Bafta Rising Star award snubs women

Eddie Redmayne, Adam Deacon and Tom Hiddleston have made the all-male shortlist (Susannah Ireland)

Two Eton-educated actors and a director from Hackney are among the stars battling it out for the Bafta Rising Star award, which celebrates the brightest talents making their way in the film industry.

But no women featured on the shortlist announced yesterday. Felicity Jones, who won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Oscar-nominated Jennifer Lawrence failed to secure enough public votes to qualify.

Instead, My Week With Marilyn actor Eddie Redmayne, Thor stars Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth, Bridesmaids star Chris O'Dowd and director Adam Deacon will contest the prize.

Redmayne said he was surprised about the lack of women: "I was a bit shocked because Felicity Jones is an absolute genius," he said.

He was modest about the respect he has won in the industry. He said: "People always go 'Oh, you've done incest' or 'oh you've played a paedophile' and say 'oh, what bold choices'. But they're not bold choices. It's your job."