40 Facts About Alex Lawther

Alexander Jonathan Lawther was born on 4 May 1995 and is an English actor, writer, and director.

Alex Lawther made his professional acting debut originating the role of John Blakemore in Sir David Hare's South Downs in the West End.

Alex Lawther made his feature film debut playing a young Alan Turing in the Academy Award-winning film The Imitation Game, for which he received the London Film Critics' Circle Award for "Young British Performer of the Year" and was declared one of BAFTA's 2015 Breakthrough Brits.

Alex Lawther is of English and Irish descent, possessing dual British and Irish citizenship through his Northern Irish father.

The son of two lawyers, Alex Lawther has described himself as having come from a "white middle-class bubble".

Alex Lawther was educated at Churcher's College, a selective independent school in Petersfield.

Alex Lawther played Ratty in The Wind in the Willows, Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, and Lucas in The Third Bank of the River, and received the Sir Daniel Day-Lewis Award by the Petersfield Town Council.

In 2009, a fourteen-year-old Alex Lawther was allowed to write and direct his own full-length play based on a song by Sara Bareilles entitled Rejected Fairytales as part of his drama club involvement, where he received laudatory coverage in the local press as a "theatrical whiz kid" who would end up working as an actor in the West End.

Alex Lawther collaborated with his brother as an actor on his short film The Fear, made when the elder Lawther was applying to film school.

Alex Lawther did not study drama at GCSE or A level.

Alex Lawther initially planned to read History at King's College London, but ultimately gave up his place after being cast in The Imitation Game; instead, he moved to London at 18 to pursue acting professionally.

Alex Lawther found out about an open audition for the play through his school, as the casting directors were scouting real students attending elite private schools in the South Downs for the play's public school setting.

Alex Lawther travelled to London, where he beat hundreds of other young actors for the lead role.

Alex Lawther received critical acclaim for his performance and, having previously viewed acting as only a hobby, he was encouraged to pursue a career in film and theatre.

Alex Lawther received his breakthrough film role as a young Alan Turing during his time at Sherborne School in the Academy Award-winning film The Imitation Game, with Benedict Cumberbatch portraying the older Turing.

Alex Lawther starred as a young castrato in Virtuoso, a pilot produced for HBO by Alan Ball, but the show was not picked up by the network.

In 2016, Alex Lawther played the main character Kenny in "Shut Up and Dance", an episode from series three of the British science fiction anthology series Black Mirror.

Alex Lawther performed in the mockumentary film Carnage, directed by his frequent collaborator, comedian Simon Amstell.

Freak Show marked his first appearance in an American film; Alex Lawther has expressed a lack of interest in performing in more American films.

Alex Lawther would go on to reprise this role during the show's second and final season, which received a BAFTA Award for Best Drama.

Alex Lawther originated the role of Sam in the Stephen Daltry-directed play The Jungle, which focused on the refugee crisis in Calais, in both its London and New York productions.

Alex Lawther spent time in France meeting with refugees for this job, and ultimately found it to be one of his most challenging roles due to his character's right-wing views which were antithetical to his own.

Subsequently, Alex Lawther played the lead role of Amberson in Toby MacDonald's debut film Old Boys, as well as a supporting role in the horror film Ghost Stories.

In 2020, Alex Lawther played the lead role in Regis Roinsard's thriller, Les Traducteurs, his first non-English language film.

In 2021, Alex Lawther appeared in Ridley Scott's The Last Duel, Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch, and Lucile Hadzihalilovic's Earwig.

Alex Lawther starred as Ariel in a French production of Shakespeare's The Tempest at Les Bouffes du Nord directed by Peter Brook and Marie-Helene Estienne and replaces Andrew Scott in the titular role of Hamlet when Robert Icke's adaptation is brought to New York City, after previously being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alex Lawther appeared in the Star Wars spin-off series Andor as rebel operative Karis Nemik.

In 2021, Alex Lawther made his directorial debut with the music video for "Fountainhead" by Linus Fenton, starring Roman Griffin Davis and sponsored by CALM.

Alex Lawther stopped using social media as he began to take more high-profile roles and considers himself to be "technophobic".

Alex Lawther has described himself as politically left-wing, and generally tries to avoid discussing his private life when possible.

Alex Lawther considers his biggest inspirations as an actor to be Ben Whishaw, Sally Hawkins, and Andrew Scott.

Alex Lawther has been a Francophile and a fan of French cinema from a young age.

Alex Lawther speaks fluent French and divides his time between Paris and London.

In 2020, Alex Lawther co-signed an open letter to the government of the United Kingdom to ban conversion therapy for LGBT youth.

Alex Lawther has been involved in climate activism with Extinction Rebellion.

Alex Lawther is a feminist and has critiqued the lack of diversity in the film industry.

Alex Lawther became involved with causes supporting refugees following his work in The Jungle and supports the charity Choose Love.

Alex Lawther has since received the London Film Critics' Circle Award for "Young British Performer of the Year" for The Imitation Game and the Dublin Film Critics Award for "Best Actor" for Departure.

Alex Lawther was named as one of BAFTA's Breakthrough Brits for 2015.

Alex Lawther's acting style has been compared favourably to actor Ben Whishaw, whom he cites as an idol of his.