BAFTA Breakthrough U.S. Announces 2025 Rising Stars List

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The 2025 BAFTA Breakthrough U.S. cohort has arrived, with One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti and Sinners star Miles Caton included on the list of rising star creatives working in film, games and television.

BAFTA North America unveiled the lineup Tuesday. The British Academy’s flagship talent initiative provides a springboard for stars on the rise, and includes creatives working in costume design, production, casting, editing and games design, as well as performance, directing, composing and cinematography.

Also featured on this year’s list is Brandon Wilson, best known for his outing in 2024’s Nickel Boys and Eva Victor, writer-director-star of Sorry, Baby. Frida Perez, writer-producer on the Emmy-winning Apple TV show The Studio features alongside Min Ji (Maggie) Kang, writer and director of the Netflix smash hit KPop Demon Hunters.

Infiniti, an Oscar contender for her performance opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in the latest Paul Thomas Anderson film, is listed for her performance in the Jake Gyllenhaal-starring series Presumed Innocent, released by Apple TV last year. Check out the full list below.

Awarded to those in the midst of, or on the cusp of, theirbreakthroughmoment, the year-long initiative includesone-on-one meetings and career guidance, full voting membership, access toBAFTAevents and screenings, as well as networking events, both in the U.K. and internationally.The U.K.’s 2025 Breakthrough cohort, announced last week, includes Akinola Davies Jr. and Laura Carreira.

This year’sBreakthroughU.S. cohort was selected by a jury of leading cross-industry figures, including Channing Godfrey Peoples, Davina Pardo, Jessica Hernandez, Kate Edwards, Nyasha Hatendi, Paul Rogers, Sam Enoch, Simone Ling for film & television and Andrew Prahlow, Arjun Yadav, Carmen Askerneese, Del Walker, Dmitri Johnson, Julia Bianco Schoeffling, Tara Voelker for games.

Chase Infiniti in ‘One Battle After Another’

Warner Bros. Pictures

“TheBAFTABreakthrough U.S. program continues to be a beacon for emerging excellence, and this year’s cohort exemplifies the power of bold, imaginative storytelling,” said Courtney LaBarge Bell, executive director of BAFTA North America.

“At a moment when hurdles to building sustainable careers in entertainment are as difficult as ever and programs like this are shuttering,” she continued, “BAFTAremains steadfast in its belief and investment in the next generation. It is a privilege to witness such exceptional talent stepping into their own and to celebrate the moments when their artistry truly takes flight.”

Thefull list of the 2025BAFTABreakthroughU.S. cohort, sponsored by Apple TV, is as follows:

Film

Brandon Wilson, actor —Nickel Boys
Eva Victor, writer / director / actor —Sorry, Baby
Mia Cioffi Henry, cinematographer — Sorry, Baby
Miles Caton, actor —Sinners
Min Ji (Maggie) Kang, writer / director — KPop Demon Hunters

Television

Chase Infiniti, actor —Presumed Innocent
Frida Perez, writer / director — The Studio

Film, Documentary

Brittany Shyne, director —Seeds
Paige Bethmann, director —Remaining Native

Games

Erika Ishii, voice performer —Ghost of Yotei
Karla Reyes, creative director — Take Us North
Xalavier Nelson Jr., studio head — I Am Your Beast