The five nominees for this year’s coveted EE Rising Star Award, now celebrating its 19th year and created in honour of the late Mary Selway, were announced today during a press conference held at London’s Savoy Hotel.
Introduced by BAFTA CEO Jane Millichip and hosted by film critic and radio presenter Ali Plumb and actor and producer Stephen Graham, the press conference revealed the highly anticipated shortlist of 2024 nominees. This year’s shortlist comprises five actors who have each demonstrated their remarkable talents in film over the past year, having captivated the imagination of audiences and the film industry alike.
The EE Rising Star Award nominees for 2024 are:
PHOEBE DYNEVOR can currently be seen in the critically acclaimed finance thriller, Fair Play. Directed by Chloe Domont, Phoebe stars as ‘Emily’. The story follows a young couple (Emily and Luke) whose relationship starts to unravel following an unexpected promotion at a cutthroat hedge fund firm. The film premiered at Sundance early 2023 and entered a bidding war securing the film for international release. Phoebe is arguably best known for her role as Daphne Bridgerton in Shonda Rhimes’ global phenomenon, Bridgerton. Dynevor is also set to star opposite Diane Lane and Zoey Deutch in thriller, Anniversary. The film follows a very close-knit family that is torn apart as new movement “The Change” envelops the U.S.
Dynevor commenting on her nomination, said: “Being recognised by the EE BAFTA Film Awards for the EE Rising Star Award is a testament to the hard work of the entire team on ‘Fair Play’ who brought this film to life. I am truly grateful for this recognition and excited to continue challenging myself with new roles and projects. Thank you to BAFTA and EE for listing me alongside this year’s wonderful nominees.”
AYO EDEBIRI is an American comedian, writer, producer, actress and voice actress who most recently starred in Bottoms, a satirical teen comedy directed by Emma Seligman and co-written with Rachel Sennott which premiered in August 2023. The film follows the story of two high school senior girls who set up a fight club as a vehicle to hook up with cheerleaders; Ayo plays the leading role of ‘Josie’. She has also starred opposite Jeremy Allen White in breakout television show, The Bear. Ayo delivered high praise for her performance as character ‘Sydney’, earning her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, alongside multiple ensemble nominations. Edebiri continues to voice the character ‘Missy’ in the hit show Big Mouth on which she is also a writer.
Edebiri, commenting on her nomination, said: “It’s wonderful and humbling to receive this nomination. It’s the greatest privilege to tell stories and make people laugh. I know I’m in esteemed company and this means the world.”
JACOB ELORDI can currently be seen starring in award season contender, the psychological thriller, Saltburn, as well as the iconic Elvis Presley opposite Cailee Spaeny in Sofia Coppola’s film Priscilla. Directed by Academy-Award winning filmmaker, Emerald Fennell, Saltburn follows a student (Barry Keoghan) who is invited to an alluring classmate’s (Elordi) estate for a thrilling summer. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and opened the BFI London Film Festival in 2023. Upcoming projects include The Narrow Road to The Deep North, an Australian limited series set during World War II based on Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel as well as Oh Canada in which he stars alongside Uma Thurman and Richard Gere, which follows a dying documentary filmmaker who comes to terms with his legacy for Paul Schrader.
Elordi, commenting on his nomination, said: “I am deeply honoured to be recognised by BAFTA and EE with a Rising Star nomination.”
MIA MCKENNA-BRUCE is an English actress who is receiving acclaim for her lead performance in Molly Manning-Walker’s film, How to Have Sex. The film, in which she plays Tara, follows three British teenage girls on a trip to Malia, a Greek Island of Crete, for a rites-of-passage holiday filled with drinking, clubbing, and hooking up. It was released in November 2023. Meanwhile in 2022, Mia gave a scene-stealing performance in the role of ‘Mary Musgrove’, the younger sister of Dakota Johnson’s ‘Anne Elliot’ in the film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. This follows her nomination for a Royal Television Society Award in 2017 for ‘Performance of the Year’ for her role of ‘Tee Taylor’ in the BBC’s television series The Dumping Ground.
McKenna-Bruce commenting on her nomination, said: “I have always been inspired by the work of those actors recognised in the BAFTA EE Rising Star category. To hear that I now stand amongst the past and present nominees is surreal and a total dream come true. I am so very grateful, thank you to the jury.”
SOPHIE WILDE most recently appeared on our screens as the lead in Talk To Me. Labelled the ‘scariest horror movie of 2023’, the film debuted at Sundance last year to rave reviews, with critics praising Sophie’s performance as Mia. The project quickly became A24’s highest grossing film of the year. The Australian actress will next appear in Baby Girl, alongside Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson and Boy Swallows Universe, opposite Phoebe Tonkin. In addition, Sophie recently led in Everything Now. Written by Ripley Parker, Sophie took on the role of Mia, opposite Stephen Fry. The series was celebrated by critics, with Sophie’s performance in particular receiving praise.
Wilde, commenting on her nomination, said: “I am so very excited and grateful to BAFTA and EE for including me in this category and amongst this year’s brilliant nominees. To be recognised, and for Talk To Me, a film we all put so much love and hard work into, is a privilege.”
This year, the EE Rising Star Award jury panel was tasked with selecting the 2024 nominees from a comprehensive list of talented actors. The jury met at The Savoy Hotel in November 2023 where they whittled down the longlisted names to these five nominees, and who will go head-to-head in the public vote ahead of the 2024 EE BAFTA Film Awards.
The jury, chaired by Anna Higgs, BAFTA Film Committee Chair, featured actors Daisy Edgar-Jones, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù and Himesh Patel, casting directors Lucy Bevan (The Batman), and Nina Gold (Game of Thrones), film producer Adam Ackland (The End We Start From) alongside leading industry specialists.
Ali Plumb, EE Rising Star Award host, said: “I’m honoured to be hosting this year’s EE Rising Star Award Nominees Announcement at The Savoy – what an incredible line-up! Each rising star talent deserves this spotlight, having provided extraordinary performances serving as inspiration for the next generation. If you haven’t already, I would encourage you all to watch the nominees’ films, they are all wonderful in their own way, and vote for your favourite performance.”
Pete Jeavons, Marketing Communications Director at EE, added: “We are thrilled to continue our valued partnership with the BAFTA Film Awards, now in its 27th year running, in spotlighting emerging talent through the EE Rising Star Award. This year’s five exceptional nominees mark a pivotal moment in celebrating fresh voices and innovation in the film industry. We are immensely proud to support this initiative, championing creativity and providing a platform for the next generation of talented individuals to shine on a global stage. I urge everyone to go online and vote.”
Jane Millichip, CEO at BAFTA, said: “I am delighted to celebrate the exceptional talent showcased by this year’s five nominees for the EE Rising Star Award. These remarkable individuals represent what BAFTA and the EE Rising Star Award stand for as the future of the film industry, embodying innovation, dedication, and a commitment to storytelling that captivates audiences worldwide. I look forward to seeing who will take home the award on 18th February.”
Voting is now open at ee.co.uk/BAFTA and the winner will be announced at the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2024. The ceremony will be held at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday, 18th February and will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK, and on BritBox International in the USA, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and South Africa, with more international territories to be confirmed.
The EE Rising Star Award stands as the only EE BAFTA Film Awards category to be voted for by the British public, reinforcing EE’s commitment to become the UK’s most personal, customer-focused brand by providing the nation with an opportunity to have their voice heard. Previous winners include Emma Mackey, Lashana Lynch, Bukky Bakray, Micheal Ward, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, John Boyega, and Tom Hardy.
