UK STARS of Tomorrow
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From left Nico Mirallegro and Elliott Tittensor, photographed in the Middleton Rose Garden at The Langham, London UK STARS of Tomorrow Introducing the rising talents among UK actors, writers and directors, who are destined to grace our screens for years to come. By Fionnuala Halligan he ninth annual Stars of Tomor- rising names such as Emily Blunt, James tined to grace our screens for years and dec- row showcases the hottest new McAvoy, Carey Mulligan and Robert Pattin- ades to come. T acting and film-making talent son — and others whose burgeoning talent Many thanks to The Langham, London, emerging from the UK this year. is more subtle and raw and shows a prom- which graciously hosted the photoshoot for It’s no easy task to whittle down the ise of great things to come. the event and which will host the Stars cel- number to around 30 each year and our The UK talent pool is constantly refresh- ebration party on July 4. Stars curator Fionnuala Halligan spends ing itself and Halligan had hundreds of Mike Goodridge, editor several months sifting through short films, names to contend with this year. Through a reels and submissions, gradually working process of consultation with producers, Photography by Yves Salmon at The out the final list. casting directors, agents, managers and Langham, London. Make-up by Debbie » There are some obvious shining candi- other sources, she has come up with Finnegan for MAC. Lighting by Bowens dates — our past Stars have included fast- another group of stars-in-the-making des- International. ACTORS STARS OF TOMORROW NICO MIRALLEGRO AND ring Saoirse Ronan, and is also due to From left Tom Holland. Tom Harries and Karla Crome ELLIOTT TITTENSOR (pictureD attend the BRIT School — alma mater previous pAge) of Amy Winehouse and Adele — from Co-starring in Spike Island, Mat White- September for a two-year-course. cross’ new film about a group of teenag- Aged 10, Holland was spotted in his ers obsessed with rock band The Stone dance-class showcase and invited to be Roses, Nico Mirallegro and Elliott Tit- part of Billy Elliot on stage. After six tensor are also best friends off-screen, months of rehearsal he became the sev- having grown up together in Heywood, enteenth Billy to perform the role at Lon- Greater Manchester. It was Mirallegro don’s Victoria Palace Theatre (there are who told Tittensor about the auditions four Billys working at any one time). Hol- for the film in the first place. land trod the boards there for 18 months. Tittensor is best known for playing On finishing Billy Elliot, he signed Carl Gallagher in Shameless, and Spike with an agent and landed the key part of Photographed in the Artesian Bar at The Langham, London The Langham, Bar at Artesian in the Photographed Island is his big move into features. “It is Lucas in Juan Antonio Bayona’s harrow- the best job I’ve done in my life,” says the ing drama The Impossible, opposite irrepressible 22-year-old. “I really loved Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. Shameless but I wanted to test myself.” Filmed in Alicante and Thailand and set Spotted by a casting director at school around the 2004 South East Asian tsu- in Manchester, along with his identical nami, hundreds of children auditioned twin brother Luke, Tittensor is now for the role. Though the film has not yet focusing “on grafting and trying to get been seen widely, Holland’s performance myself another job. The next big thing is has been stunning enough for WME to to spruce up my accent — I’d love some- sign him up in the US as The Impossible thing that isn’t Mancunian.” gears up for an autumn awards run. Meanwhile, the 21-year-old Miralle- Contact Olivia Woodward, Curtis Brown gro (he has an Italian father) has been a +44 (0) 20 7393 4484 busy lad of late as well — you may [email protected] remember him as Johnny the boozy but- ler in the BBC’s Upstairs Downstairs. He TOM HARRIES has also had parts in Moving On and Tom Harries made a big impact in Marc Exiles. Spike Island is his big feature Evans’ Hunky Dory, as sexually confused breakthrough, and is a far cry from his teenager Evan opposite Minnie Driver debut in TV soap Hollyoaks at the age of and Aneurin Barnard (the film was shot 15 when, he says: “I kept missing my during 21-year-old Harries’ time at the mark because I didn’t know what a Royal Welsh College of Music and mark was and I was too scared to ask.” Drama, which he has since left). That Mirallegro’s goal now is to “keep was followed by a role in the BBC/HBO working, but on the right things; some series Parade’s End, based on the Ford nice dramas and a few good films to Madox Ford novels, shooting in Belgium catch people’s eye”. opposite Benedict Cumberbatch. Elliott Tittensor contacts Mary FitzGerald Now Harries is on stage in London in and Lucy Johnson, Curtis Brown a revival of Torch Song Trilogy, directed +44 (0) 20 7393 4493 by Douglas Hodge at the Menier Choco- [email protected] late Factory. He is playing Alan, the role Nico Mirallegro contact Oriana Elia, The taken by Matthew Broderick in the orig- Rights House Talent inal Harvey Fierstein film. “It’s a crack- +44 (0) 20 3291 2929 ing part,” says Harries. [email protected] Cardiff-born Harries also sings, as Hunky Dory illustrates, starting off as a TOM HOLLAND session musician in his father’s band, Tom Holland sat his GCSEs and turned but it’s an actor’s life for him. 16 last month. “I want to finish my “This has always been something I’ve childhood and enjoy it as much as I can, loved doing. I’m lucky in that I’ve had a but there are so many things I want to strong sense of direction all along,” he do,” he says. says. “It’s easier to go for something if Nothing unusual in that, but Holland you know you really want it.” is also on a professional roll. He has Contact Abi Harris, Ken McReddie been cast — alongside fellow Star of Associates Tomorrow George MacKay — in Kevin +44 (0) 20 7439 1456 Macdonald’s How I Live Now, co-star- [email protected] » n 22 Screen International June-July 2012 www.screendaily.com www.screendaily.com June-July 2012 Screen International 23 n STARS OF TOMORROW ACTORS KARLA CROME (pictureD Daniel Rigby “I was at a low point in my life,” LENORA CRICHLOW previous pAge) he recalls. “I had lost my job at the Lenora Crichlow sprints onto the “She is really special,” says one of the community centre. I was on my arse. big screen in this month’s Fast Girls, UK’s leading casting directors of the I had nothing.” an enjoyable pre-Olympic UK ‘girl 23-year-old actress Karla Crome. Laverty pushed and so did Craw- power’ feature most notable for the Special enough to land the coveted ford. “He has a presence,” she says. warmth of her presence as its lead. lead in the BBC2 drama Murder, “He has a twinkle and the camera Off-screen, however, it has been a directed by The Killing’s Birger loves him. He has a complete will- long-distance effort for this native Larsen. “It’s a direct-to-camera piece, ingness to do what he needs to do, to Londoner. almost,” says Crome of the hard-won leave his doubts at the door. Paul has Playing lonely ghost Annie in the role. “He just puts the camera on you seen one side of the world and he’s BBC3 supernatural drama/comedy and clears the room, it’s amazing.” really not scared about things.” Being Human has won Crichlow Crome is from a determinedly Brannigan has not hesitated for a some devoted fans, while other tele- non-showbiz family — her mother is second since. After The Angels’ Share vision roles have gained her atten- a nurse and her father a plumber — comes a role in Jonathan Glazer’s tion including the part of Sugar in and she studied at London’s Italia Under The Skin with Scarlett Johans- the adaptation of Julie Burchill’s Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and son. “I’m raring to go now,” he says. Sugar Rush, and she had a central was part of the National Youth The- Rigby may be on Broadway for a Contact Olivia Woodward, Curtis Brown role in the expensive BBC drama atre, for which she wrote the play If while yet but the 29-year-old gradu- +44 (0) 20 7393 4484 Material Girls. Chloe Can, which was staged at Lon- ate of the Royal Academy of Dra- [email protected] Having just wrapped Doors Open, don’s Lyric Theatre. matic Art (RADA) has never had “a a TV film based on the Ian Rankin In addition to Murder, Crome can grand plan — I like to take things as ASHLEY THOMAS novel and co-starring Stephen Fry, currently be seen as Mia, the they come”. Ashley Thomas — aka Bashy — has it is now time for 27-year-old 16-year-old caretaker of hit-man/ He would, however, like to return three films coming out this year, to Crichlow to act out her ambitions woman Chloe Sevigny’s extended at some point to his stand-up and complete his full set of showbiz cre- on a bigger stage.