Jessie Buckley and Robert Aramayo Triumph at the 2026 BAFTAs

Jessie Buckley’s award season success continued with a Best Actress win at the EE British Academy Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards on Sunday, February 22, 2026. This follows her win at the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards just two days prior. It marks the first time an Irish performer has received the Best Actress prize at the BAFTAs.

Buckley’s Historic Win for ‘Hamnet’

Buckley was recognized for her portrayal of Agnes Shakespeare in Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. Accepting the award from fellow Irish actor Cillian Murphy, she delivered a heartfelt speech. “This is nuts,” she said, “This really does belong to the women past, present and future who taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently.”

Buckley shared the significance of the moment with her family, stating, “I share this with my daughter, who has been with me since she was six weeks old on the road with this. It’s the best role of my life being your mum and I promise to continue to be disobedient so you can belong to a world in all your complete wildness as a young woman.”

Robert Aramayo’s Unexpected Victory

The evening likewise saw a surprise win for Robert Aramayo, who took home the Best Actor award for his role in I Swear. He beat out nominees including Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Aramayo also won the EE Rising Star Award, making him the first actor to win both categories in the same year.

I Swear tells the story of John Davidson, a campaigner for those with Tourette’s syndrome, and was a hit in the UK, and Ireland.

Other Notable Wins

• Best Film: One Battle After Another
• Outstanding British Film: Hamnet
• Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr (director), Wale Davies (writer)
• Best Supporting Actress: Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
• Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
• Best Special Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash (Richard Baneham)
• Best Original Score: Sinners

Looking Ahead to the Oscars

Jessie Buckley will next compete at the Actor Awards (formerly the Screen Actors Guild Awards) before heading to the Oscars on March 15th in Hollywood. She is considered a strong favorite to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, which would make her the first Irishwoman to ever receive the honor.

Full List of BAFTA Winners

• Best Film: One Battle After Another
• Outstanding British Film: Hamnet
• Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr (director), Wale Davies (writer)
• Best Film not in the English language: Sentimental Value
• Best Documentary: Mr Nobody Against Putin
• Best Animated Film: Zootropolis 2
• Best Children’s and Family Film: Boong
• Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
• Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler – Sinners
• Best Adapted Screenplay: One Battle After Another
• Best Leading Actress: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
• Best Leading Actor: Robert Aramayo – I Swear
• Best Supporting Actress: Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
• Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
• Best Casting: I Swear
• Best Cinematography: One Battle After Another
• Best Editing: One Battle After Another
• Best Costume Design: Frankenstein
• Best Make Up & Hair: Frankenstein
• Best Production Design: Frankenstein
• Best Sound: F1
• Best Special Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash
• Best British Short Animation: Two Black Boys in Paradise
• Best British Short Film: This Is Endometriosis
• EE Rising Star Award: Robert Aramayo