The BAFTAs were televised on the 13 March, and it is clear that there is one thing on everybody’s minds: the war in Ukraine. The ceremony itself opened with a statement from the BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar, who offered support and solidarity along with hopes for peace, and delivered a message from the Ukrainian Film Academy. Several celebrities expressed support too, albeit with varying methods. Rebel Wilson joked about the universal sign language symbol for Putin being the middle finger. Ariana DeBose pointed out that her and Rachel Zegler were standing with Ukraine and reflecting it in their clothing, as one of them wore a blue dress and the other a yellow one. Others wore blue and yellow badges to show their support, including Benedict Cumberbatch, who admirably took it a step further and said that he wishes to be part of the government’s new humanitarian scheme to host refugees from Ukraine.
Cumberbatch’s comments significantly stand out among the others, and it does make one wonder… could people be doing more? It is one thing to send messages of support, but it is another entirely to be offering your home to those in need. Obviously not everybody is capable of inviting refugees to their home, but at an event like the BAFTAs, it does seem likely that a lot of people would be capable of doing a lot more than the average person. Everyone knows what’s happening already, so some may find it a little odd for celebrities to be wearing Ukrainian colours to spread awareness. When they have the platform that they do, it feels as though they should be able to take it a step further. Almost everyone in day-to-day life has been talking about Ukraine and spreading awareness through their social media and sending support where they can, and many have also helped in other ways.
Still, showing support for Ukraine in seemingly simple ways like wearing their colours can be more impactful than some might think. It is certainly important to show support in times like these, and I am sure the overwhelming support from people around the world can be heartening and perhaps reassuring to the innocent victims of the war in Ukraine – if they have the whole world behind them, surely it cannot go on for much longer? Those who are trying to help, in however small a manner, should be applauded for it. Those like Benedict Cumberbatch who are not only voicing support for refugees but acting on it by offering to host them doubly so – not only do actions like that save lives and help in a tangible way, they encourage others to do the same.
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