Bang-Up BAFTAs

Britain's answer to the Oscars has traditionally been regarded as something of a poor cousin to its Hollywood counterpart. But the BAFTAs' status as a second-class show may all have changed with this year's event, which saw an almost mind-boggling number of A-list stars descend on London's Leicester Square. Halle Berry, Tim Robbins, Daniel Day-Lewis, Martin Scorsese, Michael Caine, Rachel Weisz, Salma Hayek and Ed Norton were just the tip of the celebrity iceberg that made its way down the red carpet to the almost ear-splitting appreciation of fans. "The BAFTAs are definitely gaining in importance," we were told by the night's host, Stephen Fry. "We're now in our third year of being before, rather than after the Oscars, so naturally it's far more interesting for audiences. The bunsen burner's gone under the film industry in general, I think people are more interested in film than they've ever been in its history." Simple 'interest' couldn't possibly do justice to the overwhelming turnout of people who had flocked to the Odeon Leicester Square to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars. Their patience certainly paid off as Angelina Jolie, who was among the first to arrive, broke away from the press to spend half an hour signing autographs and talking to the crowds. "Oh, I just think they're great. They're wonderful," she told us. "I just love them." The Hours stars, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep headed down the carpet hand-in-hand, beaming at the cameras while co-star Julianne Moore did her best to hide a case of nerves over her nomination. "I always get nervous. I don't mind acting, I don't mind almost anything but this scares me to death." And how did she overcome it? "I put a little candy in my bag to eat later