BAFTAs 2012

Don't miss a moment of the the red carpet action from British film's biggest night out of the year.
Rex FeaturesJessica Chastain - surely one of the most celebrated names of the evening - looked a million dollars in this metallic, Grecian-inspired gown by Oscar De La Renta.

Lady in red Penelope Cruz kept things simple in a classic strapless dress courtesy of Armani Privé.

Tilda Swinton, statuesque as ever, in Céline.

One of the few stars who dressed for the winter weather - at the expense of celebrating the gravitas of the event, perhaps - was Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright, who accessorised her vintage polka dot dress with thick black tights and pink peeptoe heels.

Showing how it's done Hollywood-style, Christina Ricci bore more than a passing resemblance to an Oscars trophy in this plunge-front gold Givenchy Haute Couture gown by Riccardo Tisci.
Getty ImagesBrit star Emilia Fox showcased her new red 'do to striking effect against a gown of gold lace tiers.
Getty ImagesIt was elegance all the way for breakout Downton Abbey star Elizabeth McGovern, who wore an on-trend fishtail gown with a rose-embellished bodice.

Meryl Streep, who's up for gongs aplenty thanks to her starring role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, also opted for classic black; her corset dress with its glamorous bolero cover-up was by Vivienne Westwood.
Getty ImagesFearne Cotton was her usual, playful self in this long salmon gown by Moschino, which was accessorised with a quirky bow belt and matching bracelets on each wrist.

That's why the lady is a vamp! Melissa George brought the sartorial drama in her long-sleeved black Victoria Beckham gown paired with dramatic hair and make-up.

Up-and-comer Hayley Atwell bucked the trend for sober shades in this cobalt blue silk dress with white panel detail.

Official BAFTA red carpet hostess, Miss Piggy, threatened to steal the show in custom made Louis Vuitton and jewels galore. Everyone's favourite porcine diva is busily capitalising on her renewed fame, thanks to the new Muppets movie.

Talk about a gold rush! Gillian Anderson was among the many stars who opted to wear the hue in the shape of this beautiful vintage gown dripping with diamonds.
Getty ImagesEmeli Sandé jazzed up her shapeless LBD with a velvet paisley jacket.

Brad Pitt, nominated for Best Actor for Moneyball - made his red carpet arrival solo. Not that we minded! He wore a black coat by Dolce & Gabbana over his tux.

Viola Davis' risqué asymmetric pink dress wasn't only a showstopper - it was also sustainable. The Help actress joined the Green Carpet Challenge for the event to wear Valentino’s first ever custom made 'eco gown'.
Getty ImagesColin Firth, wearing a made-to-measure Giorgio Armani tuxedo, arrived with his wife Livia Firth - also in a tuxedo. Hers was by Paul Smith, and was also part of the Green Carpet Challenge, meaning it was made using sustainable methods. Livia expertly topped off the look with vintage Cartier tassel earrings from 1907. Swoon.
PA PhotosHarry Potter stalwart Daniel Radcliffe looked as dapper as ever in classic black tie.
Rex Features...Ditto My Week With Marilyn star Eddie Redmayne.
Getty ImagesSwoon! Opting for suit and tie rather than a tux, The Descendants star George Clooney kept the rest of his look under wraps as he arrived in a black wool overcoat.
Getty ImagesGary Oldman, nominated for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, wore a bespoke Paul Smith mohair/wool dinner suit while his stunning wife, Alexandra Edenborough, opted for a co-ordinating monochrome gown.
Rex FeaturesJon Hamm rocked a classic one-button tuxedo. Don Draper would've been proud.
Getty ImagesNominated for Best Supporting Actor for Moneyball, a newly slimmed-down Jonah Hill described his red carpet arrival as "surreal".

Bridesmaids star Kristen Wiig went for a somewhat, er, bridal look in a gorgeous white sheath.

Michael Fassbender, also in Giorgio Armani, was nominated as Best Actor for his role in Shame.

My Week With Marilyn star Michelle Williams eschewed designer labels and instead opted for a gorgeous strapless monochrome dress by none other than H&M.

Kenneth Branagh, who arrived with his wife Lindsay, was nominated for his supporting role in My Week With Marilyn.

Edith Bowman presented from the red carpet for the BBC in a white vintage Dior dress, which was teamed with questionable dress gloves.

Christina Hendricks gave another vote for black being the new black in her go-to, Vivienne Westwood.
PA PhotosTilda Swinton was pictured with Orange Rising Star nominee Tom Hiddleston, whose velvet tuxedo was by Giorgio Armani.
Getty ImagesCheeky chappie Dermot O'Leary and Fearne Cotton took a moment out from their E! presenting duties to strike a pose for the paps.
PA PhotosLaura Bailey offset her sweetly-printed dress with a dramatic smokey eye.
PA PhotosThe Help stars Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer posed happily together for the cameras - and little wonder. The film has been one of the most celebrated of the 2012 awards season.
PA PhotosHot Brit It-couple Bonnie Wright and Jamie Campbell Bower arrived for the festivities together.
PA PhotosCuba Gooding Jr pulled out all the sartorial stops with his white dress scarf. The actor paid tribute to Whitney Houston as he presented the award for Special Visual Effects.
Getty ImagesYoung British talent Douglas Booth was typically suited and booted.
Getty ImagesAlways a red carpet highlight, Helena Bonham Carter didn't disappoint in her purple midi with matching arm warmers.
PA PhotosDownton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt wore a minimalist black dress by homegrown British fashion talent Victoria Beckham.
PA PhotosNoemie Harris added a splash of colour to the proceedings in her on-trend yellow dress, which she paired with Sergio Rossi heels.

Tom Jones opened the ceremony with a rendition of Thunderball in celebration of 50 years of Bond films.
PA PhotosFrench actress Berenice Marlohe, who will play a Bond girl in the upcoming Skyfall, wore a simple white goddess gown. She presented an award with fellow new Bond girl Noemi Harris.
PA PhotosJohn Hurt made a moving speech as he accepted his award for Outstanding Contribution To British Cinema. He was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife, Anwen, who wore a striking red dress.
Getty ImagesHandsome man of the moment Jean Dujardin, star of The Artist, arrived with his wife and actress Alexandra Lamy.
Rex FeaturesBridesmaids co-stars Kristen Wiig and Chris O'Dowd looked relieved backstage having presented the award for Outstanding Debut For A British Writer, Director or Producer to Paddy Considine for Tyrannosaur.
PA PhotosPenelope Cruz beamed as she was snapped with The Artist's Jean Dujardin, who clutched his Leading Actor trophy.

John Hurt looked positively enamoured with his Outstanding Contribution gong as he posed with it backstage.
Rex FeaturesOn collecting it from Billy Bob Thornton, he joked, "Who thought, all those years ago, that I would be sharing the stage of the Royal Opera House London with Billy Bob Thornton..."
Rex FeaturesShock in the Orange Rising Star category as East End boy Adam Deacon pipped Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Chris O'Dowd and Eddie Redmayne to the prize, which was awarded to him by Christina Hendricks.

She's sweeping the board when it comes to awards this year, but Meryl Streep looked as thrilled as ever to be cradling her BAFTA.

Octavia Spencer and Daniel Radcliffe celebrated together backstage - with Octavia's Best Supporting Actress BAFTA in tow, natch.
PA PhotosOne of Britain’s most successful exports to Hollywood, British actor Paul Bettany made a return to these shores to present the award for Best Documentary – which eventually went to Senna.

After scooping the prestigious Orange Wednesday Rising Star award, Adam Deacon posed with his new gong backstage at the ceremony in the press room.

Despite losing out to Adam Deacon in the Orange Wednesday Rising Star category, Chris Hemsworth looked happy as he posed with his Avengers co-star, British actress Hayley Atwell.

Bel Ami star Christina Ricci and War Horse actor Jeremy Irvine were snapped with Best Original Screenplay winner Michel Hazanavicius, who won for The Artist.

Team The Artist – Jean Dujardin, Thomas Langmann and Michel Hazanavicius - were snapped backstage at the BAFTAs after scooping one of their many gongs.

Veteran director Martin Scorcese was also honoured at this year’s BAFTAs, after he was presented with the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship award.
Rex FeaturesTom Jones took to the BAFTA stage to do what he does best, as he belted out a classic Bond tune in homage to the film franchise’s 50th anniversary.
Rex FeaturesBrad Pitt brought a touch of Hollywood to this year’s BAFTAs when he took to the stage to present the Best Director award – which eventually went to Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist.
Rex FeaturesMad Men star Christina Hendricks looked resplendent in Vivienne Westwood as she presented the prestigious award for the Orange Rising Star to newcomer Adam Deacon, who beat the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Eddie Redmayne to the gong.
Rex FeaturesHelena Bonham Carter was her typically lively self as she presented the Best Supporting Actor gong to The Sound Of Music star Christopher Plummer, who wasn’t able to attend.
Rex FeaturesAussie actors Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe brought some serious star power to this year’s BAFTAs as they flew in to present the Best Film Award, which was scooped by the team behind The Artist.
Rex FeaturesWhilst presenting the award for Best Film with pal Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman sported some serious facial hair. Prepping for the Les Miserables already are we, Hugh?
Rex FeaturesLike a modern day Cinderella, Meryl Streep was given her lost shoe back by Prince Charming, aka Colin Firth, after she tripped up the stairs on the way to collect her Leading Actress gong. It could only happen to an A-Lister...

Charged with hosting the evening for the eleventh time, Stephen Fry did a fabulous job at being the night’s MC.
PA PhotosShe may have lost out to Meryl Streep in the Outstanding Actress category, but The Artist’s Bérénice Bejo had plenty to smile about after the film picked up seven other awards. The French actress was snapped at the BAFTAs after-party at the Grosvenor Hotel in London, and set off her dramatic Alaia tiered gown with jewellery by Chopard.
PA PhotosJessica Brown Findlay – aka Downton Abbey’s Lady Sybil – cut a dramatic figure in a black gown by Alessandra Rich, at the after-party. The actress presented at the awards, delivering the Best Sound BAFTA to Hugo.
Rex FeaturesNaomi Campbell made an appearance at producer Harvey Weinstein’s post BAFTAs party at Le Baron in London. A supermodel she may be, but the jury’s out on that red velvet suit...
Rex FeaturesRising star nominee Eddie Redmayne was positively smouldering at Harvey Weinstein’s post BAFTAs party. The My Week With Marilyn actor wore a custom-Burberry black velvet tuxedo.
Rex FeaturesIn the run-up to the awards, Rosamund Pike attended a pre-BAFTA dinner at Annabel’s in London, held by Chanel and Charles Finch. The actress was snapped wearing a print dress and leather jacket as she arrived for the bash.
Rex FeaturesDownton Abbey’s Elizabeth McGovern set off her flawless alabaster complexion with a midnight blue boucle coat as she arrived at the pre-BAFTA dinner. The Downton Abbey actress – aka Lady Cora – set the tone for her BAFTAs look, as she went for timeless glamour at the awards, wearing a strapless mermaid gown by Jacques Azagury.
Rex FeaturesWar Horse star Jeremy Irvine attended the pre-BAFTA dinner ahead of the awards, looking dapper in a grey suit.
Rex FeaturesChris Hemsworth attended the pre-dinner with his wife Elsa Pataky. Elsa showed off her growing baby bump in a green dress, and opted for a Gucci number for her presenting stint at the main awards.
Rex FeaturesJessica Chastain looked super cute in a raspberry-coloured prom dress at the BAFTA nominees party. The Help actress had plenty to celebrate, after the film scooped two awards at the ceremony.