Olivia Colman and Jonathan Ross Announced as Jurors for the 2016 EE Rising Star Award
OLIVIA COLMAN AND JONATHAN ROSS ANNOUNCED AS JURORS FOR THE 2016 EE RISING STAR AWARD
- Colman and Ross are joined by a host of industry experts including Philomena producer, Gabrielle Tana, Harry Potter director, Mike Newell, and legendary casting director, Nina Gold.
- The EE Rising Star Award is the only accolade at the EE British Academy Film Awards voted for by the British public.
- Nominees will be announced on Wednesday 6 January 2016 when voting will open to the British public.
Distinguished British actress Olivia Colman and TV personality Jonathan Ross OBE have joined the EE Rising Star Award jury to help choose the shortlist for the 2016 award.
The EE Rising Star Award began in 2006 and has identified a decade of young acting talent who demonstrate exceptional star quality and ambition. It is the only accolade at the prestigious ceremony to be voted for by the British public and previous winners include James McAvoy, Juno Temple, Will Poulter, Tom Hardy, Kristen Stewart, Noel Clarke and last year’s winner, Jack O’Connell.
The jury has gathered to select the five nominees who will face the public vote for the 2016 ceremony. The nominees will be announced on Wednesday 6 January and the winner will be revealed at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 14 February.
Colman and Ross join a host of leading industry experts including producer and jury chair, Marc Samuelson; film critic James King; Philomena producer, Gabrielle Tana; Pirates of the Caribbean and Testament of Youth casting director, Lucy Bevan; director of Harry Potter and Four Weddings and a Funeral, Mike Newell, and renowned casting director for Star Wars Episode VII, The King’s Speech and The Imitation Game, Nina Gold, alongside a group of esteemed film and arts journalists.
Olivia Colman said: “I feel very privileged to be sitting on the jury panel for the EE Rising Star Award – it’s so important to have a category that recognises up and coming talent. After reviewing the actors and actresses that have emerged this year, whittling down the shortlist is going to be no easy feat but I’m looking forward to it enormously.”
Spencer McHugh, Director of Brand at EE, commented: “We are so proud of this award which continues to recognise the best up-and-coming talent in the business. The list of nominees and winners from the last decade reads like a who’s who of Hollywood Royalty. We’re delighted to be working with our partners at BAFTA again and look forward to seeing who makes the cut in 2016.”
EE Rising Star Award Jury Chair, Marc Samuelson, added: “I am very honoured to chair the jury this year. I know we say this year on year, but the rising talent this year is truly astonishing and going to make our job very difficult. We are confident that the 2016 list of nominees will get the British public voting.”
The award was created in honour of the late Mary Selway. A highly respected, BAFTA-winning casting director, Selway’s career spanned three decades and more than ninety films. She worked with notable directors such as Steven Spielberg, Roman Polanski, Clint Eastwood and Ridley Scott, contributing to the creation of some of the silver screen's most memorable characters.
The EE Rising Star nominees will be announced on Wednesday 6 January, at which point public voting will be opened and available to all UK residents, regardless of which phone network they are on.
For more information visit: ee.co.uk/BAFTA
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For more information, please contact M&C Saatchi PR;
Olivia Burrell
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About EE
EE is the largest and most advanced digital communications company in Britain, delivering mobile and fixed communications services to consumers, businesses, government and the wholesale market. EE has approximately 14,000 employees and 553 retail stores, and serves more than 30 million customers across its mobile, fixed and wholesale businesses.
EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, pioneering the UK's first superfast 4G mobile service in October 2012 and is the first European operator to surpass the 10million 4G customer landmark. EE's 4G coverage today reaches more than 93% of the UK population. EE’s 2G coverage reaches 99% of the population while 3G reaches 98%. EE's superfast fibre broadband service covers around 80% of the UK population, and ADSL broadband service covers 98.7% of the population.
In the last few years, EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being ranked the UK's best overall network by RootMetrics®; Best Network at the 2014 and 2015 Mobile News Awards and Winner of Best Innovative service for EE Cash on Tap; Best Network for Business at the 2014 Mobile Industry Awards; Best Consumer Network at the 2014 Mobile Industry Awards; Best Network at the 2014 and 2015 Mobile Choice Consumer Awards and What Mobile Awards 2014; Fastest Network at the 2014 uSwitch Mobile Awards; Best Mobile Network at the 2014 Recombu Awards; and winners of the TV Technology award for content innovation at the 2015 DTVE Europe Awards. The 4GEE Action Cam also won Best Connected Gadget at the Mobile Choice Consumer Awards 2015.
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About BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – featuring workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes – in the UK, USA and Asia; it offers unique access to the world’s most inspiring talent and connects with a global audience of all ages and backgrounds. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. To access the best creative minds in film, television and games production, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.