LA STARS OF TOMORROw

Chris Vance and Daisy Lewis

LA Stars of Tomorrow 2014 Profi les by Elbert Wyche. Photography by Frazer Harrison at Viceroy Santa Monica

hese days it is diffi cult to watch Rightly so. The talent that comes from Screen was looking for actors, directors, your favourite TV show or visit across the pond has always been fi rst-rate writers, producers and composers from T the cinema without being and it seems that US audiences, not to Ireland and the UK who spend much of reminded of the proliferation of estab- mention the movers and shakers in Hol- their time in and demon- lished or up-and-coming talent from the lywood, cannot get enough of our pecu- strate a promising track record and/or a British Isles. liar accents and quirky charm. tantalising slate of upcoming projects. Exports like Downton Abbey and Doctor This year’s LA Stars feature boasts nine In short, entertainers who are about to Who and stars of the big screen such as individuals whose names emerged from a pop. Screen wishes all the LA Stars the and Keira Knight- diligent trawl of agents, managers and very best in their careers. ley have become household names. publicists on both sides of the Atlantic. Jeremy Kay, US editor

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Chris Vance (previous page) ber, has Vance as lead actor and executive the director was Marc Forster and I des- producer. perately wanted to work with him. Cut to Chris Vance’s route to acting and produc- “My capacity is to oversee the produc- 10 years later and I get another Marc ing was far from traditional. Born in Pad- tion shooting. Pushing the writing team Forster script and a great role but I get it dington, , and raised in Bristol, as far as they can go to improve the this time,” he says. Vance attended Newcastle University scripts and make sure we get production Morris, who resides in Los Angeles, and moved back to the capital to work as done every day. Sorting out the logistics can be seen in a recurring role on the Fox a civil engineer — a job he held until he of everything. It’s quite a big undertak- series New Girl in which he plays Zooey was 30 years old. ing. It’s something that I want to do Deschanel’s love interest, Ryan. “Somewhere in my late 20s I decided much more of. Agent Nate Steadman, Gersh to have a change in direction because I “I’d love to explore the feature film side (310) 205-5839 saw my whole life in front of me. I knew I because it’s not something that I’ve done Manager Jai Khanna, Brillstein Entertainment needed to do something else, to experi- much of. Right now, I still have so much Partners (310) 275 6135 ence something else before I committed to explore in terms of producing, direct- entirely to a life of civil engineering,” ing and writing as well as acting.” Vance recalls. A strong work ethic is at the centre of Giles Matthey So he went to London to take creative everything he touches, an attribute he writing and screenwriting courses. That credits to his father, who worked in the Giles Matthey’s family moved from Syd- led to drama training at the UK branch construction industry. ney to London when he was eight years of The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film “Success often doesn’t come easily in old, and he knew very early on that acting Institute. this business and you really do have to was what he was meant to do. Looking Vance dove into acting with all the keep on top of your game, be patient and up to actors such as Philip Seymour Hoff- enthusiasm and energy he could muster. pursue it with an open heart.” man and Daniel Day-Lewis led Matthey Leaving the comfort of a steady paycheck Agent Jim Dempsey, Paradigm to venture far from home to , for the uncertainty of the entertainment (310) 288 8000 studying drama at The Lee Strasberg industry required a huge leap of faith. Manager Erwin More, More/Medavoy Theatre and Film Institute. “It was a breath of fresh air for me. It Management (424) 298 2300 While there, Matthey formed a strong wasn’t always easy at times but I was bond with his acting instructor. “Robert fully committed. I was willing to try any- Ellermann, who was a fantastic teacher, thing. It was more than just the acting; Daisy Lewis (previous page) got me to think in a deeper way. He it was the writing and directing and changed my whole outlook and approach producing. I was trying to put plays on. Daisy Lewis knew unequivocally that act- to acting. Although he was a teacher, he So I really embraced the whole thing; the ing was her destiny. Her huge personality became more of a mentor in acting. I felt whole storytelling aspect. Through a led those that knew her to ask when she like the connection was a bit stronger combination of trial and error, things sort would make it happen. “It’s the only than just teacher-student.” of worked out.” thing I’ve ever loved,” she says. His first acting job was a single epi- He got his first acting job through Born in London, her family moved to sode of The Good Wife in which he played school connections in a version of Romeo the Dorset countryside when she was a Dutch rapist, uttering a mere three And Juliet at Oxford University. seven. Lewis trained at the National lines. Next he had a role on the Kiefer But the actor-producer does not Youth Theatre from the age of 15 to 22. Sutherland series 24. believe in the notion of big breaks: he That is when her acting was on hold He got his big breakthrough audition- views success in this industry as a pro- for a while. Her parents were very clear Giles Matthey (left) ing for the role of Claude Crane, a faerie, gression of learning from every role or that if she wanted to pursue it, she and Julian Morris on the HBO series True Blood. “I had no position held. needed to complete her academic studies idea what the part was. It turned out to be That said, he pinpoints his stint in the first. Professional acting was out of the nine episodes. It was a great character. Australian television show as question. Lewis participated in the Royal My first American role is playing a acters that have a controversial edge to Julian Morris Arthur. “The pilot was never picked up to His role as Victor in Kieran Evans’ dark The show’s creator Alan Ball was in the the moment he was able to walk away Court Theatre’s young writers pro - woman who is attempting to free her them. She’s naturally inclined to people series, however it did get me to America. romance Kelly + Victor is one that remains room during my audition. I had no idea completely from engineering. Following gramme and wrote for The Sunday Tele- country from the shackles of . and stories on the margins. “People who Julian Morris was a shy kid. As much as I started getting other offers. I never went one of the actor’s favourites. “That was a who he was and then I researched the All Saints, Vance — who lives in Los graph. She also studied English literature That was really fascinating.” are neither one thing nor the other. I he wanted to be, he wasn’t very good at to university but I did end up having that character that I thought would be a huge whole show and I was just wowed and Angeles — has appeared on US television at King’s College London. She credits the role of Sarah Bunting think every character, like every human, sports, so acting was what he did after career I always dreamed of in acting.” challenge. Victor was very unlike myself; knew it was a big deal.” series such as Prison Break, Mental, Burn This year she came to the US, where on Downton Abbey as her big break. “The is complex.” school, just to have fun and make friends. Morris may have managed to bypass a this sort of young working class lad in Matthey followed his stint on the Notice, Dexter and Rizzoli & Isles. she has an apartment in Los Angeles, and auditions, oh my god! It was so brutal,” She continues: “At the movies I like to While growing up in Muswell Hill, college education but learning is Liverpool. The idea of playing him was smash series with feature work alongside When approaching a new project, sold her first show to the CW network, on she remembers. “They told me to get on have sweet and salty popcorn together. north London, Morris went to an after- ingrained in his approach to everything enticing because there was so much for industry veterans and actors he holds in Vance says he looks at it in its totality which she is co-creator and executive a train with one other girl who had been So I like sweet and salty characters school acting programme run by Anna he experiences. “Part of the reason why I me to explore.” the highest esteem. He co-stars alongside rather than focusing on the character he producer. The show, The Last Debutantes, shortlisted and we went to Highclere together. And that’s hard to find in female Scher, a place that was “less about acting love acting so much is it gives me another Another key role in his career came the late Robin Williams in Dito Montiel’s is intending to play. is a period costume drama that centres Castle, which is about an hour outside of characters.” and more about having fun”, he says. “She excuse to learn, to be other people, to this year in director Marc Forster’s Ama- filmBoulevard , a role he says truly chal- He explains: “For me it’s more about on the final year of the season in 1958. London and I turned up at Downton As a writer and producer, it is difficult never taught acting. I mean, that’s what explore. When you’re exploring charac- zon Studios series Hand Of God in which lenged him. the writing and the piece as a whole. I’m “I’ve got a couple of other shows in Abbey. It was kind of like, ‘All this could to find time away from the industry. we did, but all we did was improvise.” ter, you’re exploring the way other people he plays Reverend Curtis, a conman “I’m excited about things that push willing to play a small role in what I think development at the moment and a fea- be yours but first you have to get the When she does, she likes to go to Malibu Although he discovered that acting are and how they live.” turned preacher. The pilot, which can you and help you to step to those extreme is a very good project. That makes me ture that I’m writing. So things are pretty part.’ It’s like showing a starving man a and read on the beach. “In London, I love was what he loved, Morris never saw it as He is inspired by the careers of actors now be seen on Amazon, has been picked sides of yourself; not just playing your just as happy as taking on a challenge busy,” says Lewis. feast,” she says. to go to the museums and libraries. With an attainable goal until a director from such as Michael Fassbender, Joseph Gor- up to series and will go into production in own general truth but playing an extreme like a leading role in a television series. It She just shot Sons Of Liberty with For Lewis, success in this industry LA, it’s such a beautiful and natural envi- the Royal Shakespeare Company came to don-Levitt and James McAvoy. “I love the the beginning of 2015. version of that. With Boulevard I got to doesn’t matter to me; it’s about the writ- Breaking Bad alumnus Dean Norris. She depends on several things. “I was lucky. ronment and the weather’s so good. I like one of his classes and recruited the projects they associate themselves with.” Before Morris moved to the US, he put play a gay, ghetto southern pimp. That’s ing and what the story has to say.” plays Abigail Adams, the wife of John I’m good but I was lucky and you need to be outdoors as much as I can.” youngster to play roles in productions of There are no any specific characteris- himself on tape for a role in Forster’s fea- what’s really rewarding for an actor.” Vance wears many hats on his latest Adams. “A very influential, strong, kind, both of those things. It’s timing, hard Agent Nick LoPiccolo, Paradigm (310) 288 Macbeth and Richard III. tics Morris looks for when evaluating ture filmSt ay, a role that ultimately went He is currently filming By Way Of project Transporter: The Series, inspired moral woman. What’s so interesting is work, heartbreak and luck. I do believe 8000 In his gap year before university, Mor- potential roles. Instead, his focus is on to Ryan Gosling. “I remember reading Helena with Woody Harrelson. “I’m very by the trilogy of Jason Statham films. The that obviously it’s about the American you can make your own luck.” Voiceover work Kathleen Trinh (310) 288 ris signed with a UK agent and landed story and the visceral response it engen- the script and being so excited and the excited for the release of those two films. show, which had its US premiere in Octo- fight for independence from the British. When possible, she loves to play char- 8000 the lead role in an NBC pilot called Young ders inside him. character was so enticing. And of course Working with Robin Williams and »

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years old, Barrett has made two feature some one-on-one lessons.” Her training Amy Pemberton films that have won awards and taken paid off to land a key role in - and Nick Blood him around the world. starring thriller , a film she “What’s interesting for me is I’m kind shot in London before her recent move to of growing up and living life as I make Los Angeles. my films. What I’ve really wanted to do “Storage 24 definitely opened up doors from my first and second film and obvi- for me in the film world. It’s great when ously with my third coming up is explore you finally get that film role. People go, the human struggle.” ‘OK, we’ll see you now.’” She has two Pilgrim Hill is about a farmer living in short films that will premiere this year: rural isolation in Ireland. Glassland cen- drama Kaufman’s Game and action film tres on a young man trying to keep his Death Machine. family from being ripped apart by addic- Willing to utilise her talent in every tion. He is currently in pre-production on way possible, Pemberton has done exten- an adaptation of a New York Times best- sive work in voice acting. She has done selling novel. Details remain under five years of voiceover work for theDoctor wraps, but Barrett hints: “My next film is Who audio series playing opposite Syl- about a girl whose life falls apart all of a vester McCoy. “All of a sudden here in the sudden and she needs to keep going to US [] has just blown up and stay alive. I’ve been really busy with that,” she says. “What I’m after is to show how we Pemberton has also recorded voice- handle struggle and how we keep going over roles for Disney on the Marvel Heroes through the worst times,” says Barrett. video game. “I’ve been recording the new “That’s what is keeping me up at night Game Of Thrones video game. I’m one of and what gets me up in the morning; the leads in that. I never thought that exploring that.” would happen. It’s amazing what LA has As his career moves forward he hopes to offer in different ways. That in itself to broaden his horizons in terms of genre has been a big break for me. I love being and style. “I can’t tell you where I want to in the studio, it’s so much fun.” go because I probably haven’t settled on The world of comedy is where Pem- Gerard Barrett what I really am yet, in a sense.” berton feels most at home. She finds In the wake of his early triumphs, the inspiration in comedians such as Wanda Los Angeles-based Barrett is intent on Sykes and Ricky Gervais. The latter she Woody Harrelson in the space of a year Technology Tralee and made Pilgrim Hill staying humble. “I don’t take it for has met on a couple of projects. — I’m so lucky and so grateful that I’ve in his final year as a thesis film. A granted. There are so many people out “I’m a massive Wanda Sykes fan, of had the opportunity.” 30-minute film was all that was required there trying to break into the industry. It’s both her stand-up and every movie that He is proud of the work he has done on but he had other plans. “I just thought I difficult and I’m so honoured.” she’s been in. If I ever get to work with television. “TV is so strong right now, if could put as much effort into making a Agent James Farrell, WME (310) 285 9000 Wanda Sykes I will be a happy lady. Ricky you look at things like True Detective and feature,” he remembers. He went to his Gervais, he’s just so good. Comedy excites Homeland.” Yet film has a special place in local bank and borrowed $5,700 me. Most of what I’ve done on stage and his heart. “TV is much more regimented (¤4,500) and shot the movie with three Amy Pemberton screen and voice has been comedy stuff. in its structure and its form. With film crew members over seven days. It gives me a buzz,” she says. anything can happen. It has that special “It was a great learning curve because Amy Pemberton had a big break working When not in the studio or in front of quality where if you’re working with a I wrote, produced, directed and edited it. with Derek Hough of Dancing With The the camera, Pemberton acts as a patron great director I feel you have a bit more It really grounded me on how the indus- Stars fame in the stage production of for a charity that her father led before his freedom. Film is a special place where try works on all levels. I took that into my Footloose. After that she was offered roles death. “They’re called Headway. They are lightning can strike.” next film,Glassland , which I shot in Janu- in musical theatre. “I went on to play the an international brain rehabilitation When away from set Matthey, who ary of this year.” lead in Rock Of Ages, then I did Jersey charity that runs units all around the UK lives full time in Los Angeles, enjoys foot- It was at Telluride where Barrett was Boys. I was lucky to go back and forth and other places too. But my focus, obvi- ball, sushi and playing his Xbox to take signed by his current agency WME. between theatre and TV.” ously, is on where I’m from. I do a lot of his mind off of things. He is also some- “I am lucky that James Farrell and The Romford-born actress secured her work for them, fundraising. The work thing of an adrenaline junkie with a new- Simon Faber at WME are people that get first acting agent Michael Cronin, who they do is fantastic.” found hobby in skydiving. behind me so much and they know what was with The Narrow Road Company at Manager Justin Grey Stone, Management 360 Agent Nick Collins, Gersh (310) 274 6611 I’m trying to do.” the time, from her third-year agent show- (310) 272 7000 Barrett finds inspiration by studying case while attending the Arts Educational the career of film-makers he admires. On Schools in London (she would later move Gerard Barrett a list of many are Jim Sheridan, Paul with Cronin to International Artistes, Nick Blood Thomas Anderson and Christopher now Qtalent). Pemberton won her first Pilgrim Hill had its world premiere at Tel- Nolan. “With Jim Sheridan, the way that television role in the UK children’s series “I was born in Aylesbury, a little town luride in 2012, marking the he told very personal stories was some- The Mysti Show as a result. north-west of London,” Nick Blood says. beginning of what would be a life-chang- thing that inspired me from a young age. She continues her training in Los “I grew up around there, skateboarding ing two years for Irish director Gerard As I started to grow up, Paul Thomas Angeles at Anthony Meindl’s Actor and doing drama workshops and stuff. Barrett. The film also garnered the inau- Anderson influenced me in how he does Workshop. “Just keeping the training Just getting up to mischief, really.” gural Bingham Ray New Talent Award at his work with such originality. Christo- going,” she says. “I was kind of lucky to A couple of local actors ran a drama Galway Film Fleadh that summer. pher Nolan made his first feature film start working pretty quick. I’ve had guid- workshop that kept the youngster and Born in the small village of Knocka- Following for, like, £6,000.” ance along the way, mainly since I’ve many other kids off the streets. “I didn’t nore, in County Kerry, Barrett studied His newest film, Glassland, had its been in LA and I haven’t been here long. come from a background where anyone media and film studies at the Institute of Irish premiere at Galway in July. At 26 I’ve definitely started enjoying having was an actor,” he says. “I didn’t know any »

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what I would have my job in. So going Tehmina Sunny Ceiri Torjussen Ceiri Torjussen into acting was a 180-degree turn.” She pursued and excelled in academia. A graduate of the University of Leeds, Ceiri Torjussen was born and raised in Sunny studied business marketing and Cardiff, Wales. He discovered his love of computer science. Fortunately, while at music at an early age. “I started playing university there were opportunities for the piano and the trumpet when I was her to pursue her interest in the arts about eight. As I got a little older I played without sacrificing her other academic in local bands, orchestras and jazz pursuits. groups — all sorts of ensembles. I started It was just over six years ago that UK composing when I was 16 or 17,” he says. acting agent Joe Hutton at The BWH Torjussen completed his undergradu- Agency asked if he could represent her ate studies at the University of York in as an actress. “I thought it was pretty England, subsequently relocating to the bonkers. I asked him if he was joking. University of Southern (USC) He persuaded me that he thought it in Los Angeles to study composition. would be a good idea and it just trans- His first paying job in scoring came formed my life and opened my eyes to shortly after graduating USC, working something I wish I did study and I wish as an orchestrator for composer Marco I did more when I was younger.” Beltrami. Sunny has a very clear view of the “I had been doing a lot of short films kinds of genres and roles that suit her for the film-makers at USC. That led me best. “The genres that I really like are to orchestrating for Beltrami, which drama and thriller. They are the areas I allowed me to pay the bills, pay my stu- seem to be put up for as well. It’s the dent debt and other things.” niche that I fit in well. I like characters Torjussen’s eclectic musical style was that are flawed and a little bit confused influenced by various genres. “I’m into on a journey.” the classics like Mahler and Stravinsky Living in Los Angeles, Sunny is mak- but I also like bands like Radiohead. I ing her presence known with a string of love Squarepusher, Aphex Twin. I’m also projects in television and film. Earlier a huge jazz fan. Everything from bebop this year she filmed a major part on24: up to the present day.” Live Another Day with Kiefer Sutherland. Torjussen has positioned himself as “I loved working with the team on 24. the go-to composer for documentaries, Just a fantastic team, the storyline was hip indies and horror genre films. His

Brad Christopher Brad great and I loved the character I played.” most recent horror title, The Canal, She has also appeared in NCIS, Califor- opened theatrically in the US in October. actors. I didn’t know how you went about les and can be seen playing mercenary nication, Heroes and The Newsroom. When working on a film, Torjussen becoming an actor.” Lance Hunter on the hit ABC series Mar- Tehmina Sunny She recently filmed the next instal- has a very specific approach. He views He began going to the workshop vel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., which is his ment of the CSI franchise, the Patricia every film he scores several times, closely when he was seven. “We just saw it as a first project in the US. He will also be London-born Tehmina Sunny is on a Arquette-produced CSI: Cyber. “That examining character and plot, creating a youth club, originally, but as soon as I seen in Danny Boyle’s UK television streak of high-profile projects that stem was great because I’ve always admired complete picture of the film. “Just to get went I fell in love with it. And kind of series Babylon, which has its US pre- from her dream start in entertainment. her work.” the vibe of the film,” he explains. without thinking, I knew this was what I miere in 2015 on the Sundance Channel. Sunny’s first acting job was inChildren Sunny has also landed a project called “After my solitary viewings, without wanted to do.” He has written a feature script with his Of Men for Alfonso Cuaron. Working on Battle Creek from Breaking Bad show- music, I’ll discuss it with the director to He found his way to London Academy writing partner, Ben Deery, and he has that film was more than a first job for runner Vince Gilligan, in which she will see what he is after. Sometimes there’s a of Music and Dramatic Art in west Lon- also written, co-written and directed a her; it was, she says, an irreplaceable star alongside Josh Duhamel and Kal discussion. Often they’re strong on what don, graduating six years ago. After slew of short films that he hopes will gar- learning experience, a veritable film Penn. “It’s been a really great year and they want and sometimes they’re not drama school he spent a few months ner some attention on the festival circuit. school on set. very versatile. I’ve been able to step into sure and it’s much more of an open ques- going to auditions and ultimately “The first one, called The Devil On “Even if I wasn’t in any of the scenes, lots of fun characters.” tion. From then on it’s about telling the decided to write a play. Each Shoulder, I wrote and co-directed. Alfonso would just let me hang out on On the feature side she acted in Roland story in whatever way it needs to be told.” “I devised this short 15-minute physi- The one I just directed was written by my set and watch,” says Sunny. “I had no Joffé’s upcoming epic romance The Torjussen is staying busy. He worked cal theatre piece that we entered into the writing partner — it’s called Hero. And idea how it worked, who did what. I was Lovers. She also has Jorge Garcia’s on a documentary that premiered at Van- Old Vic Theatre’s competition, Old Vic then we’ve got another that I’ve written, absolutely clueless about the whole Running Out Of Time, which goes into couver International Film Festival called New Voices. We won that. At that time which I’m hoping to direct in the hiatus process. It was so great that I was able to production in the beginning of 2015, and Becoming Bulletproof, which follows film- the whole idea of getting paid for acting from shooting Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., sit in a corner and take in what was is in the middle of a Kickstarter cam- makers creating a Western. He is work- was still a bit of a fantasy.” which is in April. So I’m starting to try to going on.” paign to fund action thriller A Perfect ing on a short film for Disney and another After finding moderate success in the- get a director showreel together.” Acting was not initially on Sunny’s Weapon. documentary feature about the Welsh atre, Blood found a role on the long-run- When free time presents itself, Blood radar. Her parents made it known early Sunny is also trying her hand at boxer Joe Calzaghe, which will have its ning UK police series playing “a likes to attend live music events and on that acting was not a viable option for another skill. “I’ve found a really great premiere in the first half of next year. really camp gay fashion designer”. He spend time with friends and family. He their daughter. A strong education would script that I would like to develop and For this composer, scoring is all about continues: “I get bored playing stuff says: “I’ve got a gorgeous niece and be of paramount importance to her suc- produce, so I’ve collaborated with the enhancing the visceral reaction to the that’s too close to home. My attention nephew that I miss a lot being over here.” cess in life. fantastic writer who wrote it. I’m taking film. “InBecoming Bulletproof, the music span is pretty short so I like to vary it up.” Agent Steven Brown, ICM Partners Sunny recalls: “Coming from an that on board and putting on a produc- is reflecting the characters. It’s a lot of Blood views a career in film and televi- (310) 550 4330 Indian family, it was always pushed that ing hat and seeing how that goes.” emotional music that is set in the scenes.” sion as one that “ebbs and flows” — and Manager Meg Mortimer, Authentic Talent and it would be academic subjects. That is Manager Melanie Greene, Affirmative Contact Wenallt Studios (310) 559 6128 he is up for it. He relocated to Los Ange- Literary Management (718) 422 0200 what I would get my degree in. That’s Entertainment (310) 858 3200 [email protected] ns

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