The BAFTA 2025 nominations are in, and there's one particularly glaring omission from the list – Denzel Washington.
The legendary actor has picked up plenty of Oscar buzz for his role in Gladiator 2, but he failed to secure a BAFTA nomination. Shockingly, Washington has never been nominated for a BAFTA at all, despite nine Oscar nominations (and two wins).
Washington plays the villainous Macrinus in Gladiator 2, starring opposite Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger.
While Washington did not get nominated, Gladiator 2 is up for Outstanding British Film. Conclave scored the most nods with 12 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, and Leading Actor (for Ralph Fiennes). Emilia Pérez followed with 11 nominations.
Oscar nominations for the year have yet to be revealed, with the announcement delayed due to the LA wildfires.
Though Gladiator 2 didn't get a lot of love at the BAFTAs, it did recently get some high praise from last year's Best Director winner Christopher Nolan. "Like the best long-awaited sequels, Gladiator 2 must be a remake and sequel in one, and it’s testament to Scott’s brilliance that he manages to balance the individual pathos of the original with the expansionist demands of the sequel’s central theme, bringing a lifetime of experience in controlling tone," he wrote.
The BAFTAs will take place on February 16, 2025. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the year's upcoming movies to get planning your theater trips – or read our writer's thoughts on why Washington deserves recognition for Gladiator 2 this awards season.
