Pumped and nervous: Rebel Wilson gets set to host BAFTA Film Awards

In 2020, Rebel Wilson flew from Australia to present the best director trophy at the BAFTA Film Awards.

Her humorous speech, which referenced a lack of women nominated in the category and bemoaned that box office flop Cats was overlooked entirely, was one of the funniest moments of the night.

Rebel Wilson is hosting this year’s BAFTA Film Awards at London’s Royal Albert Hall.Credit: Louise Kennerley

Now, Wilson is heading back to BAFTA where she’s been asked to host the ceremony on Sunday at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

“I’m very pumped, very pumped for Sunday for the BAFTAs, but definitely, like, pretty nervous because like it’s a live event and it’s just like, it’s a one and done situation,” she says.

“Even though I’ve been thinking of jokes and stuff, I’ve never really said them out loud to anybody ... So, we’ll say, fingers crossed.”

And these jokes will definitely be at the expense of the star-studded audience, albeit in a loving way.

“It is tradition to make a few quips about people. And they’re pretty successful people, which is why they’re there and been invited to the BAFTAs,” she explains.

Jane Campion at the French premiere of The Power of The Dog in October 2021. Credit: Stephane Cardinale

“At the end of the day, like I do love them, and I love the films that they’ve made,” she says. ” But yeah, I, as the host, you have to kind of make a couple of jokes as well.”

Wilson is eschewing the popular practice of having multiple costume changes because she wants to concentrate on what’s happening during the ceremony. There will be one special red carpet look before she wears a Miu Miu dress for her appearances on stage.

Dune leads BAFTA nominations with 11, The Power of the Dog has eight and Belfast is in the running for six.

Jane Campion is up for best director for The Power of The Dog, which is also nominated for best film against Belfast, Dune, Don’t Look Up and Licorice Pizza. Kodi Smit-McPhee is nominated for best supporting actor in The Power of The Dog and is also in the running for the Rising Star Award which is voted by the public.

Being the Ricardos, starring Nicole Kidman, has a nomination for best original score.

Shirley Bassey will open the show with a James Bond theme as part of the celebration of 007’s 60th anniversary. Emilia Jones will sing a version of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now alongside signing interpreters – a nod to CODA, a nominated movie and one of Wilson’s favourites this awards season.

As for whether her turn in Cats will be referenced again, Wilson jokes that she’s holding out hopes for follow-up films.

“Everyone will want to be in the sequel to Cats, that’s the thing. Maybe I should use the BAFTAs as just a casting call for Cats 2.”

AP

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