BAFTAs 2025: Mikey Madison and Adrien Brody among the big winners at BAFTAs – as Conclave takes top film prize | Ents & Arts News

Conclave has taken the top prize at this year’s BAFTA film awards, winning best film as well as outstanding British film.

Based on Robert Harris’s 2016 novel of the same name, and centred around the selection of a new pope, the movie also won best adapted screenplay and best editing.

Director Edward Berger, thanking his ensemble cast as he accepted the award, said: “What you did to me on set when I watched you was pure magic, it was beyond my grasp or understanding.”

This success marks Berger’s second triumph at the BAFTAs after sweeping the board two years ago with his remake of All Quiet On The Western Front. Conclave is his first English-language film.

BAFTA Awards 2025: The full list of winners

Despite being the most nominated movie of the night, Conclave did not take any acting prizes, with its star Ralph Fiennes losing out to The Brutalist lead Adrien Brody in the hotly contested best actor category.

Brody’s portrayal of Hungarian architect Lazlo Toth saw the 51-year-old actor bag his first BAFTA statuette.

New York-born Brody said the gong was “incredibly meaningful”, adding: “England has felt quite a bit like home lately.”

The three-and-a-half-hour-long epic, which is largely set in America following World War II, also took best director, best original score and best cinematography.

Accepting his director award, Brady Corbet, told the audience that despite being “humbled” and “grateful” for his win, there really was “no such thing” as best director.

Conclave and The Brutalist were joint winners across the night, taking four gongs each.

Anora, about a Brooklyn sex worker who marries into money, saw its break-out lead star, Mikey Madison take the top prize, after many had forecast a win for Demi Moore.

Accepting her award, the 25-year-old actress took her moment on the stage to honour the sex worker community, who she said had helped her immeasurably in her preparation for the role, telling them: “I see you. You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and an ally.”

Anora also took the casting prize.

Emilia Perez, which has come under fire in recent weeks following resurfaced tweets from its lead star Karla Sofia Gascon, took best film not in the English language. Gascon was not at the event.

An emotional Zoe Saldaña won best supporting actress for her outstanding performance in the musical – in which she acts, sings, and dances – telling the audience her win was “so validating” and “a true honour”.

As she accepted her prize the 46-year-old star said: “I was told not to cry by my children, so I’m going to try. This is so validating because the very few times I tried to go for roles with a British accent I was told this isn’t going to happen.”

She ended her emotional speech by saying: “Films are supposed to change hearts and challenge minds and I hope Emilia Perez did something like this, because voices need to be heard, just not my English accent.”

Saldana, who won in the same category at the Golden Globes last month, will be hoping to follow up her success with an Oscar in March.

Emilia Perez, mostly Spanish language movie, had been an early front-runner in awards season but faced criticism for various reasons.

Kieran Culkin, 42, won best supporting actor for his role in comedy A Real Pain, with his co-star and the film’s writer Jesse Eisenberg accepting the gong on his behalf due to a family emergency.

The movie, about two cousins revisiting their family history in Poland, also took best original screenplay.

Body horror The Substance took a well-deserved win for best makeup and hair, despite Moore missing out on the best actress win.

David Tennant returned as host for a second year, adding his charm to the show with a musical performance and engaging the audience.