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Baftas 2026: One Battle After Another, Sinners and I Swear win big
By Shivani Dubey | 23 February 2026 | Culture, Style
Baftas 2026 saw One Battle After Another take home the top prize, and Robert Aramayo of I Swear win best actor in a shocking win
On Sunday 22 February, actors from all around the world gathered at the Royal Festival Hall in London for the 79th British Academy Film Awards (Baftas). Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another took home six awards, including best film, director and supporting actor for Sean Penn.
“Anybody who says movies aren’t good anymore can piss right off, because this is a great fucking year,” Paul said in his acceptance speech. “We have a line from Nina Simone we stole in our film. She says, ‘I know what freedom is, it’s no fear.’ Let’s keep making things without fear.”
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The vampire-horror Sinners won three awards: original screenplay for Ryan Coogler, who became the first Black man to win in this category, score and supporting actress, which went to Wunmi Mosaku. Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet took home best British film and Jessie Buckley continued her awards season sweep with her best actress win for her work in the film. This also made her the first Irish actress to win this award.
The ceremony was also a sartorial spectacle, as stars like Patrick Dempsey, Chase Infiniti, Kate Hudson, Timothée Chalamet, Michael B Jordan and more came decked out in brands like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Chaumet, Hublot and TAG Heuer.
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However, the surprise came in the form of British rising star Robert Aramayo, who beat Hollywood heavyweights Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke and Michael B Jordan to win best actor for his work in I Swear, a biopic about about writer and campaigner John Davidson highlighting the struggles of a person with Tourette’s syndrome.
“I absolutely can’t believe it, I can’t believe I’m in the same category as you never mind being stood here,” Robert said in disbelief. Robert also won the rising star award that night.
Finally, British film executive Donna Langley was awarded the Bafta fellowship from Prince William. She is the first Hollywood studio head to receive the award.
Images: Samir Hussein/WireImage and TAG Heuer