PHOENIX RISING

‘Joker’ Leads Bafta Nominations With ‘The Irishman’ in Second

Joaquin Phoenix was nominated for his role in “Joker,” 11 years after Heath Ledger won a Bafta for the same character.

Joker leads the Bafta film nominations with 11, narrowly edging out The Irishman and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, which are both in the running for 10 awards. Sam Mendes’ 1917, the surprise winner of the Golden Globe for Best Picture-Drama, received nine nominations. However, the announcement has been overshadowed by criticism because all of the nominees in the acting categories are all white, and no female directors were nominated for the seventh year in a row. Joaquin Phoenix is favorite to win best actor for his role in Joker, 11 years after Heath Ledger won a posthumous Bafta for playing the same character in The Dark Knight. Phoenix will be up against Taron Egerton for Rocketman, Leonardo DiCaprio for Once Upon A Time..., Adam Driver for Marriage Story, and Jonathan Pryce for The Two Popes. Bafta CEO Amanda Berry said she was “very disappointed” by the lack of diversity in the nominations, according to BBC News.