Soon after “Saltburn” debuted on Amazon Prime, it joined the 1 million watch club on Letterboxd (the leading social media app for film lovers) and was one of the fastest to do so this year. The film has completely taken over social media due to its provocative, erotic sensibilities. “Transfixing and hypnotic, writer/director Emerald Fennell has crafted a provocative and diabolical masterpiece”, writes Awards Daily. Despite being nearly a month since its release, “Saltburn” remains in the top 3 most watched programs on the platform, film or television, in both the UK and US.
“Saltburn” reaped five bids at the Critics’ Choice Awards including Best Picture. Lead Barry Keoghan and scene-stealer Rosamund Pike contended at the Globes. Fennell’s sophomore feature merited 11 longlist mentions at BAFTA.
Among those in the running at BAFTAs is Jacob Elordi for Best Supporting Actor. He plays Felix Catton, an aristocratic who becomes the object of desire for Keoghan’s character, Oliver. Maureen Lee Lenker at Entertainment Weekly wrote of his performance: “Elordi charms as the dreamily delectable spoiled rich boy, employing a weaponized charm to convince audiences that his chief power is not his wealth but his crooked grin and shaggy hair. It’s the best work of his career without question.”
To that end, here are five reasons why we think he will be nominated for a BAFTA
Elordi is a Rising Star nominee
A BAFTA jury has already nominated the Aussie in the Rising Star category for his body of work this year. This award will be voted on by the general public. We already know parts of the membership appreciate Elordi’s work this year. Bukky Bakray matched her Rising Star nomination with one in Best Actress (“Rocks”) in 2021, also under the jury voting system.
Elordi fits the profile of Best Supporting Actor nominees
Other relative newcomers singled out the by the jury include: Micheal Ward (“Empire of Light”), Daryl McCormack (“Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”), Keoghan (“Calm with Horses”), Alan Kim (“Minari”), Woody Norman (“C’mon C’mon”) and Mike Faist (“West Side Story”).
BAFTA voters love his movie
Those 11 longlist bids indicate a membership-wide appreciation for “Saltburn.” This gives a high probability that jury members voting on Elordi’s category will look fondly at his performance. BAFTA nominees in who benefitted from broad support in the longlist include Ardash Gourav (“The White Tiger”), Tahar Rahim (“The Mauritanian”), Niamh Algar (“Calm with Horses”), Tessa Thompson (“Passing”), and Albrecht Schluch (“All Quiet on the Western Front”).
BAFTA voters love home-grown fare
In the short history of the nomination juries, they have shown an enthusiasm toward British films. Among the domestic films that received acting nominations from the jury are “Empire of Light,” “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande,” “Ali & Ava,” “Boiling Point,” “After Love,” “His House,” “Rocks,” “Calm With Horses,” and “County Lines.”
Elordi has two films in contention
Elordi’s leading lady in “Priscilla” (Cailee Spaeny) was longlisted in Best Actress). That gives him a chance to be seen twice by voters. His performance as Elvis Presly in “Priscilla” was equally heralded: David Ehrlich of IndieWire observed that his “immediately convincing take on the character is more human and heartsick than Austin Butler’s performance ever was.”
PREDICT the 2024 BAFTA Awards nominations through January 18
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