Anora star Mikey Madison, David Jonsson and Marisa Abela are among BAFTA‘s 2025 Rising Star nominees.
The full list this year includes Jharrel Jerome (Unstoppable) and Nabhaan Rizwan (In Camera) alongside Abela (Back To Black), Madison and Jonsson (Alien: Romulus). The five named were unveiled on Tuesday during a London press conference at The Savoy Hotel.
The Rising Star award, now in its 20th year, is the only prize voted for by the British public. The voting window is now open and the final round to determine 2025’s winners runs Jan. 19-Feb. 13. The EE BAFTA Film Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 16.
Last year’s BAFTA Rising Star award winner was How To Have Sex‘s Mia McKenna-Bruce, who was up against Jacob Elordi, Phoebe Dynevor, Ayo Edibiri and Sophie Wilde. Previous winners of the award include the likes of Kristen Stewart, Emma Mackey and Lashana Lynch.
Madison’s starring role in Sean Baker’s Anora, a twisted Cinderella story about a sex worker who elopes with a boy from a wealthy Russian family, has scooped her a Golden Globe nomination with the young actress a favorite ahead of the Academy Award nods due Jan. 23.
Meanwhile, Abela turned heads with her performance in the Amy Winehouse biopic. The movie itself was widely criticized, with director Sam Taylor-Johnson facing accusations of exploiting Winehouse’s troubled personal life, but Abela earned high praise for her embodiment of who many deem one of the greatest musical talents of the 21st century. The actress sang all the numbers herself and scored a London Critics’ Circle Film Award nomination on Dec. 19.
Jonsson is best known to fans as the face of Peckham-set rom-com Rye Lane as well as the Andy in Fede Alvarez’s sci-fi/horror installment Alien: Romulus, set between the events of Ridley Scott’s original and James Cameron’s sequel.
Rizwan is nominated for his role in In Camera, about a young actor who finds himself in a cycle of nightmarish auditions. After repeatedly being rejected, he takes it upon himself to find a part to play. His other credits include Kaos and Industry, alongside Abela and Jonsson in the latter.
Jerome earns a nod for his performance in American biographical sports drama by William Goldenberg. Written by Eric Champnella, Alex Harris and John Hindman, it is based on the 2012 book of the same name by Anthony Robles (who also serves as producer). Unstoppable premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
BAFTA last week unveiled its longlists for this year’s film awards with Emilia Pérez, Conclave, A Complete Unknown, The Brutalist and The Substance setting the pace. Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical tops the longlists (15), including leading actress and supporting actress mentions for Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez. Edward Berger’s Conclave follows with 14 nods, including leading actor and supporting actor for Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, respectively.
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