BAFTA Breakthrough UK Announces 2025 Cohort

BAFTA has announced the 2025 cohort for its talent program BAFTA Breakthrough UK, supported by Netflix, featuring 20 creatives working across television, film and games.

This year’s U.K. cohort includes Akinola Davies Jr, director and co-writer of My Father’s Shadow; Alderney Middleton, series producer of Maddie + Triggs; Cara Ellison, writer and narrative designer of Ghost Town; Ellis Howard, performer in What It Feels Like for a Girl; Jodie-Simone Howe costume designer for Mr Loverman; Kyle Banks director of Farewell North; Laura Carreira, director and writer of On Falling; Marie-Elena Dyche, producer of Harvest; Mark Choi, composer of Empire of the Ants; Matthew Gurney, performer in Reunion; Megumi Inman, co-director and producer of Atomic People; Nathalie Pitters, director of photography for Brian and Maggie; Nathaniel Price, writer and associate producer of Mr Loverman; Olaide Sadiq, director of Grenfell: Uncovered; Owen Tooth, director of EastEnders; Pinny Grylls, director, writer and editor of Grand Theft Hamlet; Sally Beaumont, lead voice actor and script consultant of Old Skies; Stanley Baxton, solo developer of LATEX, LEATHER, LIPSTICK, LOVE, LUST; Stephanie Taylor, composer of The Search For Nicola Bulley; and Vivian Eguridu, series casting producer for Love is Blind UK season one.

Globally, over 330 people have passed through the BAFTA Breakthrough program to date, including screenwriters, actors, game designers, producers, costume designers, directors, directors of photography, editors and production designers. Alumni of the BAFTA Breakthrough UK program include Ambika Mod, Bella Ramsey, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Josh O’Connor, Jessie Buckley, Mawaan Rizwan, Luna Carmoon, Paapa Essiedu, Vivian Oparah and Letitia Wright.

“It is an absolute pleasure to welcome this year’s outstanding participants of BAFTA Breakthrough,” said Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA. “For 12 years, this BAFTA talent program has supported creatives and practitioners in film, games and television to navigate the often complex corridors of the screen arts. I am enormously grateful to Netflix for their continued support of BAFTA and for their shared passion and commitment to providing opportunity and career pathways for U.K. talent from all backgrounds.”

Anne Mensah, VP of U.K. content at Netflix, added, “Netflix is passionate about supporting and uplifting the next generation of talent from across the industry. The Breakthrough UK cohort announced today comprises such an exciting range of names, and it is an honor to continue to support an initiative that will help these brilliant creatives build connections, improve confidence and ultimately launch the next phase of their careers.”