Belfast director Kenneth Branagh and co-star Ciarán Hinds have tested positive for COVID-19, Jude Hill told The Hollywood Reporter at the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday.
Attending to honor the film, Hill, the young actor who stars as Buddy in Branagh’s semi-autobiographical feature, said of the night ahead, “We have the Focus Features team, and I’m sitting at that table, and sadly the rest of the cast couldn’t be here because sadly Ciarán and Ken have COVID-19. But they’ll 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 PGA Awards nominee breakfast on Saturday morning. Focus Features did not immediately return a request for comment, nor did representatives for Branagh and Hinds.
Belfast is up for the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for outstanding producer of theatrical motion pictures category at the PGA Awards. It nis nominated for seven Oscars at March 27’s Academy Awards, including best original screenplay and director for Branagh, supporting actor for Hinds, supporting actress for Judi Dench, best sound, 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 the Critics Choice Awards on March 13 after getting the virus. Sean Penn also missed a planned tribute to Paul Thomas Anderson at the DGA Awards on March 12 after a positive test, which his rep later said was a false positive.
The PGA Awards required vaccination as well as a negative test to attend.