The BAFTAs are a crucial marker in the Oscar race, because there’s an actual overlap between the British Academy and Oscar voters.
But the outcome of this weekend’s BAFTA races, split into two virtual awards presentations, was less predictive than usual.
That’s because while the British contingent of Oscar voters dominates the increasingly international Academy, in order to combat #BAFTAsSoWhite this year, juries weighed in on the directing and acting categories, nominating a record 24 first-timers.
This meant that not only were several Oscar-nominated players not competing, but that any American nominees that survived the always British-leaning BAFTAs were stronger than ever.Landing seven nominations was a sign of strength for “Nomadland” (Searchlight), which went on to win four, including Best Film, Cinematography (British Joshua James Richards), Director (Chloé Zhao), and Actress Frances McDormand, notching her second BAFTA win after “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” However, the American
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