Mescal from "Hamnet." Furthermore, expectations had been set low for high-profile films such as "Wicked: For Good" to secure nominations.
Indeed, while the sequel to the blockbuster did not perform well at the Oscars, where it received no nominations, it did manage to gain recognition at the BAFTAs for costume design and hair and makeup, though both leading actresses, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, were overlooked.
Other prominent actors who did not receive nominations this year include Jennifer Lawrence for her role in "Die My Love," George Clooney for "Jay Kelly," Sydney Sweeney in "Christy," Dwayne Johnson for "The Smashing Machine," and Julia Roberts for "After the Hunt."
On a positive note, Leonardo DiCaprio remains a strong contender for Best Actor, following Timothée Chalamet from "Marty Supreme." This marks DiCaprio's seventh nomination in this category, tying him with legends like Michael Caine, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Laurence Olivier for the all-time BAFTA record. Given DiCaprio’s prolific career and ongoing projects, he seems likely to surpass this record.
Aramayo emerges as a dark horse in the Best Actor category. His nomination brings much-deserved attention to the 33-year-old actor, who is best known for his role as young Ned Stark in "Game of Thrones." In "I Swear," he portrays John Davidson, a Scottish campaigner for Tourette syndrome awareness. The film, directed by Kirk Jones, not only received critical acclaim but also performed moderately well at the box office, claiming additional nominations for Outstanding British Film, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actor (Peter Mullan), and Casting.
Sara Putt, chair of BAFTA, shared with the Guardian that the success of "I Swear" reflects a growing public interest in "genuine and moving stories about real experiences that resonate deeply with audiences." The ongoing dominance of films like "Sinners" and "One Battle After Another" suggests that viewers are searching for connections in what can often feel like a disjointed world.
She emphasized that these films represent a significant achievement for cinema, showcasing how genre films can be both entertaining and thought-provoking while delivering impactful narratives.
This year’s nominations show a slight tilt toward local productions, even beyond the Outstanding British Film and Debut categories, with nominations for Emily Watson and Carey Mulligan in the Supporting Actress category, as well as adaptations like "Pillion" and "Wallis Island."
However, with the exception of Aramayo, none of the leading acting nominees are British, nor are any of the six directors nominated in that category. Notably, only two of these directors—Ryan Coogler and Chloé Zhao from "Hamnet"—are not white, and Zhao stands out as the sole female director among them.
Putt remarked that these results highlight the ongoing journey for female directors and underscore the need to maintain intervention during the longlisting process. Following a significant overhaul in 2020, BAFTA implemented measures, including quotas, to improve gender representation among directors in the initial selection.
This year also marks the Oscars' first attempt to adopt similar innovations, introducing a casting award and mandatory viewing requirements for voters in certain categories. BAFTA's practice of requiring voters to watch 15 randomly selected films continues to enhance the diversity of nominated titles, with 46 films in contention this year, up from 42 in 2025.
Anthony Andrews, deputy chair of the film committee, expressed his optimism at the fact that more than half of this year’s shortlisted documentary films were directed by women, indicating progress in representation.
The BAFTA ceremony is scheduled for February 22, hosted by Alan Cumming, taking over from David Tennant, while the Oscars will follow three weeks later on March 15, with Conan O'Brien returning as host.
