From Britain to Hollywood: How British Actors are Invading The US - The Spread

Guest writer Juggy Sohal takes a look at the influx of British talent taking over Tinsel Town…

With Julian Gilbey’s crime caper film Plastic being released this week, which stars a host of young British talent, I got thinking about how British actors are making such an impact in Hollywood (with the likes of Christian Bale and Emma Thompson occupying Billboard spaces up and down the country).

Plastic features the acting talents of Downtown Abbey’s Ed Speelers and Game of Thrones’ Alfie Allen, who due to big followings for their shows will no doubt attract audiences to the big screen.

However it is their co-star Will Poulter, who recently received the Bafta Rising Star award, who appears to be taking the US by storm due to his comedic role in We’re The Millers. His British charm seems to be catching Hollywood’s attention, as he is being lined up for many more roles to cement his title as a rising star.

Another Plastic cast member in the form of scene-stealer Emma Rigby (of Hollyoaks fame) is also taking strides into cracking Hollywood. After securing a role on the American TV series Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, Emma is poised to be the dark horse of the Plastic cast as she slowly builds up a rather impressive résumé to follow in the footsteps of Poulter.

The franchise that has paved the way for these up-and-coming British stars to take on America is of course Harry Potter, which spawned the successful careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, all of which have been lighting up the big screen for years. Watson in particular has seen incredible movie takings with her recent role in Noah. While in the television sector Skins has launched the meteoric rise to fame of Nicholas Hoult who is gearing up for the release of his next blockbuster X-Men: Days of Future Past and Dev Patel who wowed audiences in the mega hit Slumdog Millionaire.

All these platforms give young British actors the chance to showcase themselves to Hollywood leading them to promote what British cinema has to offer. The film Plastic is a great example of that, as it is almost like a showreel emphasizing the best of British acting, writing and production.

It is heartening to see British talent in all forms being given the recognition it deserves with awards, critical acclaim and earnings. We Brits have a lot to offer and with the recent success stories it seems the possibilities are endless.

The Spread

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