Adam Deacon was referring to himself as the “underdog” before the BAFTA Awards ceremony – a competition he was even calling “a class war”. But by the end of the night, he was grinning like a Cheshire cat after picking up the Award for Orange Wednesdays Rising Star (voted for by the public).
The 28-year-old has appeared in Noel Clarke projects Kidulthood and Adulthood as well as TV roles in The Bill, Casualty and Being Human, was convinced that he was the outside chance for the award, pitted against the arguably more mainstream talents of Eddie Redmayne (My Week with Marilyn, Birdsong), Tom Hiddleston (War Horse, Thor), Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids).
Talking at a press conference after the Baftas at London’s Royal Opera House, he said it felt “amazing” to finally be recognised by the British film industry.
“10 years ago I was living in a hostel with nowhere to live,” he said. “It was a dream.
“It was always one of these things where you keep working and it keeps getting one step better and better until this has happened.
“It’s acceptance and a kind of a pat on the back by Bafta.”
