‘One Night In Miami’, ‘Saint Maud’ Actors Among BAFTA Rising Star Award Nominees

Tom Grater
·2 min read

BAFTA has named the five contenders for its Rising Star award this year: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Conrad Khan, Bukky Bakray, Ṣọpẹ́ Dirisu, and Morfydd Clark.

Kingsley Ben-Adir starred in Regina’s King’s directorial debut film One Night in Miami as Malcolm X. His career started on the stage, in plays including Mark Rylance’s Much Ado About Nothing. He most recently starred opposite Zoe Kravitz in the Hulu series High Fidelity; played a co-lead role in the third series of the Brit Marling Netflix series The OA; played Colonel Ben Younger in the BBC/Netflix drama Peaky Blinders; and starred in films The Commuter, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Trespass Against Us.

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Conrad Khan is known for his role as Tyler in Henry Blake’s UK indie County Lines. He also appeared as a young Chris Hemsworth in The Huntsman: Winter’s War, and he has most recently been cast as a lead in the final series Peaky Blinders.

Bukky Bakray broke out in Sarah Gavron’s Rocks, a role for which she is also BIFA nominated. She recently completed a year-long course as part of the RADA Youth Company and is enrolled on Theatre Peckham’s Originate Acting Course.

Ṣọpẹ́ Dirisu starred in Remi Weekes’ Netflix horror His House. His roles also include Gangs Of London, the war drama Sand Castle, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, as well as Ariel Vromen’s sci-fi thriller Criminal. He is currently in Ireland shooting a lead role in Mr Malcolm’s List. Upcoming releases include Mothering Sunday with Olivia Colman and Colin Firth, Tim Felhbaum’s Berlinale selection Tides and Silent Night with Kiera Knightley and Matthew Goode.

Morfydd Clark starred in Rose Glass’s debut Saint Maud. She also appeared in Armando Iannucci’s The Personal History of David Copperfield, and in Eternal Beauty opposite Sally Hawkins. She is currently in New Zealand filming a lead role in Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings.

Nominees were selected by a group of industry jurors including Alicia Vikander, Jo Hartley and Naomi Ackie. The winner will be announced on April 11 at the BAFTA Film Awards ceremony.

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