Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor John Boyega has been included in the shortlist for this year’s rising star award at the Baftas.

The 23-year-old Londoner, who broke out in Attack the Block (2011), is one of five actors up for a prize previously won by James McAvoy and Tom Hardy.

This week has also seen Boyega included in Forbes’ annual 30 under 30 list, which praises talented young performers within entertainment, fashion and sport. The actor, who plays Finn in the record-breaking sci-fi sequel, will next star with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson in cyber thriller The Circle.

Brie Larson, who broke out in Short Term 12 in 2013, is also among the nominees and may be up for two prizes on the night, with her performance in heavily buzzed drama Room a favourite for best actress. The 26-year-old plays a woman imprisoned and abused in a shed with her son.

Fifty Shades of Grey star Dakota Johnson, who also appeared alongside Johnny Depp in last year’s crime thriller Black Mass, is also nominated, as are Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Bel Powley (The Diary of a Teenage Girl).

Last year the award, which is voted for by the public, went to Jack O’Connell, who appeared in Angelina Jolie’s second world war drama Unbroken. O’Connell will next be seen in Jodie Foster’s Money Monster alongside George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

The full list of Bafta nominations will be unveiled on 8 January.