A Lord of the Rings actor pulled off a historic double-win at the BAFTA Film Awards to establish himself as a rising star!
Fans know Robert Aramayo by his role as the young Elrond in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It was his biggest role after playing a younger Ned Stark on Game of Thrones and appearing in several movies.
However, Aramayo made a bigger step toward worldwide recognition at the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards. In what many saw as the biggest upset of the ceremonies, Aramayo won the award for Best Leading Actor for the drama I Swear. That was a shock, as most expected the award to be won by either Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme or Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another.
That would have been good enough, but earlier in the same broadcast, Aramayo also claimed the Rising Star award. That makes him the first person to win that award and Leading Actor in the same night. Also, Aramayo is the first performer since Jamie Bell in 2001 to win the Leading Actor BAFTA while not nominated for the Oscar in the same year.
The audience was joyful hearing Aramayo’s name announced and the actor was overcome with emotion in his acceptance speech.
“I honestly cannot believe that I have won this award. I really, really cannot. Everyone in this category blows me away.” He also thanked fellow nominee Ethan Hawke for inspiring him as an actor.
Aramayo on the John Davidson controversy
It was a great moment that was sadly overshadowed by controversy. I Swear is the true story of Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson, and the real Davidson was present at the ceremony. However, his condition was a factor as Davidson was heard blurting out random curses at various points in the broadcast.
The worst was when Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award and Davidson could be heard yelling out a racial slur. The two actors took it in stride, while host Alan Cumming asked the audience to be considerate of Davidson’s condition.
There has been an outcry over this, not just for Davidson’s words but also at the BBC for leaving the moment unedited in its broadcast. Davidson himself has issued a statement apologizing for the moment, saying, “I am deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”
In his Rising Star acceptance speech, Aramayo called Davidson “the most remarkable man I’ve ever met.” He further explained to a BBC reporter after the show, “First of all, they are tics. He is ticking. We have to understand. The way we perceive Tourette's is a joint responsibility. It's not shouting obscenities. It's not being abusive. It's Tourette's. They are tics. If it can lead to a deeper understanding of Tourette's, and movies are part of that conversation, then it's an incredible thing."
So for fans of Lord of the Rings and Aramayo himself, the man is a champion and hero both on and off screen.
The first two seasons of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are streaming on Prime Video, with season 3 currently in production. I Swear is set to premiere on Netflix April 24.