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Charles Melton Isn’t On The BAFTA’s Longlist & The Internet Is Pissed

I’m someone who is a big fan of mysteries, so when I heard that the film May December would be (loosely) based on the relationship between Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau, I knew I needed to watch. With stars like Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, the movie was clearly meant to be a hit. 

One of the breakout stars of the movie is Charles Melton, who previously starred in the CW show Riverdale. In May December, Melton portrayed 36-year-old Joe Yoo, who married Gracie, a woman (played by Moore) who preyed on him when he was 13 years old — hence the relation to the Letourneau-Fualaau dynamic. 

Melton was nominated for the Golden Globe’s Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, and his performance has been labeled as “unforgettable” and “powerful.” The film also won two awards at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Supporting Actor (Charles Melton) and Best Screenplay (Samy Burch). 

Despite the recognition Melton earned, he was omitted from BAFTA’s recently-announced longlists. Ten stars were longlisted for the Best Supporting Actor category, including Ryan Gosling for Barbie, Jacob Elordi for Saltburn, Paul Mescal for All Of Us Strangers, and Robert De Niro for Killers Of The Flower Moon. 

However, fans were quick to notice that BAFTA failed to recognize any actors of color in this category’s longlist.

Seems like it’s time to overthrow whoever is the leader of BAFTA.

Stop, you’re losing me (BAFTA’s version).

Although Melton didn’t make it onto BAFTA’s longlists for whatever reason, he’s still a star to us. Clearly, this is the start of a new acting journey for him and he’s leaving his Riverdale days in the past. I think I speak for everyone when I say I’m thoroughly looking forward to his next role, which will hopefully earn him a place on the longlist.

Julia is a national writer at Her Campus, where she mainly covers mental health, wellness, and all things relating to Gen Z. Prior to becoming a national writer, Julia was the wellness intern for Her Campus. Outside of Her Campus, Julia is a managing editor at The Temple News, Temple University's independent student-run paper. She's also the Co-Campus Correspondent of Her Campus Temple University, where she oversees content for all sections of the website. Julia is also a student intern at the Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting, where she works on the data desk and is assisting her editor in building a database. She has previously interned at The American Prospect. In her free time, Julia enjoys going to the beach as much as possible, watching reality TV (specifically Real Housewives and Vanderpump Rules), and editing stories.