Belfast director Kenneth Branagh and co-star Ciarán Hinds have tested positive for COVID-19, Jude Hill told at the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday.
Hill, the young actor who stars as Buddy in Branagh’s semi-autobiographical feature film, was in attendance to honor the film The cast could not be here because unfortunately Ciarán and Ken have COVID-19. But they will be here in spirit.”
Both Branagh, 61, and Hinds, 69, last appeared in person at the BAFTA Awards on March 13 amid a busy awards run for Belfast, and Branagh virtually attended a breakfast of PGA Awards nominees on Saturday morning. Focus Features did not immediately return a request for comment, nor did representatives from Branagh and Hinds.
Belfast is nominated for the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer in the Motion Picture category at the PGA Awards. It is nominated for seven Oscars at the Academy Awards on March 27, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Director for Branagh, Supporting Actor for Hinds, Supporting Actress for Judi Dench, Best Audio, Best Original Song and Best Picture.
Branagh and Hinds are the latest stars to test positive amid Hollywood’s post-Omicron reopening, with Succession’s Sarah Snook missing out on March 13’s Critics Choice Awards after contracting the virus. Sean Penn also missed a planned tribute to Paul Thomas Anderson at the DGA Awards on March 12 after a positive test that his spokesperson later described as a false positive.
Participation in the PGA Awards required vaccination and a negative test.