Cate Blanchett, Paul Mescal and stars pay tribute to refugees at BAFTAs

19 February 2023 , 18:38

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Cate Blanchett, Paul Mescal and stars pay tribute to refugees at BAFTAs

Guests in attendance at the EE BAFTA Film Awards this evening are wearing a blue ribbon to show their support for refugees and displaced people around the world.

The initiative - understood to be by the United Nations (UN) - shows support for those displaced due to war and other events, like the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Cate Blanchett, 53 - a goodwill ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency ( UNHCR ) - is among those who have been spotted sporting a blue ribbon at the awards ceremony.

She was with fellow UNHCR goodwill ambassadors, actor Gugu Mbatha-Raw, 39, and former swimmer Yusra Mardini, 24, earlier. They were spotted wearing the blue ribbons as they posed on the red carpet.

Cate Blanchett is among those wearing a blue ribbon at the BAFTA Film Awards tonight (Getty Images for BAFTA)

Cate Blanchett posed with fellow UN goodwill ambassadors Gugu Mbatha-Raw (centre) and Yusra Mardini (right) earlier (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

They aren't alone in donning the ribbons at the ceremony this evening which is being held at the Royal Festival Hall. A host of other guests have also been spotted with them.

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This includes the likes of Paul Mescal, 27, Angela Bassett, 64, and Colin Farrell, 46. Fellow nominee Jamie Lee Curtis, 64, is also said to have on a #WithRefugees ribbon.

Jamie-Lee Curtis spoke about the initiative on the red carpet (Corbis via Getty Images)

Angela Bassett is among the other guests wearing the blue ribbon at the ceremony (Corbis via Getty Images)

Speaking to the PA news agency about why she wanted to wear the ribbon, supporting actress nominee Jamie-Lee said: "My friend Cate is asking people to remind us all in the midst of all the season of shiny things that of course there are terrible refugee crises going on all over the world everywhere all at once and we need to do our part."

A red carpet spectator told the Mirror: "loads of celebs are wearing the ribbon.

"Cate [Blanchett] approached stars to wear it on the red carpet".

Paul Mescal has also been seen sporting one (Getty Images for BAFTA)

Colin Farrell was spotted wearing a ribbon too (Getty Images)

A spokesperson for the UNHCR told Sky News that: "The human themes of displacement, separation and loss are present in many of the films nominated this awards season".

They further commented that such films can help "erode prejudice and misunderstandings, offer new perspectives, and help to build compassion".

"The wearing of the blue #WithRefugees ribbon on the red carpet sends a powerful visual message that everyone has the right to seek safety, whoever, wherever, whenever," they added.

Joel Leaver