Kate Beckinsale has lashed out at BAFTA after being told the charity “could not guarantee” her late stepfather’s inclusion in its awards ceremony‘s ”in memoriam” tribute.
The actress hit out at British Academy of Film and Television Arts on Instagram on Thursday, saying she was ”paralysed, sick and sickened” over their “horribly cold email”.
Beckinsale’s late stepfather was Roy Battersby, a British TV director who died aged 87 on January 10.
He had previously earned a lifetime achievement award at the BAFTAs in the ’90s, where Beckinsale, now 50, presented him with the accolade.
READ MORE: Snoop Dogg’s daughter suffers a ‘severe stroke’ at 24
READ MORE: Ashley Cain welcomes son after daughter’s death
“Today BAFTA told me they ‘could not guarantee’ he would be included in their ‘in memoriam’ tribute, to honour the industry members we have lost,” Beckinsale wrote in her lengthy post.
“So a man dead less than a week somehow has to audition in front of a committee after a decades long career (in which he has been awarded from said organisation the highest accolade they have) to decide IF his death is worth mentioning.”
“If his work, his life, his craft, his mentoring, his heart and soul are worthy of a mention that he is gone. That, that has broken my heart all over again.”
READ MORE: What happened to the Culkin brothers?
READ MORE: Michael Buble’s near-death experience
She added: “I am paralysed, sick and sickened and I will honour him and his work every day of my life.”
Beckinsale mentioned her mother, Judy Loe, and said she has been battling stage-four cancer and the snub is a blow to their family.
“Oh and while I am at it, yes it is my mum briefly in the Netflix show Fool Me Once, for those who asked. And she has been gracefully and quietly dealing with stage four cancer for the last six years and just lost her husband so thanks again, BAFTA for your horribly cold email.”
Since Beckinsale posted her message, BAFTA has confirmed Battersby will be honoured in an upcoming ceremony and online.
For a daily dose of 9Honey, subscribe to our newsletter here
“We were very sorry to hear of Roy Battersby’s recent passing – he was a renowned and trailblazing director,” a spokesperson for the academy told 9honey.
“Roy Battersby was awarded the Alan Clarke Award in 1996, a BAFTA Special Television Award.
“We confirm he will be honoured in our forthcoming BAFTA Television Awards in May, and on the In Memoriam Section on our website.”
Battersby was known for his work on the likes of Between The Lines and Inspector Morse.
Beckinsale announced her stepfather’s death on January 10.
“It is with great sorrow that the family of film and television director Roy Battersby announce the news of his recent death after a brief period of illness,” she wrote on her Instagram story.
“He passed away peacefully on 10 January 2024, in Los Angeles surrounded by family, aged 87. Funeral will be held in London, details to follow.”
According to The Guardian, he died following a stroke. He is survived by Loe, who he married in 1997, and his children.
Source link