BAFTA 2021 nominations list reveals a diverse selection of actors and movies
Nomadland and Rocks lead the way
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The BAFTA 2021 nominations have been announced, and this year’s list is possibly the most diverse in the award show’s history.
Nomadland and Rocks lead the way with seven nominations each, while other critically-acclaimed films including Minari, The Father, and Promising Young Woman find themselves up for six gongs.
Rocks is perhaps the biggest surprise in terms of number of nominations as, outside of film festival ceremonies and the British Independent Film Awards, it hadn’t received major award recognition. Sarah Garvon’s British coming-of-age drama, though, will be looking to cause a few upsets on the night in categories including Best Director and Leading Actress.
In a greater push for inclusion and diversity, this year’s BAFTAs also sees 16 of the 24 nominated actors and actresses coming from ethnic minority groups. Bukky Bakray (Rocks) and Wunmi Mosaku (His House) are unexpected inclusions in the Leading Actress category, while Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger) finds himself among celebrated actors including Sir Anthony Hopkins and the late Chadwick Boseman.
Surprisingly, there are no places for actors such as Gary Oldman (Mank), Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7), Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman), or Olivia Colman (The Father) on those lists. Their omissions, though, show the strength of nominee for this year’s awards.
The 2021 BAFTAs will take place virtually on Sunday, April 11 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. In the meantime, read on for a full list of the nominated films and those involved:
Best Film
Outstanding British Film
Leading Actress
Leading Actor
Supporting Actress
Supporting Actor
Best Director
EE Rising Star (voted for by the public)
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
Film not in the English Language
Best Documentary
Best Animated Film
Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Score
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Editing
Best Production Design
Best Make-Up and Hair
Best Sound
Best Special Visual Effects
Best Casting
Best British Short Film
Best British Short Animation
Outstanding Contribution
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
How to watch Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light FREE online from anywhere
Red One isn’t perfect but it proves we need more action-packed Christmas movies
Arcane season 2 finally gave us the huge Caitlyn and Vi moment we’ve been waiting for – and its creators say ‘we couldn’t have done it in season one’
