Manchester-raised actress Wunmi Mosaku was one of the well-deserved winners at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards last night.
Born in the Nigerian city of Zaria to Yoruba parents, Oluwunmi Olapeju Mosaku – known professionally as Wunmi Mosaku – moved to England when she was just a year old, and settled in the Manchester community of Hulme, going on to be educated at Trinity Church of England High School and Xaverian Sixth Form College, before heading off to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London to study acting.
The 39-year-old has been a celebrated actor of the screen for nearly 20 years this year, with some of her most notable roles being in TV series like Vera, Luther, and Lovecraft Country, as well as being a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
But it was for her role as Annie Ryan Coogler’s 2025 hit horror film Sinners that has truly become one of her breakout roles – a role she won the Best Supporting Actress award for at last night’s BAFTAs.
Wunmi was already a BAFTA TV Award winner or her role as Gloria Taylor in the 2016 TV film Damilola, Our Loved Boy, but this was her first win on the Film side, and it was a win that has turned the Best Supporting Actress ‘Oscar race’ into one of the more up-in-the-air categories this Awards Season.
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Taking to the stage to accept the award, Wunmi thanked her family, her fellow nominees and co-stars, director, and wider team, as well as explaining what the role of Annie meant to her.
“I found a part of myself in Annie,” she said in her speech. “A part of my hopes, my ancestral power, and connection, parts I thought I had lost or tried to dim as an immigrant trying to fit in. Through her, I deepened my belief in my potential, my capacity to love and hope in the darkest moments of grief.”
Wunmi’s win wasn’t considered the only ‘surprise’ win of the night in the major acting categories either – nor was it the only major win for a northern actor – as the Best Actor in a Leading Role award went to Hull-born actor Robert Aramayo for his role in the 2025 biographical drama film, I Swear, based on the true life story of John Davidson – a Scottish man with severe Tourette’s syndrome, and follows his life at a time when his condition was barely identifiable.
Robert’s win was considered so ‘surprising’ by many given the fact he is not nominated for any of the other major televised award ceremonies this year – including the Oscars – with the two main frontrunners of the season being heavy-hitters being Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo Dicaprio.
Aramayo also took home the EE Rising Star Award, which is voted on for by the British public.
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Sean Penn was another shock – but again, well-deserved – winner of the night, taking home Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another, with his win being similar to Wunmi’s in that he is the third winner of the Best Supporting Actor category so far this season.
Elsewhere in the ceremony, some of the other big winners of the night were One Battle After Another, which scooped Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, among others, while Hamnet took Best British Film, and the film’s lead Jessie Buckley won Best Actress in Leading Role – with the latter being, arguably, the only expected and predicted acting win of the night.
The K’s kick off Manchester’s BRITs Week celebrations early with jam-packed intimate gig
The Manc
If you were ‘Hoping Maybe’ to see The K’s at some point this year, this is your sign do it, as the rising indie band did not let the occasion of playing an intimate BRITs-backed gig get to them – they were buoyed by it.
Beloved city centre venue Gorilla was overflowing for The K’s last night, hosting an unreal small-cap set as part of Brits Week ‘26 for a very important cause: War Child.
Perfectly teed up by fellow nearby band, Florentenes from Bolton, The K’s took to a familiar stage many years on from their debut, and instantly had the crowd ready and raring for an hour of pure tunes and some very, very sweaty brows.
Earlestown’s finest certainly carried that Northern charm and energy throughout the whole night; their indie and almost nostalgic lyrical storytelling has you moshing one minute, whilst grasping your mate and ascending into live music heaven the next. There really aren’t many feelings like it.
Sobbing and swaying in the vast ocean of shoulders whilst screaming the lyrics to ‘Helen. Oh I’, I questioned how any compliment will ever compare to launching “thousand ships every time” from a kiss.
The K’s were yearning before Wuthering Heights made it vogue (again).
Musically, the band were seamless and a well-oiled machine, and so were the audience as they wholeheartedly echoed every lyric back at the lads and bounced it off the walls.
The K’s have come a long way since their first visit to Gorilla (Credit: Lucy Wagstaffe)
Every primary school assembly proudly led us to this moment, and it did not disappoint, displaying their increasingly seasoned and successful career, which I can only imagine is going to go from strength to strength this year.
I don’t think we even one more fan could have squeezed one more passionate fan into Gorilla on the night; it was heaving with people and pride; the sweat dripping down the walls indicated things are big for these local lads, and we couldn’t be prouder.
They are another prime example of shining a deserving light on Northern artists! And having the 2026 BRIT Awards up here with us is a testament to that.
Featured Images — Lucy Wagstaffe (supplied via War Child UK)
TV & Showbiz
Microdot exhibit for BRITs 2026: the artwork of Oasis, Verve and more up in Manchester Piccadilly
Danny Jones
If you’ve passed through Manchester Piccadilly of late, you might have noticed two things: one, it’s really quiet, and two, there’s loads of cool Britpop merch and memorabilia on display, including original Oasis, The Verve, Inspiral Carpets art and more – all courtesy of Microdot.
Set up as part of the city’s own BRITs celebrations, along with a raft of other nationwide festivities, as the annual music award ceremony prepares to make its Manc debut at the Co-op Live this month, the showcase features special edition frames and more, all pride of place in the middle of the train station.
This collection, simply entitled ‘A Microdot Design’, is all done by the legendary Brian Cannon, the graphic designer and art director behind so much recognisable visual material within the genre.
We recently had the honour of speaking to the man himself in person ahead of Piccadilly’s temporary closure; you can see our interview with him right here:
The Wigan-born artist and visionary didn’t just make promotional materials for some of the biggest bands in the 1990s; he’s responsible for what has gone on to become some of the most familiar iconography in British music history.
With this pop-up exhibit available for a limited time only, we strongly urge you to go along and, for once, take your time rather than rushing around the station as you peruse the boards placed right near the main entrance.
Charting his work from circa 1990 up until now, it’s crazy to see just how many of Brian and Microdot’s fingerprints are all over so many different bands and artists.
From native names like Oasis, The Verve and the Inspirals, as mentioned, as well as the likes of Cast, Super Furry Animals, Suede and Ash, plus so many more, this guy has been nothing short of prolific over the past few decades.
Audio North took a little tour of the King Street South unit last year in the lead-up to Oasis Live ’25 reunion world tour, and we felt like kids in a Britpop sweetshop.
While this site has sadly since closed, shutting up shop back in July, Brian’s mini, modest, but nevertheless magic Microdot Boutique up in the Lake District is still standing.
Located in the popular North West town and tourist attraction, Kendal, it’s worth a trip there to see more of his portfolio alone.
Currently on display at Manchester Piccadilly ahead of the full 2026 BRITs Week and shindig at Co-op Live, it’s one of the best completely free things you can do in town at the moment – but the exhibition finishes on Sunday, 1 March, so make sure you don’t miss it.
Speaking of the BRIT Awards, if you’re wondering what else is on as 0161 gets ready welcome them for their two-year stint (at least), look no further…
Emily Sergeant -
23rd February 2026 
