Oldest winner of a BAFTA award (female)

Emmanuelle Riva (France, b. 24 Feb 1927, d. 27 Jan 2017) was 85 years 351 days old when she collected the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role – for portraying Anne Laurent in Amour (France/Austria/Germany, 2012) – at the 66th British Academy Film Awards on 10 February 2013. The category’s stellar line-up also featured Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) and Helen Mirren (Hitchcock).

Riva was also the oldest-ever Best Actress nominee at the Academy Awards. When the nominees were announced on 10 January 2013, ahead of the 85th Academy Awards show in Los Angeles, California, USA, on 24 February, Riva was 85 years 320 days old. Best Actress went to Silver Linings Playbook star Jennifer Lawrence.

The second award of the night for Amour, written and directed by Austria’s Michael Haneke, was for Best Film Not in the English Language – thus extending France’s proud record of success in the category to 10 French-produced or co-produced film winners.

Dame Judi Dench (b. 9 December 1934) is a future contender for Riva’s ‘oldest’ record. Dench’s latest film, Belfast (UK, 2021), received six nominations ahead of the 75th British Academy Film Awards, including Best Film, but the actress was not individually nominated for her role as lead character Buddy’s grandmother in the BAFTAs’ two Best Actress categories. On the date of the latest edition of the BAFTAs (13 March 2022), Dame Judi was 87 years 94 days old.