Paul Thomas Anderson pays tribute to late assistant director with Bafta win

One Battle After Another filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson paid tribute to his late British assistant director as he was celebrated at the Baftas.

Adam Somner died in November 2024 after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer just a few weeks into production on the film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn.

The film is dedicated to his memory.

Collecting the best director prize, Anderson said: “You may think your greatest export is Alfred Hitchcock or Charlie Chaplin, but to me it was Adam Somner, who was my assistant director and producer for about 20 years.

“He made us all better… so thank you for sending him to me, and thank you for this award.”

Anderson also won the Bafta for best adapted screenplay, while the film was recognised for editing and cinematography and Penn was named best supporting actor.

I Swear star Robert Aramayo won the EE Rising Star award at the ceremony, and said “I can’t believe this, it really blows my mind.”

Referring to Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson, on whom I Swear is based, he said: “John Davidson is the most remarkable person I’ve ever met and he believes there is so much more we need to learn about Tourette’s.

“In the words of the film, they need support and understanding.”

British-Nigerian actress Wunmi Mosaku won the best supporting actress prize, beating nominees including Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another and Emily Watson for Hamnet.

Accepting the prize, she said: “Thank you Bafta for this incredible honour.

“To my daughter, you are my greatest teacher. I am so proud of you, everything begins and ends with you.”

Referencing her role in the highly acclaimed vampire film, Mosaku said: “I found a part of myself in Annie, a part of my hopes, my ancestral power and connection, parts I thought I had lost or tried to dim as an immigrant trying to fit in.”

Addressing director Ryan Coogler, she told him: “I felt the presence of the ancestors’ pride and joy daily on your set.”

Coogler won the Bafta for best original screenplay, while the film also won the prize for score.

Avatar: Fire And Ash won the first award of the night for best visual effects.

Sean Penn won the best supporting actor Bafta for his role in One Battle After Another but was not present at the ceremony on Sunday to accept the award.

Host Alan Cumming opened the 2026 Bafta film awards, saying that “watching films this year was like taking part in a collective nervous breakdown”.

He referred to the distress and anxiety of films including Hamnet, One Battle After Another and Frankenstein, saying: “It’s almost like there are events in the real world that are influencing filmmakers”, before suggesting: “It would be a good idea if we had one big collective primal scream.”

There was also levity when he referred to Paul Mescal’s nominated performance as William Shakespeare and said: “I’m not sure what seat Paul Mescal is in? Is it 2B or not…?”

Frankenstein won the Baftas for production design and make-up and hair styling, while Boong won the Bafta for family film.