As you know, BAFTA likes to trickle out a few awards announcements ahead of their nominations, which will be revealed next Tuesday. Last week, we had the Best Foreign Language Film nominees and general category longlists — today, we have the five finalists for their Rising Star Award.
Perhaps the most unique category in a ceremony that otherwise follows the Oscar template with increasing devotion, this self-explanatory honor is the only award BAFTA hands over to the voting public, though the shortlist is compiled by a panel of journos and industry insiders. (Before you cry foul at some relatively established names on the list, the award is not necessarily for newcomers, but for actors whose profile grew significantly in the past year.)
The public vote inevitably favors the star with the greatest youth appeal — last year saw Kristen Stewart beating Best Actress winner Carey Mulligan, while the year before, non-British viewers were left scratching their heads when Noel Clarke saw off Michaels Cera and Fassbender.
This year’s shortlist poses a slightly less inevitable outcome, with none of the nominees boasting a core fanbase like the Twi-Hard crowd to render the competition void. It’s an intelligently chosen bunch of nominees: cheers to the selectors for picking my personal actress of the year, Emma Stone, following her breakthrough turn in “Easy A,” while the long-serving Tom Hardy’s big-league arrival in “Inception” has been duly recognized.
Of the five, only Andrew Garfield will likely score himself a second BAFTA nod next week, though I’d bet on the win being fought out between the remaining two nominees with the biggest celebrity cache — with Bond-girl memories perhaps clinching it for Gemma Arterton (who was bizarrely named twice on last week’s Best Actress longlist, to boot).
I think I’m a Hardy boy myself, but who gets your vote?
BAFTA Rising Star Award
Gemma Arterton
Andrew Garfield
Tom Hardy
Aaron Johnson
Emma Stone
[Photo: Screen Gems]
Comments
27 responses to “BAFTA names Rising Star nominees”
The British love affair with Kick-Ass continues (kidding, I know this is as much for Nowhere Boy).
Decent line-up, I’ll root for Emma Stone to win it, she seems like the only one with real “star” potential. Speaking of that, curious that the two leads of the Spider-Man reboot are nominated (and wasn’t Johnson one of the contenders to play Spider-Man too?).
I’d be happy with anyone winning.
Andrew Garfield!
Gemma Arterton was good in that kidnapping movie but has been a window dressing in all her other movies – even Tamara Drewe.
Aaron Johnston annoys me. I think it’s his American accent.
Garfield won’t win. He was great in TSN but it wasn’t a ‘star’ making turn. Just good acting.
It comes down to Emma Stone and Tom Hardy. Emma Stone should win but Tom Hardy will win because he is a Brit and a lot of people saw Inception.
Mark my words….
MARK!!! Garfield should win just for that scene.
Tom Hardy, I haven’t seen Stone’s performance yet, though I think she’s a great actress.
Like most Academy members I’m basing my vote one the actor I’d most want to have sex with: Tom Hardy.
Andrew Garfield will win, but Emma Stone should win. She was the real breakout winner of 2010.
You reckon Andrew Garfield has really registered with the texting masses? I’m not so sure.
I actually think Emma Stone could manage a surprise win here.
Unfortunately, “Easy A” drastically underperformed at the UK box office. I think Stone is the outsider here.
Guy, how did “Zombieland” do in the UK? Could that factor in here as well?
I’m rooting for Emma Stone. I think she’s wonderful.
Joe7827: It did tidy business. (Jesse Eisenberg was actually nominated for the award last year, on the strength of Adventure/Zombielands. ) I’m just not sure audiences here are really aware of her between movies.
Oh, I see, pity. It always seems to go to the most ‘meh’ choice (to us all) out of the five. Plus, with that awful tragedy involving Gemma’s grandmother, that’ll certainly curry public favor w/ the sympathy factor, won’t it?
At least Garfield won that BAFTA TV award for his outstanding performance in Boy A…which I always seem to mention whenever I comment about him, haha.
Surprised to see no nomination for Chloe Moretz given the Kick Ass love in the U.K as well as her performance in Let Me In and upcoming role in Hugo Cabret. Good nominations though and I can see either Hardy or Arterton taking it.
I don’t understand Gemma Arterton’s nomination. She had her breakthrough at least three years ago and isn’t exactly a fresh face anymore. I’m not saying all the showbiz awards should align in any way, but the Empire Awards nominated her for best newcomer for two consecutive years. It seems like somebody is bent on making her happen.
2010 was the year Arterton emerged as a lead star, headlining both The Disappearance of Alice Creed and Tamara Drewe. I think it’s fair to say it was something of a breakthrough year for her — she’s hardly a marquee name yet, after all.
(Whether one thinks she’s earned the break is another question.)
And American audiences got to know her in two significant roles with Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia.
That said, I’d be totally fine of any of these won, they are all brilliant. My personal vote would be Emma Stone, because she carried Easy A like it was no one’s business.
Heh, it’ll be a battle between the Easy A and the Boy A… /lame.
Giggle!
Tom Hardy definitely deserves to win. Tom did so much with his role, and he made his character memorable. When Hardy graced the screen, I almost immediately forgot about the other cast members – including Leo DiCaprio. I mean , talk about scene stealing, star power , charisma, intelligence, and wonderful comedic & dramatic chops. Andrew Garfield would be my close second choice.
I wish Armie Hammer was recognized with a nomination. Why are the critic’s groups ( and award groups) ignoring Hammer’s great turn in “The Social Network” ? Hammer’s performance was one of my favorites of last year. It was incredibly challenging , and he nailed every nuance.
Michael Dalton, yes, Chloe Moretz deserves a nomination and an Oscar nomination . She most definitely “kicked ass” last year. Chloe put most adult actors to shame.
I’m glad there are not any ‘Twilight’ “actors” on the list this year. My vote would be for Stone, with Hardy trailing closely behind.
Emma Stone will probably win, but I’d love to see Tom Hardy get it.
I think Andrew Garfield has enough squeeking fangirls who can give him this win. No one I know in person who’s seen Inception really said much of anything of note concerning Tom Hardy, most still don’t even know his name. I don’t doubt that it’s different on the other side of the Atlantic, but I don’t know if ~Inception~ is that movie that would get him recognition as a breakthrough performer. I’d imagine Arterton, Johnson and Garfield all have the more exposure over there (Garfield for Spiderman and two other notable roles this year garnering critical attention). Didn’t Johnson kind of break through with Nowhere Boy last year, though? I dunno. I know he also had Kick-Ass but I’m not sure if that was more successful internationally than it was in the US where it kind of fizzled quickly after initially topping the box office.
I love Emma Stone but I think she’s a bit of a non-factor here.
This list of 5 nominees is exceptionnally good one. Each year there is at least one who makes me feel : what is he/she doing here. Not so here. Anyone can win, all should. Nice list.
To answer the question of which actor would get my vote (not which is likely to win), I’d vote for Garfield. His performances in I’m Here, The Social Netwok and Never Let Me Go put him over the top for me out of these nominees. Loved Emma Stone in Easy A and Hardy in anything almost always, but Garfield still gets my vote.