British producer Duncan Kenworthy will receive the British Academy’s highest honor, the BAFTA Fellowship, for his over five-decade career in film and television. The award recognizes his significant contributions to British cinema, particularly through his collaborations with Richard Curtis and his work with DNA, a leading independent production company.
Kenworthy is best known for producing internationally acclaimed films such as “Four Weddings and a Funeral” (1994), “Notting Hill” (1999), and “Love Actually” (2003). His partnership with Curtis has been instrumental in shaping the British romantic comedy genre and bringing British storytelling to a global audience. He is also a multiple BAFTA Award-winner and was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for services to film.
Beyond romantic comedies, Kenworthy co-founded DNA with Andrew Macdonald, producing films including “Trainspotting” (1996), “28 Days Later” (2002), “The Last King of Scotland” (2006), and “Civil War” (2024). His television credits include “Sesame Street” (1969), “Fraggle Rock” (1983), and the Emmy-winning “Gulliver’s Travels” (1996), developed through his association with Jim Henson and The Jim Henson Company.
Kenworthy has also been actively involved with BAFTA for over 30 years, serving on the film committee from 1996, as chair from 2004 to 2006, and as vice president from 2009 to 2015. He also served on the board of governors of the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and established the Toledo Scholarship through his production company Toledo Productions, which supports talented U.K. students from underrepresented backgrounds.
“I’m delighted and honoured to be the recipient of the BAFTA Fellowship,” said Kenworthy. “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to spend my life doing something I love, alongside so many talented and inspiring people. Having been closely involved with BAFTA for more than 30 of those years, to be recognised in this way is very special indeed.” The special ceremony honoring Kenworthy will be hosted by Richard Curtis at BAFTA.
Previous BAFTA Fellows include Donna Langley, Warwick Davis, Samantha Morton, Sir Ridley Scott, Judi Dench, Martin Scorsese, and Maggie Smith.
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