Baftas stand-out moments: best speeches, David Tennant’s jokes and Take That

Screen rounds-up the memorable moments from this year’s Bafta Film Awards, which took place last night (February 18) at London’s Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank. Conclave and The Brutalist led the winners.

Hosting return

David Tennant returned as host for the second year and kicked off proceedings with a lively rendition of the Proclaimers’ wedding staple ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’. James McAvoy, Colman Domingo, Celia Imrie and Anna Kendrick were among the stars who joined in from the audience. 

Tennant’s opening monologue included jokes on a variety of topics, including A Complete Unknown (“like ‘Mamma Mia!’ for middle-aged dads”) and The Apprentice: “I’ve said Donald Trump’s name three times – it’s like Beetlejuice, I’m worried I’m going to summon him.” 

He also told the crowd: “You look like you’ve all had a couple of shots of The Substance.”

Memorable speeches

The speeches mostly shied away from politics, but Kneecap director Rich Peppiatt did make a reference to contemporary events: “Kneecap is more than a film, it’s a movement,” he said. “Everyone should have their language and homeland respected, this award is dedicated to everyone out there fighting that fight.”

Conclave director Edward Berger added: “We live in a crisis of democracy and institutions that used to bring us together now pull us apart and it’s hard to keep the faith, but that’s why we make movies, to bring us together.”

Mikey Madison seemed genuinely surprised to win leading actress for her role in Anora, having not picked up any other precursor awards. She dedicated the award to sex workers, saying: “I see you, you deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and ally.”

Jesse Eisenberg picked up his second screenplay win in the UK, after winning at the London Critics’ Circle Awards earlier this month. “I must be living in the wrong country,” he joked at the winners’ press conference afterward. “Maybe I’m a novelty here and in America I’m boring. I should be here more often.”

Emilia Perez winners don’t ignore Karla Sofía Gascón

A major talking point before the awards was the controversy around Emilia Perez lead Karla Sofía Gascón’s social media posts.

As confirmed before the ceremony, she was not attending, but director Jacques Audiard and Zoe Saldana both thanked her in their winning speeches, with Audiard saying: “I also thank you Karla Sofia, who I kiss.”

A very emotional Saldana did describe Emilia Perez as “the creative challenge of a lifetime” and ran out of time in her speech: “I’m getting a countdown, f**k f**k!” 

Musical moments

Jeff Goldblum played a special arrangement of Casablanca’s ‘As Time Goes By’ during the in-memorium segment, which paid tribute to David Lynch, James Earl Jones, Gena Rowlands, David Korda, Maggie Smith and more.

Take That took to the stage for a performance of ‘Greatest Day’ which is used in the opening sequence of double-winner Anora. Coming through the audience, Gary Barlow shook director Sean Baker’s hand while Mark Owen bowed down in front of star Madison. 

Warwick Davis’ emotional tribute

Actor Warwick Davis delivered a funny but also poignant speech when he collected his Bafta Fellowship honour.

“I’m going to keep this short… you can laugh!” he said, before moving on to pay tribute to his wife Samantha, who died last year.

The actor also praised the British film industry. ”We have the best technicians in the world, the best filmmakers which is why the world comes to the UK to make films,” he said at the press conference but adding jokingly, “probably the tax credits as well”. 

• ‘Conclave’, ‘The Brutalist’ lead winners at 2025 Bafta Film Awards