Robert Aramayo pulls off major Baftas shock with emotional best actor win

Baftas 2026 ended up being Robert Aramayo’s night — and few inside or outside London’s Royal Festival Hall saw it coming.

The Hull-born actor pulled off the shock of the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards when he beat Timothée Chalamet, Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan, Jesse Plemons, and Leonardo DiCaprio to win Best Actor for his performance in I Swear.

Visibly overwhelmed as his name was read out, Aramayo fought back tears during his acceptance speech, his voice cracking as he spoke of how much the film meant to him.

The win capped an extraordinary evening for Aramayo, who had already collected the EE Rising Star Award earlier in the ceremony – a prize voted for by the public and previously claimed by future A-list names including James McAvoy, Kristen Stewart, Tom Hardy and Daniel Kaluuya.

I Swear tells Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson’s real story of growing up with severe Tourette’s syndrome in the 1980s.

Throughout tonight’s show, Davidson, who was in attendance and whose symptoms involve outbursts including swearing, could be heard yelling out from his seat, prompting host Alan Cumming to thank the audience for their understanding.

The ceremony unfolded against the backdrop of one of the most competitive races in recent memory.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another had entered the night with a leading 14 nominations and continued its strong run as Anderson was named Best Director, only the second BAFTA win of his career.

In an emotive speech, he paid tribute to his late collaborator Adam Somner, the British assistant director who worked on the film while battling cancer and died in 2024 aged 57.

Elsewhere, Hamnet was named Outstanding British Film, a major triumph for Chloé Zhao’s adaptation starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, prevailing over strong competition including I Swear, The Ballad of Wallis Island and 28 Years Later.

The award made it clear it was a big night for British filmmaking across genres, from literary drama to contemporary character study.

Earlier in the evening, Sentimental Value made history as the first Norwegian film ever to win a BAFTA, taking the prize for Best Film Not in the English Language.

Director Joachim Trier accepted with a touch of humour, joking that ‘we are usually better at skiing,’ as he marked a landmark moment for Norwegian cinema.

Throughout the night, One Battle After Another and Sinners traded blows in the major categories.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.