The biggest night of the year for the British film industry, the BAFTAs have, for the last seven decades, held a special place in the hearts of many. It’s where stars of stage and screen from across Europe, the U.S., and around the world have mingled; where the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Cher have taken red carpet risks; and where Jodie Foster, Daniel Kaluuya, and countless other actors have been given their moment on the podium years before they received similar recognition from the Academy.
But it’s easy to forget that between the ’60s and ’00s, the BAFTAs looked remarkably different from the slick production we’ve become accustomed to today. Before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sat front and center, the Duke of Edinburgh was there, laughing with Peter O’Toole as he presented him with the award for best British actor for Lawrence of Arabia in 1963. Before Angelina Jolie glided down the red carpet in an off-the-shoulder black column gown in solidarity with Time’s Up, she attended in 1998 with a choppy pixie cut and her first husband, Jonny Lee Miller, in tow. Then there’s Emma Watson, now a BAFTAs regular, who—aged just 14—arrived in an emerald green frock in 2005 and gave an adorable speech when accepting the BAFTA for the Orange Film of the Year on behalf of the cast and crew of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Now, ahead of the 2024 BAFTAs, we’ve compiled the best vintage photos from ceremonies past, featuring everyone from Elizabeth Hurley in all her ’90s glory to a 19-year-old Kristen Stewart, the recipient of the 2010 Rising Star award.
Photo: Getty Images1/251964
Rachel Roberts and Dirk Bogarde hold their awards—for best British actress and best British actor, respectively—and share a joke with presenter Audrey Hepburn.
Photo: Getty Images2/251998
Iconic ’90s couple Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant brought us plenty of showstopping red carpet moments across their 13-year relationship, including this one from the rainy 1998 BAFTAs.
Photo: Getty Images3/252003
Martin Scorsese, nominated for best director for Gangs of New York, kisses Catherine Zeta-Jones, the winner of the best-supporting-actress award for Chicago.
Photo: Getty Images4/252000
A fresh-faced Mena Suvari is the picture of elegance at the BAFTA after-party. She was nominated for best supporting actress for American Beauty, which took home the BAFTA for best film.
Photo: Getty Images5/251980
Meryl Streep and her husband, Don Gummer, arm-in-arm as they arrive at the BAFTAs. Streep was nominated for two BAFTAs that year—best actress for The Deer Hunter and best supporting actress for Manhattan.
Photo: Getty Images6/251998
A short-haired Angelina Jolie poses with her first husband, Jonny Lee Miller, at the 1998 BAFTAs. She would go on to earn two BAFTA nominations over the next two decades, for her work in front of the camera in Changeling in 2009 and behind the camera in First They Killed My Father in 2018.
Photo: Getty Images7/251963
At the 16th BAFTAs, Prince Philip presents a smiling Peter O’Toole with the award for best British actor for Lawrence of Arabia. The Duke of Edinburgh was in fact BAFTA’s first-ever president, serving from 1959 to 1966.
Photo: Getty Images8/252005
Mischa Barton with a 14-year-old Emma Watson, who holds the BAFTA for the Orange Film of the Year, which was awarded to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Photo: Getty Images9/251984
One-time couple Cher and Val Kilmer attending the BAFTAs together. The following year, Cher would be nominated for best supporting actress for Silkwood.
Photo: Getty Images10/251994
Helen Mirren has a laugh with Miranda Richardson. The two actors have nine BAFTA nominations between them—Richardson for The Crying Game, Tom & Viv, Made in Dagenham, and Damage (for which she won), and Mirren for Cal, The Madness of King George, Gosford Park, Hitchcock, and The Queen (for which she won).
Photo: Getty Images11/252003
The Hours co-stars Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep attend a BAFTA after-party. Both were in contention for best actress, with the former securing the prize.
Photo: Getty Images12/251996
BAFTAs regular Jerry Hall arrives at the 1996 ceremony in a white satin ballgown.
Photo: Getty Images13/251997
With purple curls and blinding jewelry, Diana Ross arrives at the 1997 ceremony. She presented the best original screenplay BAFTA to Mike Leigh for Secrets & Lies.
Photo: Getty Images14/252007
Penélope Cruz and Thandiwe Newton pose together at the 2007 BAFTAs. Cruz was nominated for best actress that year for Volver, and Newton won the best-supporting-actress prize the previous year for Crash.
Photo: Getty Images15/252002
Jennifer Connelly has a ball on the red carpet the year she won the best-supporting-actress BAFTA for A Beautiful Mind.
Photo: Getty Images16/251985
A dashing 45-year-old Ian McKellen attends the 1985 ceremony. The actor would go on to earn four BAFTA nominations over the next two decades, for his performances in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and Richard III, as well as for co-writing the adaptation of the latter.
Photo: Getty Images17/251993
Emma Thompson takes a breath after scooping the best-actress BAFTA for Howards End.
Photo: Getty Images18/252004
A 19-year-old Scarlett Johansson brings old Hollywood glamour to the 2004 ceremony. The actor had two nominations for best actress that year, for Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring, taking home a BAFTA for the former.
Photo: Getty Images19/252010
At the 2010 BAFTAs, the actors in contention for the Rising Star award included Carey Mulligan, Nicholas Hoult, Jesse Eisenberg, and Tahar Rahim. The victor? A 19-year-old Kristen Stewart.
Photo: Getty Images20/251966
Julie Christie and Dirk Bogarde at their table the year the pair won best British actress and best British actor, respectively, for Darling.
Photo: Getty Images21/251996
Sense and Sensibility co-stars Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet hold their statuettes for best actress and best supporting actress at the BAFTAs after-party.
Photo: Getty Images22/251967
Power couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton attending the 1967 BAFTAs. That year, Taylor was named best British actress for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Burton, best British actor for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.
Photo: Getty Images23/251998
A glowing Julia Roberts on the BAFTAs red carpet. The actor was previously nominated for best actress for Pretty Woman in 1991 and would go on to win three years later for Erin Brockovich.
Photo: Getty Images24/252000
Yasmin Le Bon and Naomi Campbell light up the room at a BAFTAs after-party in 2000.
Photo: Getty Images25/252004
Sofia Coppola and Renée Zellweger with BAFTAs after the 2004 ceremony. Zellweger won the best-supporting-actress award for Cold Mountain while Coppola holds the statuette she accepted on behalf of Bill Murray, her leading man in Lost in Translation. (Coppola herself was also nominated for best film, best director, and best original screenplay.)
