Oscar favorites Troy Kotsur and Ariana DeBose scooped awards at the Bafta Film Awards, where sci-fi epic Dune also picked up a string of gongs.
Coda star Kotsur, who could go down in Oscar history as the first deaf actor to win an award, picked up the Best Supporting Actor statue at the star-studded ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Speaking on stage with his interpreter, the American artist said: “I think it’s great that you recognize my work from one end of the sea to the other, it’s really incredible.
“I would just like to say congratulations to James Bond, 007, on his 60th birthday. Have you considered maybe a deaf James Bond, 008? »
DeBose won the supporting actress award for her role as Anita in West Side Story.
She said: “It means so much to me, I’m someone who sings, dances, acts.
“I speak dance better than I speak English.
“It’s not every day that you bring a character to life using all of these disciplines.”
No Time To Die star Lashana Lynch has won the EE Rising Star award, the only publicly voted Bafta award.
Collecting the trophy from last year’s winner Bukky Bakray, Lynch said: “Queen tings, what he is.”
She added, “I’m grateful to a labor foundation that taught me everything I need to know about failure, about no and what no means and how to celebrate your yeses.”
She continued, “I would like to thank the women of this country who have taught me what it is to be in this industry as a dark-skinned woman. Thank you for laying the groundwork for people like me.
Blockbuster Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve and based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, won awards for special visual effects, cinematography, sound and original music.
Actress Rebel Wilson, host of the ceremony, opened the awards show by joking about her recent weight loss.
The Pitch Perfect star took to the stage in a shimmering red dress and said, “I might look a little different than the last time you saw me here.”
Referring to a photo of her at the 2020 ceremony which appeared on screen, she added: “That was me two years ago and since then I’ve been through quite a transformation – I hope JK Rowling still approves.
“Everyone asks me, why did you lose weight? It was clearly to get the attention of Robert Pattinson.
She continued: “I didn’t lose weight just to get a guy, I did it to get more acting roles.
“Now I can play the unfunny love interest in an Adam Sandler movie.”
She also joked about the box office success of The Batman, saying it was “ironic” the film was such a hit in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said, “A man and a bat started it all, decimating the film industry, two years later a man and a bat should be the ones to save it.”
Wilson also joked that she would succeed Daniel Craig as the next James Bond.
The Australian actress told the Bafta audience: “Hold on to your martinis because Broccoli let me announce it here and now, it’s a scoop, I’m proud to announce that the new James Bond will be me ! Oh my god, yes!
“I don’t want people to go crazy because there will be a female James Bond, it won’t change much.”
She added: “Here’s my pitch for the new Bond movie – Bond is going to Australia and it can be called Die And G’day.
“And because of the gender pay gap, I won’t be 007, I’ll be 004.5”
Wilson, who had promised she wouldn’t be shy about cracking some risque jokes, later added: ‘I was going to do a musical number as host – it was about Prince Andrew.
“It was on roller skates. It was called Pizza Express but don’t worry, I’m not going to do it, I’m not going to sing.
“I’m saving my voice for the Cats sequel.”
The Duke of Cambridge, who is the chairman of Bafta, is absent from the ceremony this year but recorded a special video message in which he congratulated the nominees.
He also praised the work of Bafta’s breakthrough program, a year-long mentoring and guidance initiative, saying it “helps people realize their true potential”.
The EE British Academy Film Awards will air on BBC One at 7 p.m.
