Two Jewish stars, Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison, stole the limelight at the 2025 Baftas on Sunday night, with impressive victories in their respective categories.
Brody, best known for his iconic role in The Pianist took home the best actor trophy for his brilliant portrayal of the fictional Hungarian architect and Holocaust survivor Lazlo Toth in The Brutalist.
The 51-year-old’s nuanced performance in the epic three-hour drama, set in postwar America, earned him his first-ever Bafta statuette, marking a significant milestone in his career.
Mikey Madison poses with the Leading Actress Award for 'Anora' at the BAFTA Film Awards (Image: Getty)Getty Images
Brody, a New York native, acknowledged his growing connection to the UK and its film industry, joking: “England has felt quite a bit like home lately” .
The Brutalist, which also scooped the best director, best original score and best cinematography awards was a standout of the night, tying papal drama Conclave in the standings.
Its striking soundtrack was created by British composer Daniel Blumberg, who grew up attending New North London Synagogue.
In an unexpected twist, Jewish star Mikey Madison, 25, won best actress for her role in Anora, an adorable romantic comedy about a Brooklyn sex worker who marries into wealth.
Despite the bookmakers suggesting that the award would go to Demi Moore for her turn in The Substance, Madison’s performance resonated with Bafta voters, earning her the top title.
On accepting her award, Madison dedicated her win to the sex worker community, acknowledging how crucial they were in helping her prepare for the role. “I see you. You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and an ally,” she said.
Elsewhere, Jesse Eisenberg accepted co-stars Kieran Culkin’s best supporting actor award for his role in A Real Pain, a comedy about two Jewish cousins retracing their family history in Poland.
Jesse Eisenberg attended the BAFTAs for his role in 'A Real Pain' (Image: Getty)Getty Images
Culkin's win was bittersweet, though, as he could not attend the ceremony due to a family emergency.
Eisenberg, who also wrote the film, shared in its success as it brought home the award for best screenplay.
There was joy too for Tessa Ross – already the holder of a Bafta for outstanding contribution to British cinema – as a producer of Conclave, which picked up the award for best film and also for outstanding British film this year. The picture also won awards for adapted screenplay and editing.
Meanwhile, Timothee Chalamet, who was expected to dominate the night for his roles in Dune 2 and the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, left empty-handed
Timothee Chalamet with girlfriend Kylie Jenner (Image: BBC)[Missing Credit]
But the French-American actor still created a stir on the red carpet, thanks to his high-profile appearance with girlfriend Kylie Jenner.
And he didn’t seem to be too disheartened as he shared a joke with David Tennant, who was hosting the ceremony, about the recent lookalike competition that was held in his honour in New York.
