The showbiz world united to make a statement against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for the British Academy Film Awards 2022 at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell led the stars on the red carpet wearing black, while nominee Benedict Cumberbatch and former Made In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh wore Ukrainian flag pins as a mark of solidarity.
Prior to the event, BAFTA bosses reportedly advised attendees to ‘dress respectably’ amid fears attention-grabbing dresses and suits would appear distasteful in light of the Ukraine conflict’.
Red carpet: The showbiz world united to make a statement against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for the British Academy Film Awards 2022 at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday with Naomi Campbell (left) and Millie Mackintosh (right) leading the way
Naomi, 51, looked effortlessly demure in her floor-length gown which had sweeping sleeves and a square neckline, while Millie, 32, opted for an asymmetric powder pink satin dress and wore a ribbon with the colours of the Ukrainian flag on her waist.
Hollywood heavyweight Benedict, 45, whose film The Power Of The Dog leads the way with 11 nominations, opted for yellow and blue pin attached to the lapel of his black suit as he took to the red carpet with his wife Sophie.
And Benedict is keen to take in Ukrainian refugees. The actor has been nominated for the Leading Actor gong at the BAFTAs for his role in The Power Of The Dog and although he’s looking forward to the ceremony, Benedict admits it’s impossible to ignore the war in Ukraine.
Hollywood heavyweight Benedict, 45, whose film The Power Of The Dog leads the way with 11 nominations, opted for yellow and blue pin attached to the lapel of his black suit
Prior to the event, BAFTA bosses reportedly advised attendees to ‘dress respectably’ amid fears attention-grabbing dresses and suits would appear distasteful in light of the Ukraine conflict,’ a source said (Benedict pictured with wife Sophie)
Awards night: The nominations for the BAFTA awards were announced last month with Dune, The Power Of The Dog (Benedict pictured) and Belfast leading with 11, eight and six respectively
Speaking before the event, he shared: ‘We have brothers and sisters who are suffering. It is a really shocking time to be a European, two-and-a-half hours’ flight away from Ukraine. It’s something that hangs over us.’
Benedict is keen to do everything he can to support the people of Ukraine, following the Russian invasion of the country.
The actor revealed he would even like to be part of a programme to take in Ukrainian refugees.
Fashion maven: Naomi, who is fresh from Fashion Week, complemented her red carpet ensemble with a chunky bracelet and green earrings
He told Sky News: ‘Everyone needs to do as much as they can. I think already today the news has broken that there’s been a record number of people volunteering to take people into their homes, and I hope to be part of that myself.’
Stephen Graham has also voiced his support for the people of Ukraine and wore a ribbon. The 48-year-old actor insisted the war in eastern Europe cannot be ignored.
Speaking on the red carpet, he said: ‘It’s lovely to be here with my family but at the same time it’s important for me to acknowledge in public what is happening over there.’
Child actor Woody Norman and I’m A Celebrity star Jessica Plummer also wore ribbons to the Academy’s 75th ceremony.
Support: The reality star attached the blue and yellow ribbon to her waist before she took to the red carpet
Smart: Benedict wore the blue and yellow pin on the lapel of his velvet suit blazer
Many celebrities stuck to the suggested black dress code, with Lady Gaga, Emma Watson and Daisy Ridley all looking incredibly glamorous in their gowns.
Ellie Bamber made an elegant arrival in a classy gown, which boasted a sheer skirt and embellished jumper, while Millie Bobby Brown looked incredible in a multi-layered ensemble.
Ahead of the ceremony, celebrities were said to be advised to keep their red carpet outfits somewhat understated in comparison to previous years in light of the conflict.
‘Several senior showbiz agents have advised stars to dress respectably, amid fears attention-grabbing dresses and suits would appear distasteful in light of the Ukraine conflict,’ a source told the Sun on Sunday.
‘The last thing they want is something like Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress or anything too controversial.’
Joining the pack: I’m A Celebrity star Jessica Plumber also sported a blue and yellow ribbon as she arrived at the ceremony in a black floor-length dress with a cut out at the bust
Toned down: Ahead of the ceremony, celebrities were said to be advised to keep their red carpet outfits somewhat understated in comparison to previous years in light of the conflict
Statement: Stephen Graham (left) and child actor Woody Norman (right) also wore Ukraine ribbons to show their support to the war-torn country
Stephen showed off his ribbon as he smiled for the camera
Lady Gaga infamously wore a meat dress to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
Loose Women’s Janet Street Porter took aim at the events organisers writing: ‘It’s business as usual. The organisers clearly believe ‘we’ve got through Covid, let’s carry on enjoying ourselves’.
‘Wouldn’t we respect them more, if someone back at mission control had the guts to stand up and say – ‘let’s call the whole thing off until peace is restored in Ukraine. This backslapping and awarding is grotesque’.’
The nominations for the BAFTA awards were announced last month with Dune, The Power Of The Dog and Belfast leading with 11, eight and six respectively.
Denis Villeneuve’s star-studded sci-fi epic landed a slew of technical nods, along with a nod for the top prize for Best Film, while Jane Campion’s dark Western and Kenneth Branagh’s Irish biopic follows close behind with eight and six respectively.
It looks set to be a competitive evening in the acting categories, with Lady Gaga, Caitriona Balfe and Benedict battling it out for the leading honours, alongside newcomers Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ariana DeBose and Adeel Akhtar.
Simply stunning: Star Wars sensation Daisy, 29, commanded attention in an off-the-shoulder Vivienne Westwood dress
BAFTA 2022 Film Awards: (From L-R) AJ Odudu looked breathtaking in a mesh sequin gown while Lucy Boynton and Supporting Actress nominee Caitriona Balfe took the red carpet by storm at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday
Leggy: Florence, 26, jazzed up a long sleeve mini dress with a pink mesh appendage, which traipsed down her back and onto the floor
Amazing: Millie Bobby Brown looked incredible in a multi-layered ensemble
It comes after explosions were heard on the outskirts of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv after Russian forces launched an attack on a military base just 12 miles from the Polish border, killing at least nine people and injuring dozens more.
Vladimir Putin’s forces launched a missile strike on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, also known as Yavoriv military complex, just before 6am.
Initial reports suggested the base had been targeted by eight missiles, but Maksym Kozytskyi, Governor of the region later confirmed 30 cruise missiles had been fired, killing nine people and injuring 57.
The base has previously been used to host Nato drills and up until recently has housed foreign military instructors, although its unclear if any have been caught up in the strike.
Michael Gove called the rocket attack a ‘significant escalation’, adding that Putin was ‘pushing the boundaries’.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: ‘We know that Vladimir Putin has no moral limits when it comes to the actions he’s willing to take and he’s pushing the boundaries in military terms.
‘We’ve already seen the abuse of humanitarian corridors. The Russians say on the one hand they are allowed to leave but when they seek to leave they are then killed and bombed.’
Backdrop: It comes after explosions were heard on the outskirts of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv after Russian forces launched an attack on a military base just 12 miles from the Polish border
BAFTAs 2022: THE NOMINATIONS
Best Film
Belfast
Don’t Look Up
Dune
Licorice Pizza
The Power of the Dog
Outstanding British Film
After Love
Ali & Ava
Belfast
Boiling Point
Cyrano
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
House of Gucci
Last Night in Soho
No Time To Die
Passing
Best Film: Dune is up for the big going as well as 10 more gongs
Leading Actress
Lady Gaga, House of Gucci
Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza
Emilia Jones, CODA
Renata Reinsve, The Worst Person in the World
Joanna Scanlan, After Love
Tessa Thompson, Passing
Leading Actor
Adeel Akhtar, Ali & Ava
Mahershala Ali, Swansong
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
Leonardo DiCaprio, Don’t Look Up
Stephen Graham, Boiling Point
Will Smith, King Richard
Supporting Actress
Caitríona Balfe, Belfast
Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Ruth Negga, Passing
Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard
Ann Dowd, Mass
Leading Actress: Lady Gaga has a nod for House of Gucci
Supporting Actor
Mike Faist, West Side Story
Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
Troy Kotsur, CODA
Woody Norman, C’mon C’mon
Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog
Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog
Director
Aleem Khan, After Love
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car
Audrey Diwan, Happening
Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Julia Ducournau, Titane
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
After Love
Boiling Point
The Harder They Fall
Keyboard Fantasies
Passing
Original Screenplay: Being the Ricardos is up for the gong
Adapted Screenplay
CODA
Drive My Car
Dune
The Lost Daughter
The Power of the Dog
Original Screenplay
Being the Ricardos
Belfast
Don’t Look Up
King Richard
Licorice Pizza
EE Rising Star Award
Harris Dickinson
Millicent Simmonds
Lashana Lynch
Kodi Smit-McPhee
Ariana DeBose
EE Rising Star Award: Bond star Lashana Lynch is nominated
Cinematography
Dune
Nightmare Alley
No Time To Die
The Power of the Dog
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Animated Film
Encanto
Flee
Luca
The Mitchells vs The Machines
Documentary
Becoming Cousteau
Cow
Flee
The Rescue
Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Costume Design: Cruella has been nominated
Film Not in the English Language
Drive My Car
The Hand of God
Parallel Mothers
Petite Maman
The Worst Person in the World
Costume Design
Cruella
Cyrano
Dune
The French Dispatch
Nightmare Alley
Make Up & Hair
Cruella
Cyrano
Dune
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
House of Gucci
Original Score: Don’t Look Up is up for a gong
Original Score
Being The Ricardos
Don’t Look Up
Dune
The French Dispatch
The Power of the Dog
Editing
Belfast
Dune
Licorice Pizza
No Time To Die
Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Production Design
Cyrano
Dune
The French Dispatch
Nightmare Alley
West Side Story
Sound
Special Visual Effects
British Short Animation
Casting
Boiling Point
Dune
The Hand of God
King Richard
West Side Story
Editing: Black and white film Belfast is nominated
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