The BAFTA Awards are back for 2015, with the endless glitz and glamour filling the red carpet on Sunday afternoon. West Belfast rap group Kneecap arrived in style at London's Royal Festival Hall ahead of the ceremony where their Irish-language film has been nominated in six categories. The film is based on a semi-fictionalised account of how the band was formed. The film was written and directed by Rich Peppiatt and stars bandmates Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (Mo Chara), Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglaí Bap), and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí), and also stars Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender.
Arriving on the red carpet on Sunday, JJ Ó Dochartaigh showcased his Irish pride as he donned a suit depicting the country's tri-colour flag alongside his famous matching balaclava. JJ, Liam, and Naoise looked in high spirits as they posed for pictured on the red carpet alongside director Rich Peppiatt. While JJ went all out with his patriotic Irish suit, Liam and Naoise kept things more casual as they swerved the opportunity to get dressed up in suits, and instead opted for all-black outfits consisting of jeans and zip-up jackets.
The successful group was formed in 2017 by the three friends. Speaking at the pre awards event, the band said it would be a "coup" for an Irish language film to win a British award and added that the last year had felt like "blink and you'll miss it". They said being nominated for a Bafta was a win in itself. Peppiatt was asked about a possible Kneecap 2 being on the cards and he jokingly said, "Bridget Jones has just released her fourth".
The incredible film has been nominated for Outstanding Debut, Original Screenplay, Casting, Film Not in the English Language, Editing, and Outstanding British Film categories. It has also already won seven British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) and other accolades. In November the rap group won its discrimination case against the UK government over a decision by Kemi Badenoch to withdraw an arts grant when she was serving as a cabinet minister. Kneecap launched legal action, claiming the decision to withhold the grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationalist and political opinion.
After a brief hearing at Belfast High Court in November, it was agreed the government would pay the band £14,250 - the same amount the grant was for. The band donated the money to two youth organisations in Belfast - one from a nationalist and one from a unionist area. Speaking after the hearing, DJ Provai said the band's motivation was equality "For us, this action was never about £14,250; it could have been 50p," he said. "This was an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday Agreement itself and an attack on Kneecap and our way of expressing ourselves.".
"The former secretary of state Kemi Badenoch and her department acted unlawfully; this is now a fact. They have tried to silence us and they have failed.". Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads . Celeb obsessed? Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox.
