Mia Mckenna-Bruce wins Rising Star BAFTA; revisit her career
What's the story
The 77th BAFTA Film Awards were a night of celebration of the crème de la crème of Hollywood.
While Oppenheimer dominated the evening with seven wins, the night was equally spectacular for 26-year-old Mia Mckenna-Bruce, who clinched the Rising Star BAFTA.
She defeated Jacob Elordi, Phoebe Dynevor, Ayo Edebiri, and Sophie Wilde to clinch the trophy.
What's her claim to fame? Find out.
Acceptance speech
But first, this is what she said in acceptance speech
During her speech, an ecstatic Mckenna-Bruce said, "Thank you so much BAFTA, EE, from the bottom of my heart... To get to do the thing that I love in the whole entire world... is amazing."
"Thanks to my little sisters, who keep reminding me that I'm not that cool - maybe I am now?"
She snagged the honor for How To Have Sex (2023).
Beginnings, inspiration
She is inspired by Kate Winslet and Shirley Temple
In an interview with Cool America, she once shared, "My first professional job was playing Alison Summers in Billy Elliot the Musical in the West End. I was about 8 years old so it was very surreal."
"Watching Shirley Temple is what made me want to give it a go. Kate Winslet has always been, and will always be a huge idol of mine."
Acting
McKenna-Bruce on why acting is important to her
In the same interview, she spoke about her inclination toward acting, "I just LOVE to be on set. I love getting the chance to act, as any role, and being surrounded by amazing cast and crew. I find every step of each job so exciting because everyone is entirely different."
"I'm super lucky that I've been given opportunities to play very different roles."
Career
Take a quick glance at her projects
Mckenna-Bruce garnered praise for projects such as The Dumping Ground, EastEnders, and Tracy Beaker Returns.
She has also been a part of Last Train to Christmas (2021), Persuasion (2022), and Kindling (2023).
However, it was Molly Manning Walker's How to Have Sex that brought her to cinebuffs' attention last year.
It won the Un Certain Regard prize at the 76th Cannes Film Festival.
'HTHS'
Read more about 'How to Have Sex'
IMDb describes the film's plot as, "Three British teenage girls go on a rites-of-passage holiday - drinking, clubbing and hooking up, in what should be the best summer of their lives."
The film co-stars Laura Ambler, Lara Peake, Samuel Bottomley, Shaun Thomas, and Enva Lewis.
It marked Manning Walker's directorial debut and opened to critical acclaim in November 2023.