The 78th annual British Academy Film Awards, commonly known as the BAFTAs, took place on Sunday, honoring the best in film. Kieran Culkin, who won Best Supporting Actor for his role in A Real Pain, was noticeably absent from the event, with his co-star Jesse Eisenberg accepting the award on his behalf. Eisenberg explained that Culkin was in New York with a family member who is quite sick, and praised Culkin's devotion to his family as "admirable" and "beautiful". Culkin is the father of a five-year-old daughter, Kinsey, and a three-year-old son, Wilder, who he shares with his wife, Jazz Charton.

Zoe Saldana also made headlines at the BAFTAs, winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Perez. Her acceptance speech was cut from the BBC's broadcast of the ceremony, reportedly due to time constraints, but the official BAFTAs account on YouTube has since shared the full speech. In her speech, Saldana thanked her cast mates, including controversial lead Karla Sofia Gascon, and dedicated her award to her trans nephew, Eli. She also thanked her mother, her husband, and her children, and added that "films are supposed to change hearts and challenge minds, and I hope that Emilia Perez did something like this, because voices need to be heard". Saldana's win marks her first BAFTA award, as well as her first nomination from the British awards body.

The BAFTAs ceremony, which was presented by Doctor Who actor David Tennant, also featured performances by Take That and Hollywood legend Jeff Goldblum. Conclave, a political thriller surrounding the choosing of a new pope, won the top prize, Best Film, while The Brutalist won in directing and acting categories. Emilia Perez, which received the second-most nominations at this year's BAFTAs, emerged victorious in the international film and Best Supporting Actress categories. The film's star, Selena Gomez, has spoken about the scandal surrounding the film's lead, Karla Sofia Gascon, who has faced backlash for past racist tweets.

Gascon has since apologized for the comments and denied that she is racist, but the controversy has overshadowed the film's success. Saldana has spoken about the scandal, saying that she was "still processing everything that has transpired" and that it "makes me really sad because I don’t support [it], and I don’t have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group". The film's other star, Selena Gomez, has also said that "some of the magic has disappeared" but that she chooses to continue to be proud of what she's done and is grateful for the experience. The film industry has been abuzz with the news of the BAFTAs, with many actors and directors taking to social media to congratulate the winners and nominees.

In addition to the winners and nominees, the BAFTAs ceremony also featured a number of notable moments, including a touching piano piece by Jeff Goldblum during the In Memoriam segment. The ceremony was attended by a number of Hollywood actors, including Adrien Brody, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, and Zoe Saldana. The BAFTAs are considered one of the most prestigious awards in the film industry, and the ceremony is always highly anticipated. This year's ceremony did not disappoint, with a number of surprises and memorable moments. The list of winners and nominees is as follows: * Best Film: Conclave * Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin * Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldana * Best Director: The Brutalist * Best International Film: Emilia Perez * Best Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg * Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Kieran Culkin * Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Kieran Culkin