It was supposed to be the coronation of the season. Timothée Chalamet, the undeniable frontrunner for his electric performance as table tennis legend Marty Mauser in Marty Supreme, walked into London’s Royal Festival Hall as the heavy favorite to take home the BAFTA for Best Actor. But in a twist that has sent social media into a tailspin, the award went to British underdog Robert Aramayo for his powerful turn in the Tourette’s syndrome biopic I Swear. While Aramayo’s tearful acceptance speech was a highlight of the night, it was Chalamet’s reaction—a perfect blend of bewilderment, frozen poise, and gracious applause—that has instantly become the internet’s newest obsession.

The Snub Heard 'Round the World

The 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards will go down in history for several reasons, but the moment the Best Actor envelope was opened is the one dominating timelines. Chalamet, who had already swept the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, appeared locked in for the win. When presenter Kerry Washington read out Aramayo’s name, the cameras cut to Chalamet. For a split second, the Dune star appeared to buffer, his eyes widening in genuine shock before he quickly recovered into a polite, enthusiastic clap. That micro-second of raw, unfiltered disbelief has already been screen-grabbed, GIFed, and captioned by thousands of fans on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.

"Timothée trying to process that loss is all of us trying to process 2026 so far," one viral tweet read, accompanied by a zoom-in of his frozen smile. Another popular meme compared his expression to the now-iconic "math lady" meme, captioning it: "Calculating how 11 nominations turned into zero wins."

Robert Aramayo’s Emotional Upset

While the memes are having their moment, the night truly belonged to Robert Aramayo. The Hull-born actor, previously best known for The Rings of Power, pulled off what pundits are calling the biggest upset of the awards season. His portrayal of John Davidson, a real-life campaigner for Tourette’s syndrome, in the indie hit I Swear won over the British Academy voters in a landslide of late-breaking support.

Aramayo was visibly shaking as he took the stage, delivering a speech that was as humble as it was emotional. "I honestly cannot believe that I have won this award. I really, really cannot," he stammered through tears, looking out at a front row that included Leonardo DiCaprio and Chalamet himself. "Everyone in this category blows me away." He went on to share a touching anecdote about fellow nominee Ethan Hawke, thanking him for a lecture on longevity he gave years ago at Juilliard. It was a sincere, star-making moment that justified the Academy's surprise choice.

A Tough Night for 'Marty Supreme'

The viral reaction to Chalamet's loss was compounded by a historically difficult night for his film. Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme entered the ceremony with a massive 11 nominations, including Best Film and Best Director. It left with exactly zero trophies. This shuts-out ties the record for the most BAFTA losses in a single night, joining the ranks of Finding Neverland (2004) and Women in Love (1969).

Despite the shutout, Chalamet remained a good sport throughout the evening. Earlier in the ceremony, host Alan Cumming playfully handed out British snacks to the A-list audience, gifting Chalamet a bag of Scampi Fries—a moment that also garnered its fair share of laughs online. Yet, it is the "snub face" that has cemented itself in the pop culture lexicon, serving as the perfect reaction image for anyone facing an unexpected plot twist.

What This Means for the Oscars

The BAFTA results have thrown the Oscar race into complete chaos. Usually a reliable bellwether for the Academy Awards, the British Academy’s deviation suggests that the race is far from over. Robert Aramayo’s win proves that there is passionate support for I Swear, potentially positioning him as a dark horse spoiler for the Oscars next month.

However, fans of Chalamet shouldn't lose hope. BAFTA voters often favor homegrown talent, and the American Academy may stick with the momentum Chalamet built earlier in the season. For now, though, the internet is content to enjoy the memes. As one user perfectly summarized: "Timothée didn't win the BAFTA, but he definitely won the meme war."

Other Notable Winners

Beyond the Best Actor drama, the night saw other major victories. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another took home Best Film, while Jessie Buckley secured Best Actress for her role in Hamnet. But as the dust settles on the 2026 BAFTAs, it’s the image of a stunned Timothée Chalamet that remains the enduring snapshot of a wildly unpredictable night.