'1917' Conquers BAFTAs as Joaquin Phoenix & Others Take On Lack of Diversity

The WWI film "1917" dominated at this year's BAFTA awards, held in London Sunday evening at Royal Albert Hall.

Hosted by comic Graham Norton, the show attracted the film industry's top stars — and even Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The organization's 18 (Scarlett Johansson and Margot Robbie were each nominated twice) acting nominees were all white, leading to a backlash that was addressed by winner Joaquin Phoenix, who said in his acceptance speech, "I feel conflicted because so many of my fellow actors that are deserving don't have that same privilege. I think that we send a very clear message to people of color that you're not welcome here."

He went on to say, "I think that's the message that we're sending to people that have contributed so much to our medium and our industry, and in ways that we benefit from. I don't think anybody wants a handout or preferential treatment, although that's what we give ourselves every year. I think people just want to be acknowledged, appreciated, and respected for their work."

Phoenix took some of the fall, saying, "This is not a self-righteous condemnation because I'm ashamed to say that I'm part of the problem. I have not done everything in my power to ensure that the sets I work on are inclusive, but I think it's more than just having sets that are multicultural. We have to do the hard work to truly understand systemic racism. I think it is the obligation of the people that have created and perpetuate and benefit from a system of oppression to be the ones that dismantle it. So that's on us."

Norton mocked the terrain from the stage in his monologue, joking 2019 would be "remembered as the year white men broke through...11 nominations for 'Joker,' essentially the story of a white man who makes himself even whiter."

Rebel Wilson poked fun at the directing category's lack of women, observing, "A look at the exceptional, daring talent nominated in this category... I don't think I could do what they do. Honestly, I just don't have the b---s."

Full list of nominees and winners:

Best Film

• "The Irishman"
• "Joker"
• "1917" WINNER
• "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood"
• "Parasite"

Best Director

• Bong Joon-ho, "Parasite"
• Sam Mendes, "1917" WINNER
• Todd Phillips, "Joker"
• Martin Scorsese, "The Irishman"
• Quentin Tarantino, "Once Upon a Time... in America"

Original Screenplay

• "Booksmart"
• "Knives Out"
• "Marriage Story"
• "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood"
• "Parasite" WINNER

Adapted Screenplay

• "The Irishman"
• "Jojo Rabbit" WINNER
• "Joker"
• "Little Women"
• "The Two Popes"

Leading Actress

• Jessie Buckley, "Wild Rose"
• Scarlett Johansson, "Marriage Story"
• Saoirse Ronan, "Little Women"
• Charlize Theron, "Bombshell"
• Renée Zellweger, "Judy"

Leading Actor

• Leonardo DiCaprio, "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood"
• Adam Driver, "Marriage Story"
• Taron Egerton, "Rocketman"
• Joaquin Phoenix, "Joker" WINNER
• Jonathan Pryce, "The Two Popes"

Supporting Actress

• Laura Dern, "Marriage Story" WINNER
• Scarlett Johansson, "Jojo Rabbit"
• Florence Pugh, "Little Women"
• Margot Robbie, "Bombshell"
• Margot Robbie, "Once Upon a Time... in America"

Supporting Actor

• Tom Hanks, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"
• Anthony Hopkins, "The Two Popes"
• Al Pacino, "The Irishman"
• Joe Pesci, "The Irishman"
• Brad Pitt, "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" WINNER

Outstanding British Film

• "Bait"
• "For Sama"
• "1917" WINNER
• "Rocketman"
• "Sorry We Missed You"
• "The Two Popes"

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer

• "Bait," Kate Byers, Mark Jenkin & Linn Waite WINNER
• "For Sama," Waad al-Kateab & Edward Watts
• "Maiden," Alex Holmes
• "Only You," Harry Wootliff
• "Retablo," Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio

Film Not in the English Language

• "The Farewell"
• "For Sama"
• "Pain and Glory"
• "Parasite" WINNER
• "Portrait of a Lady on Fire"

Documentary

• "American Factory"
• "Apollo 11"
• "Diego Maradona"
• "For Sama" WINNER
• "The Great Hack"

Animated Film

• "Frozen 2"
• "Klaus" WINNER
• "A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon"
• "Toy Story 4"

Original Score

• "Jojo Rabbit"
• "Joker" WINNER
• "Little Women"
• "1917"
• "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

Casting

• "Joker" WINNER
• "Marriage Story"
• "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood"
• "The Personal History of David Copperfield"
• "The Two Popes"

Cinematography

• "Ford v Ferrari"
• "The Irishman"
• "Joker"
• "The Lighthouse"
• "1917" WINNER

Editing

• "Ford v Ferrari" WINNER
• "The Irishman"
• "Jojo Rabbit"
• "Joker"
• "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood"

Production Design

• "The Irishman"
• "Jojo Rabbit"
• "Joker"
• "1917" WINNER
• "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood"

Costume Design

• "The Irishman"
• "Jojo Rabbit"
• "Judy"
• "Little Women" WINNER
• "Once Upon a Time... in America"

Makeup & Hair

• "Bombshell" WINNER
• "Joker"
• "Judy"
• "1917"
• "Rocketman"

Sound

• "Ford v Ferrari"
• "Joker"
• "1917" WINNER
• "Rocketman"
• "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

Special Visual Effects

• "Avengers: Endgame"
• "The Irishman"
• "The Lion King"
• "1917" WINNER
• "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

British Short Animation

• "Granddad Was a Romantic" WINNER
• "In Her Boots"
• "The Magic Boat"

British Short Film

• "Azaar"
• "Goldfish"
• "Kamali"
• "Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)" WINNER
• "The Trap"

EE Rising Star Award