The nominees have been announced ahead of this year’s BAFTA Awards, with the winner being announced at the ceremony on the 18th February.
The nominees for the 2024 EE Rising Star Award have been announced by Actor and Producer, Stephen Graham at a press conference hosted by Film Critic and Radio Host, Ali Plumb. This year’s nominees are: Phoebe Dynevor, Ayo Edebiri, Jacob Elordi, Mia McKenna-Bruce and Sophie Wilde.
Those nominated were selected by a panel of industry jurors including actors Daisy Edgar-Jones, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù and Himesh Patel as well as a host of celebrated casting directors, producers, and industry experts.
Now in its 19th year, EE Rising Star Award is the only award at the EE BAFTA Film Awards voted for by the British public, with voting for the award now open at ee.co.uk/BAFTA until midday on the 16th February 2024. The winner will be announced as part of the EE BAFTA Film Awards ceremony taking place on Sunday 18th February, with the awards being broadcast by BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Phoebe Dynevor can currently be seen in the critically acclaimed finance thriller, Fair Play which premiered at Sundance in early 2023. She is of course most familiar to the public for her role as Daphne Bridgerton in the tv series Bridgerton, based on the book series by Julia Quinn. Talking about being nominated she said: “Being recognised 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. Thank you to BAFTA and EE for listing me alongside this year’s wonderful nominees.”
Ayo Edebiri is an American comedian, writer, producer, actress and voice actress who most recently starred in Bottoms, a satirical teen comedy directed by Emma Seligman and co-written with Rachel Sennott which premiered in August 2023. Talking about her nomination she 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.”
Jacob Elordi can be seen in the psychological thriller, Saltburn, as well as starring as the iconic Elvis Presley opposite Cailee Spaeny in Sofia Coppola’s film Priscilla. His upcoming projects include: The Narrow Road to The Deep North, an Australian limited series set during World War II based on Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel as well as Oh Canada in which he stars alongside Uma Thurman and Richard Gere, which follows a dying documentary filmmaker who comes to terms with his legacy for Paul Schrader. Commenting on the news of his nomination he said: “I am deeply honoured to be recognised by BAFTA and EE with a Rising Star nomination.”
Mia McKenna-Bruce is currently receiving acclaim or her lead performance in Molly Manning-Walker’s film, How to Have Sex. Her other projects have included starring as Mary Musgrove opposite Dakota Johnson’s Anne Elliot in the film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Talking about the news she commented: “I have always been inspired by the work of those actors recognised 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.”
Sophie Wilde most recently appeared on our screens as the lead in Talk To Me, which has been labelled the ‘scariest horror movie of 2023’. She is set to next appear in Baby Girl, alongside Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson and Boy Swallows Universe, opposite Phoebe Tonkin. Speaking of the news she said: “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 recognised, and for Talk To Me, a film we all put so much love and hard work into, is a privilege.”
This year, the EE Rising Star Award jury panel was tasked with selecting the 2024 nominees from a comprehensive list of talented actors. The jury met at The Savoy Hotel in November 2023 where they whittled down the long listed names to these five nominees. The jury, chaired by Anna Higgs, BAFTA Film Committee Chair, featured actorsDaisy 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 leading industry specialists.
Previous winners of the EE Rising Star Award have included: Emma Mackey, Lashana Lynch, Bukky Bakray, Micheal Ward, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, John Boyega, and Tom Hardy.