It's a man's world, all right. At least when it comes to who the British Academy of Film and Television Arts think were the breakout stars of the past year, seeing as how not one female performer managed to make the cut.
While the accented powers that be are still whittling down their long list of contenders in advance of next week's reveal of the full rundown of the 2012 Orange BAFTA Film Award nominees, the academy this morning gave movie lovers a taste of what may be coming by announcing the contenders for the sole finalized category—that of the hot young things.
Or, as they prefer to call it, the BAFTA Rising Star Award. So which possessors of a Y chromosome are up for the honor?
Well, it truly is brothers vs. Bridesmaids this year—fictional brothers, that is.
Thor's titular superhero Chris Hemsworth has been nominated for his comic book role, as has his onscreen brother Tom Hiddleston, who played the Norse god's misguided sibling, Loki, in the action flick.
Racing them to the podium is Chris O'Dowd, who played the charming Irishman in Bridesmaids—he's also up for the award (guess no one can resist a man in uniform), as is Kidulthood's Adam Deacon and My Week With Marilyn's Eddie Redmayne.
Congratulations are in order, for sure, but presumably so is an explanation as to why all the actresses who were longlisted for the prize—among them critical heavyweights Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain—were left off.
Previous winners of the prize include James McEvoy, Shia LaBeouf, Kristen Stewart and last year's recipient, Tom Hardy.
Nominees for the rest of the categories will be announced Tuesday, while all the prizes will be handed out when the 2012 Orange BAFTA Film Awards take place in London Feb. 12.