East Midlands actor Jack O’Connell has won the EE Rising Star Award at this year’s Baftas.
O’Connell thanked his former teacher Ian Smith in his acceptance speech who taught him at the Television Workshop in Nottingham.
The workshop on Main Street, Calverton, has produced other successful thespians since it opened in 1983 including Samantha Morton, Vicky McClure and Joe Dempsie who, like O’Connell, began his career in the critically acclaimed teenage drama series Skins.
The EE Rising Star Award, voted for by the public, is to recognise the work of up and coming actors who have given outstanding performances throughout the year.
The Derby born actor has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Angelina Jolie who directed him in the 2014 Japanese prisoner of war film Unbroken, where he played former American Olympian Louis Zamperini.
In 2013 he was nominated for best actor at the British Independent Film Awards for his portrayal of a young con that have been transferred to an adult prison early in Starred Up.
The other nominees for the EE Rising Star Award included Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle), Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street), Miles Teller (Whiplash) and Shailene Woodley (The Fault in Our Stars).
Full list of BAFTA winners
Best film – Boyhood
Best actress – Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Best actor – Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Best director – Richard Linklater, Boyhood
EE Rising Star – Jack O’Connell
Best costume Design – The Grand Budapest Hotel, Milena Canonero
Best adapted screenplay – The Theory of Everything, Anthony McCarten
Best film not in the English lanauage – The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson
Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer, Stephen Beresford (writer), David Livingstone (producer)
Best cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Best supporting actress- Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Best supporting actor- JK Simmons, Whiplash
Best special visual effects – Interstellar, Paul franklin, Scott Fisher, Andrew Lockley
Best sound – Whiplash, Thomas Curley, Ben Wilkins, Craig Mann
Best editing – Whiplash, Tom Cross
Best short animation- The Bigger Picture, Chris Hees, Daisy Jacobs, Jenifer Majka
Best short film – Boogaloo and Graham, Brain J Falconer, Michael Lennox, Ronan Blaney
Best makeup and hair – The Grand Budapest Hotel, Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier
Best production design – The Grand Budapest Hotel, Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock
Best documentary – Citizenfour, Laura Poitras
Best original music – The Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat
Outstanding British film – The Theory of Everything, James Marsh, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten
Bafta Fellowship – Mike Leigh
Outstanding British contribution to cinema – BBC Films
