If you were wondering why the shops are running low on trophy polish, it’ll be because awards season is once again upon us. Today comes news of the first nominations for this year’s BAFTA film awards, in a single category: the EE Rising Star Award, which recognises up-and-coming talent in the film industry.
Five young actors are nominated: John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Brie Larson (Room), Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades Of Grey), Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service and soon to be seen in Eddie The Eagle) and Bel Powley (Diary Of A Teenage Girl).
For his funny, charismatic turn in the soon-to-be-annointed biggest film of all time, Boyega has won effusive praise from all corners, and is surely a frontrunner in the category.
But he could face stiff competition from the likes of Larson, who has been generating significant Oscar buzz for her somewhat more awardsy turn in the devastatingly emotional kidnapping drama Room.
The nominations were decided by a jury of film industry experts and representatives that included Jonathan Ross, Olivia Colman, and Empire Magazine's very own Editor-In-Chief, Terri White.
Unlike the other BAFTA categories, which are voted on by the elite members of the British Academy, the EE Rising Star winner is decided by public vote; voting is now open at the EE BAFTA website.
Previous winners in the category include the likes of James McAvoy, Tom Hardy and Eva Green, and it can easily be seen as a definitive step on the road to stardom. Unbroken's Jack O’Connell won the award last year.
Britain’s answer to the Oscars announces the full list of nominations on Friday, ahead of the full glitzy ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London on February 14.