The 2026 BAFTAs: A Night of Film Excellence

The 79th British Academy Film Awards, commonly known as the BAFTAs, will be held on February 22, 2026, at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The ceremony will honor the best national and foreign films of 2025.

Key Highlights and Nominations

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another leads the nominations with a total of fourteen, making it the most nominated film in BAFTA history. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners follows closely with thirteen nominations, while Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet and Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme each received eleven nominations.

Who Will Host?

Alan Cumming will host the 79th BAFTA Awards for the first time, taking over from David Tennant, who hosted in 2024 and 2025.

Where to Watch

In the United Kingdom, the ceremony will air on BBC One and stream on iPlayer at 7 p.m. GMT. For viewers in the United States, the E! network will broadcast the ceremony as a pre-recorded special at 8 p.m. ET/PT, marking the first time E! will air the BAFTAs after previous streaming on BritBox.

Notable Nominees and Performances

Hollywood stars expected to attend include Timothée Chalamet, Jessie Buckley, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rose Byrne, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Hudson, Paul Mescal, and Carey Mulligan. Rei Ami, Ejae, and Audrey Nuna will perform their hit song “Golden” live during the show, which is featured in Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters.

Record-Breaking Achievements

This year’s BAFTAs have already made history. Hamnet is the most nominated film from a female director, and Sinners is the most nominated film from a Black director. Leonardo DiCaprio has too achieved a record-equalling seventh leading actor nomination at the age of 51.

Longlist Announcements

The BAFTA longlists were initially announced on January 9, 2026. The nominations were then revealed on January 27, 2026, by David Jonsson, winner of the 2025 EE Rising Star Award, and Aimee Lou Wood, streamed live on BAFTA’s X account and YouTube channel. The EE Rising Star Award nominees, the only category voted on by the public, were announced on January 14, 2026.