TOM HARDY WINS THE ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD

After Sunday's BAFTA awards, BAFTA has now released a red carpet featurette about the Orange Rising Star Award. This along with the press release about the award is below.

• The Inception actor and upcoming star of Batman Rises tops the public vote
• Renamed the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award to signify Orange Wednesdays customers’ involvement in the selection process
• The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award is the only one to be voted for by the public

Orange is proud to announce that the public have voted in their tens of thousands to crown Tom Hardy as 2011’s Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award winner.

The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award is the only publicly voted award presented at the Orange British Academy Film Awards. Tom was one of five international actors and actresses nominated for their exceptional talent and recognised as a star in the making. The other nominees were: Gemma Arterton, Andrew Garfield, Aaron Johnson and Emma Stone.

Making his name in Spielberg's TV series Band of Brothers, Tom went onto star in Ridley Scott’s war thriller Black Hawk Down, and has recently proved himself as one of cinema’s most versatile and gripping actors, including an acclaimed performance in the smash hit Inception, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.

One of Tom’s most powerful performances has been in the title role in Bronson, in which he put on three stone of muscle to play the infamous British prisoner. He is currently in filming for This Means War with Reese Witherspoon and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with Colin Firth and Gary Oldman, Tom has also secured a part in Christopher Nolan’s hotly anticipated Batman Rises.

Tom Hardy said of his win: "Thank you very much. This is very kind of you and much appreciated. I genuinely am grateful just to be working at all. I'd like to thank everyone who voted, everyone who loves a good story and every artist in the house tonight for the work they do."

Spencer McHugh, Director of Brand at Orange, said: “We are delighted that Tom Hardy has been chosen as this year’s Orange Wednesdays Rising Star. The support for our award, in its sixth year, particularly from Orange Wednesdays customers, has been phenomenal. Tom is one of Britain’s most promising young actors and clearly has a glittering future ahead of him.”

Finola Dwyer, Chairman of BAFTA and Chairman of the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star jury, said: “The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award celebrates the next generation of acting talent. My congratulations go out to Tom who has won the hearts of the British public in what was a very strong field.”

The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award was created in honour of Mary Selway, the highly respected BAFTA-winning casting director whose career spanned three decades and over ninety films before she died in 2004. 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.

Unlike any other award at the Orange British Academy Film Awards, the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award was voted for by the British public via text message or on the Orange website, www.orange.co.uk/bafta.

image Credit:
Matt Baron / BEI / Rex Features