With the EE British Academy Film Awards 2015 fast approaching, we continue our countdown of 100 moments in BAFTA’s history.
Here we pick up where we left off counting down 60-41 days to go until the awards…
60 days to go
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt arrive at the ceremony in 2014
One of the most memorable entrances to the EE British Academy Film Awards in recent years was Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s arrival in 2014. Both came wearing near-matching outfits, with Pitt receiving his first BAFTA later that night as a producer of 12 Years a Slave (2013). He had been nominated four times before. Jolie received her first nomination for her performance in Changeling (2008), and has recently directed her third feature, Unbroken (2014).
59 days to go
Christoph Waltz Wins His First BAFTA Award in 2010
In 2010, Christoph Waltz received his first BAFTA for his role as Hans Landa in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (2009). This performance established Waltz’s career in the US, and he has since starred a variety of films including Water for Elephants (2011), Horrible Bosses 2 (2014) and Django Unchained (2012) (resulting in his second BAFTA).
Waltz will next be seen in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes (2013) and the latest Bond film SPECTRE (2015).
58 days to go
Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Kevin Spacey backstage in 2013
Photographer Rich Hardcastle’s beautiful photograph of Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Kevin Spacey shows the three actors waiting to go on stage to present an award in 2013.
While Freeman and McKellen both star in The Hobbit trilogy, all three actors have yet to appear in the same film.
57 days to go
Cate Blanchett Wins Her Third BAFTA Award in 2014
In 2014, Cate Blanchett won her third BAFTA award for her role in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine (2013). Her previous awards were for The Aviator (2004) and Elizabeth (1998).
In her acceptance speech, she dedicated her award to Philip Seymour Hoffman, who had recently passed away. You can watch the speech in full in the video below:
56 days to go
Forest Whitaker Wins the Leading Actor Award in 2007
In 2007, Forest Whitaker received his first BAFTA for his unforgettable performance as Idi Amin in Kevin Macdonald’s The Last King of Scotland (2006). The film was nominated four times in total, winning in the British Film and Adapted Screenplay categories.
Appearing on screen over 50 times, Whitaker’s other notable films include Bird (1988), The Crying Game (1992) and The Butler (2013).
55 days to go
Eva Green Wins the Rising Star Award
In 2007, Eva Green became the second Rising Star award recipient. Her fellow nominees included Emily Blunt, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Cillian Murphy. In this photo taken by Liam Daniel, she is pictured backstage with James McAvoy, who won the award the previous year.
Making her debut in Bernardo Bertolucci The Dreamers in 2003, Green has gone on to star in Casino Royale (2006), Penny Dreadful (2014-present) and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014).
54 days to go
Terry Gilliam Wins the BAFTA Fellowship in 2009
In 2009, Terry Gilliam received the BAFTA Fellowship for his outstanding contribution to film and television. In his acceptance speech, he surprised and delighted the audience by unveiling an exceptionally long scroll listing the people he wanted to thank, as seen in the photo below!
Making his breakthrough as part of the Monty Python comedy troupe, Gilliam has directed a range of wildly imaginative films, including Brazil (1985), 12 Monkeys (1995) and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998).
53 days to go
Tilda Swinton Wins Her First BAFTA Award in 2008
In 2008, Tilda Swinton received her first BAFTA award for her performance as Karen Crowder in Michael Clayton (2007). It was the first time that Swinton had received a BAFTA nomination, and her fellow nominees included Cate Blanchett, Kelly MacDonald, Samantha Morton and Saoirse Ronan. In the same year, she also received the British Artist of the Year award at the Britannia Awards.
Since then, Swinton has been nominated a further two times for Burn After Reading (2008) and We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011). She featured earlier in our countdown in a backstage photograph with Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield.
52 days to go
The Harry Potter Films Win the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award
In 2011, the Harry Potter film series received the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award. It was the first time that a film series had ever won this award. Over the years, the series was nominated for 28 BAFTAs at the Film Awards.
Producer David Heyman, author J,.K Rowling and cast members Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were in attendance to accept the award. You can watch their backstage interview below:
51 days to go
Tinie Tempah High Fives The Duke of Cambridge in 2014
At the opening of the ceremony in 2014, Tinie Tempah performed his song Heroes with Laura Mvula. Walking through the auditorium next to seated nominees and guests, Tinie took the opportunity to high five BAFTA’s President HRH The Duke of Cambridge!
50 days to go
Jake Gyllenhaal and Charlize Theron Backstage in 2006
In this lovely shot taken by Richard Kendal, the two actors are shown celebrating Gyllenhaal’s BAFTA award for his performance in Brokeback Mountain (2005). This was Gyllenhaal’s first BAFTA nomination, while Theron has so far been nominated for two Leading Actress awards for her performances in Monster (2003) and North Country (2005).
49 days to go
Samuel L. Jackson chats with Rupert Grint in 2011
In 1995, Samuel L. Jackson received the Supporting Actor award for his performance as Jules in Pulp Fiction (1994). Although he wasn’t in attendance to receive the award, his co-star John Travolta accepted on behalf of Jackson.
The photo below was taken by Charlie Gray in 2011, showing Jackson speaking with Rupert Grint ahead of the ceremony.
A veteran of over 100 films, Jackson will next be seen in Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015).
48 days to go
Ralph Fiennes Wins his First BAFTA Award in 1994
Updated 9 January 2015.
In 1994, Ralph Fiennes won his first BAFTA for his performance as Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List (1993). He was nominated alongside Ben Kingsley, Tommy Lee Jones and John Malkovich.
Fiennes has since been nominated a further four times for his acting, including The English Patient (1996), The End of the Affairs (1999), The Constant Gardener (2005) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). In 2012, he was nominated in the Outstanding British Debut category for his directorial debut Coriolanus (2011).
47 days to go
Lord Attenborough and Hepburn win the British Actor and British Actress awards in 1965
This wonderful photograph of Lord Attenborough and Audrey Hepburn was taken at the ceremony in 1965. Attenborough received his first BAFTA for his performances in Guns At Batasi (1964) and Séance on a Wet Afternoon (1964), while Hepburn won the third in her career for her role in Charade(1963).
46 days to go
Brad Pitt Blows a Kiss to the Camera in 2012
In 2012, ceremony host Stephen Fry asked Brad Pitt if he could kindly blow a kiss to the audience watching at home. The BAFTA-winning actor and producer kindly obliged, starting an annual tradition! We will see the most recent kisses later on in the countdown, but for now we’ll leave you with the one that started it all.
45 days to go
Peter Capaldi Wins his First BAFTA in 1994
20 years ago, The Doctor (AKA Peter Capaldi) won his first BAFTA with producer Ruth Kenley-Letts for their short film Franz Kafka’s It’s A Wonderful Life (1993). Written and directed by Capaldi, the comic film starred Richard E. Grant and also received an Academy award.
Capaldi has so far been nominated for six more BAFTAs, winning the Male Performance In A Comedy Programme award in 2010 for his role as Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It.
He is currently the owner of a well known blue police box.
44 days to go
Anne Hathaway Wins Her First BAFTA in 2013
In 2013, Anne Hathaway won her first BAFTA for her performance as Fantine in Les Misérables (2012). The other nominees included Amy Adams, Helen Hunt, Judi Dench and Sally Field. Les Misérables was nominations for nine BAFTAs, winning four in total.
Hathaway has starred in a wide range of films, including Brokeback Mountain (2005), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and more recently Interstellar (2014).
43 days to go
Helena Bonham Carter Wins Her First BAFTA in 2011
In 1993, Helena Bonham Carter received her first BAFTA nomination for her performance in Howards End (1992) (discussed earlier in the countdown). 18 years later, she won her first BAFTA for her role as the Queen Mother in The King’s Speech (2010). In total Bonham Carter has received five BAFTA nominations, as well as a Britannia Award in 2011.
Watch her advice for aspiring actors:
42 days to go
Dame Maggie Smith Receives the Special Award in 1993
In her illustrious career, Dame Maggie Smith has been nominated for 17 BAFTAs, winning five times. In addition to this, she has received both the Special Award and the BAFTA Fellowship.
When accepting the Special Award, Smith stated:
“If it’s possible to be in films without taking your clothes off or indeed killing people with machine guns I seem to have managed to do that!”
Watch Smith’s speech in full below:
41 days to go
Marion Cotillard and Javier Bardem backstage in 2008
In 2008, Marion Cotillard and Javier Bardem received their first BAFTA awards. Cotillard won the Leading Actress award for her performance as Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose (2007), while Bardem received the Supporting Actor award for his role in No Country for Old Men (2007).
Since then, Cotillard has received a further Leading Actress nomination for Rust and Bone (2012), while Bardem has been nominated for his performances in both Biutiful (2010) and Skyfall (2012).
