When you finally escape the rain and step inside La Môme on a Wednesday night in February, it feels like travelling back in time. Low-lit tables glow with soft amber light, jazzy music hums in the background, and an unmistakable buzz hangs in the air. Tonight, it’s the annual BAFTA EE Rising Star Award celebration, where Archie Madekwe, Posy Sterling, Robert Aramayo, Chase Infiniti and Miles Caton are nominated.
Guests begin to trickle in, with Volvo cars lined outside, and are greeted with glasses of Taittinger as DJ Tinea Taylor takes to the decks, spinning feminine classics reimagined. Heartstopper’s Corinna Brown arrives early and appears momentarily overwhelmed, attempting to duck out of sight. When she’s ready to rejoin the limelight, we ask who she’s most excited to see tonight.
“This is such a cop-out, but my friends,” Brown grins. “Joe [Locke] is coming!”
We seize the opportunity to ask about The Summer I Turned Pretty film and whether we might see her in it. Brown gasps with mock outrage. “Oh my goodness, I can’t spill any beans,” she insists. “But if you guys want me, then maybe?”
A clear sartorial theme emerges: corsets and period-inspired silhouettes reign supreme, with many guests openly acknowledging their historical inspirations.
“Ooh, I have a new single coming out and it’s more romantic — kind of medieval Bridgerton vibes,” Chloe Qisha tells us. “So we went with a Delara Heaven collaboration dress, because she always gives Marie Antoinette. I love that. It’s very hard back-in-time. Wuthering Heights, Bridgerton — it’s all happening.”
Wuthering Heights is undeniably in the air tonight. Countless stars gush about their excitement to see it, plans to watch it imminently, or having already rushed to the cinema. Archie Madekwe, one of the evening’s nominees and an Emerald Fennell alumnus, confirms he attended the premiere.
“It was beautiful,” he says. “And I think Jacob Elordi is the best actor in the world,” Madekwe gushes of his Saltburn co-star.
Beyond Wuthering Heights, actors also sing the praises of Hamnet, another recent standout. Victor Alli admits — shockingly — that he hasn’t yet seen the Shakespeare-inspired film but has set aside time this weekend to watch it. He plans to see Wuthering Heights too, though he’s been “adamantly avoiding all reviews.” A difficult feat in today’s internet age.
Stranger Things’ Amybeth McNulty hasn’t managed to catch up on any of the season’s nominated films yet, as she’s currently working her way through The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In a flowing green dress, with elfin features and red hair, she looks ready to step straight into Middle-earth herself. McNulty reveals her dress is “charity shop’s finest,” immediately prompting a desire to know exactly where she’s been bargain-hunting.
Charli Howard perfectly channels Old Hollywood glamour, effortlessly matching the room’s décor. Beaming, she says, “I’ve always loved old Hollywood stars, and I love having a bit of shape.” With a twirl, she’s gone — stopping to greet nearly everyone she passes.
This Morning’s Ashley James stuns in a sheer short dress finished with feathers. We spot her discreetly reattaching her activity tracker post-photos, determined to make tonight’s dancing count. Even she can’t escape the evening’s Wuthering Heights fixation, gushing about Margot Robbie’s method dressing. James reveals she attended the same school as the Brontë sisters, giving her a particular connection to the story. “I love film, and I love going to the cinema,” she says. “You just can’t beat the magic.”
Olivia Attwood enters quietly, wearing a chic white ruffle halterneck top, which flashed her midriff, paired with wide-legged black trousers.
There’s also a nod to the revived 2016 aesthetic. Sandra Yi Sencindiver brings futuristic polish with purple-black lipstick and a silver chrome dress, finished with butter-yellow heels and a YSL clutch.
Two oversized BAFTA heads loom over the room like Easter Island statues reimagined. Throughout the night, celebrities make a point of posing with them — pulling kissy faces, clutching friends — creating the joyful chaos of a sweet-sixteen photobooth, in the best possible way.
Madekwe arrives fashionably late but barely gets a moment to himself, with drinks swiftly pressed into his hands. Beyond celebrating great art, the evening is about reunion. He recounts how he and Victor Alli — most recently John Stirling in Bridgerton — went to school together and have only just run into each other again. The pair chat animatedly, laughter cutting through the music. Qisha even mentions bumping into one of her former dancers unexpectedly.
Made in Chelsea’s Sophie Habboo relishes the chance to step out after welcoming her first son, Ziggy, in December. “What am I most looking forward to tonight? Just being out of the house,” she laughs. “I had a little tear before I came, but now I’m in the vibe. It’s so nice to get dressed up — I’m so excited to be here.”
Industry’s Miriam Petche stuns in a Galvan dress paired with classic Jimmy Choos. Her character’s current storyline is already a hot topic, even in this glittering setting. “The response has been wonderful,” she says. “I’m just excited for everyone to see the rest of the show.” She adds that fellow actors have approached her tonight specifically to talk about it.
As the evening wears on, the mood shifts from poised photo ops to flowing drinks, Dua Lipa blasting, and easy revelry. Brown ditches her heels for trainers, any tray of chicken skewers swiftly disappearing into eager hands. Five signature cocktails honour the nominees: the Mississippi Margarita with El Jimador, the Archie Collins with Gin Mare, the I Swear By a Paloma, the 0% Seedlip Lollipop, and the 0% One Spritz After Another, also featuring Seedlip.
Attendees say they always look forward to this event, but this year carries a noticeably relaxed energy — a chance to drop the (BAFTA) mask, kick off your heels, and simply celebrate the magic of film.
