With the BAFTA nominations due out on Wednesday morning, the British-based organisation have announced the first batch of acting contenders for the Rising Star Award category.

George MacKay and Will Poulter are the homegrown representatives competing for the online-voted award and are accompanied on the shortlist by American actor Dane DeHaan, Kenyan newcomer Lupita Nyong’o and French beauty Lea Seydoux.

The five nominees were selected by a group panel including the likes of film critic Mark Kermode, actress Gemma Arterton and Pippa Harris, the deputy chair of Bafta’s film committee.

On the selections, Harris said:

“It’s always tough to choose five nominees from the hundreds of suggestions from our members and film industry figures, and this year has been no exception. The EE Rising Star Award acknowledges new talent but also allows the British public to be involved in the judging process, and choose their stars of the future.”

London-born Mackay made his big-screen debut over ten years ago when he played Curly in the 2003 adaptation of Peter Pan before going on to star in Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006), Defiance (2008) and The Boys Are Back (2009).

He enjoyed a fine 2013 with his performances in How I Live Now and the Scottish musical Sunshine on Leith.

20 year old Poulter broke through in 2007 when he starred in the British comedy Son of Rambow.

After featuring in The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) and Wild Bill (2011), he showed how grown up he was when he starred opposite Jennifer Aniston in 2013’s hit comedy We’re the Millers.

Onto the non-British nominees, DeHaan is being touted as the early favourite to win the accolade following a remarkable last couple of years.

In 2012, he terrified audiences with his sinister performance as Andrew in the sci-fi thriller Chronicle before following that up with his roles in Lawless and Lincoln.

He also starred alongside Daniel Radcliffe in last year’s indie-drama Kill Your Darlings. He can be seen later in 2014 when he plays Harry Osbourn in the superhero sequel The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Prior to becoming an actor, Nyong’o was a production runner on The Constant Gardner (2005) but is now being heavily tipped to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her maiden cinematic role as cotton picker Patsy in Steve McQueen’s highly-anticipated drama 12 Years a Slave.

As well as acting, she is also an award-winning film-maker and wrote, directed, and produced the documentary In My Genes, about the treatment of Kenya’s often misunderstood albino population.

Finally, Seydoux broke through in 2009 with her appearances in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds and Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood.

After then starring in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011), she received acclaim last year for her intense role as blue-haired lesbian Emma in the Palme d’Or-winning French drama Blue is the Warmest Colour.

The winner will join an illustrious group of individuals who have previously won the award including James McAvoy, Kristen Stewart, Tom Hardy and last year’s victor Juno Temple.

Voting takes place online with the winner announced at the BAFTA ceremony which takes place on Sunday 16th February.