'The photo that shows the BAFTAs blew it, with Black winners still not welcome'

20 February 2023 , 22:02

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BAFTA winners photo, with presenter Alison Hammond the only Black face (Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)

For BAFTA’s organisers it is as awkward as Joey Essex trying to kiss his Dancing On Ice partner Vanessa Bauer.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has jazzed up its ceremony to try to make itself as relevant as the Oscars and the Golden Globes.

But the fallout from Sunday night looks as though it will spark another round of crisis talks. Not just because Carey Mulligan was incorrectly named the winner of the Best Supporting Actress award instead of Banshees of Inisherin actor Kerry Condon.

Nor because the much-loved Bernard Cribbins was left out of the In Memoriam section which remembers those we lost in the last year.

But also because a picture released yesterday morning shredded the idea that the BAFTAs have made good on ensuring that ALL of the actors and actresses who have entertained us over the past 12 months get the credit they deserve.

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The image showed the beaming winners clutching their statuettes.

Alison Hammond was as flawless as ever (PA)

None of them were Black or Asian. Nothing for Viola Davis who was superb in The Woman King.

Nothing for Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All At Once.

And nothing for Angela Bassett’s authoritative performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Alison Hammond was as flawless as ever in her presenting duties, singer Little Simz was as impressive as you would expect her to be and a number of Black celebrities handed out awards.

But guess what BAFTA? It’s all about the winners.

And when the winners continue to represent just one demographic, you can understand why even sections of that demographic within the watching public are coming at you.

To be fair, BAFTA announced a complete overhaul of its voting membership and systems in 2020, after heavy fire for the lack of diversity in their nominations. Actor Joaquin Phoenix summed it up best when he said, on picking up his Best Actor award back then: “I think we are sending a very clear message to people of colour that you are not welcome here.”

Clearly, BAFTA doesn’t intend that to be the case.

But nights like Sunday leave Black and Asian nominees feeling used to suggest there’s diversity in the shortlists when the winners lists end up being the same as they’ve always been.

At BAFTA HQ they’ll be around the table this week, trying to work out where on earth they go from here.

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In the meantime more actors will follow the likes of David Oyelowo, Idris Elba and Daniel Kaluuya in believing they have to head to America to get the credit they deserve.

Darren Lewis