11 Things You Need To Know About The BAFTAs

With the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards upon us again, here are some facts and figures you can impress your friends with about the UK version of the Oscars.

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The story behind the famous mask

It was designed by US sculptorMitzi Cunliffe and it weighs a whopping 3.7kg.

The date change

The ceremony used to be held after the Oscars in April or May, but realising that made it less relevant, it was changed to February in 2002. Since then Hollywood A-listers regulary attend.

The best podium moment

When Meryl Streep won for ‘The Iron Lady’, her shoe fell off as she made her way to the stage. Colin Firth picked it up and brought it to her. That’s not the only time Streep has embarrassed herself at the BAFTAs. In 2003, she collected the Best Adapted Screenplay award for ‘Adaptation’ on behalf of Charlie Kaufman. Reading out a speech, she accidentally said, “I’d like to spank…” rather than thank, leading to the audience bursting into laughter.

The biggest winner

Woody Allen has been nominated 24 times in various categories and has won 10 awards. He was also given the Fellowship in 1997. Meryl Streep has been 14 times, but has only won twice.

The biggest winners (part 2)

The most successful actor is Peter Finch, who won five Best Actor awards. His last was for ‘Network’ in 1977. Dame Maggie Smith is the most successful actress with four wins.

The most nominated film

Is ‘Gandhi’, with 16. It won 5 awards at the 1983 ceremony, include Best Film, Best Director for Richard Attenborough and Best Actor for Ben Kingsley.

The biggest awards coincidence

James McAvoy was the first BAFTA Rising Star, winning in 2006. He beat out Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michelle Williams, Gael Garcia Bernal and Rachel McAdams. He was given his award by Patrick Stewart, later his older alter ego in the ‘X-Men’ films.

The youngest winner

Salvatore Cascio was just 11 when he won Best Supporting Actor for his performance in ‘Cinema Paradiso’ in 1991.

The best red carpet

In 2002 the red carpet became a foam party in 2002, when flame retardant chemicals reacted with heavy rain to turn the walkway something both treacherous and ridiculous.

The best fight

2002 was also notable for being the year that Russell Crowe pinned BBC producer Malcolm Gerrie to the wall after Gerrie edited the actor’s acceptance speech for ‘A Beautiful Mind’. Best Actor Crowe read out a poem at the ceremony, which didn’t make it to the television broadcast, leading to the confrontation at the show’s after-party. Crowe later phoned Gerrie to apologise.

The best speech

Daniel Day-Lewis won his first award (of four) for ‘My Left Foot’ in 1990, but it was his speech after he won for 'Lincoln' that was one of the best ever. Lampooning his own method style, he said: “Just on the chance that I might one day have to speak on an evening such as this, I have actually stayed in character as myself for the last 55 years, and I had a various selection of BAFTA sets, downscaled, dated from the late 50s placed in every single room of every house that I ever lived in,” he said. “Every time I rise from a chair, it spontaneously unleashes a soundtrack of thunderous applause, with a few boos and some drunken hecklers.”

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Photos: Rex/Richard Young/Snap/Everett/Brian Ritchie/BAFTA/Jonathan Hordle/Moviestore/Zelig Shaut/Jeff Blackler