The Oscars are less than a month away, but before Hollywood’s biggest night, the folks across the pond have their turn to celebrate.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTAs) will take place on Sunday, February 16, at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Historically viewed as a strong predictor of the Oscars, the BAFTAs just might offer a sneak peak of what’s to come—especially in this unconventional year full of controversies, disasters, and shifting front-runners. Here’s everything you should know and how to tune in.
What does Prince William have to do with it?
As part of his royal duties, the prince of Wales is the president of BAFTA. He and his wife, Kate Middleton, often attend the big event looking quite stunning.
It was announced on Tuesday that neither will attend this year. Instead, William prerecorded a special video message. Last year, he attended solo because of Kate’s cancer treatments. She is back to public-facing royal duties but still has a reduced schedule.
Who is hosting the 2025 BAFTA awards?
Just because the Windsors will not be present, that doesn’t mean other celebrities won’t abound.
David Tennant will host for the second year in a row. The boy band Take That will perform their hit song “Greatest Day,” which was used in the opening scene of best film contender Anora. Jeff Goldblum, who played the Wizard of Oz in Wicked, will tickle the ivories during the always-moving In Memoriam segment.
Who are some of the standout nominees?
Let’s not forget the nominees, although not all will attend.
After offensive tweets were brought to light, Emilia Pérez actress Karla Sofía Gascón is not expected to be present. She is the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for a BAFTA. Last week she issued a statement saying that she hopes her work can speak for itself.
“My silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is,” concluding: “I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt along the way.”
Despite the controversy, the show must go on and there is plenty of spotlight for the year’s biggest contenders.
Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller Conclave reigns supreme here with 12 nominations. Jacques Audiard’s musical offering Emilia Pérez is a close second with 11, while Brady Corbet’s immigrant story The Brutalist, with nine nominations, is nothing to scoff at.
Timothée Chalamet will be doing double duty, representing both Dune: Part Two and the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
Check out the full list of nominees on the BAFTA website.
Beyond the competitive categories, Warwick Davis will be honored with the BAFTA fellowship. This lifetime achievement award celebrates his impressive body of work in films such as Star Wars, Willow, and Harry Potter.
How can I watch or stream the 2025 BAFTA awards?
If you live in the UK, tune into BBC One or stream it on iPlayer at 7 p.m. local time.
For those of us in the United States, BritBox has the exclusive streaming rights and the ceremony begins at 2 p.m. ET.
You can sign up directly with the streaming service and even take advantage of a seven-day free trial. If you have an Amazon Prime account, you can also catch the action by adding BritBox to your subscription. There’s a free trial option here as well.
Whatever way you decide to watch, a pot of tea and some biscuits would be excellent refreshment choices—or a gin and tonic depending on your mood.
