EXCLUSIVE: Leonardo DiCaprio Fled 'Super-Boring BAFTAs for Ultra-Private Party After Losing Out to Tourette's Sufferer Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio is said to have been turned-off by the 'boring' awards show.
Feb. 24 2026, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Leonardo DiCaprio slipped out of the BAFTA post-ceremony dinner within an hour of arriving, heading to what sources described as an ultra-private gathering elsewhere in London after losing Best Actor to the actor who played Tourette's campaigner John Davidson.
The star's swift exit also underscored a subdued atmosphere at what is traditionally the British film industry's most glittering and raucous night.
A Grim Affair
DiCaprio left the BAFTA post-ceremony dinner within an hour of arriving.
The 51-year-old actor had been nominated for his performance in One Battle After Another, which dominated the event by taking home six awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. But the best leading actor prize went to 33-year-old Robert Aramayo for his portrayal of Davidson, 54, in I Swear, a biopic about the British Tourette's advocate.
Guests described a dinner room that failed to ignite with star power and a party atmosphere despite the initial presence of A-list nominees and winners.
One attendee said, "You can tell the budget had been pulled back. In previous years, each table felt like part of the show – elaborate designs inspired by the nominated films, towering centerpieces, dramatic lighting. It always looked breathtaking. This time it felt stripped down and improvised, with artificial greenery and cheap-looking lamps that didn't exactly scream prestige."
"There used to be a real sense of occasion the moment you walked into the room. It was theatrical, immersive – almost cinematic in its own right," the tipster added. "On Sunday, it felt flat. The decor didn't match the scale of the awards or the caliber of the people in the room. It's understandable that they want to be mindful about spending and sustainability, but the gala dinner has always been positioned as the grand finale of British film's biggest night. When the visual impact disappears, so does some of the magic. It felt more like a corporate function than a world-class celebration."
The comment was echoed by others who pointed to half-empty tables and untouched plates as evidence the event lacked its usual sparkle.
'Honestly, It Was Disappointing'
DiCaprio's 'One Battle After Another' collected six major awards during the ceremony.
BAFTA organizers had leaned into a sustainability theme, commissioning caterers Caper & Berry to deliver a largely plant-based menu. Vegan canapes and a so-called social starter were followed by a choice between truffle chicken and a vegan pithivier.
The reception, however, was lukewarm. One guest said, "Honestly, it was disappointing. I barely touched my plate because it just wasn't very good. In previous years, the standard has been so much higher – you expected restaurant-quality food at the very least. This felt like a serious step down."
The attendee added, "There's always talk about sustainability and innovation, but that shouldn't come at the expense of taste. People were pushing their food around more than they were eating it."
Another guest added: "The serving sizes were incredibly modest – surprisingly so for an occasion of this scale. When you're hosting some of the most recognizable faces in the industry, you expect the meal to feel abundant and indulgent. Instead, it came across as restrained, almost austere, without the refinement you'd associate with fine dining."
A-List Exodus for Exclusive After-Parties
Attendees described the atmosphere as subdued and lacking its usual sparkle.
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The attendee continued: "Minimalism can work if it's executed beautifully, but this felt more pared back than polished. By the end of the night, people were still hungry. That's not what you expect from a gala that's meant to cap off the biggest celebration in British film." DiCaprio was not the only high-profile departure from the event.
Timothée Chalamet was photographed during the starter before leaving quietly after also losing out in the Best Actor category for his work in Marty Supreme. Fellow A-listers Kate Hudson, Emma Stone, and Kirsten Dunst were seen exiting early and were later snapped at an ultra-exclusive bash at Oswald's members' club in London.
Paul Mescal, who lost the supporting actor award to Sean Penn, attended briefly with singer Gracie Abrams before also departing. Jessie Buckley later also appeared at the after-party at Oswald's in Mayfair, clutching her leading actress trophy.
An industry source said, "You could feel the shift in the room the moment the final trophies were collected. As soon as the competitive element was over, the momentum seemed to evaporate. The buzz that had carried through the ceremony just didn't translate into the dinner."
Insiders said many nominees drifted away as the momentum faded after the final awards were announced.
"Normally, the ceremony builds on the excitement – winners celebrating, nominees letting loose, deals being whispered in corners. This time, once the envelopes were closed, it was as if the oxygen left the room. People didn't linger; they drifted away quietly," the insider said.
The source added: "Leo already had plans lined up across town, with a very select group expecting him. The BAFTA dinner was never meant to be his main event – more of a courtesy appearance before heading somewhere more discreet."
They continued: "He did what was required, showed his face, paid his respects, and then moved on. For him, the real evening was happening behind closed doors, not under the chandeliers at the Festival Hall. For Leo, the optics of losing to a relative newcomer in a British biopic, then sitting through a subdued dinner, were not ideal. For some nominees, it made sense to move on quickly."
Another insider said, "When you look around and see vacant tables outnumbering the guests still seated, it tells its own story. That's not how this event used to feel. There was a noticeable thinning of the room long before the evening was officially over. The sense was that the meaningful celebrations had relocated elsewhere – to smaller, more exclusive gatherings away from the spotlight. What remained felt more like an afterthought than the main attraction."
The BAFTA night ended with waiters circulating with popcorn-topped chocolate mousse sundaes served in paper tubs, while guests continued to drift away.
Another attendee said, "I ended up sampling each of the desserts simply because they were sitting there untouched. Hardly anyone at our table wanted them. The flavors just didn't land, and presentation-wise it felt underwhelming – serving them in paper tubs made it all look oddly cheap. I never imagined I'd be dressed in a black tie at one of the film industry's biggest nights, eating pudding out of a paper cup. It might be the most high-profile paper container I've ever held, but it still felt more multiplex than Michelin."
