BAFTAs 2020: Al Pacino helped to his feet after red carpet fall as Brad Pitt misses ceremony

Tom Beasley
·Contributor
·2 min read
Al Pacino takes a tumble at the EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 at Royal Albert Hall. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Al Pacino takes a tumble at the EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 at Royal Albert Hall. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Al Pacino had to be helped to his feet after he suffered a dramatic stumble on the red carpet prior to the 2020 BAFTAs.

The 79-year-old actor, who is nominated for his role in The Irishman, was pictured falling over on the stairs as he made his way to the Royal Albert Hall for the ceremony.

Pacino was assisted into the building and appeared to be okay despite his tumble.

Read more: Full list of BAFTAs 2020 winners

He will compete in the Best Supporting Actor category for his performance as controversial union figure Jimmy Hoffa in Martin Scorsese’s three-and-a-half-hour Netflix mob epic.

Al Pacino is helped to his feet after falling over whilst attending the 73rd British Academy Film Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall, London. (Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)
Al Pacino is helped to his feet after falling over whilst attending the 73rd British Academy Film Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall, London. (Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)

Pacino last won a BAFTA in 1976, when he was jointly recognised for his leading performances in The Godfather Part II and Dog Day Afternoon.

He was nominated again in 1991 for playing the role of crime boss Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy.

Among his fellow nominees this year is Pacino’s co-star Joe Pesci, who is nominated for portraying Italian-American crime lord Russell Bufalino in The Irishman.

Read more: Predictions for the 2020 BAFTAs

Meanwhile, Pacino’s fellow Best Supporting Actor nominee, Brad Pitt, was revealed to be skipping the ceremony as a result of a “family obligation”.

Pitt is hotly tipped to emerge victorious at the BAFTAs, having already secured the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Golden Globe in the category for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

The Sun showbiz columnist Dan Wootton revealed on Twitter that Pitt was not expected to be in attendance.

The Irishman and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood are among the most acclaimed movies at this year’s BAFTAs, with each securing 10 nominations.

Only comic book drama Joker has more nods, with Todd Phillips’ movie up for 11 awards and Joaquin Phoenix widely expected to win Best Actor for his work in the title role.

Read more: Most controversial BAFTA moments

The winners of the BAFTAs will be hoping to repeat the feat at the Oscars, which will be handed out on 9 February in Hollywood.