BAFTA Host Rebel Wilson Reveals Pre-Show Jitters: “I Have to Come Out as Myself, Which Is Terrifying!”

Rebel Wilson unquestionably stole the show at the 73rd BAFTA Film Awards ceremony in February 2020. Onstage at the Royal Albert Hall to present the best director award, the Australian actress and comedian used her brief time on the mic to make jokes about the all-male nominees (claiming she didn’t “have the balls” to do what they do), Prince Harry (in the heat of the so-called Megxit crisis, and with Prince William and Kate Middleton in attendance) and the environmentally friendly “gifting wallets” given to guests (“that’s also the nickname of my vagina”). Much has happened in the two years since. The BAFTAs, like many awards shows, were forced to go down the virtual route in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has also happened for Wilson, who during lockdown underwent a dramatic “health transformation,” which she documented on Instagram (2020 being her “year of health”). Now the British Academy is set to celebrate March 13 with an in-person event once more, and it has given full hosting duties to the awards’ outspoken 2020 star. Speaking to THR as she prepares her BAFTA scripts, Wilson discusses whether she’ll be capitalizing on recent headlines out of the U.K., getting Idris Elba’s number at the 2020 awards, and how it’s her “first big public thing” after her weight loss.

What have we in store from you at the BAFTAs?

It’s really hard to know what to say or do because of, like, the current climate with cancel culture. It’s interesting. So I might make light of that right at the top of the show.

You don’t want to get canceled live onstage

No. Traditionally, when I studied comedy at university, a comedian’s job is to walk that line between what’s acceptable and what you can and can’t talk about in public. So yeah, I’m known for doing cheeky jokes at the BAFTAs. So there’ll definitely be a lot of that. But at the end of the day, I think with this 2022 ceremony, it’s a return to the big spectacle after last year with the pandemic when they had to have it virtually. So even though there will be a lot of cheeky jokes, it’ll be more fun and celebratory of films and the film industry. So hopefully people will forgive me knowing that that’ll be the overall vibe.

How would you describe your hosting style?

I actually get pretty nervous doing live appearances, especially something like this when there’s the entire industry right there — my future employers! It can be nerve-wracking. Sometimes I do a bit of a character in my presentation. But when you’re the host, I don’t think you can hide behind anything. I just have to come out as myself, which will be terrifying!

How does it feel to be only the second non-Brit to host the award, and the first in 30 years?

Who was the other one?

Magnus Magnusson, best known as the former host of [BBC gameshow] Mastermind, in 1990. He was Icelandic, but based in the U.K., so was basically an honorary Brit anyway.

Well I have actually bought an apartment in London. I love working over there. But I think it’s a real honor. I’m Australian, but obviously have British heritage. So when BAFTA asked me I was really honored, because I didn’t think they’d let a non-Brit do it. But then I guess, because I am technically an outsider, I can say things that maybe insiders wouldn’t be able to say.

As an Australian, is it exciting to be able to come to London and make jokes about the U.K. in a room full of Brits, knowing that they’re all probably too polite to say anything and will clap along with it?

It actually seems like so many Brits are immigrating to Australia. But some of my ancestors were convicts and shipped off to Australia. So, yeah, it’s fun to come back and make jokes.

In terms of comedy, there’s ample material to work with. Are we going to see references to Boris Johnson’s lockdown parties?

I literally just wrote a joke about that! I’m watching BBC News every day — that’s part of my hosting duties, apart from watching all the films. I think we’ll be working right up until the night before to include anything that’s topical or really interesting.

You’re probably going to have Prince William and Kate Middleton in the audience. Last time you made a little joke about Prince Harry in front of them. Should they be worried that, given recent news, there might be some Prince Andrew references, or is that a no-go zone?

I think maybe that’s too obvious. I don’t think that they would be worried. The Queen is someone who I really respect. My middle name is Elizabeth — I’m obviously from a family that loves the royals. But if there is a good joke, my comedian brain might want to say it. But we’ll have to see.

When it was announced that you were going to host, you quipped about how you weren’t funny because you were no longer, in your words, “fat.” How much has your weight loss impacted your routine?

When you’re a comedian, you use things about your physicality to your advantage, and I used being a plus-size girl to my advantage in many comedy movies. Some people have said to me, “Now that you lost weight, are you scared you won’t be funny anymore?” I like to make a joke about it myself first because it is different. I have a cracking comedy called Senior Year coming out in May, which is the first I shot after my health transformation, and I think it is my best comedy yet. But the BAFTAs will be my first big public thing since losing a lot of weight. At the end of the day, your comedy does come from your mind and your personality, and that’s all still there.

Have you found that, since your health transformation, different sorts of roles have come your way?

Yeah. I found that with the British drama The Almond and the Seahorse — I’m not sure I would have been cast in that when I was a bigger girl because they kind of stereotype you a bit more when you’re bigger. But when I started as an actress I really wanted to be the next Dame Judi Dench and do really serious stuff. And so now I’m returning to that a bit, which is great, but still doing comedies that I love. But yeah, it has definitely diversified my stocks.

You made a joke at the 2020 BAFTAs about trying to win best original score at the afterparty. Did you manage that?

I definitely got Idris Elba’s number. But obviously, he’s with someone, and I’m a very moral person.

Interview edited for length and clarity.

This story first appeared in the March 2 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.