Joker leads Bafta nominations but 'disappointment' at lack of diversity

Joker leads the nominations at the British Academy Film Awards, which will be handed out on Sunday night amid "disappointment" at the lack of nominations for female directors and that all acting nominees are white.

The awards will also be the most sustainable ever, with guests arriving on a recycled red carpet, gift bags axed and sustainably sourced food served.

Joker star Joaquin Phoenix is in the running for best actor, and the movie has also been nominated for best film, best adapted screenplay and Todd Philips for best director.

The other best director Bafta nominees are Sam Mendes for 1917, Martin Scorsese for The Irishman, Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood and Bong Joon-Ho for Parasite.

However Little Women's Greta Gerwig has not been nominated in the director category - a surprise for many - which is an all-male line-up, and no films made by women have been nominated in the best film category.

  • ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar reported on the lack of diversity amongst the 2020 Bafta nominations when they were announced in early January

And there is criticism that all acting nominees are white, with two nominations each for Scarlett Johansson and Margot Robbie.

Phoenix will compete with Once Upon A Time star Leonardo DiCaprio, Marriage Story's Adam Driver, Rocketman star Taron Egerton and Jonathan Pryce for The Two Popes in the leading actor category.

While the nominees for the leading actress Bafta are Jessie Buckley for Wild Rose, Scarlett Johansson for Marriage Story, Saoirse Ronan for Little Women, Charlize Theron for Bombshell and Renee Zellweger for Judy.

Margot Robbie scored two nominations in the supporting actress category for her roles in Bombshell and Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood.

The other nominees are Laura Dern for Marriage Story, Scarlett Johansson for Jojo Rabbit and Florence Pugh for Little Women.

The supporting actor nominees are Tom Hanks for A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, Sir Anthony Hopkins for The Two Popes, Al Pacino for The Irishman, Joe Pesci for The Irishman and Brad Pitt, Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood.

Greta Gerwig has not been nominated for best director for her film Little Women. Credit: AP

Bafta chief executive Amanda Berry has said it is "disappointing" that all of the acting nominees for this year's film awards are white and there are no female directors recognised.

She said: "Being totally honest we are disappointed and that is not to take anything away from the people who have been nominated."

"We do have 13 directors nominated who are females across other categories, so everybody from Jennifer Lee who directed Frozen 2, and this is what gives me joy and hope actually, six female directors in the shorts category and that is the category where we are really seeing talent at the start of their career and they are the industry of the future but we are going to do more, we are not going to stop pushing," she added.

Bafta's deputy chairman, Krishnendu Majumdar, said the lack of female nominees in the best director category is an "industry-wide problem", but Bafta is "fiercely doing something about it".

Scarlett Johansson and Margot Robbie have both been nominated twice. Credit: AP

The winners and nominees in the majority of categories are voted for by 6,500 Bafta members, who are comprised of industry professionals and creatives from around the world.

Technical, writing and craft awards are chosen by the relevant specialist chapter.

The public votes for the winner of the EE Rising Star award, which has shortlisted Awkwafina, Jack Lowden, Kaitlyn Dever, Kelvin Harrison Jr and Micheal Ward.

Star Wars producer Kathleen Kennedy will be honoured with the Bafta Fellowship at the ceremony, which will be hosted by Graham Norton at the Royal Opera House.

Kathleen Kennedy will be honoured with the Bafta Fellowship. Credit: AP

The star-studded ceremony, which is one of the last stops on the awards circuit before the Oscars on February 9, will see guests walk on a recycled red carpet before tucking into a dinner made of sustainably sourced food, including a vegan starter and pudding, as it endeavours to be carbon neutral for the first time.

Single use plastic will be banned at the ceremony and branding that has not been re-used from previous years will be made using reclaimed and recyclable materials.

The traditional gift bags have been axed in favour of a "gifting wallet," made from recycled plastic by sustainable travel goods company Groundtruth and containing redeemable vouchers.

Guests have also been asked to make sustainable fashion choices for the ceremony and consider the impact of their travel options.

Laura Dern won a Golden Globe for her supporting actress role in Marriage Story. Credit: AP

Here is a list of this year's nominees:

- Outstanding British Film1917

Bait

For Sama

Rocketman

Sorry We Missed You

The Two Popes

- Supporting ActorTom Hanks, A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood

Sir Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

Al Pacino, The Irishman

Joe Pesci, The Irishman

Brad Pitt, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood

Sir Sam Mendes' 1917 is up for several awards. Credit: PA

- Supporting Actress

Laura Dern, Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit

Margot Robbie, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood

Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Florence Pugh, Little Women

- Best Film1917

The Irishman

Joker

Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood

Parasite

Saoirse Ronan is nominated for best actress. Credit: PA

- Director

Sam Mendes for 1917

Martin Scorsese for The Irishman

Todd Phillips for Joker

Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood

Bong Joon-Ho for Parasite.

- Leading ActorLeonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood

Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Taron Egerton, Rocketman

Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Joaquin Phoenix Credit: PA

- Leading Actress

Jessie Buckley, Wild Rose

Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

Charlize Theron, Bombshell

Renee Zellweger, Judy

- Animated FilmFrozen 2

Klaus

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

Toy Story 4

Jojo Rabbit is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Credit: AP

- Original Screenplay

Booksmart - Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Katie Silberman

Knives Out - Rian Johnson

Marriage Story - Noah Baumbach

Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood - Quentin Tarantino

Parasite - Han Jin Won, Bong Joon-ho

- Adapted ScreenplayThe Irishman, Steven Zaillian

Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi

Joker, Todd Phillips, Scott Silver

Little Women, Greta Gerwig

The Two Popes, Anthony McCarten

Micheal Ward is nominated for the Rising Star Award. Credit: PA

- Original Score

1917, Thomas Newman

Jojo Rabbit, Michael Giacchino

Joker, Hildur Gudnadottir

Little Women, Alexandre Desplat

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, John Williams

- CastingJoker, Shayna Markowitz

Marriage Story, Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler

Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Victoria Thomas

The Personal History Of David Copperfield, Sarah Crowe

The Two Popes, Nina Gold

Awkwafina is nominated for the Rising Star Award. Credit: AP

- Cinematography

1917, Roger Deakins

The Irishman, Rodrigo Prieto

Joker, Lawrence Sher

Le Mans '66, Phedon Papamichael

- Film not in the English language

The Farewell, Lulu Wang, Daniele Melia

For Sama, Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts

Pain And Glory, Pedro Almodovar, Agustin Almodovar

Parasite, Bong Joon-ho

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, Celine Sciamma, Benedicte Couvreur

- Editing

The Irishman, Thelma Schoonmaker

Jojo Rabbit, Tom Eagles

Joker, Jeff Groth

Le Mans '66, Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker

Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Fred Raskin

- EE Rising Star Award

Awkwafina

Jack Lowden

Kaitlyn Dever

Kelvin Harrison Jr

Micheal Ward