British filmmakers and actors have named the women and people of colour they believe should have nominated for a Bafta in the wake of a recent diversity row.
Time’s Up UK has called on talent including Carey Mulligan and Yesterday star Himesh Patel to suggest who they believe should have been recognised in the Bafta Film Awards nominations, in which the four acting categories were all white and no female filmmakers were selected for best director.
The organisation has launched a social media campaign today to celebrate those who they feel should have been nominated, highlighting directors Greta Gerwig, Lorene Scafaria and Olivia Wilde as well as actresses Lupita Nyong’o, Cynthia Erivo and Awkwafina among others.
Time’s Up UK chair Dame Heather Rabbatts said the intention was to “raise the profile of those whose endeavours and performances have not made it to the nominations.”
“This ‘invisibility’ is even more shocking given the choices which were available and the strength of films and performances where black talent was apparent this year,” she added.
Mulligan, who won best leading actress at the Baftas in 2010 for An Education, said: “I would give a BAFTA nomination to Lorene Scafaria for Hustlers.”
Patel, a Screen Star of Tomorrow, suggested nominations for Tzi Ma (the actor who played Awkwafina’s father in The Farewell) and Parasite actress Lee Jung Eun.
Bafta-winning director Amma Asante wanted to see Jodie Turner-Smith nominated for her leading role in Queen & Slim while actress Joely Richardson said her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, should have been recognised for her performance in Mrs Lowry & Son.
Actress Gemma Arterton said: “I loved Booksmart and can’t believe it didn’t get any nods, especially for the acting and first-time director. Same goes for The Nightingale and Portrait of a Lady on Fire.”
Game Of Thrones actress Indira Varma, who is also a Time’s Up UK ambassador, suggested best director nominations for Atlantics’ Mati Diop and Booksmart’s Olivia Wilde; Booksmart screenwriters Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel and Katie Silberman; and The Farewell star Awkwafina.
Rocketman actress Ophelia Lovibond named Little Women director Greta Gerwig, Harriet star Cynthia Erivo and Queen & Slim actor Daniel Kaluuya as her alternative nominations.
Mia Bays, UK producer and director-at-large of gender-equality agency Birds Eye View, put forward Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir as worthy of a nod for best British film.
Actress Victoria Emslie, who launched international database Primetime last year to showcase women working above the line and below the line in film, turned her attention to Bafta’s new casting category.
“My alternative Bafta nomination pick would be for Shaheen Baig and Aisha Bywaters, who cast The Last Tree by Shola Amoo” she said. “In the first year in which Bafta has introduced a new category for casting we have fallen short in this opportunity to recognise two brilliant women who champion new talent, telling untold stories that we all want to see.”
The British Academy Film Awards will take place this Sunday (February 2) at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
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