THE BAFTAS went mad about the boy as Richard Linklater's Boyhood pipped the Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything to be named best film.

Linklater was named best director and Boyhood's Patricia Arquette got the best supporting actress gong for her role as the mother in the coming of age movie.

Actor Ethan Hawke collected the director award on behalf of his friend and said Linklater would be "frankly p*****-off" to have missed the awards.

The Theory of Everything took three awards - best British film, best actor, and best adapted screenplay.

The best British movie gong was presented by former England football star David Beckham with Professor Stephen Hawking, his family and ex-wife Jane Wilde all in the audience at London's Royal Opera House.

Eddie Redmayne, who took the leading actor gong for his role as the celebrated physicist shook with emotion as he gave his thank yous.

"I would like to dedicate this wonderful honour to three families," he said, referring to his own family, professional family and Stephen Hawking's family.

Julianne Moore, the 54-year-old actress who defied the years as she caught the eye on the red carpet in a black lace gown, took the best actress gone for her role in Still Alice and thanked her Scottish relatives who "poured love into me". Moore's Greenock born mother who moved to the United States more than 50 years ago, died in 2009.

Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel took the most Baftas with five , including original music, make-up and hair, production design, original screenplay and costume design.

The Bafta for best documentary went to Citizenfour about whistleblower Edward Snowden, while the Animated Movie award went to The Lego Movie.

Rockers Kasabian opened the dazzling show, performing in front of a big screen showing highlights from some of the nominated films.

They came on stage after a brief introduction from Bafta chairman Anne Morrison who thanked the audience on behalf of host Stephen Fry for "coming to his wedding reception".

The actor, who recently tied the knot with Elliott Spencer, is the regular frontman for the biggest night in the UK film industry.

The Bafta for British short film went to Boogaloo and Graham about two boys growing up in 1970s Belfast, while the award for short animation was picked up by The Bigger Picture.

The Grand Budapest Hotel's triumphant trawl of technical awards was halted when Whiplash won the Baftas for editing and sound.

The EE Rising Star award, the only Bafta voted for by the public, went to Jack O'Connell, the star of '71 and Unbroken.

And former Bafta president and filmmaker Lord Attenborough, who died last year, was remembered with tributes from Robert Downey Jr and the Duke of Cambridge.