The actors are BAFTA nominees for Best Actor for their performances in 'The Revenant and 'Mars', respectively.
Actor Eddie Redmayne could take home the BAFTA for Best Actor for the second year in a row after winning the same award in 2015 for his role in 'The Theory of Everything'. On this occasion, Redmayne has been nominated for his portrayal of the transs-xual painter Lili Elbe. Although he will not lack competition to win the coveted award, since Leonardo DiCaprio for 'The Revenant', Matt Damon for 'Mars', Michael Fassbender for 'Steve Jobs' and Bryan Cranston for 'Trumbo' are nominated in the same category.
The great favorite to take the BAFTA for Best Actress is Cate Blanchett for her interpretation of a wealthy woman from New York society in the 50s who falls in love with a young shop assistant. Also nominated in that category is Redmayne's co-star in 'The Danish Girl', Alicia Vikander, as well as veteran Maggie Smith for her work in 'The Lady in the Van' and young Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan for their performances. in 'Room' and 'Brooklyn' respectively.
Interestingly, Vikander has also received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her work playing a robot in 'Ex Machina', a category in which she will compete with Jennifer Jason Leigh for her role in 'The Hateful Eight', Julie Walters for 'Brooklyn ', Rooney Mara for 'Carol' and Kate Winslet for 'Steve Jobs'.
In the Best Supporting Actor category, the nominees are Idris Elba for 'Beasts Of No Nation', Benicio del Toro for 'Sicario', Christian Bale for 'The Big Short', Mark Ruffalo for 'Spotlight' and Mark Rylance for ' The Bridge of Spies.
2016 could be the year in which the filmmaker Ridley Scott finally manages to win his first BAFTA for his work on 'Mars', although to do so he will have to prevail over other film greats, such as Steven Spielberg -'Bridge of Spies -, Adam McKay -' The Big Short, Todd Haynes -' Carol'- and Alejandro González Iñárritu -' The Revenant'- in the Best Director category.
'Bridge of Spies' and 'Carol' lead the nominations for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards -announced on Friday- with nine mentions each, followed by 'The Revenant' with eight. The delivery ceremony will be held on February 14 at the Royal Opera House in London.
