Arterton, Garfield among nominees for BAFTA Orange Rising Star award

Now in its sixth year, the award recognises international actors and actresses whose careers are on the rise. Previous winners include Eva Green, James McAvoy, Shia LaBeouf, Noel Clarke and last year’s recipient Kristen Stewart.  

The prize, created in honour of late casting director Mary Selway, is the only BAFTA award to be voted on by the UK public.

The five nominees must have appeared in at least one film entered for BAFTA consideration this year. Gemma Arterton starred in Tamara Drewe, Andrew Garfield in The Social Network and Never Let Me Go, Tom Hardy in Inception, Aaron Johnson in Kick Ass and Emma Stone in Easy A.

The final five were chosen for the first time this year by Orange Wednesday customers from a long list of eight candidates selected by a BAFTA jury, hence this year’s name change to the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award.

The winner will be announced at the BAFTA award ceremony on 13 February 2011.

“It is so important to involve the general public in helping us determine the stars of the future, which is why the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award is such a fantastic initiative,” said Finola Dwyer, jury chair and chair of BAFTA’s Film Committee. “Our final five are truly representative of the rising stars who are capturing film fans hearts and minds, and I look forward to congratulating our winner on the night!”