Isle Of Wight-Born Dame Donna Langley To Receive BAFTA’s Highest Honour

Isle of Wight-born Dame Donna Langley is set to receive BAFTA’s highest accolade – the BAFTA Fellowship – at this year’s EE BAFTA Film Awards.

BAFTA has confirmed Dame Donna, who is Chair of NBCUniversal Entertainment, will be recognised for her outstanding contribution to film and television.

The BAFTA Fellowship is the Academy’s most prestigious honour.

Born and raised on the Isle of Wight, Dame Donna is the first British woman to lead a major Hollywood studio.

More than 30 years after moving to Los Angeles without industry contacts, she now oversees creative strategy, production, acquisitions, marketing and distribution across NBCUniversal’s entertainment portfolio.

The Fellowship recognises her leadership during a period of rapid change in the industry, alongside her commitment to inclusion, talent development and long-standing creative partnerships across film and television.

Speaking about the award, Dame Donna said it was an “incredible honour” to be recognised by her home country, adding she felt “lucky every day” to work alongside artists shaping the future of the industry.

BAFTA Chair Sara Putt praised Dame Donna’s cultural impact, describing her studio leadership and creative relationships as transformative.

She said BAFTA is looking forward to presenting the Fellowship on 22 February.

Throughout her career, Dame Donna has championed both established and emerging filmmakers, backing titles including Bridesmaids, Get Out and Oppenheimer, as well as major franchises such as Fast & Furious and Jurassic World.

Most recently, Wicked became the highest-grossing film musical of all time, further underlining her influence within the global entertainment industry.

In 2020, Dame Donna was appointed Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s New Year Honours, recognising her services to film and television and her global impact.

She is also a long-standing advocate for widening access to careers in the screen arts.

The awards ceremony takes place on Sunday 22 February.