Actors George MacKay, Will Poulter and 'Blue Is the Warmest Colour' star Lea Seydoux have also been shortlisted for the prize, reported Deadline.
The winner of the EE Rising Star Award will be decided by the public and announced at the BAFTAs on February 16.
DeHaan, whose credits also include 'The Place Beyond the Pines' and 'Kill Your Darlings', said of his nomination, "I am so thankful to BAFTA for considering me for this award. It's a huge honour and humbling experience to be recognised amongst such a talented group of actors."
Nigerian actress Nyong'o is currently earning rave reviews for her performance in '12 Years a Slave'.
French actress Seydoux, who has appeared in Hollywood blockbusters 'Robin Hood' and 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol', won the Palme d'Or last May alongside her 'Blue Is the Warmest Colour' co-star Adele Exarchopoulos and director Abdellatif Kechiche.
James McAvoy, Eva Green, Shia LaBeouf, Noel Clarke, Kristen Stewart, Tom Hardy, Adam Deacon and Juno Temple are the previous recipients of the award, which recognises actors with "exceptional talent, and those destined to be bright stars in the future of cinema".