Awards for RADA graduates on stage and screen

In recent weeks, RADA graduates have won awards for both stage and screen work, at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards and BIFA Awards.

At the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, Sophie Okonedo and Ralph Fiennes won Best Actress and Best Actor for their respective title roles in Antony and Cleopatra at the National Theatre. It is only the second time in the awards’ history that the Best Actor and Best Actress awards have been won by the leads of the same production.

Also winning was 2016 recent graduate Jamael Westman, who came away with the award for Emerging Talent for his performance as the title role in Hamilton, which marked his West End debut. The show opened in London in October 2017 with Jamael playing the titular founding father; it was announced in September that Jamael will continue in the role into 2019. Chris Walley, who graduated in 2018, was also nominated for the Emerging Talent award for his West End debut in The Lieutenant of Inishmore.

In film news, the annual BIFAs (British Independent Film Awards) took place on 2 December. Graduate Jessie Buckley won Most Promising Newcomer for her first lead film role in Beast.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.