07/01/2014 - Léa Seydoux and Lupita Nyong’O amongst five shortlisted talents for the only BAFTA Prize awarded by the public

French actress Léa Seydoux, riding the crest of a wave for Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue Is The Warmest Colour [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Abdellatif Kechiche
film profile] and Mexican born actress Lupita Nyong’O, enjoying tremendous acclaim for British director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave [+see also:
trailer
making of
interview: Michael Fassbender
film profile], are amongst the nominees for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts’ (BAFTA) annual rising star awards. Other nominees include American actor Dane DeHaan, best known for Josh Trank’s Chronicle [+see also:
trailer
film profile]; British actor George MacKay, who had a triple punch in October 2013 with starring roles in Dexter Fletcher’s Sunshine On Leith [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: George Mackay
film profile] and Kevin Macdonald’s How I Live Now [+see also:
trailer
film profile]; and British actor Will Poulter (Wild Bill [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

The nominees were selected by a group of jurors including actress Gemma Arterton, Deputy Chair of BAFTA’s Film Committee Pippa Harris, and film critic Mark Kermode. The Rising Star Award is the only award at the British Academy Film Awards to be voted for by the public.

Harris said, “It’s always tough to choose five nominees from the hundreds of suggestions from our members and film industry figures, and this year has been no exception. The Rising Star Award acknowledges new talent but also allows the British public to be involved in the judging process, and choose their stars of the future.”

The Award is now in its ninth year. Previous winners include James McAvoy, Eva Green, Tom Hardy and Noel Clarke.

The winner will be announced at the British Academy Film Awards on February 16.