One of Scotland's best-known actors, and a production sound mixer who won an Oscar for his work on Sam Mendes's First World War film, 1917, are to be honoured by BAFTA Scotland.

Shirley Henderson and Stuart Wilson will be presented with, respectively, the Outstanding Contribution to Film & Television, and Outstanding Contribution to Craft (In Memory of Robert McCann) Awards at the BAFTA Scotland Awards ceremony on Sunday, November 19.  

Small steps to the bigger picture Blink during Trainspotting or Bridget Jones and you would have missed Shirley Henderson. But as Hannah McGill discovers, the Fife actress is ready and able to take centre stage

Henderson, who is from Kincardine, Fife, first began performing as a youngster, singing at local clubs, pubs and charity events. At 16, she attended Kirkcaldy Tech for a one-year course in drama, and a year later relocated to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

After graduating in 1986, she went on to perform in repertory theatre in Scotland, and the National Theatre and Royal Court Theatre in London. In 1995 she became part of the main cast of Hamish Macbeth, alongside Robert Carlyle.

She continued over the next few years, with memorable roles in Trainspotting, Bridget Jones’ Diary and 24 Hour Party People.

The Herald: Shirley Henderson, photographed at Edinburgh Castle in 2004 by Gordon Terris for The HeraldShirley Henderson, photographed at Edinburgh Castle in 2004 by Gordon Terris for The Herald (Image: free)

Throughout her career, her ability to transform on screen has allowed her to accumulate an extraordinarily versatile CV. From the fantastical worlds of Harry Potter, Doctor Who and Star Wars, to period pieces such as Marie Antoinette, Meek’s Cutoff, Stan and Ollie, and See How They Run - through to contemporary dramas like Filth, Happy Valley and Okja.

Her work has earned her several accolades, including two BAFTA Scotland Awards - Actress Film in 2005, for Frozen, and Actress Television in 2014 for Southcliffe, the latter of which she was also nominated for at the BAFTA TV Awards.

The Herald: Stuart Wilson and Mark Taylor with the Best Sound Mixing Oscar for 1917 Stuart Wilson and Mark Taylor with the Best Sound Mixing Oscar for 1917 (Image: PA Wire)Responding to news of the forthcoming Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television, she said: “It is so kind of BAFTA to give me this Award and it has come as a huge surprise. It is overwhelming and lovely all at the same time. Thank you".

Glasgow-born Stuart Wilson's stellar career has seen him work on some of the biggest films of recent years: The Avengers, World War Z, War Horse, several Harry Potter films, the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre, a number of Star Wars projects, and the recent Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

In 2020 he shared the Oscar for Best Sound Mixing for 1917 with Mark Taylor, having previously been nominated five times for Oscars in sound mixing. He also won a BAFTA Film Award for Best Sound for 1917, sharing it with Taylor, Oliver Tarney, and Rachael Tate.

Because there was no film school in Scotland at that time, Wilson as a young man moved south to study at The National Film & TV School near London. He went on to work with such noted directors as Mendes, Sofia Coppola, Michael Winterbottom, JJ Abrams, Wes Anderson, Steven Spielberg, David Cronenberg and Bernardo Bertolucci.

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He has welcomed news of his latest accolade, saying: “I can’t believe it! I am delighted to be receiving the BAFTA Scotland Outstanding Contribution to Craft Award.

"It seems a long time since I was chapping the doors of Glasgow’s production companies, asking if I could carry their boxes and make tea, but the opportunities that began there have since taken me on adventures all round Scotland and across five continents of the world. I couldn’t be more proud and thank BAFTA for this remarkable honour.”

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Jude MacLaverty, Director of BAFTA Scotland, said: “We are extremely honoured to be celebrating the careers of such prestigious names in the television and film industries.

"Shirley Henderson and Stuart Wilson are both highly respected in their fields, with remarkable careers that have seen them appear in the credits of some of the biggest franchises of all time, work alongside legendary auteurs, and often – each other.

"We are proud to present the Outstanding Contribution Awards to them this year to honour their tremendous body of work.”

The Herald: A scene from the Oscar-winning film, 1917A scene from the Oscar-winning film, 1917 (Image: Francois Duhamel/Universal Pictures and Dreamworks Pictures)Edith Bowman will host the BAFTA Scotland Awards at DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central on Sunday November 19.

The ceremony will be available to watch live at 5.30pm on BAFTA’s YouTube channel youtube.com/bafta, followed by a highlights programme on BBC Scotland at 10pm.

www.bafta.org/scotland-awards; https://www.stuartwilson.com/