Josh O'Connor thinks there's now a huge "hunger" for LGBT films

Josh believes the fact that that two actors who appeared in LGBT movies being nominated for the prestigious prize is a clear sign that there is an appetite for alternative love stories on the screen.

He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "It's great. I think it's a really important stat. It's an important stat because it's good for the industry to know there is a hunger for films like this and the narratives like these. So the more we can say to the industry 'come on, you need to make these.' There is a hunger and you need to satisfy the hunger of the audience' because these are the films they want to see."

The film - which was helmed and written by Francis Lee - follows the story of Johnny (Josh), a gay farmer who falls in love with a migrant worker Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu) and the actor has made a lasting bond with his co-star.

Josh said: "It was so great. We are like a family now and Francis is like an older brother and Alec a best friend.

"We've had an incredible journey with this film and we go around and talk about it now and it's bizarre.

We spent the best six or seven weeks in Yorkshire, in the rain, on the farm. And for now people to be watching it and responding to it and to share it with them is great."

The film has been dubbed the British version of Ang Lee's Oscar-winning 'Brokeback Mountain' and Josh thinks it's an "honour" to be compared to that incredible film.

He said: "It's really funny. We did a lot of press when people were excusing themselves for the comparisons but I can see why they have and while I think they are totally different films, they are dealing with different things. I think it's an honour. Ang Lee is an incredibly filmmaker. Myself, Francis and Alec all love 'Brokeback Mountain' I think it's great.

"The two actors in that are Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger I couldn't turn my nose up for being in the same sentence as those two."

Also nominated for the EE BAFTA Rising Star Award are American actress Tessa Thompson - who starred as Valkyrie in 'Thor: Ragnarok' - and 'Lady Macbeth' star Florence Pugh.