Wunmi Mosaku makes history as first black British woman to win BAFTA for supporting actress

Wunmi Mosaku has made history, becoming the first Black British woman to win Best Supporting Actress at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts film awards.

According to the BBC, the Bafta-winning actress said stepping into her latest role helped her reconnect with parts of herself she once felt compelled to quiet. As she accepted the award for her performance in the film Sinners, Mosaku reflected on rediscovering aspects of her identity she believed had faded over time. The 39-year-old, born in Nigeria and raised in Manchester, earned widespread praise for portraying Hoodoo priestess Annie in the musical horror film. Her win marks a significant milestone, as she becomes the first Black British recipient of the supporting actress honour in the history of the Bafta film awards. Mosaku shared how deeply personal the role felt to her. She said: "I found a part of myself in Annie, 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." Originally from the historic Nigerian city of Zaria, she moved to Manchester with her family when she was just one year old. Growing up between cultures shaped much of her experience, something she says resonated strongly in her portrayal of Annie. Speaking during the winners' press conference, she emphasised how meaningful authentic representation can be, saying: "It always feels good when you feel like your story and your experience is being represented with integrity and creativity." She also spoke about the powerful reaction from Black women who connected with her performance, describing how their responses touched her personally. She said she had been pleased to see "the response of black women feeling seen, loved, valued, treasured, and the power of our ancestry and the spirituality". "For me, seeing that response made me realise how lonely I felt and all of a sudden these women were in my life who I'd never met, I felt a kinship to." This latest triumph comes nine years after Mosaku claimed the same category at the TV Baftas for her performance in the BBC drama Damilola, Our Loved Boy, which told the story of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor’s death, a case that drew national attention after he was fatally stabbed while walking home from a London library. When the drama aired in 2016, she reflected on how closely the story mirrored realities she had witnessed growing up. She said: "I grew up on an estate in Manchester and people I've known from school have died in gang trouble and I always thought, 'If I'd been on a different estate at a different time, it could have been me'." Speaking about her Bafta film win on Sunday, Mosaku admitted she was overwhelmed by the moment. "I was like, 'That can't be right'. I was really shocked and I lost my breath and couldn't quite believe it." Currently pregnant, the actress also expressed gratitude to her daughter, saying: "you are my greatest teacher". Over the years, Mosaku has built an impressive career across both television and film, with appearances in dramas such as Luther and Black Mirror, as well as roles in Marvel productions. Her passion for acting began in childhood after watching the 1980s musical film Annie repeatedly. She recently told The Graham Norton Show that she watched it "every single day after school". When she shared her dream of becoming an actress with her family, they asked how she planned to achieve it a question that led her to research the cast of the film online. During that search, she discovered that Salford-born actor Albert Finney, who played Daddy Warbucks in Annie, had trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) in London. Inspired, Mosaku later followed a similar path, taking a £3.50 Megabus journey to audition successfully for a place there Before drama school, she had already nurtured her love for performance as a member of the Manchester Girls Choir for 11 years, an experience she has described as "one of my most precious memories".