BAFTA Breakthrough: 13 years of talent

BAFTA Breakthrough is returning for its 13th year and to celebrate The Floor Mag is taking a look back at some of our previous interactions with former recipients and exploring where they are now in their careers. 

Letitia Wright - Actor, Director, Writer

Whilst we never had the pleasure of interviewing Wright during the year she was awarded BAFTA Breakthrough, we’ve loved experiencing her work on the big screen and on London’s stages. 

We loved spending time with Wright in the Bush Theatre Library, digging into her Guyanese heritage for her role in ‘Not Your Superwoman’ by Emma Dennis-Edwards. 

Wright is currently performing in the National Theatre’s 'The Story' alongside Lorraine Toussaint and Ashley Thomas. 

Adjani Salmon - Actor, Director, Writer 

In October 2025, Salmon was our Digital Cover star, celebrating his work across his hit-series ‘Dreaming Whilst Black.’ 

Since then he’s been showing up for the community at filmmaking panels and has landed a role in the upcoming drama series ‘Saviour’, coming to our screens soon. 

Nathaniel Price - Screenwriter 

Price earned his place on the BAFTA Breakthrough programme for his writing across the award-winning and representative adaptation of the novel, Mr Loverman. 

Price has also written episodes of the darkly comedic series, ‘The Outlaws.’

His next writing credit will be the TV drama based on the Neil LaBute play ‘This is How it Goes’, directed by Idris Elba who also starred in its UK production in 2005. 

Vivian Oparah - Actor, Musician 

Vivian Oparah’s role as sarcastic, yet vulnerable Yas in ‘Rye Lane’ earned her a well deserved spot on the BAFTA Breakthrough 2023 list. 

Under the artist name, Vivian Forever, Oparah creates experimental music alongside acting. 

Director of ‘Rye Lane’, Raine Allen-Miller and Oparah will reunite on upcoming film project ‘The Roots Manoeuvre’ set to be released in 2027. 

Jodie-Simone Howe - Costume Designer

Awarded a place on 2025’s BAFTA Breakthrough programme for her work across costume design for BAFTA winning ‘Mr Loverman’, Jodie-Simone Howe also served as the costume designer for Adjani Salmon’s ‘Dreaming Whilst Black.’ 

Howe serves as a founding member of The Black Costume Network, which aims to continue to diversify the UK costume industry. 

Howe’s next project will be the Will Sharpe series, ‘Prodegies’ which stars Ayo Edebiri. 

Gary Gunn - Composer

Gary Gunn’s place on the BAFTA Breakthrough US list was secured through his evocative work on ‘A Thousand and One’, a feature film starring musician and actor Teyanna Taylor. 

More of Gunn’s work can be heard in the Netflix series, ‘Forever’ and the upcoming project ‘Olga Dies Dreaming’ which stars Aubrey Plaza. 

Akinola Davis Jr - Director and Writer

Akinola Davis Jr’s film ‘My Father’s Shadow’ captured everyone’s attention during the London Film Festival and in festivals beyond. The project would lead to his place on the BAFTA Breakthrough programme in 2025.  

We had the pleasure of interviewing Davis Jr about the film and his inspirations, you can watch a clip here.  

Olaide Sadiq - Director, Producer

Olaide Sadiq served as the director for the groundbreaking feature documentary, ‘Grenfell: Uncovered’. 

Raw, unflinching and heartbreaking, Sadiq’s work met survivors, families and campaigners where they were and asked the question, ‘what comes now?’ 

The documentary would go on to win two BAFTAs the first awarded to Sadiq for her work as an ‘Emerging Talent’ and the second for the documentary as a whole.