• The Top Boy and Blue Story actor receives the coveted EE Rising Star Award trophy at the EE BAFTAs
  • 2020 marks the 15th anniversary of the EE Rising Star Award – the only award that is voted for by the public
  • The other 2020 nominees were: Awkwafina, Jack Lowden, Kaitlyn Dever and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
  • 2018 EE Rising Star Award winner Daniel Kaluuya presented this year’s award to Micheal Ward at the Royal Albert Hall
  • Previous winners include Letitia Wright, Tom Holland, John Boyega, Jack O’Connell, Will Poulter, Tom Hardy, Kristen Stewart, Noel Clarke, Eva Green and James McAvoy

London, Sunday 2nd February 2020: EE is thrilled to announce Micheal Ward as the winner of the EE Rising Star Award in 2020.

The EE Rising Star Award is the only publicly voted award presented at the EE British Academy Film Awards and each year it continues to shine a spotlight on the outstanding up and coming acting talent that has captured the imagination of the public and film industry over the past 12 months.

2020 is a milestone year for the EE Rising Star award as it marks the 15th anniversary since the trophy was first presented to winner James McAvoy in 2005.

Micheal Ward was one of five exceptional actors nominated in recognition of their performances and identified as a true star in the making. The other nominees were: Awkwafina, Jack Lowden, Kaitlyn Dever and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

MICHEAL WARD recently starred in the highly anticipated Netflix series Top Boy, which was produced by Drake and earned breakthrough star Micheal widespread acclaim throughout the UK. Micheal has also earned praise from critics for his lead role in Paramount’s Blue Story, which follows the story of two young boys from opposing postcodes who quickly form a firm friendship that is tested when they wind up on rival sides of a street war. Micheal has also starred in BBC thriller series The A List, which was released internationally on Netflix.

2018 EE Rising Star Award nominee Daniel Kaluuya presented this year’s EE Rising Star Award on stage at the Royal Albert Hall.

Pete Jeavons, Director of Marketing Communications at EE said: “Congratulations to Micheal Ward for winning the public vote to take home this year’s EE Rising Star Award. This year marks the 15th anniversary of this award and looking back over the trajectory of the previous winners, it’s clear Micheal is destined for great things. We are incredibly proud to continue working with BAFTA to shine a spotlight on new film talent and offering film fans the opportunity to have their say at the film awards.”

The EE Rising Star Award was created in honour of Mary Selway, the highly respected BAFTA-winning casting director whose career spanned three decades and over ninety films before she died in 2004. She worked with notable directors such as Steven Spielberg, Roman Polanski, Clint Eastwood and Ridley Scott, contributing to the creation of some of the silver screen’s most memorable characters.

This year’s EE Rising Star Award jury panel were tasked with selecting the five nominees from a comprehensive list of upcoming talented actors and actresses. The jury was chaired by Andrew Orr, managing director of film production company Independent, and included actors Vanessa Kirby, Cynthia Erivo and Gemma Whelan, film broadcaster Edith Bowman, film critic Anna Smith, producers Uzma Hasan, Marc Samuelson and Georgina Lowe, casting directors Nina Gold and Lucy Bevan, and other leading industry specialists and entertainment journalists.

EE has been a long-standing partner of BAFTAs Film Awards for the past 22 years, working with BAFTA to bring film fans closer to the awards through the magic of technology. Since the partnership began, EE has not only worked with BAFTA to introduce the EE Rising Star Award but also used its award-winning network to create new and exciting opportunities for film fans to be part of the action on the red carpet.

For more information on the EE Rising Star Award please visit: www.ee.co.uk/bafta

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For further information, please contact: [email protected]

To view/download Micheal Ward’s press conference interview and all the content from the night visit – EE British Academy Film Awards – Digital Media Centre

Link: https://formidable.chillivault.tv/

Username: [email protected]

Password: eebafta20

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For more information, please contact M&C Saatchi Public Relations on [email protected]

About EE

EE, part of BT Group, is the largest and most advanced mobile communications company in the UK, delivering mobile and fixed communications services to consumers.

EE runs the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network, having pioneered the UK’s first superfast 4G mobile service in October 2012 and was the first European operator to surpass 14 million 4G customers in December 2015. EE has more than 550 shops across the UK. EE’s 4G coverage extends to more than 86% of the UK’s landmass (equal to more than 99% of the UK population) and EE has an ambition to extend 4G to 95% UK geographic coverage by 2020.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being ranked the UK’s best overall network by RootMetrics®; Best Network at the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Mobile News Awards; Best Consumer Network at the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Mobile Industry Awards; as well as Fastest Network and Best Network Coverage at the 2017 uSwitch Mobile Awards.

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About BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – which includes workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the UK, USA and Asia – BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For advice and inspiration from the best creative minds in working in film, games and television, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.

Source: EE Newsroom