“It’s pretty crazy!” Follow Isabella Rossellini as she gets BAFTA ready

When Isabella Rossellini isn’t working, she wakes up very early. “Usually around 5:30 am,” she tells Vogue. “And, for the next two hours, I’ll either read, write, continue my study of mythology or memorise my lines for an upcoming film.” Why such an early start, I ask? “Well, at 8AM, my phone starts going, my grandchildren wake up for school and another busy day has started,” she laughs.

Rossellini, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at this year’s BAFTAs for her role as the stern yet valorous Sister Agnes in Edward Berger’s Conclave, has a markedly different preparation routine during awards season. “On days like today, it’s all a bit more frantic, with little time to relax. Instead, I get up and have a cappuccino,” she tells me, the frothed-milk coffee a non-negotiable before the madness ensues. “Then, it’s immediately into hair and make-up, during which I usually do an interview or two, as well as having my picture taken.” Next thing she knows, she’ll be in a car, being transported to the event, the whirlwind of preparation finally finished.

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I would be remiss not to ask about her approach to skincare and beauty, especially with make-up artist Lisa Eldridge on hand prepping her for the red carpet. “For my everyday routine, I use a moisturiser – I love the Lancôme Absolue Soft Cream – followed by SPF and, sometimes, lipstick. For moments like this, though, I rely on fantastic make-up artists who come and help me,” she nods to Eldridge, “I cannot create the beautiful make-up that they do.”

Eldridge first collaborated with Rossellini, whose mother was Swedish screen icon Ingrid Bergman, for Lancôme’s 80th birthday party in Paris back in 2015, but the pair haven’t seen each other in a few years, until tonight. “We had a massive hug,” Eldridge says, noting how excited they are to be working together again. “Isabella showed me the dress and her incredible emerald jewellery and said she wanted to incorporate similar green tones into the eye make-up.” To do this, Eldridge chose a subdued “antique” green – mixing a shimmering green from the Lancôme Richelieu Wing Louvre Limited Edition Palette and the shade Bronze Absolu from the Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Eyeshadow Palette.

Rossellini’s final look encapsulates Eldridge’s affinity for soft, diffused make-up. From the green-toned eye to her rose-toned lip and cheek, there isn’t a harsh line in sight. This is the essence of how Eldridge likes to work. “It’s about finding synergy with the skin and it’s why I apply make-up in several thin layers,” she explains, noting that it lasts much longer as a result. “The other thing I like to do is to take the mascara right down to the root of the lash. It instantly densifies the appearance of the lashes.”

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When I ask Rossellini if there are places and people she looks forward to seeing when in London, her answer is wonderfully storied. “Really, during awards season, there’s very little time to see anything,” she says. “However, this year I went to a pre-BAFTA party at the Tate and spent most of the cocktail hour mesmerised by the impressionist art. I was especially touched to see the Auguste Renoir, as my mother worked with their son, [the filmmaker] Jean Renoir, who also happened to be one of my father’s best friends.”

For now, though, it’s time to go. Enrobed in floral Dolce & Gabbana, the star is whisked away to another delightfully busy circus. “There are always a lot of people around me,” she laughs. “From before the make-up is being done to when I’m eventually taking it off. It’s pretty crazy.”