Banshees of Inisherin stars Colin Farrell and Kerry Condon tipped for Bafta glory

A leading awards prediction website is also giving the nod to their co-stars Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan who are both in hot contention in the supporting actor category.

The Banshees of Inisherin is a favourite to win Best Film at the London-based awards, which are widely regarded as a major predictor for next month’s Oscars. The Baftas take place just days before Oscars voters complete their final ballots for what is the greatest prize in cinema.

GoldDerby.com, a website devoted to film and TV awards which aggregates the views of leading entertainment journalists as well as other major screen awards, has Farrell at number one in their Best Actor category, closely followed by Austin Butler for Elvis.

Farrell’s co-countryman Paul Mescal is also up for Best Actor for his work on the indie movie Aftersun.

Gold Derby is tipping Tipperary actress Kerry Conlon for a narrow win over Black Panther star Angela Bassett for Best Supporting Actress in what is a hugely competitive Bafta year.

Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan are also in close contention in the Best Supporting Actor category, though Everything Everywhere All at Once star Ke Huy Quan is regarded as a favourite here.

Team Banshees touched down in London yesterday afternoon after jetting in from LA. Farrell is currently in final preparations for the TV spin-off of The Batman, where he reprises his role as The Penguin. Dublin-based Gleeson is currently in LA, where he’s filming a sequel to the Joker opposite Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.

Like next month’s Oscars, this year’s Baftas represents record-breaking success for the Irish, with the Achill- and Inishmore-filmed ‘Banshees’ up for an astonishing 10 awards.

There are multiple other Irish nominees too, among them Mescal and the moving Irish-language drama An Cailín Ciúin. That film is up for Best International Feature and a screenwriting nod at the glitzy show, which will be broadcast on BBC One this evening.

Meanwhile, actor James Martin is red carpet ready for his first Baftas ahead of the Oscars next month.

The star of An Irish Goodbye will be at the London ceremonyas excitement builds about the short film’s success.

And James, who’s making history as the first actor with Down’s Syndrome to share the lead in a Bafta- and Academy Award-nominated film, says he’s doing it for Northern Ireland.

“If people are saying ‘make us proud’ don’t you worry, I will,” he says.

“I’m doing it for everyone. I can make my country proud and that’s what I really want.

“I’m looking forward to getting used to the red carpet and meeting up with the cast and, fingers crossed, for a win.”

James is in London with dad Ivan Martin and co-stars Seamus O’Hara and Paddy Jenkins hoping their low-budget movie lifts the prestigious award for Best Short Film.

It’s been nominated in the same category for an Oscar, and James and Seamus will be in Hollywood next month for the biggest awards in showbiz. Co-star Paddy can’t make it to LA as he’ll be on the Give My Head Peace live tour.

James has made headlines since the Oscar’s nomination, sharing the BBC Breakfast sofa with filmmakers Ross White and Tom Berkeley and has been interviewed for Channel 4 News, but he’s taking the experience in his stride.

“It’s my first big red-carpet event. If you can drink red wine, you can go on to the red carpet.

“It’s just nice to have that experience of going there and meeting different people, and fingers crossed.

“It will be a chance to get used to it all and meet up with all the guys.”

James’ big break was in TV drama Ups and Downs, which won him a Best Actor award from the New York TV Festival in 2019, and he had a central role in the third season of Anna Friel drama Marcella.

The actor has already shot his next movie, filmed in Leeds last year and due for release in the autumn.