Golden Globe winner Awkwafina joins other talent on EE Bafta Rising Star list

The Farewell star Awkwafina and Blue Story’s Micheal Ward have been included in a list of nominees for an award for rising stars in the world of film.

They form part of a five-strong shortlist for the EE Bafta Rising Star award, which was first presented to James McAvoy 15 years ago.

Also nominated are Booksmart’s Kaitlyn Dever, Fighting with my Family actor Jack Lowden and Kelvin Harrison Jnr, who starred in Waves.

The shortlist was drawn up by a jury which featured radio DJ Edith Bowman and former nominee Tom Hiddleston, as well as other figures from the industry.

The nominations for the award, which is the only gong voted for by the public for the annual ceremony, was announced at The Savoy hotel in central London.

Ward told the PA news agency that whilst being nominated is “a win in itself”, he is keen to take home the accolade.

He added: “I want to win anything that I’m up for, I feel that if you don’t that’s a bit weird, right?”

He also praised the diversity of the shortlist, adding: “For the industry, a lot more people are coming through like me.

“I feel like a lot more stories are being told and are being allowed to be told at a bigger level.”

Lowden said that being nominated for the gong is a “dream start” to 2020.

He added: “To be with this group of people is quite brilliant as they are sort of geniuses in their field.

“The other winners and nominees over the years are all heroes of mine and to be included in that, it’s a very select group. It’s very cool.”

Previous winners of the award have included Tom Holland, Letitia Wright and Tom Hardy.

Bowman told PA that the award is about looking for “individuals who have shown us a lot of talent so far and maybe a bit of diversity in what they can do”, as well as their potential.

The winner will be announced at the EE British Academy Film Awards ceremony on February 2.