Eddie Redmayne Among BAFTA Rising Star Award Nominees

BAFTA has announced the five nominated stars who are up for the 2012 Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award, the only publicly voted award to be presented at the ceremony in February.

Eddie Redmayne won the 2010 Tony Award as best featured actor in a play for his performance in Red. He originated his role in Red in 2009 at the Donmar Warehouse and won the Olivier Award for the performance that season. Redmayne made his professional stage debut for Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in Twelfth Night at the Middle Temple Hall in 2002. He won the award for Outstanding Newcomer at the 50th Evening Standard Theatre Awards (2004) for his performance in Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, and the award for Best Newcomer at the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards in 2005. Additional stage credits include Now or Later by Christopher Shinn at the Royal Court Theatre. Redmayne is currently on stage at the Donmar Warehouse in Michael Grandage's RICHARD II.

Redmayne's television credits include the BBC miniseries Tess Of The D'Urbervilles and the miniseries The Pillars of the Earth. Film credits include The Good Shepherd, Powder Blue, Savage Grace, The Other Boleyn Girl and Glorious 39. He also starred as Osmund in Christopher Smith's supernatural gothic chiller film Black Death, the 2008 Sundance hit The Yellow Handkerchief, and this year's My Week with Marilyn. He recently finished filming Birdsong the movie adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Sebastian Faulks.

The other nominees for the Rising Star Award are as follow:

ADAM DEACON - Hackney-born Adam rose to fame in Noel Clarke's Kidulthood, before reprising the role in the follow-up Adulthood and again working with Clarke in 4321. Adam then went onto mark his own mark on the film industry by co-writing, directing and starring in Brit comedy and box office success Anuvahood.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH - Australian actor Chris became an overnight success after landing the title role in film version of the Marvel comic Thor and he will reprise the role in The Avengers next year. Chris is next starring in Snow White And The Huntsman opposite Kirsten Stewart and Charlize Theron and will play Formula One driver James Hunt in Ron Howard's Rush.

TOM HIDDLESTON - RADA graduate Tom broke onto the big screen earlier this year
in Kenneth Branagh's Thor. Tom's recent projects include Woody Allen's film Midnight In Paris, Steven Spielberg's War Horse, and The Deep Blue Sea opposite Rachel Weisz. Tom has recently finished filming The Avengers which is due for release in May 2012.

CHRIS O'DOWD - Chris began his career in the cult comedy series The IT Crowd before breaking into film with standout roles including The Boat That Rocked, Gulliver's Travels and hugely successful Bridesmaids. Chris will next be seen in Judd Apatow's This Is 40 alongside Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann.

Voting is now open for all members of the public to select their favorite talent. The winner will be announced at the Orange British Academy Film Awards on February 12, 2012.

The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award recognizes the best up-and-coming actors and actresses in film and is is the only award presented on the night that is voted for by the public.

An original longlist was put together by a jury of influential names from across the film and media industry. Voting from a longlist of 8 was then opened up to Orange customers, leading to the final list of the five official nominees.

To learn more about voting for the BAFTA Rising Star Award, click here.

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