The 2021 nomination list for British Academy Film Awards (Bafta) has received several from diverse race including people of colour after it received a backlash in 2020.

At least, 16 of the 24 acting nominees for this year’s edition are coming from ethnic minority groups during the nomination announcement today in London via a livestream.

Young British actress of Nigerian descent, Bukky Bakray who broke into the scene with ‘Rocks’, alongside popular actor, Daniel Kaluuya, Riz Ahmed, Dominique Fishback, and Tahar Rahim were among the 16 nominees from ethnic minority backgrounds in the acting categories.

18-year-old Bakray, a London student plucked from class to star in the low-budget film ‘Rocks’ faces stiff competition from Oscar-winner Frances McDormand and the Crown star, Vanessa Kirby for the Best Actress category.

Bakray was discovered after director Sarah Gavron auditioned 1,300 students in a search for new talent.

She had no previous acting experience and played the role of a British-Nigerian schoolgirl whose struggling mother takes off, leaving her to fend for herself, in the movie Rocks.

Bafta made a u-turn following a lineup lacking in diversity, including all-white acting nominees and few female directors.

Four women are nominated in the best director category, including Chloe Zhao for Nomadland. She won the same award at the Golden Globes last week.

Nomadland and Rocks lead the field with seven nominations each, closely followed by The Father, Mank, Minari and Promising Young Woman with six nominations.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony without a live audience on 11 April.