Jacob Elordi (Saltburn), Ayo Edebiri (Bottoms, The Bear), Phoebe Dynevor (Fair Play, Bridgerton), Mia McKenna-Bruce (How to Have Sex) and Sophie Wilde (Talk to Me) are the 2024 nominees for the BAFTA Rising Star award for up-and-coming onscreen talent. The British Academy unveiled the nominations for its only film award to be voted on by the public on Wednesday during an event featuring actor and producer Stephen Graham and radio host and film critic Ali Plumb.
“The nominees consist of five actors who have each demonstrated their remarkable talent in film over the past year, having captured the imagination of both the public and film industry alike,” BAFTA said.
The jury, chaired by Anna Higgs, BAFTA’s film committee chair, featured actors Daisy Edgar-Jones, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù and Himesh Patel, casting directors Lucy Bevan (The Batman) and Nina Gold (Game of Thrones), film producer Adam Ackland (The End We Start From) alongside industry specialists.
This is the 19th year for the BAFTA Rising Star honor. Its previous winners have included the likes of Tom Hardy, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, James McAvoy, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Micheal Ward and Tom Holland.
Jane Millichip, CEO at BAFTA, said: “I am delighted to celebrate the exceptional talent showcased by this year’s five nominees for the EE Rising Star Award. These remarkable individuals represent what BAFTA and the EE Rising Star Award stand for as the future of the film industry, embodying innovation, dedication, and a commitment to storytelling that captivates audiences worldwide.”
Australian Elordi has also played Elvis Presley opposite Cailee Spaeny in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. “I am deeply honored to be recognized by BAFTA and EE with a Rising Star nomination,” he said.
American comedian, writer, producer, actress and voice actress Edebiri most recently starred in Bottoms, a satirical teen comedy and continues to voice the character Missy on animated series Big Mouth on which she is also a writer. About the BAFTA nomination, Edebiri said: “It’s wonderful and humbling to receive this nomination. It’s the greatest privilege to tell stories and make people laugh. I know I’m in esteemed company and this means the world.”
Dynevor, who can currently be seen in the finance thriller Fair Play is known for her role as Daphne Bridgerton in Shonda Rhimes hit drama Bridgerton. About her nomination, the English star said: “Being recognized by the EE BAFTA Film Awards for the EE Rising Star Award is a testament to the hard work of the entire team on Fair Play who brought this film to life. I am truly grateful for this recognition and excited to continue challenging myself with new roles and projects.”
Known for her work in How to Have Sex, which follows British teenage girls on a trip to a Greek island for a rites-of-passage holiday filled with drinking, clubbing, and hooking up, McKenna-Bruce said on Wednesday: “I have always been inspired by the work of those actors recognized in the BAFTA EE Rising Star category. To hear that I now stand amongst the past and present nominees is surreal and a total dream come true. I am so very grateful, thank you to the jury.”
Playing the lead in Talk To Me, labeled by same as the “scariest horror movie of 2023,” Australian Wilde said about her BAFTA Rising nomination: “I am so very excited and grateful to BAFTA and EE for including me in this category and amongst this year’s brilliant nominees. To be recognized, and for Talk To Me, a film we all put so much love and hard work into, is a privilege.”
Voting is now open at ee.co.uk/BAFTA. The winner of the BAFTA Rising Star 2024 award will be unveiled at the awards ceremony on Feb. 18 at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
