Missed Sunday night’s ceremony? Vogue recaps all of the highlights from the BAFTAs 2022.
Diamonds–and Shirley Bassey–are forever
The Welsh musician began the night with a rendition of “Diamonds Are Forever”, perhaps the most famous Bond theme ever recorded, in honour of the 007 franchise’s 60th anniversary – proving she can still bring the house down at the age of 85. Another notable coup from the 007 team: Lashana Lynch brought home the BAFTA Rising Star Award, using her speech to thank her parents and grandparents, who came to London as part of the Windrush generation, and celebrating “her working-class foundation” for teaching her to persevere in the face of adversity. “And [thank you to] the women of this country who taught me what it’s like to be in this industry as a dark-skinned woman,” she concluded. “I thank you for laying the foundations for a woman like me.”
Gloves had a fashion moment
The red carpet signalled a welcome return to elevated glamour–with dozens of velvet gowns making their way up the stairs of the Royal Albert Hall. Also of note: opera gloves proved a surprise fashion hit, with everyone from Sienna Miller to the inimitable Bimini wearing them to the ceremony.
Rebel Wilson addressed her weight loss straight off the bat
When the Australian comedian signed on to host the BAFTAs, she realised that it would prompt a flurry of speculation about her weight loss over the last few years. True to form, she opted to tackle the subject head-on with refreshing candour. “Everybody’s like, why did you lose weight?” she quipped in her opening monologue. “Well, clearly it was to get the attention of Robert Pattinson… Just joking, guys. Seriously. I did not lose weight just for a guy. As if! I did it to get more acting roles. Boy, I’m now so excited I can play the non-funny love interest in an Adam Sandler movie.”
And now a special announcement regarding the new James Bond… #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/zKXKJLwESy
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) March 13, 2022
Troy Kotsur made history in the most charming fashion
The CODA star became the first-ever deaf person to win a BAFTA when he scooped the Best Supporting Actor statuette on Sunday night. Kotsur, who plays the deaf father of a hearing daughter in the film, was visibly emotional, as were the rest of the audience as he delivered a speech in sign language in which he acknowledged how meaningful the success of the film has been for the deaf community – and also posited the idea of a deaf James Bond. The crowd at the Royal Albert Hall using silent applause to demonstrate their appreciation was a moment.
You did it, @TroyKotsur! Now it’s time to celebrate your first BAFTA win (and also make that James Bond idea happen) ❤️ #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/6HgiGAALFJ
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) March 13, 2022
A Dune sandworm had a surprise cameo
Dune ultimately won Best Score, Cinematography, Production Design, Visual Effects, and Sound over the course of the night, but not all of the production team were there to accept their statuettes. Making an appearance in their stead: British comedian Asim Chaudhry inside a giant sandworm costume.
Millie Bobby Brown made her red-carpet debut with… Jon Bon Jovi’s son?
Millie Bobby Brown has largely been out of the spotlight during the pandemic, quietly filming Stranger Things’s upcoming fourth season – so it felt somewhat jarring to see the former tween all grown up and hitting the red carpet in a vampy Louis Vuitton gown with her boyfriend, Jake Bongiovi, the son of musician Jon Bon Jovi. Sorry, Will Byers.
There were several nods to the Ukraine crisis
While introducing Emilia Jones’s performance of “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell, Wilson noted that the lyrics would be signed in both American Sign Language and British Sign Language. “Luckily, though, in all sign languages, this is the gesture for Putin,” she added, promptly flipping off the camera. Benedict Cumberbatch also paid tribute to Ukraine via a blue-and-yellow lapel on his suit. Calling out Putin as a true “megalomaniac”, he told journalists on the red carpet: “It’s a very scary and sad time… Although this is a gesture, and people can say it’s hollow, it’s just something I can do tonight.”
Daniel Kaluuya had the best red-carpet look of the night
Daniel Kaluuya wasn’t nominated for a BAFTA this year (his trophy cabinet already contains a Best Actor statue and an EE Rising Star Award), but he still threatened to out-dress everyone at the Royal Albert Hall. It’s hard to stay focused on even a Lady Gaga look when the exceptionally dapper Kaluuya hits the red carpet in a furry mohair-trimmed coat fresh from Prada’s autumn/winter 2022 menswear collection. You’ll recall that this was the show that saw Jeff Goldblum and former Sex and the City star Kyle MacLachlan tapped to model. Kaluuya was the perfect man to take the collection off the runway and into real life.
Another female director scooped the top prize
Vogue summed up the 2020 BAFTAs as “pale, male and stale”, with zero female directors nominated by the academy (to say nothing of the blatant lack of diversity among the acting nominees). The 2021 ceremony proved much more hopeful, with Chloé Zhao winning best director for her epic Nomadland. And in 2022? Jane Campion brought home the top prize for The Power of the Dog, along with Best Film.
The Power of the Dog’s Benedict Cumberbatch takes to the stage to accept Jane Campion’s Director Award on her behalf ❤️ #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/jcWqAWCeLH
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) March 13, 2022
This story was first published on Vogue.co.uk.
