Eddie Redmayne

Eddie Redmayne caught the world’s attention last winter as the young man who befriend Marilyn Monroe during the filming of “The Prince and the Showgirl” in “My Week with Marilyn.” The 30 year-old actor already was known for his award winning stage work, but it was his role as Colin Clark that made him famous.

Redmayne was born on January 6, 1982 in London and still lives in the city today. He began taking drama lessons at a young age and appeared in the Sam Mendes directed, West End production of “Oliver!” as a workhouse boy when he was 12. He attended Eton College and then studied History of Art at Trinity College, Cambridge. During his studies he performed alongside Tom Hiddleston (“The Avengers” and “War Horse”) and Rebecca Hall (“The Town” and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”).

In 2002, Redmayne made his professional stage debut in “Twelfth Night,” a production by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Two years later he won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer and the Critics’ Circle Award for Best Newcomer for his work in “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?” In 2009 he starred with Alfred Molina in the acclaimed Donmar Warehouse production of “RED,” which earned him the 2010 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He went on to reprise his role in “Red” during a limited Broadway run and won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play. Most recently he took to the stage this past winter as King Richard II in “Richard II” for Donmar Warehouse in London and earned his Critics’ Circle Theatre Award, but this time for Best Shakespearean Performance.

On television Redmayne appeared on an episode the U.K. children’s show “Animal Ark” in 1998 and was featured on a 2003 episode of the long running U.K. daytime soap opera, “The Doctors.” He played the Earl of Southampton in the 2005 British miniseries “Elizabeth I,” which starred Helen Mirren in the title role and was shown on HBO in the U.S. He starred as Angel Clare opposite Gemma Arterton’s Tess in in the 2008 BBC miniseries of “Tess of the D’Urbervilles.” He played Jack Jackson on the Golden Globe nominated STARZ miniseries, “The Pillars of the Earth” in 2010.

Redmayne made his feature film debut opposite Toni Collette in the psychological thriller, “Like Minds” in 2006, and that same year played a younger version of Matt Damon’s character in “The Good Shepherd.” The next year he played Antony Baekeland, opposite Jullianne Moore as his incestuous mother in the film festival darling, “Savage Grace.”

He returned to the story of Elizabeth I, this time on the big screen, in the2007 film “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” starring Cate Blanchett. He played Anthony Babington, who was recruited by the Jesuits to assassinate Elizabeth I, but was unsuccessful. In 2008, he played William Stafford, Anne Boleyn’s lover, in “The Other Boleyn Girl,” and starred opposite Kristen Stewart and William Hurt in “The Yellow Handkerchief,” an independent film that debuted at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

In 2009, he appeared with Bill Nighy, Julie Christie, Jeremy Northam, Christopher Lee and David Tennant in the British thriller “Glorious 39,” and the drama “Powder Blue,” which was Patrick Swayze’s last film appearance. Although “Powder Blue” featured an impressive ensemble cast including Swayze, Jessica Biel, Ray Liotta, Lisa Kudrow and Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, it only had a limited release in the U.S. and went to DVD.

Redmayne starred with Sean Bean in the historic horror film “Black Death,” which its U.S. debut at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival in fall 2010.

His next film appearance is in the movie of the acclaimed international musical sensation, “Les Misérables,” where he will act and sing the role of young student revolutionary Maurice Pontmercy. He was nominated for the Satellite Award for Best Actor in Supporting Role for his work in “Les Misérables.” To date, the cast of “Les Misérables” has been awarded Best Ensemble by the National Board of Review, the Satellite Award for Best Ensemble, Motion Picture, and the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Award for Best Ensemble. The cast also is nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Official Sites:
Les Miserables
My Week With Marilyn

Fan Sites:
I Love Eddie Redmayne
Eddie Redmayne Online
Eddie Redmayne Spain

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Ben Whishaw

It happened to be one of those days when I chanced upon a screening for the film, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Based on the international best seller, the film depicted the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a gifted perfume maker, whose life takes a dark turn as he becomes increasingly obsessed with creating the ultimate perfume. The character was eerily portrayed by a young actor, Ben Whishaw. He showed promise and talent in a film so morbid yet rich in scenery. I was drawn to his aura like a moth to a flame.

Now years later, he is set to become the newest Q, the Quartermaster, in the latest James Bond film, Skyfall. He is the youngest Q in the series to date and by far the nerdiest and tech savvy. This is the most exciting news of the year for this Bond enthusiast, and I wait in earnest to see what new gadgets he has in store for Bond to use. It may be limiting to his true talent but nevertheless he is permanently encased in the Bond franchise history.

Born as part of twins in 1980 and raised in Clifton, Bedfordshire, England, he attended Samuel Whitbread Community College where he became involved in theater productions. At the Edinburgh Festival in 1995, his group garnered critical acclaim for their production of If This Is a Man, a story of an Auschwitz concentration camp survivor, and Whishaw played the character of Levi. Graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he appeared in film shorts and British television until becoming nominated for awards for his portrayal of Hamlet in Trevor Nunn’s 2004 production.

By 2004 he had already acted in two films with the future James Bond, Daniel Craig: Enduring Love and Layer Cake. He won the part of Jean-Baptiste over Leonardo DiCaprio and Orlando Bloom for the film Perfume. Afterwards, he played Keith Richards in the film Stoned, followed by an appearance among an all-star cast as Arthur in I’m Not There, a film centered on the life of Bob Dylan. With Abbie Cornish he became the poet John Keats in the romantic drama, Bright Star. 2010 had him playing Ariel with Dame Helen Mirren in the Shakespearean fantasy, The Tempest. This year he starred as King Richard in BBC TV’s Cultural Olympiad, The Hollow Crown, a series of plays depicting a history of kings. Later this year he will be back as Freddie Lyon on BBC’s The Hour series with Dominic West.

Before his debut as Q in November of this year, he will be co-starring with Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in the science fiction adventure drama, Cloud Atlas, based on a novel of the same name and set to be released in October. Directed by Tom Tykwer, (Perfume) and the Wachowski team (Matrix trilogy), this film hints at being paranormally and visually thrilling if not simply epic. This is the perfect vehicle to showcase Whishaw’s talent before being universally dubbed as “Q.” The film is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2012.

From Shakespeare to psychopath to stoner musician to nerdy gadget professor, Ben Whishaw has displayed an enormous propensity for being versatile and skillful at drawing you into his characters. He has a strange, unworldly quality about him, riveting and electrifying. Watching him is an emotional experience at best.

Official sites:
Cloud Atlas
Cloud Atlas on Facebook
Skyfall
Skyfall on Facebook
The Hollow Crown
The Hour

Fansites
Yet Another Ben Whishaw Blog on Tumblr

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Henry Cavill

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s HENRY CAVILL!! On January 30, 2011, it was announced that Henry had been cast in the role of Clark Kent/Superman in director Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. Turns out, that was the second biggest day at Ones2Watch4 for visits. Everybody wanted to know more about this guy. Snyder called him “the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield,” that he exuded this “crazy-calm confidence”. Just one look and you would agree as well!

Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill was born on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands, the fourth of five boys. He began acting in school plays during prep school. He’s stated that if he had not become an actor, would have joined the army like his brother Piers or possibly the marines like his brother Nik, or done further studies in ancient history or Egyptology.

Unusually, Henry has done mostly films, unlike so many others who come from the stage. Discovered by a casting agent at 17, Henry began his career in 2001 with a role in the movie The Count of Monte Cristo as the son of Jim Caviezels’ former lover followed by smaller roles on television and in movies including Laguna and the coming of age story, I Capture the Castle (2003). Then came the straight to DVD offering, Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005), Tristan + Isolde (2006) and a comic turn in Matthew Vaughn’s 2007 fantasy-adventure Stardust. He played an EMT in Joel Schumacher’s 2009 horror flick Blood Creek (also starring O2W4 Michael Fassbender) and played Evan Rachel Wood’s love interest in 2011’s Woody Allen film Whatever Works, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Then there was also that recent turn as Theseus alongside O2W4s Luke Evans and Kellan Lutz, in Tarsem Singh’s mythological, big-budget special effects film, Immortals, now available on DVD. There are pictures everywhere of Henry from the film, half naked, dirty and tied up that leave me speechless!

Sadly Henry is all-too familiar with the heartache of losing the perfect lead role. In their December 2005 issue, Empire magazine dubbed Henry “The Unluckiest Man in Hollywood” for a series of near misses. He was the cause of a write-in effort from fans to see him cast as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). That role would go to Robert Pattinson. More famously people might remember the name Henry Cavill most as one of author Stephanie Meyer’s first choices for the role of sparkly vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight series. In October of 2005 Meyers called him her “perfect Edward”, but by the time the film went into production Henry was deemed “too old” for the character. The part would eventually go to Pattinson (again!). Our boy has luckily been shielded from the screams of obsessive Twi-hards, myself included, worldwide.

In the “This One Has Really Gotta Hurt” category: Henry was a final contender for the role of James Bond in the 2006 reboot Casino Royale. The producers and director Martin Campbell were seriously torn between him and Daniel Craig. Craig would ultimately land the role because the producers preferred an older Bond. Get this – Henry didn’t have a chance to be in Man of Steel director Zach Snyder’s blood and sandals epic 300 because he was waiting to hear if he got Bond. Ouch! There were also internet reports that Henry was a contender for Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman Begins. He later confirmed he never auditioned for nor was offered the role.

But the strangest twisty turn that Henry’s career has taken has got to be that he was actually attached to play Superman once before. Back in 2002 director McG was slated to reboot the comic series with a J.J. Abram’s penned script called Superman: Flyby. By 2004 Henry was attached to play the hero from Krypton. But due to budgetary and location issues, the project was handed over to Bryan Singer who ended up scraping everything and everyone from before and started fresh. Given the opportunity to actually play this character in a new, bold film has got to feel pretty good to Henry. In the February 25, 2011 EW article he said it was “wonderful to have a second stab at a job – and as a wiser, older and more experienced actor.”

Things turned around in 2007 with Cavill’s most recognized role to date as the sexy, half naked, womanizing Duke of Suffolk, Charles Brandon, in Showtime’s steamy historical drama, The Tudors. The series was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2007 and won an Emmy in 2008. Entertainment Weekly named him the “Most Dashing Duke” and praised his work on the show for displaying “charm and a killer bod”. Cavill himself credits the show for bolstering his career. Or maybe it was that side frontal in season 1 that helped.

In 2008, Henry became a model/spokesperson for Dunhill fragrances. The television ads feature our boy looking dashing as ever in a suit (although fully clothed).

Before Man of Steel comes out next year, Henry will star alongside Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver in the international thriller The Cold Light of Day.

Fansites:
Henry Cavill Fan dot Com
Henry Cavill Fan on Tumblr
Henry Cavill co.uk
Mr Cavill

Official Sites:
The Tudors
Immortals
Immortals on Facebook
The Cold Light of Day
Man of Steel
Man of Steel on Facebook

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Tom Hiddleston

I’ll freely admit that a year ago I didn’t know who Tom Hiddleston was and then I saw “Thor” on May 6, 2011. I was riveted by Thor’s backstabbing little brother, Loki, and now I am longing to see what mischief he reigns down to cause “The Avengers” to assemble on May 4. While Tom seems like a perfect choice for his breakout performance as the wickedly awesome Loki, the natural blonde originally went on a strict diet and gained 50 pounds of muscle to screen test for the role of Thor. Director Kenneth Branagh decided he was more suitable for Loki and an onscreen version of the super villain was born.

The six foot, one and a half inch tall with self-described ‘Gene Wilder’ curly blonde hair, Thomas “Tom” William Hiddleston was born in Westminster, London on February 9, 1981 and grew up in Wimbledon. He is the son of James (a scientist) and Patricia Hiddleston and has one sister, actress Emma Hiddleston. Tom is a graduate of Eton College, where, at the age of13 he decided he wanted to be an actor. To appease his disapproving dad, Tom decided to forgo drama school and went to study the Classics at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge.

Not one to dismiss his passions, during his schooling Hiddleston participated in the performing arts, acting alongside other up and coming actors Eddie Redmayne(“My Week with Marilyn”) and Rebecca Hall (“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “The Town”). Tom was signed by an agent who saw him in “A Streetcar Named Desire” during his second year at Cambridge. The wheels were turning now. Tom soon began working in television, appearing in a 2001 TV movie adaption of “Nicholas Nickleby,” the TV movie, “Conspiracy,” and then as Winston Churchill’s son, Randolph Churchill, in the Emmy Award winning BBC/HBO drama “The Gathering Storm” in 2002. The last performance moved Tom’s father to tears. So persistence and talent proved effective, a trend that would continue throughout Tom’s early career.

In 2005 he graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and shortly after he was cast as Oakley in his first feature film, the award-winning “Unrelated.” But for now the interesting, juicy roles were on the stage. It began in 2006 for a European tour of classic Jacobean tragedy, “The Changeling” playing Alsemero. This was followed by his Olivier Award winning Best Newcomer of 2008 performance as Posthumus Leonatus & Cloten in a World tour of “Cymbeline” and Cassio in the Donmar Warehouse production of “Othello.” Tom remarkably beat himself for the above mentioned Olivier Award, having been nominated in the same category for his performances in “Cymbeline” and “Othello.” However he didn’t go unrewarded for his work in “Othello” – during that same period he appeared as Lvov in the West End revival of Chekhov’s “Ivanov,” and for his work in “Othello” and “Ivanov” he earned the Whatsonstage.com Theatergoers’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor 2008.

Liking to keep things in the family, “Ivanov” marked Tom’s fateful first occasion to work with his future “Thor” director Kenneth Branagh. Tom worked with Kenneth again as Magnus Martinsson in multiple episodes of the BBC detective drama “Wallander,” in which Kenneth played the title character, Inspector Kurt Wallander. Then again in 2010, he appeared as Edward in “Archipelago,” reuniting tom with Joanna Hogg, the creator of his first film, “Unrelated.”

2011 was the year that the world got to know Tom. Although Loki was my first experience with the 31-year-old British actor, by that time Tom had been working a working actor on stage, television and film for a over decade. Not only did he storm onto the scene as the son of the late Frost Giant king, Laufey, and the adopted son of Odin, Loki, he appeared in not one, but two critically acclaimed and Academy Award Best Picture nominated films, as literary great F. Scott Fitzgerald in the Woody Allen comedy “Midnight in Paris,” and lead the Calvary charge as Captain Nicholls Steven Spielberg’s take on the children’s novel and Tony Award winning Best Play, “War Horse.”

Tom will be back as the God of Mischief, Loki, in “The Avengers” in May and he told MTV, “In ‘The Avengers’ [Loki is] is really dark and kind of sociopathic, or maybe even psychopathic is the word, in a deluded way. Obviously I haven’t let go of the spiritual damage at the heart of him; it still comes from that lost place, but he’s just incredibly nasty. I think that probably in ‘Thor 2’ his previous actions will; he’ll have to take responsibility for what he’s done.” “Thor 2” is scheduled for theatrical release in November 2013.

There will be plenty of other opportunities to see Tom on the big screen and small screen soon. Tom stars as Freddie Page, a former Royal Air Force Pilot, having an affair with Rachel Weisz’s character in the romantic drama of “The Deep Blue Sea,” scheduled for limited release in the U.S. this spring. He is currently working on playing Henry V three times. He will appear as young Henry V, known as Prince Hal, in the BBC television adaptions of “Henry IV, Part I” and “Henry IV, Part 2” and as Henry V in “Henry V”. Tom has been attached to the crime thriller “Black Wings has My Angel” with Anna Paquin and Elijah Wood, scheduled begin filming in early fall. Hot off of that, Tom will be part of the impressive cast in Jim Jarmusch’s vampire romance, “Only Lovers Left Alive.”

Tom will never be forgotten for bringing naughty Loki to life on screen, but hopefully that role along with his other acclaimed performances will lead to a lot more scene stealing. On his current trajectory, I have no doubt that it will.

Follow Amy on Twitter at @ohmycarlisle.

Official Sites:
Tom on Twitter
The Avengers
Thor
War Horse
Midnight in Paris
Deep Blue Sea

Fan Sites:
Tom Hiddleston Online
Tom Hiddleston Fansite
Tom Hiddleston on Tumblr

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Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch will play a villain in the upcoming Star Trek movie set to be released in 2013. That seems appropriate to me. Why? Because he looks the part – he looks villainous. He has the kind of face that, were you to pass him on the street, might make you look twice and then clutch your purse a little tighter. I’m sure that in real life he’s a very nice man, but he has the eyes of a ladykiller.

I’m not saying the man is evil. He just has the face of an evil mastermind. It’s in set of his lips and the depths of his cool, blue eyes. I’m sure when he was born his parents (actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham) did not look at him and think they had birthed a future Damien. I’m certain his classmates didn’t fear for their lives when they passed him in the corridor (or think much of that Rottweiler following him around all the time). And, I can almost state for a fact that the monks at the Tibetan monastery where he taught English for a year, could meet his penetrating stare without wetting themselves during his lessons. (Seriously, he spent a year teaching at a Tibetan monastery!)

He is a highly-regarded and talented English actor of screen and stage, after all. Performing in at least a dozen stage productions since 2001, he’s done Ibsen, Shakespeare and Gilbert and Sullivan. Most recently, he performed as both Dr. Frankenstein and Frankenstein’s monster in the same play (performing the characters on alternate nights opposite Jonny Lee Miller). That takes some acting chops. He received wonderful reviews and awards for his ability to convey both the monster’s yearning and the doctor’s deep and troubling flaws.

On the small screen, he has done some lighter fare having been cast as Hugh Laurie’s son in the British comedy Fortysomething back in 2003. For the most part though, his career has been firmly anchored on the dramatic side. In 2004, he garnered critical acclaim (and a BAFTA nomination) for portraying theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking in the BBC production of Hawking. In 2006, he played William Pitt opposite Ioan Gruffud’s William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace. More recently, American audiences have been him in Atonement, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and the Steven Spielberg-directed War Horse.

Arguably, the role for which he is best known for on these shores is Sherlock. We do love Sherlock Holmes in all of his incarnations. This Sherlock, set in modern London, is a bit of a psychopath, er, excuse me, high-functioning sociopath. He keeps a head in his refrigerator and hanged mannequins in his sitting room. When he’s bored he fires a pistol. When he’s really, really bored he plays psychotic games with James Moriarty. Nothing good can come from that. Ever. His Sherlock abhors social niceties, but can pretend to be charming when the situation warrants it.

My favorite scene from the first season involved Cumberbatch’s Sherlock and Martin Freeman’s Watson. Watson said he had just met one of Sherlock’s “friends”. Sherlock was dumbfounded. You could see written plainly on his face that he had no clue to whom Watson was referring and was puzzled by the reference to a “friend” altogether. As soon as Watson told him that it was really an enemy, his expression immediately cleared and he wanted to know “which one”. The whole scene took all of fifteen seconds, but it summed up Sherlock and his life quite nicely.

Cumberbatch and Freeman have reunited for the big screen adaptation of the highly-anticipated Peter Jackson-directed The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Cumberbatch will be doing voice work for both the Necromancer and voicing/motion-capturing the dragon Smaug.

I hope Smaug has his eyes.

Official sites:
Frankenstein at the National
Hawking
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
War Horse
Sherlock
The Hobbit

Fan Sites:
Cumberbatch Web
Benedict Cumberbatch Fan

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Dominic Cooper

Dominic Edward Cooper was born on June 2, 1978 in Greenwich London, England. Mother Julia, a nursery school teacher, and father Brian, an auctioneer, divorced when Dominic was 5. The family began to disintegrate when their daughter Claudia was tragically struck by a car and killed before Dom was born. It’s clear a passion for films was already in the family DNA. His maternal great-grandfather was film enthusiast E.T. Heron, who published The Kinematography Weekly. So after going to John Ball Primary School, the same school that actor Jude Law attended, Dominic then went to the Thomas Tallis School, a secondary school for the arts and finally trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), graduating in 2000.

After graduation Dominic started work in television and film, small roles, before making his stage debut in Mother Clap’s Molly House at the National Theatre in 2001. He has had notable roles in the Royal National Theatre’s 2004 ambitious adaptation of the His Dark Materials trilogy where he played the lead character Will Parry and the TV series Down To Earth and Band of Brothers. And just for fun, we’ve posted the 2005 commercial for condom company, Durex Cooper appeared in.

In an ensemble cast of all males, it’s hard to stand out, but that’s exactly what Dominic Cooper did as “Dakin” in the 2006 film adaptation of The History Boys. (A role also played by O2W4 alum Ben Barnes.) After all, he had been involved with the lauded Alan Bennett play from its first reading in 2004. In 2006 he toured with the production to Broadway, Sydney, Wellington and Hong Kong as well as appearing in a radio adaptation. Cooper was also nominated, along with two other “Boys”, for the Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, that same year for his performance of the troublemaker Dakin. He lost to his castmate Samuel Barnett.

Dominic gained the attention of a worldwide audience (and got to sing a few tunes,) in 2008 with the role of Sky, fiancé to Amanda Seyfried’s bride-to-be Sophie in the film Mamma Mia, adapted from the beloved musical. (With this role also came a relationship with his co-star, which sadly [or to my liking] ended 3 years later.) Returning to the small screen, he played the dashing Willoughby in the mini-series Sense in Sensibility *swoon* and the World War 2 drama God on Trial. He wrapped up the year as a handsome politician in The Duchess, opposite Keira Knightley.

In the “sometimes you lose one, sometimes you win one” category: Dominic lost the role of Anton in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, (2009) to Andrew Garfield only to replaced Orlando Bloom in the film An Education. The film would garner attention and get an Oscar nomination for its lead Carey Mulligan. And although he did not get the role he auditioned for in Thor, (it ultimately went to Josh Dallas,) he did get to play the dapper, wisecracking playboy industrialist Howard Stark and future father to Iron Man, Tony Stark, in another Marvel movie: Captain America.

In 2010, Dominic played a self-indulgent rocker in the film Tamara Drewe. And our hero has been getting rave reviews for his lead role in 2011’s The Devil’s Double. In the film, he plays both Uday Hussein, Saddam’s son and his double Latif Yahia. It was a role (or roles) and director Dominic actively campaigned for. Up next for our boy is My Week with Marilyn playing an agent and confidante to Monroe (Michelle Williams) and the role of Henry Sturgess in the film adaptation of the novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Official Sites:
An Education
Tamara Drewe
Captain America: The First Avenger
The Devil’s Double

Fan Sites:
Dominic Cooper Online

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Sam Claflin

I know here at O2W4 we continually say “you probably aren’t familiar with So-and-So yet, but you will be.” Being a fresh face on the screen is a big part of being One2Watch4. In the case of Sam Claflin, it’s probably a reasonable assumption that you have no idea who he is. And that’s simply because prior to 2010’s TV series “Pillars of the Earth” no one knew who this kid was. I mean that literally. So I’ll cut you some slack this time. A few key performances have put this newcomer on the radar of some heavy hitters in Hollywood. You better get in on the ground floor of this future star.

When Sam Claflin was a young lad in Norwich City his aspirations were decidedly sporty in tenor. An avid footballer, Sam had every intention of going pro before a pickup game in the park changed his destiny. One bad kick and a broken ankle later, Sam was looking for alternatives. He had been in some productions at school and decided that acting was the new road to pursue. After performing with the Norfolk Youth Music Theater (including playing Enjolras in their 2005 production of Les Miserables) Sam studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. (Other notable LAMDA alums: Dominic Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jamie Bamber.) Check out Sam’s school resume! Leaving LAMDA in 2009 he didn’t have to wait long to get his first big break. Sam packed his woolens and headed off to Hungary.

The first of Sam’s four TV projects was the epic series “Pillars of the Earth”, based on the much-loved novel by Ken Follett about power struggles amongst the medieval English ruling family and cathedral building. Sam played young Richard, a penniless knight who fights for the honor of his family. The next location was decidedly more tropical. Sam headed to South Africa and donned an American (or Canadian) accent to film The Lost Future, a made-for-TV movie starring Sean Bean. This time Sam was Caleb, the lone hope for a group of post-apocalyptic survivors battling mutated beasts. Oh yeah! Watch the trailer (below), you’ll see that it’s true! I’m guessing this one aired on SYFY channel at some point. The question is – was it a Saturday night movie or the even worse Wednesday night movie?

Back to the land of legit projects: “Any Human Heart” was a mini-series that followed the life of a writer from his youth in pre-War England through the 1980’s. Sam played the central character Logan Mountstuart as a college co-ed, his “Pillars of the Earth” co-star Matthew MacFadyen played “middle” Mountstuart and Jim Broadbent was “Older” Mountstuart. The series garnered many award nominations and wins on both sides of the pond. Next Claflin donned his old football cleats for the BBC made for TV movie United, about the famed Manchester United team that won the Football League and then tragically lost members in the 1958 Munich Air crash. The series co-starred O2W4 favorites David Tennant and Dougray Scott. As of press time Sam has just wrapped on “White Heat”, a new series about seven friends as they traverse four decades of their lives. Sam is playing Jack, who’s a bit of a rebel. “White Heat” is slated to air in 2012 on BBC2.

Speaking of rebellious Jacks…. What a segway! After the first Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy ended, the talk of a fourth movie started. But stars Kiera Knightly and Orlando Bloom were not inclined to sign up for another voyage. An opportunity arose, in the form of the character of a stalwart missionary named Philip and Sam took it. Thus, our man Sam launched his film career opposite major actors like Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush and Pillars of the Earth co-star, Ian McShane. Not to spoil you too much but Philip’s future is uncertain at the end of the film. Let’s hope Sam gets some sequel action. Currently Pirates 4 is the 3rd highest grossing movie, worldwide, for 2011. I don’t think you could maximize you exposure more than that. Oh wait, yes you could. You could be hired to play Prince Charming (well actually Charmant) opposite Kristen Stewart as Snow White in rival Snow White movies coming out in 2012.

Yeah that would do it. As I said, there are two Snow White re-imaginings currently in production. This is Snow White and the Huntsman, hereafter known as “The Not Tarsem One.” Sam auditioned for both films, ultimately getting cast in this one, even before the Huntsman was cast. That role eventually went to Chris Hemsworth. How is a girl to choose? I don’t envy Snow on this one. Snow White and the Huntsman is in production at press time. Be sure to check out Sam’s twitter for updates on filming.

I said earlier that I would cut you slack for not knowing who Sam Claflin is…NOW. If I come back in here a year and you’re still clueless, there will be hell to pay. This guy is on the brink of a wicked career so pay attention!

Official sites:
Sam’s Twitter
Pillars of the Earth
Any Human Heart
United
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Fansites:
Sam Claflin Online
Sam Claflin Love
Sam Claflin Fan

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Watch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.

Mark Strong

You may think you don’t know Mark Strong but I guarantee you’ve seen him in half a dozen movies, at least. Remember Downey, Jr’s nemesis in Sherlock Holmes or the guy who put the squeeze on Gerard Butler in RocknRolla or the impeccably dressed sexy Syrian agent in Body of Lies? That’s right, those were all Mark. That’s how Strong has slowly become a favorite of mine, being the scene stealer and standout in these films and may more over the past few years. His strong screen presence and versatility make him one of the most enjoyable and outstanding character actors working today.

Mark was born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia in London, August 30, 1963 to an Italian father and an Austrian mother. Mark never knew his father. He walked out before Mark was born. Since, the two men have never had contact. When he younger, Mark’s mother changed his name to help him fit in better. At age six, Mark was sent to a school for difficult children. He has been quoted as saying that he was homesick at first, was seen as somewhat of an “oddity” at the school as he was bussed out to the campus everyday but genuinely doesn’t remember his experience at the school being a bad time. Mark feels in a lot of ways his background was an advantage because being an only child from a poor family, he was alone a lot and this allowed him to not only figure out what he thought was important but also what he wants from the people around him.

Because of his mother’s influence, Mark is fluent in German and spent a year in Munich studying Constitutional Law. Like fellow One2Watch4, Gerard Butler, Mark decided law wasn’t the direction he wanted to go in and decided, instead, to become an actor. He attended Bristol Old Vic Theatre School where he was an apprentice for eight years. He got his first break in 1990 at the National Theatre where he was cast in dual roles in Richard III with Ian McKellan as the troubled monarch. That was the beginning of an impressive stage resume, which included roles in Death of a Salesman, The Iceman Cometh, Speed the Plow and a nomination for an Olivier Award in 2003 for his performance in Twelfth Night. Equally impressive was Mark’s TV work. Appearances in two series of Prime Suspect, a turn as Mr. Knightley in the 1997 ITV production of Emma (with Kate Beckinsale as Emma) and even a 2004 Best Actor BAFTA TV nomination for his work in The Long Firm lined Mark up for stardom in films.

Pretty early in his career Mark knew he had no desire to be a star, to have the attention that is given to celebrities when they become famous. Rather he wanted to work with actors, directors and writers who interest him. And if that meant taking smaller parts or roles in movies that are not destined to make him tons of money, then that’s the course his career would take. And while exceptionally handsome, Mark at first was very self-conscious about losing his hair. He has since decided it makes him look more authentic for certain characters, especially villains. To that end Mark has done very well, working in exciting movies with great directors like Mathew Vaughn (Stardust and Kick Ass), Guy Ritchie (Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes), Danny Boyle (Sunshine) , Ridley Scott (Body of Lies and Robin Hood) and most recently Peter Weir (The Way Back).

2011 is shaping up to launch Mark into the collective conscious. Coming up he has The Guard (2011) with Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, The Eagle with Channing Tatum (now on DVD), Black Gold, with Antonio Banderas and Green Lantern, easily his most “commercial” film to date, with Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Peter Sarsgaard. Add to that Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with an all-cast cast and sci-fi extravaganza John Carter coming in 2012, it’s a safe bet that Mark’s days of people not knowing exactly who is are coming to an end.

Fansites:
Mark Strong Online

Official sites:
Green Lantern
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Guard
The Eagle

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Jamie Bell

A stark, daring stare and brooding features burn in your memory when you first see Jamie Bell onscreen. If that doesn’t work, his acting talent surely will make you remember him. Currently in the film The Eagle alongside Channing Tatum (G.I. Joe), he exudes a quiet strength and self possession. For his role as Esca, slave to Marcus Aquila, Jamie trained for the physicality of the stunts, learned to ride a horse, and learned to speak the ancient Gaelic language.

Jamie first shot into fame after his outstanding performance in Billy Elliot, a story of an 11-year-old boy who takes up ballet at the dismay of his working class family. He won the Best Actor award for that role at BAFTA in 2001, beating out Russell Crowe for Gladiator – not bad for a 14-year-old. Born in Billingham, England, he trained as a dancer and enrolled in theatre arts school, eventually becoming part of the National Youth Music Theatre. Preferring tap dancing over ballet, he won several tap dancing awards. He was chosen out of a couple thousand children for his role as Billy Elliot. He also shares the distinction with Christian Bale (for Empire of the Sun, 1987) as the second actor to ever be awarded Outstanding Performance by a Young Actor from the National Board of Review, USA.

His past work has been impressive for a young talent. He acted alongside Daniel Craig in 2008’s Defiance, played young Jimmy in King Kong, and jumped through space-time continuum in Jumper with Hayden Christensen. In 2005, he starred with Evan Rachel Wood in the Green Day video “Wake Me Up When September Ends;” it’s a peek into the depth of his ability to display strong emotions.

A must-see film, Mister Foe (2007), directed and co-written by David Mackenzie (Young Adam, with Ewan McGregor), showcases Jamie as a 17-year-old misfit in his first starring role since Billy Elliot. As a voyeuristic troubled teenager, he seeks the truth behind his mother’s death. He encounters and becomes obsessed with Sophia Myles (Tristan and Isolde) who resembles his deceased mother. At the center of intrigue is his love-hate relationship with his stepmother (Claire Forlani). The film was an Official Selection at the Berlin Film Festival and the Edinburgh Film Festival.

In Undertow (2004), Jamie displays a fine performance along with fellow stars Josh Lucas and Dermot Mulroney. This thriller, about a family living in rural Georgia whose world is suddenly turned upside down by the arrival of the uncle (Lucas), fresh out of prison. Directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, George Washington), the film centers on the offbeat portrayal of its characters and the growth of Chris (Jamie) into manhood.

At 24, Jamie is busy in his acting career. He just completed four films yet to be released, including the new version of Jane Eyre (as St. John Rivers with Michael Fassbender) and the title role in Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (the first in a series of 3D motion capture films based on a character created by Georges Remi). In Retreat, he stars in a thriller about being stranded on an island with Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton. Man on a Ledge comes out in 2012 with his co-star Sam Worthington (Clash of the Titans).

Jamie has gone beyond his dancing days and evolved into a quality actor. Whatever film or project he is involved in, his acting talent shines through beyond the constraints of the media. It wouldn’t be surprising, however, if he ended up in a film where he once again dances and possibly sings.

Official Sites:
The Eagle
Jane Eyre

Fansites:
Jamie Bell Online
All Things Foe

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Ben Barnes

A few years ago you’d of been forgiven for saying “Ben Who?” But those days are thankfully behind us now. Benjamin Thomas Barnes was born on August 20, 1981 in London, England, a place he still calls home today. Ben first crept out of obscurity in 2008 playing the title role in the screen adaptation of the second in the series of C.S Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia as Prince Caspian, a role he reprises in the third installment, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader opening this month. Barnes is often compared to fellow Brit thespian Orlando Bloom. Nonthreatening and gentlemanly, Ben certainly ticks all the same tall, dark and handsome boxes Bloom can – right down to the doe brown come-hither eyes, the bright smile and dreamy English accent. Though there is a strong physical resemblance there are eerie similarities in their careers as well: both were fast tracked to fame in major motion picture fantasy sagas- (Uncannily, Lord of the Rings author J.R.R Tolkien and C.S Lewis were close friends- FACT) and both also began their careers in British television medical dramas (Casualty and Doctors respectively). But to equate them too readily would be to sell both actors talents short.

Barnes was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre between 1997 and 2003, where both his musical and theatrical talents were first put to the test. A man of many talents, he can sing, plays the piano and the drums- as he displayed in Bugsy Malone at The Queen’s Theater in 1997 at the tender age of 16. Before landing the gig in the adaptation of C.S Lewis’s classic fantasy, Ben was again on stage in the UK touring production of The History Boys as “Dakin” in the fall of 2006. When the opportunity of Prince Caspian came up, he was forced to terminate his contract early to appear on the silver screen.

I am sure Ben would like us to forget that for a fleeting moment in 2004 he was part of a boyband called Hyrise- who vied to be the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest with a song entitled “Leading Me On”. They came in second. But we at Ones2Watch4 forget NOTHING! There is no doubting the boy can sing of course and in truth he would have been wasted as part of a pop band. Far better he put his musicality to use on the screen as he did in Easy Virtue in 2009 and again in the upcoming Killing Bono (2011) – a film about two Irish brothers attempt to become rock stars who can only look on as old school friends become U2 and the biggest band in the world.

It’s not only music however, that has had an impact on Barnes’ career. It seems as though literature and the stage have also played their part: from Narnia to the modern adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic Dorian Gray (2009) and Noel Coward’s Easy Virtue (originally a staged play) both co-starring the dashing Colin Firth, to his current role on the stage in Birdsong (based on the novel by Sebastian Faulks). Of course Barnes’ career has occasionally bucked this trend. We have seen him take on some more unique films like the small Brit flick Bigga than Ben in 2007, a black comedy about two Russian immigrants and their guide to ripping off London, the American psychological drama Locked In (2010) alongside Eliza Dushku and of course the forthcoming Killing Bono.

With every role Ben has taken: from dashing fairy tale prince to foreign street thug to the most refined English gentleman we know him to be he has shown his passion, dedication and that he really is One2Watch4. We predict that his popularity will continue to increase and look forward to him becoming a household name over the next few years. Looks, voice, and talent…What’s not to like?

Ben reading at the LA Times Book Festival

OFFICIAL SITES:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Killing Bono Blog
Birdsong, The Play

Trailer for the yet unreleased Locked In:

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Idris Elba

Tall, Dark and Handsome, it’s not hard to see why Ali Larter was stalking Idris Elba in Obsessed. And if Idris was MY man, I, like Beyoncé would do anything to keep it that way, including having a major bitch slapping cat fight with the hot new temp trying to take him away from me!

Audiences know Idris best as Russell “Stringer” Bell in HBO’s “The Wire” or as Michael Scott’s new boss Charles Miner in “The Office.” I officially first noticed this beautiful man as the quiet caring detective in Prom Night. I am ALWAYS aware of beautiful men, like the single dad of three girls in Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls, or maybe the reclusive brother in This Christmas, or perhaps holding his own against Gerard Butler in Guy Ritchie’s RockNRolla or maybe a soldier fighting zombies in 28 Weeks Later. Let’s not forget that he appeared on the cover of Essence’s “Hot Hollywood Men” issue in April 2004 and was also in People Magazine’s annual “100 Most Beautiful People in the World” in May 2007.

Did I mention that he has accent!? He was born outside of London as Idrissa Akuna Elba, to a father from Sierra Leone and a mother from Ghana. At 16, he won a place in the National Youth Music Theatre thanks to a Prince’s Trust Grant. Although he does have a wonderful British accent, he won’t use it when talking to fans of “The Wire” to keep the illusion of his character. Idris was married and has daughter named Isan who was born in 2002. He even bought a house in Atlanta, so that he could be closer to his daughter who lives with his ex-wife. What a DILF!

No stranger to music, having appeared in numerous music videos and counting Diddy as a one of his friends, Idris is also an accomplished DJ. As a little boy, he once helped his uncle with his wedding DJ business, which led him to start his own DJ company. He worked in nightclubs under the DJ name of Big Driis. He has contributed tracks to the soundtracks for Prom Night and Tyler Perry’s Madae Goes to Jail. And in 2008 he was chosen to produce the intro track for Jay Z’s “American Gangster”. Under Hevlar Recordings and working with some top producers, Idris has released an EP entitled “King of Kings”. He is also planning a tour to promote the new EP, which is a fusion of sounds that reflect his eclectic influences.

Besides being able to see him in a nice intimate venue promoting his EP, We can also see/listen to Idris and his accent in the upcoming gang movie Takers with a few other hotties. Maybe we’ll have a naked shower scene or mud fight!? And most exciting is to know that Idris will be playing “Heimdall” in Kenneth Brannagh’s Thor!! My inner geek is going wild with this thought and I know that this movie will make Idris a household name! But for now, I’m enjoying keeping this Brit as a secret.

Official Sites:
Hevlar Recordings on MySpace
Takers
Takers on Facebook
The Wire
Idris’s Official Twitter
Idris’s Official Site

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Dev Patel

If you watched the first two seasons of the UK series “Skins” and then watched Slumdog Millionaire you might not recognize that Anwar and Jamal are portrayed by the same actor. You’ve got to figure it takes a fairly astute person to play the hyper, sexually obsessed Anwar and then turn around and be so convincing as the sensitive and devoted hero of Slumdog Millionaire. Well that’s what Dev Patel is. For someone so young and with relatively little acting experience, he’s making his mark on the big and small screens and impressing directors and audiences alike.

Raised in the London Borough of Harrow, Patel was a kid with tons of energy. Gee, you’d never think it to look at him: all wiry and lanky. So his very intelligent mother put him into tae kwon do classes to channel all that energy. Get this, in 2004 at the AIMAA World Championships our guy here won a bronze. That’s right, he medaled! Turns out that dedication and those martial arts skills will come in handy later.

Throughout his school career Dev was involved in the dramatic arts. He garnered high marks and high praise from his teachers. Once again his very intelligent mother stepped in and suggested he go to open auditions for a new teen drama TV show called “Skins”. Much to his amazement he got the role of “Anwar” a fun-loving Pakistani Muslim. To hear his co-stars tell it, the character was tailor made for Patel. For the first-time professional actor, that had to be a source of comfort. A fan favorite, the series went on to win several BAFTA TV awards during its first two seasons.

This is all prologue to the lucky chance that would thrust Dev into the international spotlight. In the summer of 2007 Director Danny Boyle was frustrated. He was trying to cast the lead in his film Slumdog Millionaire about Jamal Malik, a kid from the slums of Mumbai who unbelievably wins the grand prize on the popular game show by recalling events in his own life to answer all the questions correctly. All the Indian actors Boyle had seen so far were muscular, hero types and not at all the normal, thoughtful guy he was looking for. As it turns out Boyle’s daughter was a big fan of “Skins” and recommended he check out the actor playing Anwar. The rest is history. 5 months of shooting in India and an obscene amount of awards, including 8 Oscars later Dev Patel is one hot commodity.

So how do you follow up such an auspicious start to your career? Well Dev thought long and hard about this very question. The parts Hollywood was offering him were mostly funny side-kick roles and not at all satisfying. He fully expected to find something in the independent film arena. Director M. Night Shyamalan had a better offer. Jesse McCartney, his original choice for Prince Zuko in the big-screen adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” had scheduling conflicts. Shyamalan approached Dev about playing the Fire Nation Prince in the big-budget summer blockbuster. At press time I was hoping to have seen the film so I could gush about how wonderful Dev was but ‘twas not to be, I’m afraid. We’ll have to suppose he was awesome until we each have an opportunity to confirm that ourselves.

If you visit Dev’s IMDB page you’ll see that he has no future projects listed. I can only surmises that he’s being choosy about his next project. When you’ve got the talent and support from home (remember his oh-so-intelligent mom?) to make the best choice for yourself, you won’t stay unemployed long.

Fansites:
Dev Patel Fan

Official Sites:
The Last Airbender
Slumdog Millionaire
Skins

Gallery

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Review – Fish Tank

Fish Tank is a gripping slice of life, coming of age drama. It is also an antidote to the proper costume dramas many still associate with British cinema and that some might be sick of. The film is more akin to the “gritty realism” of the angry young man British movies of the late fifties and early sixties, except in this case we have an angry young girl – a very angry and confused 15-year old girl named Mia Taylor (KATIE JARVIS).

Not that Mia doesn’t have a lot to be pissed off about. She lives in a depressing “council estate” (read public housing for American audiences). She has a self-absorbed, non-existent mother (KIERSTON WAREING) who dresses like a striper and literally has zero interest in what her children do. (The only interest she takes in her eldest daughter is trying to get her sent to reform school.) She has no friends and literally has no one to talk to – not even a girlfriend she can commiserate with. On top of that, she is stuck in limbo, with no prospects or future.

Because of this, she is incapable of expressing any emotion other than anger and regularly lashes out at anyone she can, but mostly at her mother and younger sister (REBECCA GRIFFITHS). Mia has no outlet for her emotions except her love for hip-hop dancing – which is her only respite. The only creatures she seems to relate to are the family dog and a horse chained up in the neighborhood, which she tries to free as it seems a symbol of her own trapped self.

So when her mother’s new boyfriend, Connor (MICHAEL FASSBENDER), enters the picture and is just ordinarily nice to her she can’t help but take notice. She at first also pushes him away, like she does with everyone, but then reluctantly finds herself interested in him. Connor is the only positive force in Mia’s life – he encourages to pursue her dancing and to go on an audition. But is Connor just being nice to his girlfriend’s kid, or does he have other motives? His presence also seems to inspire her to reach out and make a new friend in the neighborhood, Billy (HARRY TREADAWAY). Although it is not clear at first whether she is looking for company or trying to make Connor jealous.

A lot of emotionally draining things happen to Mia during the climax of Fish Tank, but to talk about them too much would spoil the few surprises this movie has, as this isn’t a movie about plot. It is the emotional journey of a young girl that draws you in little by little and makes you really care about Mia and cringe every time she does something stupid. But as the drama unfolds, Mia finally comes to term with her life and takes a bit more control and by the end of the film, there is hope that she might actually make it and go onto something a little bit better that what she has known.

Fish Tank is open now in NYC and opens Friday in Los Angeles.

Tom Sturridge

Let’s face it. The only person we would be 100% okay with Rob Pattinson dating is his adorable BFF, Tom Sturridge. While fans like to point out Tom (or TomStu, as his doting admirers have endearingly nicknamed him) lurking in the photos taken of his Twilight star pal, we have a feeling that the talented Mr. Sturridge won’t be in the background for very much longer. Blessed with the ability to exude soft-spoken, boyish charm one minute and to radiate smoldering leading man intensity the next, this 23-year-old London native has all the trappings of a serious and versatile young actor.

Born to director Charles Sturridge and actress Phoebe Nicholls, it seems as if Tom may have always had an affinity towards film in his blood. A self-proclaimed cinephile, Tom had the incredible opportunity to work with one of his heroes, Hungarian director István Szabó (who won an Oscar in 1981 for directing one of Tom’s favorite films, Mephisto), in Becoming Julia (2004) opposite Annette Benning. The same year, Tom had a small role in the Reese Witherspoon historical drama, Vanity Fair (2004) alongside Pattinson (whose scenes were later edited out of the final cut). Tom followed those two films up with a starring turn in Like Minds (2006), an intriguing thriller in which a psychologist delves into the complex relationship between two friends to solve a murder.

Currently, Tom can be seen in the Richard Curtis (Love Actually) helmed comedy, Pirate Radio (aka The Boat That Rocked in the UK), that features a dream cast that includes the likes of acting greats, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Tom holds his own as Carl, the young innocent whose eyes are opened by a defiant group of seafaring rock and roll DJs who captivate and inspire 1960s Britain with their choice of music. Tom’s personal taste in music isn’t too shabby either – he’s a huge fan of Van Morrison and a loyal supporter of his up-and-coming musician friends, Marcus Foster, Sam Bradley and Bobby Long. You can check out his excellent iTunes celebrity playlist HERE.

Recently, Tom has been garnering accolades for his portrayal of a schizophrenic boy who ultimately ends up killing his schoolmates in the well-reviewed Simon Stephens play, Punk Rock. He has even been nominated in the Outstanding/Best Newcomer categories for both the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards and the Manchester Evening News Theater Awards for the role this year. While Punk Rock’s stints in London and Manchester have just finished, we’re crossing our fingers that the play crosses the pond to Broadway soon.

Next up for Tom is Waiting for Forever, a romantic drama co-starring Rachel Bilson, which premieres at the Sundance Film Festival early next year. After that, who knows? Tom has mentioned that he isn’t worrying too much about the future as he’s still young and relatively responsibility-free. One thing’s for sure though—wherever Tom goes with his creative ventures, we’ll be sure to follow.

Official Sites:
Pirate Radio

Fansites:
Tom Sturridge Online
Tom Sturridge dot Com
Tom Sturridge Daily on LiveJournal
Tom Sturridge Fans on LiveJournal

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Nicholas Hoult

I know you’re looking at this guy and trying to place where you know him from. No, not high school, he’s not your best friend’s cousin from Peoria. This is going to blow your mind: Nicholas Hoult was the kid in 2002’s About A Boy. Oh yeah, I know! Milk does a body good, right? Well this young actor is turning heads on both side of the Atlantic and it’s not too difficult to see why.

Nicholas Hoult has been acting since he was 5. So at the ripe old age of 20 he’s got a sizable body of work behind him. After a myriad of one and two episode stints on television shows Nick landed some nice film roles. In Wah Wah (2005), Nick plays Ralph, (the fictionalization of writer/director Richard E. Grant) who narrates about his youth in Swaziland. Hoult got to star opposite some heavyweights in this one: Gabriel Byrne, Julie Walters and Emily Watson. That’s the first time I’d seen him, post-About a Boy and wow! It’s amazing what a few years will do to someone. Next up he had to perfect an American accent for Weather Man (2005) with Nick Cage and Michael Caine. (Again with the big-name actors.) Nick often talks about the pleasure he had working on those two films and the impact it made on his skills as an actor. But it was Nick’s work on the British hard hitting, sexy drama about teens “Skins” that garnered him some real attention.

2010 was a great year for Nicholas Hoult. First up was Tom Ford’s breathtaking directorial debut A Single Man, starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. Nick has a pivotal role as Kenny, a university student who more or less brings Colin Firth’s distraught professor back to life. All that work Nick did on his American accent in Weather Man paid off. (Trivia – Single Man producer and About a Boy co-director, Chris Weitz recommended Nick for the role after the actor hired decided not to show up to set, the first day of production. That’s loyalty for ya!) And I can’t even express in words how excited I was to see Nicholas in the manflesh-fest, blood and sandals epic Clash of the Titans when that’s in theaters that March. I’m sure that now that’s released we will all be revisiting this profile again. This guy is worth a second and third look, trust me.

Official Sites:
Jack the Giant Slayer
Warm Bodies
Skins on Facebook
Nicholas on Twitter

Fansites:
Nicholas Hoult dot Org

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Alex Pettyfer

I know a lot of you are scratching your heads and wondering “where did this kid come from? He’s EVERYWHERE!” And you’re right. 2011 is not only the year of the Rabbit but it as The Year of the Pettyfer as well. With two starring roles and even more high-profile films in the works I think this handsome British lad’s face is going to become even more commonplace among the ever burgeoning list of One2Watch4 leading men.

Now of course Alex Pettyfer didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. While his work hasn’t been extensive, it’s been significant in building a legitimate base for this young actor. As a youngster Alex was a model. A funny story is how when Alex was 8, Ralph Lauren suggested Alex come model for him as Alex was shopping with his mom in the Lauren New York City store. Alex’s mom had no idea they were talking with the designer himself and quickly dismissed the offer as insincere (and probably a little creepy). It was years later, when Alex was doing an actual ad for the fashion house, that Alex recognized Lauren and his mom’s mistake.

Modeling was all well and good for a while but what teenage Alex really wanted to do was act. He’s the son of a working actor (Richard Pettyfer) and had been in the odd production at school. The first big break came in the form of a TV series called Tom Brown’s Schooldays (also starring Stephen Fry). The critically acclaimed show helped propel Alex to the top of the list of 500 hopefuls for the big-screen adaptation of the popular young adult series Alex Ryder as well as the Hollywood version of another popular book Eragon. Talk about your wealth of choices! Alex (Pettyfer) decided to take the Alex (Ryder) project for the simple reason that he has a fear of flying and Eragon was being filmed in Hungary. Oh fate has a funny way of shinning on the lucky few. Ever hear anything again about the kid who ended up being the lead in Eragon? I’m just saying.

Since the Alex Ryder books take place in quick succession, Pettyfer was already too old, by the films release, to play the character in any subsequent sequels. Not that any were going to be made since it did so poorly at the box office. But that didn’t really affect him. Alex was quickly growing out of the awkward, gangly, early teens into his matinee idol looks. Next up were two films set in proper British schools – the American fish out of water comedy Wild Child, starring Emma Roberts (Alex’s rumored ex and the inspiration behind his “ER” tattoo) and zombie revenge flick Tormented, where Alex plays a bully who gets his what’s coming to him. Then, in 2009, Alex shaved off all his golden locks, put on about 15 pounds of muscle and donned heavy prosthetic make-up to become Beastly – a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame. Release of Beastly has been delayed several times and will finally hit theaters March, 2011. All this on the job training almost prepared him for what was next – a blockbuster science fiction flick produced by none other than Steven Spielberg.

Alex was called in by the casting director to audition for the next in the long list of young-adult novels being turned into films: I Am Number Four. The story is about aliens with special abilities living amongst us, being hunted and killed by a race known as Mogadorians. The film was being produced by Hollywood powerhouses Michael Bay and the aforementioned Spielberg and the part was the lead. Pettyfer was understandably feeling the pressure (though at that time he was blissfully unaware of Speilberg’s participation) and literally walked out of the room before reading one line. He was convinced he was not right for such a weighty role and that he would ruin it for all involved. It took some major negotiating from the casting director and film director D.J. Caruso to get Alex in and on tape. But whatever it took, worked. Alex landed the part (with Speilberg’s final thumbs up) and I Am Number Four went into production co-starring Glee’s Diana Agron and fellow O2W4’s Tim Olyphant and Callam McAuliffe. It opens Friday, February 18th.

Pettyfer is hot right now. We’re talking Pattinson hot. He’s been getting work hand over fist. Currently in production (as of press date) is another Sci-Fi flick, Now, with and all-star cast. After that there is the bio-pic that Pettyfer is actually producing, about the tragic life of Formula One driver James Hunt. And the rumor going around today is that Alex is passing on The Mortal Instruments and signing up to be The Last Apprentice. Talk is that Jeff Bridges and Winter Bone’s nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence will star in that one. Not hard to see why an up and comer like Alex would jump at that opportunity, eh? Love him or leave him, Alex Pettyfer is going to stay in the collective consciousness for the foreseeable future.

Official Sites:
I Am Number Four
I Am Number Four on Facebook
Alex Rider
Beastly
Beastly on Facebook
Beastly on Twitter
Tormented
Burberry’s Beat for Men
The Beat for Men on Facebook

Fan Sites:
Alex Pettyfer Source
Alex The Beast
Alex Pettyfer Web
Alex Pettyfer French Site
Alex Pettyfer Spanish Site

Gallery:

Tom Hardy

I like versatile actors who take on quirky roles and turn them into something memorable. Regardless of whether they are the main character or just have a few scenes sprinkled throughout the film, when they appear on screen they overshadow everyone around them. Tom Hardy is that kind of actor.

His talent is as undeniable as his looks. Since his debut under the direction of Sir Ridley Scott, his star has been on the rise. Which might be surprising to some because Tom Hardy, like many of his characters, has had a somewhat unconventional and complicated life. Stepping in front of a camera or onto a stage takes daring in and of itself, but doing so while fighting an addiction must be unbelievably daunting. Yet, that’s exactly what Tom did until he overcame his drug abusing habits. His determination to survive against the odds may very well be the driving force that causes him to inhabit his characters so well.

In smaller roles, he manages to bring something to light that makes the audience remember him long after the screen has gone dark. In Black Hawk Down, he was the soldier who deafened his friend by firing a rifle too close to his head. In RocknRolla, he was the gay gangster (the appropriately named Handsome Bob) who wanted a dance – a slow dance – from Gerard Butler before being sent off to serve a prison sentence. (A hilarious scene, by the way.) As a GI in “Band of Brothers{, he remembered to salute despite an awkward situation and his state of undress.

When he’s the lead, he transforms himself in a way few actors can. He can warp not only his physical appearance, but our perceptions as well. Through him, even the most morally reprehensible and misunderstood individuals become complicated people and sometimes, sympathetic victims. His turns in “Wuthering Heights” and “Oliver Twist” make you feel something akin to pity for Heathcliff and Bill Sykes. (That’s saying something because I hate Heathcliff with the fire of a thousand burning suns! A thousand, I say!). While we may still be thankful Charles Bronson (Bronson) is behind bars, we gain a deeper understanding of the man through Tom’s portrayal. And I dare anyone to watch “Stuart: A Life Backwards” and not bawl like a baby.

I have been a fan for years and will be for the foreseeable future. I, like countless others, eagerly await his next projects and sit back like old veterans when new fans spring up frothing at the mouth over him. I remember what it was like when I first found him. All I can say it that it will be okay. Just remember to breathe through your nose (and that I was here before you *pointed look*) and everything will be fine…just fine.

Look for Tom in the upcoming films Inception with Leonardo DiCaprio and Warrior with Nick Nolte.

Fansites:
Tom Hardy dot Org

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(38 votes, average: 4.66 out of 5)


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Rupert Friend

I’ll be honest with you, the first time I saw Pride and Prejudice (2005) I totally missed Rupert Friend as the questionable Wickham. I was totally engrossed with the yum that is Mr Darcy. (That reminds me, we need to do a profile on Matthew Macfadyen!)  It wasn’t until I saw The Libertine (2004) just a few short months later that my full attention went to the tall, chiseled featured young Brit. Now Rupert is poised to make a splash in the indie art house circle with two high profile roles.  Trust me, he will not go unnoticed any longer.

Up until recently Rupert’s played mostly supporting or co-star roles.  I highly recommend the little gem Mrs Palfrey and that Claremont (2005).  However other than a few shirtless scenes I say skip the largely forgettable Last Legion (2007)  and Virgin Territory (2007). In 2008 Rupert gave a stirring and frightening performance as a Nazi lieutenant in The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas that turned some heads and got some buzz. But it’s in two upcoming costume romances that Rupert is going to get some serious recognition.  First up is The Young Victoria, (already released inthe UK) co-starring (girl crush) Emily Blunt as the title character and Rupert as the stalwart Albert.  Then it’s the cougar inspirational film Cheri, with the lovely and timeless Michelle Pfeiffer as a retired courtesan out to educate Rupert’s callow Cheri.  Oh I’ll be seeing this several times I think.

Rupert has this knack of picking really interesting roles, things that step outside of the pretty boy looks.  He’s got a couple tough films coming up that should really showcase his not unconsiderable talents.  This would be beneficial since to date he’s mostly been known as either an Orlando Bloom look alike or Keira Knightly’s former main squeeze. I think Rupert is going to be stepping out from the shadows and making his mark in theaters.

Fansite: Rupert Friend dot Net

Official Movie Sites:
Homeland
Cheri
The Young Victoria
The Kid
The Kid on Facebook

GALLERY:

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(8 votes, average: 4.13 out of 5)


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Matthew Goode

You’ve probably never heard of Matthew Goode before…or you’ve heard the name but can’t quite put a face to it. This young, up-and-coming British actor (another one, I know!) was first introduced to me as the one redeeming factor in that terrible, poor-man’s-Roman-Holiday-Mandy-Moore-chick-flick, Chasing Liberty. Read more

Robert Pattinson

Wizards and vampires have pretty much defined Robert Pattinson in the early stages of his acting career winning him legions of fans for his portrayal as the doomed Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and the teenage Victorian vampire, Edward Cullen, in 2008′s Twilight. Under all the hype lies a 22 year old promising talent that promises to grace our movie screens, iPods and stage productions for many years to come.

Pattinson is credited as the writer and singer of two songs featured in Twilight, Never Think and Let Me Sign.  He has been playing piano since the age of 4 and also plays guitar.  He performs under the name Bobby Dupea (in tribute to his favorite actor, Jack Nicholson, and the character Jack played in Five Easy Pieces) for his own personal satisfaction, but insists that music is only a backup if the acting gigs dry up.   We can only hope he continues to share that part of his talent through other soundtrack contributions and eventually a full fledged album.  It would be a damn shame to not get a chance to listen to him more!

Born in London, England, Rob caught the acting bug at the age of 15 winning roles in amateur plays, eventually landing him lead roles at Barnes Theatre Club.   He has lead roles in the the forthcoming feature films Little Ashes, in which he plays Salvador Dalí, How To Be, a British comedy, and the short film The Summerhouse.

He is also set to reprise his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight sequels, New Moon and Eclipse, with filming of the back-to-back films slated to begin in March 2009.

FAN SITES:

Pattinson Online
Robert Pattinson Fan
Robert Pattinson Online
Robert Pattinson Web

ROB ON YOUTUBE:

LISTEN TO ROB’S MUSIC FROM TWILIGHT:

PREVIEW LITTLE ASHES:

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(57 votes, average: 4.37 out of 5)


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