The Baftas 2023: The Winners And Best Dressed

Taking to the stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall to accept the award for Best Leading Actress – the fourth Bafta of her career – Cate Blanchett paid tribute to her fellow nominees: Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Viola Davis (The Woman King), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Ana de Armas (Blonde) and Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande). Blanchett, who triumphed for her performance in Tár, told them: “The conversation with all of you, off the screen and on the screen, has been nothing short of remarkable, and we know that we’re just the tip of the iceberg… Every year, these idiosyncratic, remarkable performances just break down the myth that women’s experience is monolithic.”

The ceremony, which was hosted by previous nominee Richard E. Grant, took place for the first time at Bafta’s new home of the Royal Festival Hall, with the red carpet backdropped by some of the city’s most famous riverside landmarks, including the London Eye. The proceedings included a performance from last year’s Best Supporting Actress winner Ariana DeBose, and a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II led by Dame Helen Mirren.

German war drama All Quiet on the Western Front was the most-decorated winner of the night, taking home seven prizes – including Best Director for Edward Berger and the night’s most coveted award, Best Film. It was followed by The Banshees of Inisherin, which received four – including Outstanding British Film, Best Supporting Actor for Barry Keoghan and Best Supporting Actress for Kerry Condon – and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which picked up the prizes for Costume Design, Makeup and Hair, Casting, and Best Leading Actor for Austin Butler. He gave emotional thanks to the Presley family in his acceptance speech, following the death of Lisa Marie Presley last month. “I cannot thank you enough for your love. I hope I’ve made you proud,” he said. Elsewhere, the EE Rising Star award, which is voted for by the public, went to Emma Mackey, and the Outstanding British Debut was taken home by director Charlotte Wells for coming-of-age drama Aftersun.

The winner in this year’s Bafta Leading Actress category for her arresting performance in the drama Tár, Cate Blanchett wore a sleeveless black column gown by Maison Margiela, accessorized with layers of repurposed Tahitian pearl and tourmaline necklaces, pearl earrings, and a cocktail ring. Blanchett previously wore the dress to the Oscars in 2015, making it a conscious red-carpet choice and a show of support for circularity in fashion.

Blanchett, along with many other attendees, also wore a blue ribbon pinned to her dress as an emblem of compassion and solidarity with refugees and displaced people around the world. The United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, for which she is a goodwill ambassador, invited stars to wear the ribbon on the night.

Acclaimed EGOT winner Viola Davis said that she hopes her portrayal of a warrior in The Woman King “inspires a whole different generation of girls to see the possibilities in themselves”. For her Baftas red-carpet look, the Leading Actress nominee wore a sparkling purple gown custom designed by Stella McCartney, styled with a simple black ‘Falabella’ clutch and Cartier jewelry. The dress featured elegant caped shoulders, which was a sartorial theme throughout the evening.

HRH The Princess of Wales wore a white one-shouldered gown by Alexander McQueen to the Baftas 2023, which she had previously worn to the awards event in 2019. This year, the look was paired with black full-length gloves, a black box clutch, gold pumps, and statement gold earrings.

Recognized in the Leading Actress category for Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh attended the Baftas wearing an exquisitely tailored suit by Dior. Taken from the label’s FW18 runway, the suit is cut from lustrous silk in a pink champagne hue and features caped shoulders for dramatic effect. Yeoh paired the look with gold pumps, Moussaieff jewelry, and a Richard Mille watch.

Nominated for Leading Actress for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in the fictionalized drama Blonde, Ana de Armas wore a light-pink satin dress by Louis Vuitton to the Baftas 2023. Cut in a mermaid silhouette with a scalloped bustier, the gown is reminiscent of Monroe’s romantic aesthetic. Armas contrasted the pale pink hue of the dress with a bold red lip and finished the look with a classic diamond necklace and cocktail ring.

Actor Jodie Turner-Smith is known for her show-stopping red-carpet style – and this year’s Baftas look, which was put together by LA-based styling duo Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald, was no exception. “I wore all the sparkles tonight,” she said of her ethereal lilac Gucci gown, embroidered with metallic lace and trimmed with feathers. In true maximalist style, Turner-Smith finished the look with a diamond-encrusted choker and earrings by Chopard, plus ultra-pretty gems across her cheeks by makeup artist Joey Choy.

Emma Mackey was recognized with this year’s Bafta EE Rising Star award for her part-fictional portrayal of the English writer Emily Brontë in Emily. Also known for her role in the hit TV series Sex Education, Mackey wore an elegant high-neck, long-sleeve black gown by Saint Laurent that featured a striking open back, and finished the look with Boucheron jewelry.

“It’s a moment of celebration in the midst of everything, everywhere, all at once, which is challenging,” said Supporting Actress nominee Jamie Lee Curtis of the Baftas 2023. Arriving on the red carpet in a black velvet blouse and white silk maxi skirt by Saint Laurent, Curtis kept her accessories minimal with a silver chain link bracelet and diamond stud earrings.

Nominated in the Supporting Actress category for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Angela Bassett wore a regal lilac gown custom designed by Pamella Roland and was styled by Jennifer Austin. The exaggerated sleeves were inspired by the fluid shape of tulip flowers, which was mirrored in the choice of accessories – Boucheron jewelry, a flower-shaped clutch by Judith Lieber Couture and metallic heels in a matching lilac hue.

Known for her performances in Pam & Tommy, Cinderella and Downton Abbey, Lily James doesn’t shy away from a sartorial statement on the red carpet. Dressed in a decadent white gown by Tamara Ralph Haute Couture, featuring a sculptural, pearl-embellished neckline and an oversized bow to the back, James kept the rest of her look simple with slicked-back hair, white-gold diamond earrings by Bulgari, and a matching cocktail ring.

Model and Rose Inc founder Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wore a sultry look by Alaïa for her red-carpet appearance. The black velvet cutout skirt is from the maison’s SS23 ready-to-wear collection and sits low on the waist for a ’90s feel. Taking note from the brand’s runway styling, Huntington-Whiteley completed the look with a semi-sheer top, minimalist heeled sandals and Jessica McCormack jewelry.

Dame Emma Thompson’s portrayal of a widow yearning for adventure in the comedy Good Luck to You, Leo Grande earned her fifth Bafta nomination in the category of Leading Actress. For this year’s red carpet, Thompson wore a stately ivory suit with a matching coat by Laura Pitharas, and paired the look with a baroque pearl necklace, earrings and statement ring by Melanie Georgacopoulos.