Josh O’Connor: the shape-shifting star who became cinema’s most wanted
He came to prominence with his portrayal of Prince Charles in The Crown, and now it seems that Josh O’Connor might be primed for his own coronation.The British actor is in three major films between now and January – better known to film-lovers as awards season.He leads Kelly Reichardt’s art heist drama Mastermind, which opened in UK cinemas last week; stars opposite Paul Mescal in the period romance drama The History of Sound; and takes the central role in Wake Up Dead Man, Rian Johnson’s third instalment in the Knives Out mystery franchise.There’s also the persistent industry chatter that he’s among those being considered for the next James Bond.“This Is The Autumn Of Josh O’Connor,” declared Vogue recently, while GQ wondered, “How Josh O’Connor Became the Thinking Man’s Leading Man”.
But O’Connor’s success hasn’t come out of nowhere.Born in Cheltenham in 1990 and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, he graduated in 2011 and spent the following decade steadily building a career across stage, television and independent film, becoming one of the most sought-after actors of his generation.He appeared in productions at the National Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse, and took early screen roles in TV dramas including Law & Order: UK, Peaky Blinders and Ripper Street.On film, he was in features including The Riot Club and Hide and Seek – a story of four young Londoners who move to an isolated country cottage.“What set Josh apart was he seemed so clever and so committed to what an artist’s life is, with real integrity,” Hide and Seek director Joanna Coates told the Guardian.
“He really cares about making meaningful things, which sounds simple but holding true to that takes grit,”Coates said O’Connor was not only dedicated but also “really funny”,“I have a whole blur of special memories from that time – but there was a particular scene where he and another actor (Daniel Metz) were making each other laugh so much, in a moment that veered into pure improvisation,It felt so pure and funny we kept it in,The laughter is real.
”O’Connor’s breakout role came in 2017 with God’s Own Country, Francis Lee’s tender romance set in the Yorkshire Dales.Playing Johnny Saxby, a young farmer whose life changes after the arrival of a Romanian migrant worker, O’Connor’s vulnerable performance and experiments with method acting drew comparisons to early Heath Ledger and won him the British Independent Film Award for best actor.Lee has described O’Connor as “a real shape-shifter” and said his performance in the film “confirmed his place on casting agents’ scouting radar as one of those subtle, humble chameleons who can disappear into parts and are dubbed ‘actors’ actors’”.Alec Secăreanu, who starred opposite O’Connor in God’s Own Country, told the Guardian the film was “a milestone” in both of their careers and described O’Connor as “the best actor I’ve ever worked with”.Sign up to Film WeeklyTake a front seat at the cinema with our weekly email filled with all the latest news and all the movie action that mattersafter newsletter promotion“He was so dedicated to the character and to the story,” Secăreanu said.
“Anyone who would have him part of their project could call themselves blessed, he is a force that can bring so much truth and power to any character he’s working on.He makes it appear as if it’s easy, only because his approach is thorough and deliberate.”Laia Costa, who starred opposite O’Connor in the romantic drama Only You the following year, said O’Connor was “a brilliant collaborator”.“We were meant to arrive in Glasgow a full week before filming began, but I was stuck in Miami, grounded by hurricane season,” she recalled.“It was chaos – no rehearsal time, no chance to properly build the chemistry our characters needed”.
But O’Connor, she added, “was incredible,Completely effortless, calm, and present,There’s something innate about his talent; it’s not something you can teach or fake,”It was in 2019 that O’Connor gained widespread recognition, when he joined the cast of The Crown as Prince Charles, portraying the future king during his young adulthood and early marriage,His depiction of the prince across the series’ third and fourth seasons was lauded for its precision and depth, and earned him an Emmy award and a Golden Globe.
The Crown’s creator, Peter Morgan, has compared O’Connor’s talents to that of the former Barcelona footballer Andres Iniesta,“I was drawn to his sensitivity and the fact that he was complex but likable,” Morgan has said,Meanwhile, O’Connor’s co-star on the series, Olivia Colman, also praised him for his on-screen tenderness,“Fragility, sparkle, strength, doubt: It’s all there in a second,Every scene we had together became my favourite scene,” she said.
Since The Crown, O’Connor has worked in both British and international film projects, including Eva Husson’s Mothering Sunday (2021) and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers (2024), opposite Zendaya.The latter marked a shift in his public image, recasting him as an unlikely heartthrob and central figure in what social media dubbed the “hot rodent” trend – a celebration of sharp-featured, offbeat male leads.Today, he’s a gen Z pin-up and one of “the internet’s finest boyfriends” – and his star will only rise.Wake Up Dead Man, which boasts a stellar cast including Daniel Craig, Andrew Scott, Mila Kunis and Kerry Washington, is the biggest movie of his career.He’s also starring in Steven Spielberg’s next blockbuster, and will be making a return to the London stage in Golden Boy at the Almeida.
If the past few years established him, the next will probably confirm it: Josh O’Connor is about to be everywhere.
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