Jean-Baptiste gained international acclaim for the Mike Leigh-directed social drama "Secrets & Lies" (1996), receiving both Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nominations for her performance, becoming the first black British actress to be nominated for an Academy Award and the second black Briton to be nominated, succeeding Jaye Davidson. She collaborated with director Mike Leigh onstage in "It's a Great Big Shame" (1993). She caused a bit of controversy when she accused the film industry of racism. She noted that leading actors had been asked to attend the Cannes Film Festival, but despite her success, she was not invited.