The spooky season is upon us. While we all cosy up to watch our favourite horror movies and Halloween favourites, the film and television industry is hard at work on some new and exciting projects.

The leaves may be falling, but production is soaring with a range of exciting projects for our screens. From gritty biographical dramas to major comic book spin-offs and returning spy thrillers, here are some of the films and television shows currently filming across the UK and Ireland.

‘Ink’

Casting by Gail Stevens, CDG and Rebecca Farhall.

The rise and fall of global news tycoon Rupert Murdoch is documented in this new drama adaptation about the life of the man behind NewsCorp. Ink is directed by British filmmaker Danny Boyle, who has great experience with telling real-life stories, including Pistol (2022) and 127 Hours (2010). 

Oscar nominee and Spotlight member Guy Pearce will star as Murdoch and will be joined by Spotlight member Josh O’Connor playing Larry Lamb – the man hired to run The Sun when NewsCorp took it over. 

This exciting, gritty drama is currently shooting in Yorkshire and various locations around London. The release date is currently unknown.

‘Clayface’

Casting by Lucy Bevan, CDG and Katie Brydon, CDG.

Spotlight members Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie lead the cast of Clayface, the story of a shapeshifting creature who is haunting the streets of Gotham City. After his face is disfigured by a gangster, actor ‘Matt Hagen’ (played by Harries) turns to a scientist to transform his body into clay. Also appearing in this exciting new installment to the DC-verse are Max Minghella and Spotlight members Eddie Marsan and Jessica Grundle. 

This body horror film will be directed by James Watkins, whose previous work on horror films such as Speak No Evil, Eden Lake and The Woman in Black make him the perfect fit to tell the story of this creepy comic book villain. 

This Batman spin-off film is currently filming in Liverpool and London, and is scheduled to release in cinemas in September 2026.

‘The Beekeeper 2’

Casting by Finnian Tweed, CSA, CDG and Jade Rambaut.

Jason Statham is back as ‘Adam Clay’ in the sequel to The Beekeeper (2024), where we saw Clay set out on a mission of vengeance when someone close to him falls victim to a digital scam. The sequel will see Clay as he looks for revenge and uses his strengths to defeat those who wronged him. 

Statham leads the cast, alongside Pom Klementieff, Jeremy Irons and Spotlight member Jemma Redgrave. 

Currently filming in Shepperton Studios and scheduled to release in late 2026, The Beekeeper 2 will be directed by Timo Tjahjanto.

‘Black Doves (Season 2)’

Casting by Robert Sterne, CDG.

Kiera Knightley and Spotlight member Ben Whishaw return for the second season of the hugely popular spy thriller series Black Doves for Netflix, created by Joe Barton. 

The first season followed Knightley’s ‘Helen’ as she uncovered the murder of her lover whilst keeping her affair a secret from her husband, the British Defence Secretary. Thanks to the support of an old colleague and friend, ‘Sam’ (Whishaw), she managed to expose an underground crime organisation. 

The thrilling drama is set to return to Netflix in 2026, and is currently filming in London until the end of the year.  

‘Major Players’

Casting by Lucy Pardee, CDG.

Molly Manning Walker is back, after her recent hits How To Have Sex (2023) and Scrapper (2023), with this exciting new series produced by A24 for Channel 4 – Major Players. The six-part drama will tell the story of two young girls as they set out to start their own women’s football team.

Channel 4 say, “Inspired by Molly’s own experiences at high school, where the crowd control was more urgent than the education, the series is a love letter to football and a funny and wild exploration of young people in London today, tackling topics from friendship to gender politics.”

No cast has been announced yet, but as filming gets underway in various locations around the UK from now until the end of the year, we’re sure to hear more updates soon. 

‘Sweetsick’

Casting by Lara Manwaring, CDG.

Cate Blanchett stars in this curious new drama from award-winning British filmmaker Alice Birch, whose previous work includes Lady Macbeth (2016) and The Wonder (2022). Sweetsick tells the story of a woman who has a strange and unpredictable gift – she is able to see what people intimately need, which isn’t the blessing it might seem. 

A 2026 release is anticipated for this exciting new film, currently filming in Greece and various locations around the UK. It will be released by Disney.

‘The Split Up’

Casting by Sonia Allam, CDG.

The 2018 drama The Split is one of the BBC’s most popular dramas to date, starring Spotlight members Nicola Walker and Stephen Mangan. It told the story of a family of female lawyers who had to deal with their past resurfacing when their estranged father came back into their lives. 

The Split Up is a spin-off series to The Split, set in Manchester, where the family of the Kishans reigns over the divorce law circuit. Creator of The Split, Abi Morgan, will executive produce The Split Up whilst creator Ursula Rani Sarma will sit at the helm. 

Currently filming in Manchester from now until the end of the year, The Split Up will star Spotlight members Ritu Arya and Sanjeev Bhaskar and is expected to release at the end of 2026.

Here are some other productions that are coming to the end of their shooting dates: 

• Pride and Prejudice – The new adaptation of the Jane Austin classic for Netflix is still shooting in various locations up and down the country.
  Casting by Olivia Scott-Webb, CDG.
• The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power (Season 3) – The beloved fantasy series for Prime Video is still shooting on location in Dorset.
  Casting by Theo Park.
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day – The fourth installment of the Tom Holland led Spider-Man films is still filming in Glasgow and at Pinewood Studios.
  Casting by Sarah Finn.
• California Avenue –  Spotlight members Helena Bonham Carter and Bill Nighy star in this home grown film, which is close to wrapping production in Hertfordshire.
  Casting by Sam Jones, CDG.

Join Spotlight to be discovered by casting professionals working in theatre, film, TV, voice over, commercials and more! Find out about our membership options and start looking for auditions today.

The post What’s Filming in the UK and Ireland in November 2025 appeared first on Spotlight.

The 2025 Black British Theatre Awards took centre stage last night at the Piccadilly Theatre, delivering a powerful evening that celebrated Black excellence, artistry and legacy across UK theatre. 

The evening was filled with memorable moments – from dazzling performances from Beverley Knight, Alexandra Burke and the cast of Moulin Rouge, to a powerful acceptance speech from Spotlight member Shanay Holmes, who won the Best Female Lead Actor in a Musical Award for her performance as ‘Nancy’ in Oliver!. 

Heather Basten was honoured with the Best Casting Director Award, proudly sponsored by Spotlight – a nod to her pivotal work in ensuring diverse talent takes centre stage. We were also delighted to see plenty of Spotlight members among the winners, including Arinzé Kene, Emmanuel Akwafo, Cash Holland, Jay Perry, Cedric Neal and Jade Marvin. 

Full List of Winners for the Black British Theatre Awards 2025:

Spotlight members are indicated by a star* below.

Best Production – Play

• Shifters, Duke of York’s Theatre (WINNER)
• Alterations, National Theatre
• Pig Heart Boy, Unicorn Theatre and on tour

Best Male Lead Actor in a Play

• Arinzé Kene* – Alterations, National Theatre (WINNER)
• Kyle Ndukuba* – Romeo and Juliet, Belgrade Theatre
• Omari Douglas* – This Bitter Earth, Soho Theatre

Best Female Lead Actor in a Play

• Beverley Knight – Marie and Rosetta, The Rose Theatre (WINNER)
• Anne Odeke* – Princess Essex, Shakespeare’s Globe
• Suzanne Packer* – The Women of Llanrumney, Stratford East

Best Supporting Male Actor in a Play

• Emmanuel Akwafo* – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bridge Theatre (WINNER)
• Andre Antonio* – Romeo and Juliet, Belgrade Theatre
• Tyreke Leslie* – Princess Essex, Shakespeare’s Globe

Best Supporting Female Actor in a Play

• Cash Holland* – A Raisin in the Sun, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre (WINNER)
• Miranda Mufema* – Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre
• Nicola Hughes* – Intimate Apparel, Donmar Warehouse

Best Musical Production

• The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre (WINNER)
• MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre
• Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre

Best Male Lead Actor in a Musical

• Jay Perry* – Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre (WINNER)
• Jeevan Braich* – Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
• Newtion Matthews* – Kinky Boots, UK and Ireland tour

Best Female Lead Actor in a Musical

• Shanay Holmes* – Oliver!, Gielgud Theatre (WINNER)
• Georgina Onuorah* – Shucked, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Natalie Kassanga* – Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre

Best Supporting Male Actor in a Musical

• Cedric Neal* – Hadestown, Lyric Theatre (WINNER)
• CJ Borger* – Back To The Future The Musical, Adelphi Theatre
• Ryan Carter* – Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, UK tour

Best Supporting Female Actor in a Musical

• Jade Marvin* – Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre (WINNER)
• Georgia Bradshaw* – Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, UK tour
• Georgia Gillam* – Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, UK and Ireland tour

Best Child Performer (Under 16)

• Keilah Kofi* – The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre (WINNER)
• Chizaram Ochuba-Okafor* – Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, UK and Ireland tour
• Riley-Ann Nicholls Murphy – Our Mighty Groove, Sadler’s Wells East

Best Casting Director

• Heather Basten (WINNER)
• Selma Nicholls

Best Producer

• Chuchu Nwagu (WINNER)
• Mwansa Phiri

Best Director

• Lynette Linton – Intimate Apparel, Donmar Warehouse (WINNER)
• Prime Isaac – Bitch Boxer, Watford Palace Theatre
• Robin Belfield – Princess Essex, Shakespeare’s Globe

Best Musical Director

• Takisha Sargent – The Women of Llanrumney, Stratford East (WINNER)
• Ashton Moore – Play On!, UK tour
• Xana – Alterations, National Theatre

Best Choreographer or Movement Director

• Ingrid Mackinnon – Princess Essex, Shakespeare’s Globe (WINNER)
• Christopher Tendai – Cake: The Marie Antoinette Musical, The Other Palace
• Shelley Maxwell – Alterations, National Theatre

Best Dance Production or Performer

• Our Mighty Groove, Sadler’s Wells East and Uchenna Dance (WINNER)
• Ballet Black: Shadows, Hackney Empire
• Inside Giovanni’s Room, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Sadler’s Wells East

Best Sound and/or Lighting Design

• Eamonn O’Dwyer (WINNER)
• Joshua Harriette
• Warren “Flamin Beatz” Morgan-Humphreys

Theatre Design

• Georgie Lynch (WINNER)
• Bolu Dairo
• Stella-Jane Odoemelam

Book and Lyrics

• Trish Cooke (WINNER)
• Winsome Pinnock FRSL

Best Playwright

• Anne Odeke (WINNER)
• Coral Wylie
• Ntombizodwa Nyoni

LGBTQIA+ Champion

• Newtion Matthews* (WINNER)
• Johannes Radebe
• Layton Williams*

Best Teacher

• Stewart Avon-Arnold, Studio 59 (WINNER)
• Claudimar Neto, Insight Dance Company
• Kamara Gray, Artistry Youth Dance

Lord Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick Award

• Liam Godwin* (WINNER)

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Nicola Blackman* (WINNER)

From all of us at Spotlight, we want to say a huge congratulations to all the winners and nominees!

Read more industry news and see award nominations and winners.

The post The Winners of the Black British Theatre Awards 2025 appeared first on Spotlight.

The Spotlight Conference has come to an end and what a day it was. Thanks to all of the wonderful speakers, panellists and guests (both in person and online) who joined us to create such an inspiring event. The day was truly special and it was wonderful to see casting directors, agents and performers coming together to discuss key topics in the creative industry. We want to thank everyone for their participation and for sharing their unique perspectives. 

Congratulations to our honourees who were recognised at The Spotlight Conference for their work, which has profoundly shaped the industry. Legendary casting director Debbie McWilliams received The Spotlight Conference Lifetime Achievement in Casting Award. Casting director Shaheen Baig was the worthy recipient of The Spotlight Conference Discovery Award. And Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer at Paramount TV, was awarded The Spotlight Conference Broadcast Award.

Take a look at some of the highlights from the day:

The post Highlights from The Spotlight Conference 2025 appeared first on Spotlight.

Working on a blockbuster film like Jurassic World: Rebirth is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most people, especially a young actor. But this is exactly what Amber Joshi got to do as she received her first professional film credit as a body double for co-star Audrina Miranda.

We sat down with Amber and her father, Ajay, who chaperoned her throughout the three-month shoot, to talk about their experience working alongside well-known actors like Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey. Together, they take us behind the scenes of what being a body double entails, how they manage Amber’s schooling while on set, and their top tips for other young actors and their parents or guardians for embarking on a similar journey. Here’s what they shared:

Amber and Ajay’s body doubling and chaperoning insights:

• Manage your own expectations, as set life for a body double involves significant downtime and a lot of waiting.
• Be assertive and confident in advocating for your needs, like requesting breaks or verifying work hours, as production schedules can be unpredictable.
• Learn how to build beneficial relationships with crew members, such as the hair and make-up team, to get valuable insights and help you navigate the set.

Hi, Amber! What made you want to try acting?

Amber: My sister’s three years older than me, and she’s always wanted to be an actor. She loves singing, dancing and anything to do with being on TV or on stage. When she was seven, she started acting, and I would sometimes help out with the self-tapes for the auditions. That got me thinking, “Oh, this looks fun.” Then I started acting as well. 

What did you have to do for your audition for Jurassic World: Rebirth?

Amber: [I] did a self-tape first and had to send a video of me swimming.

Ajay: The only thing we knew at that point is that the child had to be good at swimming. They don’t tell you what it’s for. It might have said something about a film, but it was quite low-key.

Amber: After we sent the self-tape off, we got a call back for an in-person audition at Elstree Studios.

Ajay: That’s when they said the role was as a double.

Amber: There were five other girls there as well. We met one of the stunt people and we did some stunts and exercises. We had to pretend we were being chased by a dinosaur and fall into a mattress and pretend there was a massive dinosaur there, so that was interesting. 

After, we got split up and taken to the hair and make-up people. They measured and put cling film on our heads to make a shape in case they needed to make a wig for the person. Then, individually, we got taken into a room where we met the director [Gareth Edwards]. We read a script with him, and he told us a bit about the film and what we’d be doing.

Ajay: By this point, I’d had to sign an NDA. That’s when I found out what the film was. I started getting calls saying, “We need to check her height,” because they’d measured her as a certain height and we’d submitted a different number. They said, “Can you measure her when she’s back from school. These two inches will make or break whether she gets the role or not, because she needs to be the same height as [Audrina Miranda].” So we had to take pictures and WhatsApp them to the production team so that they could validate that she was that height. About an hour and a half later, they’d made an offer. 

At that time, we didn’t know that much about it, but it required us to leave in about two weeks. We were going to be away for three months – two months in Thailand and a month in Malta, then the following month back in the UK. I was going as the chaperone, so you go through a lot of different questions in your mind: Will my wife be okay? The girls have a roller-skating competition on this date and a synchronised swimming competition on this date, and all that kind of thing. 

Were you excited when you found out you’d be working on a major production like Jurassic World: Rebirth?

Amber: Yes, very. I was like, “Oh my god, this is the biggest thing I’ve ever done.” It was quite exciting!

Ajay: The difficult thing was that, because of the NDA, we were under extremely strict instructions not to say anything to anyone.

Amber: With school and stuff, it was quite hard. I had to tell people I wasn’t going to be there, but I couldn’t tell them why. My friends were all very confused.

Ajay: There was a lot that had to happen in a two-week window. They had to get a visa and a working visa for her, and in order to do that, they had to go to a high court judge and do a medical examination. 

With things like insurance, normally, you go on holiday and you have insurance, but the normal type of insurance won’t cover you for that duration of time. What happens if we’re not on set and she treads on some glass on the beach? I bought a separate insurance policy that covered both of us. Those are the sort of things that go through your mind before you’re leaving for such a long period of time.

Image credit: Ajay Joshi

How did you manage the demands of balancing a shoot schedule with schooling and rest?

Amber: Since I left during the holidays, I didn’t really have anything going on the first two days. We flew out and, when we got there, we met the tutor at the airport. When we got to the hotel, she talked to us about what was going to happen and how it was going to work. 

The funny thing was, the production didn’t have a room for the tutoring to happen in when I wasn’t on set. I had to have at least three and a max of five hours of tutoring each day, except for Saturday and Sunday. At first, we did it in my dad’s room, because it had a desk. They moved us into Mahershala Ali’s suite when he left. It was three massive rooms right next to each other with interconnecting doors.

Ajay: It’s part of the licence agreement that they have to provide a tutor. The tutor is paid for by the production company, so they do have a responsibility to the child, but at the same time, their responsibility is also to the production company. I struggled a lot with that because you’d only get told, maybe the morning of each day, how long she was going to be tutored for. It could be, “Okay, Amber’s going to do three hours today, or we can do five hours and see how it goes.” 

Obviously, that’s a very different environment from being in school. In school, you’ve got other children. There were only two children on the entire set. Amber’s school in St. Albans were wonderful though. They created a whole teaching plan on Google Classroom and called it ‘Amber’s Hollywood Homework’. 

How did you deal with boredom on those days when you weren’t needed on set?

Amber: My parents bought me a Kindle so I wouldn’t have to bring loads of books with me. That was really helpful. I could just sit down and read. Annoyingly, for my dad’s sake, I had downloaded a lot of riddle books. So every break, I would be like, “Hey, Dad, what’s the answer to this riddle?” Sometimes we would play card games in our spare time.

Ajay: We’re lucky she was patient, because you’ll find that there’s a lot of waiting and a lot of not knowing. You’ve got to be on standby pretty much the whole time in case someone knocks on the door. The hair and make-up team were brilliant. They were very insightful in terms of, “We think you might get some action on this day, but probably not on that day.” That became our routine – every morning, she would go to hair and make-up, have a really nice chat with the team there, and then you just waited to see how the rest of the day turned out. 

My wife said, “You need to go and visit animal sanctuaries,” but in Thailand at that time of year, it was extremely hot and then it was monsoon season. It was a very physical shoot, because you’re 10 miles out to sea, or you’re in a jungle, or you’re in a quarry. It’s either really hot or really wet and then it would get dark by about 6:15pm. I was trying to keep Amber to a schedule of going to bed by 8pm, because you could get a WhatsApp at any time in the evening saying, “Tomorrow you’re being picked up at this time.” 

At the same time, you want her to be a child and have some time in the pool and build a bond and relationship with Audrina. Luckily, the girls got on really well, so that was nice to be able to bond with Audrina’s mum, because compared to everyone else, it was a different experience for us.

What kind of things did you have to do as a body double?

Amber: The main shots that I was in were ones focused on other characters, and normally, it’s just the blurred character in the background or the top of the head. Mainly, they did drone shots where it was from far away, from behind, from in the water. So, you can’t at any point see my face. And if you did, they would put Audrina’s face on my face and merge it. It was quite fun getting to know all the other actors. We got along quite well, but when I wasn’t working, I would be sitting in a tent or a trailer waiting to see if I was needed or not.

Ajay: A lot of the time, she was used to set the camera up. By the time we were in Malta, they were saying, “Okay, time for the B team to come out.” There were loads of other types of doubles and stunt doubles, and every location we went to, you had different people in the same costume wandering around. You had to work out which one was Scarlett [Johansson] and which one wasn’t. 

They’d call Amber first, get the scenes and the cameras all set up with other people, and then she’s released and Audrina steps up. It’s fascinating because obviously, they looked pretty much identical throughout it.

Did you get to meet Scarlett Johansson or Jonathan Bailey while working on set?

Amber: Yeah. I met them when we were doing rehearsals. I didn’t really do any main shots with them. They were all really nice. One time, Scarlett came with her kids to our hotel, and I hung out with her daughter, who is a similar age to me, and we got along quite well.

Ajay: Yes, we fortunately did get to meet Scarlett and her family. They were all lovely and she was very down to earth. Once we got back to the UK, there was a lot more time spent as a collective. That’s where you get to see the different characters of Jonathan and Scarlett. She was exceptionally generous in terms of providing food trucks for the entire crew, pretty much every week, for free. All of the other actors contributed, too. 

Are there any funny or memorable moments from the shoot you can share?

Amber: We were filming the cave scene, and we were all swimming. I think someone who was in the water said something funny, and we were all laughing. And one of the main characters was next to me, and he was struggling to swim, and I thought he was about to drown. So I put my hand underneath his chin and kept on swimming with my hand underneath his chin. He said, “Thank you. I would have drowned.”

Ajay: It became a running joke. Every time Manuel [Garcia-Rulfo] saw Amber, he said, “Amber, you saved my life.” He’s six-foot-two, so I’m not entirely sure that she saved his life.

Amber: I did.

Ajay: We were out at sea past Valletta, and we’re basically just sitting on this trawler-type boat. It’s really hot, and you’re just bobbing around, waiting for someone to call you onto the actual boat that they’re shooting on. We quite enjoyed being on those boats, because you got to talk to other people. The rest of the time, whether it’s a night or day shoot, you’ll basically eat in your trailer or a tent. You can’t wander around because they need to know where you are at all times, so it’s just the two of you. So being on that boat was quite nice. 

Image credit: Ajay Joshi / Amber on the set of ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’

What are some of the challenges of working on a large-scale production like Jurassic World: Rebirth from a chaperone’s perspective?

Ajay: As a chaperone, you have to be really conscious of all of the different rules and license agreements. The production team were great, and they were very conscious of it too, but ultimately, she’s your child and you’re responsible, so you need to be the one to make sure that she’s comfortable with what they’re asking her to do.

You do feel like you’re forgotten about sometimes, because it’s such a big project. So, you do need to make sure that you are consciously checking to say, “Can we have lunch now?” You can’t assume that they’re going to come and remember that you’re sitting in a tent or a trailer.

Creating that expectation management with Amber about what each day was going to involve did become quite challenging. It might be that I get the WhatsApp after she’s gone to bed, so she’s gone to bed not knowing what the next day is going to be for her. That became a bit challenging, particularly when they were trying to bank as many tutoring hours as possible just in case they needed her on certain days for longer.

You need to be able to consciously track that, because sometimes the tutor will provide spreadsheets to the production team, but not to you. So, you need to be writing down how many hours they’ve done, and then having the conversation to say, “Hang on, we’ve done almost 25 hours this week. That’s the maximum you can do. What’s the plan for next week?” You’ve got to be quite assertive in that respect.

What has the experience taught you? Would you accept other body double roles in the future?

Amber: It depends what it’s for. I liked it, but there was a lot of waiting around and sometimes I didn’t even do anything. The tutoring was quite boring because it was literally just me and another person, and there was a glass window [in our tutor room] that looked right into the pool, so you could see everyone else swimming while you’re doing your tutoring. That was very tempting.

Ajay: If someone’s really keen to explore what the scale of a production is like, then it’s a really good way from a relatively low-pressure perspective to see the scope of what’s involved. I’m not giving too much away, but there were not many dinosaurs that we actually shot with. It’s all tennis balls on a stick type thing. So you see the nuts and bolts of what really happens. It’s a lot of waiting, and you are a very small piece in a very big cog. So, if your child is capable of doing that, then it can be a really eye-opening experience for the industry. But if they’re not, then that becomes a bit of a nightmare.

On the flip side, it could give you a real taste for it. When other jobs have been coming in, Amber has been saying, “I only want to do this if I’m actually involved in it.” It creates a tremendous amount of confidence for the child. You’ve got your eyes open to what it will entail. 

If you go into it thinking, “This is amazing, it’s a Hollywood film, I’m going to do loads of acting and be at the centre of it all,” it could be a bit of a shock to the system. You’ve got to understand what your role is. It’s an important role because they couldn’t have done it without her, but at the same time, the priority is going to be the actor that they’ve actually cast.

What advice would you give to other young performers to prepare for the experience of being on set?

Amber: Don’t be too overly excited all the time, because the more you’re excited, the more you might be disappointed if you don’t do anything. Bring something on set that you can do in your spare time so you’re not just sitting around doing nothing. And be prepared that you won’t always do something, you might do so much, and then you might not do anything the next day. It’s very varied and you’re very on the edge. You don’t know what’s going to happen until the very end of the day.

What advice would you give to other parents of young performers about being on set?

Ajay: It’s this weird dichotomy of having control, but then at the same time having no control. You’ve just got to be on it as much as you can and develop the relationships with the people who have the information. We created some really good friendships with the hair and make-up team. They’d all just finished Gladiator II, so they’re going, “Wait until you get to Malta. That’s going to be a different type of heat.” So, they help you navigate through the lack of control. 

Packing was quite an interesting thing, because I’ve never had to go away for three months before. You’re going to need lots of clothes for the jungle, for beaches, for swamps and things like that. And then, obviously, you’ve got to navigate washing, getting stuff sorted out behind the scenes. In Malta, it was extremely expensive to get anything washed in the hotel, so we just bought washing powder and did it in the bath. You learn little hacks that you wouldn’t normally have to do when you’re at home.

How do you advocate for Amber’s needs during filming?

Ajay: If there are things that you’re not comfortable with or your child’s not comfortable doing, you have to say. There was a lot of physical stuff on this project. Amber would be in caves and out at sea and on boats. So you need to maintain that honesty with your child and have the relationship in order to be able to say, “I’m not sure.” That didn’t have to happen on this shoot as much, but you just need to always be conscious and thinking about that.

Some of the difficulty comes when you’re called to go on set. Children will be really familiar with the script and the scenes and the ones that they’re in, and they can work it out faster than the adult can about whether they’re actually going to be needed or not. Then you get, “Hang on, they’re doing a different scene. I’m not going to be needed, Daddy.” Trying to keep spirits up in that respect is quite important.

Don’t be afraid to have conversations with people, saying, “When are we being wrapped?” You need to figure it out yourself from when you’ve got onto set and then work out the hours, and the licence is different for whether it’s a night shoot versus a day shoot and what time you started. So you’re clock watching to make sure that you’re not being taken advantage of, which didn’t happen on this, but I think that’s the stuff that you need to go into with your eyes open.

Image credit: Ajay Joshi

Finally, what would be your dream role?

Amber: I prefer plays to on-screen acting. With plays, you do it one time and it’s final. With screen, you can redo it and redo it and redo it. There’s less pressure, but it’s less magical. I would love to be a main character in the future so I can use my experience from this production.

Actionable Insights 

From navigating auditions and NDAs to managing downtime on set, Amber and Ajay’s story provides a realistic look into the industry, highlighting the importance of preparation, patience, and perspective. Here are some of their top tips for new performers and their parents:

• Bring something to do: Set life involves a lot of waiting. Bring a book, a game, or anything to occupy your time so you’re not just sitting around.
• Be patient and manage expectations: Understand that your role, while important, is one small piece of a huge production. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get much action; waiting is a big part of the job.
• Stay adaptable and assertive: You might not always know the schedule in advance. Be prepared for last-minute changes and don’t be afraid to advocate for your own needs or breaks.
• Build relationships: Making friends with the crew — especially the hair and make-up team — can provide you with useful information and help you navigate the chaos of a large set.

A massive thanks to Amber and Ajay for sharing their amazing experience with us! 

‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ is available to digitally buy or rent now.

Take a look at our website for tips and advice for young performers and parents, and more interviews and casting stories.

The post Body Doubling for ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ appeared first on Spotlight.

It’s time we properly acknowledged the vital contribution of young performers to the UK’s creative industries. Despite their essential talent, the current regulations leave these performers vulnerable, lacking crucial financial and safeguarding protections across a confusing licensing patchwork. 

This article explores the urgent need for a cohesive government review to secure a safer and more uniform future for every child on stage and screen.

What You’ll Learn in This Article:

• The current system for regulating UK child performers is failing to keep up with technical developments, with licensing often treated as an educational issue by the Department for Education (DfE) rather than a cultural one by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
• Despite existing legislation, there is a “local authority lottery” for licences, leading to inconsistencies in safeguarding, education provision and the standards for chaperones.
• The Agents of Young Performers Association (AYPA) and Spotlight are actively lobbying the government for a comprehensive review and update of the 2014 Regulations, aiming for a uniform, joined-up licensing system.
• There’s a lack of legal financial protections for young performers’ earnings, an issue the AYPA and Spotlight wish to see addressed.
• The need for reform is urgent, given the exponential growth in roles for young performers on both stage and screen.

Young performers are an essential part of the creative industries. Whether or not these performers progress their careers into adulthood, or stop acting before they turn 18, they’re a vital component of our cultural output on stage and on screen. But their contribution is not often given the credit it deserves.

The number of creative opportunities for young performers has grown exponentially over the last decade. On stage, shows like Matilda, The Lion King and Oliver! regularly use child performers for lead roles and rely on their talent, professionalism and dedication in the same way an adult actor would be expected to deliver. 

On screen, we’ve seen an increase in the number of roles given to young performers, most significantly the television adaptation of HBO’s Harry Potter series, currently in production. A new generation will be introduced to ‘Harry’, ‘Ron’ and ‘Hermione’ as young British actors Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton take on the roles made famous by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. 

The Value and Growth of Young UK Talent

The work of young performers is regulated largely by the Children (Performances and Activities) Regulations 2014. These regulations were intended to:

• Improve the safeguarding for young performers.
• Help young performers get the most out of their experiences working in the entertainment sector.
• Set out requirements around chaperones.

They established a new licensing framework that set conditions for:

• Working hours
• Breaks (including for rehearsals)
• Provided provisions to make sure that a young performer’s education wouldn’t be negatively affected by any time away from school.
  

The regulations were a significant shift in how young performers were able to perform safely and, for over a decade, have provided the backbone for licensing by Local Authorities across the country.

However, it’s not perfect. The licensing system is uneven. We have no single system for granting licences to perform and it’s not joined up. Without any connectedness, consecutive licences can be granted, leaving young performers without sufficient breaks in working or without the appropriate amount of education provided. 

The requirements for chaperones aren’t always to the highest standard, nor are they always engaged for work outside of rehearsals and performances, such as for costume fittings or chemistry reads.

The Flaw in the Foundation: Uneven Regulation

The problems stem from a lack of Governmental oversight. The lead Government department for young performers is actually the Department for Education (DfE) because the overview is seen as time away from education, not the value of the experience working in the creative industries. 

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has no involvement in the delivery of licences or their oversight. A failure to understand the needs of the creative sector and how it works means that young performers are at risk of losing out on opportunities, losing out on their education or being put at risk simply because the licensing arrangements don’t reflect the environment they’re being applied to. 

Securing the Future: The Push for a Comprehensive Review

Spotlight has been working with the Agents of Young Performers Association (AYPA) to lobby the Government to improve the protections of young performers. 

With the help of Baroness Floella Benjamin, the driving force behind the 2014 Regulations, we are working to keep the Government to its commitment to review the Regulations 10 years after they were introduced. Following our collective intervention during the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools’ Bill, the Government has agreed that a review is needed, and we’ll be pressing the Government to meet that commitment. 

We’d like to see a comprehensive review involving the licensing authorities and, crucially, those people who represent young performers when they’re working, whether that be a parent or guardian, or their agent, as well as representatives from the industry working with those performers. 

It’s vital that the experience of how our industry works informs and shapes those protective requirements that allow young performers to work safely but maximise their opportunities. We must make sure that they are given all the chances they deserve to showcase their talent and skills but do so in a safe and supportive environment. 

Here at Spotlight, we’re looking forward to continuing our work with AYPA and others as we move towards a review of the Regulations and a better understanding of how young performers benefit from our sector.

Essential Steps for New Young Performers

While the industry works tirelessly to ensure the necessary legislative changes are made, parents and guardians of young performers beginning their careers must be proactive. Navigating the current fragmented system requires diligence to safeguard education and well-being. Here are crucial steps to ensure your experience is both safe and professionally rewarding:

• Verify licensing and breaks: Always confirm that your Local Authority licence is current and valid for the production, and strictly track that your child receives the required rest periods and sufficient breaks between consecutive performances.
• Prioritise education: Parents or guardians should ensure any provisions for tutoring or time off school, as mandated by the Department for Education (DfE) guidelines, are meticulously tracked and adhered to.
• Insist on professional chaperones: Demand that a fully vetted chaperone of the highest standard is present not just for the performance, but also for all work, including activities such as costume fittings and chemistry reads.
• Establish financial protection: Given the current lack of statutory protection for young performers’ wages, you should establish a dedicated Trust Account to legally safeguard your child’s earnings until they reach adulthood.
• Seek reputable representation: Choose an agent who is a member of recognised bodies, such as the Agents of Young Performers Association (AYPA), to ensure they operate with the highest professional and ethical standards.

Kelly Wiffen is Head of Public Affairs at Spotlight, working on our engagement with Government, Parliament and other political organisations. She engages Spotlight’s partners across the creative industries to showcase our role in the sector and is currently working on a variety of issues, including employment rights, young performers’ safeguarding and Brexit. She previously worked at both the advertising and broadcasting regulators, Equity and was Head of Public Affairs for Arts Council England.

The post UK Child Performer Safety: Our Call for Urgent Reform appeared first on Spotlight.

Drama-doc is a fascinating space for actors and every choice about tone and style matters. Too much can jar against the factual elements of the show. Too little and the story loses impact. The art is finding the right balance for the material. 

I’ve recently cast two shows at complete opposite ends of the spectrum – one a visual epic and the other a raw, stripped-back production so in this article I wanted to drill down on these different production approaches and how performance sits central in both.

What you’ll learn in this article:

• Some of the storytelling methods, techniques and aesthetics used in drama-documentaries. 
• The need to uncover different dimensions of well-known characters to bring something new.
• When to strip back on ‘performance’ to capture the tone and truth of a real person.
• The power to be found in non-dialogue performance.

Storytelling on an Epic Scale

I cast three seasons of US drama-doc, Jesus Crown of Thorns. It’s bold, heightened and visually epic. Shot on location in Morocco, it could be Game of Thrones in scale and ambition. 

With a large cast combining full-scale drama with talking heads, it demanded performances with fire and intensity. The director, Hereward Pelling, wanted it to feel more like a political thriller than a traditional Bible story, so we were constantly pushing away from familiar archetypes. 

For Judas, for example, rather than settling for a one-note portrayal, we explored him as a man in deep turmoil, wrestling with impossible choices and unwilling to betray a friendship lightly. Like any strong drama, it was about layering performances, uncovering different dimensions of our well-known characters and rooting their motivations in something human. This is particularly exciting for a story everyone has seen and heard multiple times.

Casting Ahmed Elmusrati as ‘Judas’ really encapsulated this. From his very first tapes to working in the room, he brought a beautiful vulnerability that made his performance compelling and really moving. He was far more than just ‘Judas, the bad guy who gave up Jesus.’ He read the scripts exactly as we hoped he would, embraced that complexity instinctively and instantly made the character so much more relatable. He placed him in the present, which was a choice I really wanted to see.

When asked about working on the role, Ahmed said, “It was so rewarding because the writing gave space to explore his conflict and humanity, torn between faith, loyalty and outside pressures. That depth made him layered rather than one-dimensional.”  He continues, “It never made sense to me that someone so close would betray without conflict and this story captured that with real emotional intelligence. Now, whenever I hear the name Judas, I don’t just think of a traitor. I think of a human being caught in a complex situation. For me, it was the truest portrayal of Judas because it was so human.”

Stripping Performance Back to the Bare Essentials

By contrast, Disaster at Sea: The Piper Alpha Story for the BBC (directed by Emma Frank) had a very minimalist production style. Scenes of the actors sitting at desks in the conference hall with only a glass of water and a mic in front of them (as the men did in the original Cullen Enquiry) were harshly lit. The performances used verbatim testimony from the men who survived that night. Everything was stripped back to the essentials.

When casting Piper Alpha, I wanted to see actors who were able (brave enough even) to strip any sense of ‘performance’ away, to really capture who these men were and what they were saying. I know it’s a lot to ask for, that stillness, but it never fails to blow me away when I see it.

Throughout the programme, we see footage of real survivors and their families, so it was essential that nothing felt overly performed as we cut from real people to actors. It was brutally intimate and incredibly moving. The actors had to capture the tone of the person with real sensitivity, often delivering dialogue straight to camera with every pause felt, every beat capturing the pain for the men re-living the night. It takes incredible talent to pull that off.

Nicholas Boulton as Bob Ballantyne in ‘Disaster At Sea – The Piper Alpha Story’. Image credit: BBC Studios Productions Ltd

Nicholas Boulton who represented Bob Ballantyne in the series, puts it beautifully: “I felt a very strong sense that I had a duty of care, not least on account of the fact that Bob’s widow and other relations would almost certainly see the documentary and that perhaps powerful and traumatic memories of the disaster would be reawakened by it, but also to Bob himself, with great respect for his dignity and integrity as a human being. It was humbling and shocking to explore in detail what he and his friends and colleagues went through that night. I watched as much archive footage of him as was available to get the best sense of who he was and how he seemed to respond to what had happened. 

I wanted to honour his quiet strength of character in a way that felt true to me – and found myself stepping in a direction away from what might have been perhaps shallower impersonation and towards what was for me a deeper and more personal emotional truth, all the while still remaining as true as possible to Bob’s appearance and physicality. It’s a tightrope walk, but one that is ultimately satisfying. I was very moved watching the finished documentary. It really felt that the right balance had been struck between the re-enactment of the disaster, the acted transcripts of the inquiry and the extraordinary testimony of the survivors, their relatives and other witnesses. A truly collaborative experience.

This sense of care and responsibility was echoed throughout the cast, and as a result, it was great to see reviews call out and praise the actors for such thoughtful performances. One review that stood out was in The Guardian: “The shocking story is skilfully told by those unfussy dramatisations of the survivors’ words, as the actors leave us in no doubt about how deeply traumatised the men were by their experience. A grim and difficult task is performed with care.”

Performing in Drama-Documentaries

Across both of these very different projects, actors are digging deep, serving the story and the director’s vision. The intensity of the performances can resonate with audiences, whether it’s reliving events from recent history or as a retelling of a story with deep cultural and emotional resonance.

Actors get to draw on meticulous historical research, community experience, and often the real words of those who lived the stories. That’s both the challenge and the reward. 

I love Anthony Boyle’s reflection on playing IRA soldier Brendan Hughes in FX’s Say Nothing – a role deeply personal to him, coming from the community of West Belfast. In an interview with Decider, Boyle comments on how he “used to walk past the murals of Brendan going to school,” and so he found himself “relaxed” in the role, given how familiar he found everything. He added, “It felt like the least acting I’ve ever had to do. It’s probably the most honest performance I’ve ever given.” 

In another interview with Gold Derby, Boyle spoke about his performance and the need to examine the human side of someone as renowned as Brendan Hughes. He said, “They’re not paintings on the wall, they’re real breathing people, and if we want to do them justice, if we want to do the story justice, you’ve got to bring it down and get to the humanity of them as opposed to the mythology of them.’”

Non-Dialogue Performance

I want to touch on the sometimes thorny issue of non-dialogue performance and how it’s perceived. I know actors often worry this is somehow ‘less’, but I’d say look at how it’s being used and then decide. 

In epic productions, silent moments punctuate the drama, giving the audience space to absorb scale and consequence. I’ve worked on some brilliant BBC drama-docs with award-winning directors where we’ve used drama without dialogue and attracted great actors who usually work in scripted drama. These actors have been willing to look twice at this work when I show them examples of what we’re doing. 

These silent performances are not seen as background, but as the heartbeat of the story – central and integral to the director’s vision. Paired with expert narration, they become the bridge between fact and feeling. These are the moments where an actor’s face, gesture, or physicality carries the weight of our story. A soldier’s hand trembling as they write a letter, a parent’s stillness as they wait for news, a glance exchanged between protestors. There can be immense emotional connection and power in these quiet, wordless performances when delivered with honesty and truth by talented actors. 

Just like in any drama, the classic ‘show, don’t tell’ rule of acting holds. In these moments, we let the performance speak for itself, rather than spelling it out in words and that often gives us the truest sense of the stakes at play.

I never underestimate the skill it takes to hold a scene, to inform an audience, to evoke emotion and power without a single word.

Nikki’s Tips:

From epic, dramatic retellings to stripped-back, minimalist productions, the core of a powerful performance always lies in finding the human truth of a character. By focusing on these key principles, you can elevate your work no matter the project.

• Embrace the complexity of a role by moving beyond archetypes and finding the layered humanity in every character.
•  Don’t shy away from projects with limited dialogue; use moments of stillness and physical expression to convey emotion and drive the story forward. Non-dialogue moments are crucial opportunities to convey a story’s heart and emotional weight.
• Find the bravery to strip away the ‘performance’ and capture the tone and truth of a real person with sensitivity and respect.

Unlock your potential. Join Spotlight and connect with casting directors for thousands of roles in TV, film, theatre and more.

Nikki Meadows is a UK-based Casting Director working across television and film in both the UK and the US, with a focus on factual drama and high-end drama documentaries. She is a full member of the Casting Directors’ Guild, the Casting Directors Association and a voting member of BAFTA.

The post Finding the Humanity in Drama-Documentary Acting appeared first on Spotlight.

The Spotlight Conference, a brand new event bringing together performers, agents and casting professionals, has announced its full programme of speakers and sessions. Taking place on 21 October 2025, the Conference provided a crucial platform for open and honest conversations about the industry’s future, from the role of technology to the evolving dialogue around diversity.

In September 2025, Spotlight members had the chance to apply for a free ticket to The Spotlight Conference. Even if you weren’t successful in applying for one, you could still join some of The Spotlight Conference sessions online via livestream.

Whether you attended the event in-person or watched along online, here are the sessions and speakers from The Spotlight Conference 2025:

Honouring Industry Icons

The Conference honoured three extraordinary individuals whose work has profoundly shaped the performing arts.

The Spotlight Conference Lifetime Achievement in Casting Award goes to legendary casting director Debbie McWilliams. Known for her iconic work on every James Bond film from 1981-2021, Debbie discovered three Bonds – Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig – and helped diversify the franchise. 

The Spotlight Conference Broadcast Award is presented to Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer at Paramount UK, for his outstanding contribution to job growth. Under his leadership, public service broadcaster 5 (formerly known as Channel 5) has become a leader in homegrown content, commissioning a record-breaking 100+ hours of new UK drama this year alone, and sustaining vital jobs in children’s television.

The Spotlight Conference Discovery Award is presented to pioneering casting director and recent Emmy Award winner, Shaheen Baig, for her unwavering commitment to new talent. Celebrated for championing diverse and authentic voices in projects like Peaky Blinders, Boiling Point, and the 2025 Emmy Award-winning Adolescence, Shaheen is a dedicated advocate for underrepresented talent.

The Spotlight Conference 2025 Programme

The day’s programme was designed to take attendees on a chronological journey, exploring the foundations that have shaped the industry, confronting the issues of today, and collectively building the future.

Welcome Address & Foundations for the Future – A Keynote From Lifetime Award recipient Debbie McWilliams
10 – 11am, Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre

The Spotlight Conference will open with a welcome address, laying the groundwork for an inspiring day. Debbie McWilliams will then share her keynote, offering insights from her four-decade career of talent discovery. The session will be moderated by casting director Kate Rhodes James.

Now Screening: Image, Voice and Your Digital Footprint
10 – 11am, GBS Theatre

Next, industry consultant and former co-chair of the PMA (Personal Managers Association), Kelly Andrews, delves into actors’ public image and private lives in the age of social media. She’ll be joined on stage by agents Rebecca Blond and Hayley Ori, along with casting director Jessica Jeffries. The discussion will address digital scrutiny and moral obligation clauses, plus how agents and actors (particularly those who are self-represented) can protect their brand.

DEI on Pause: Safeguarding Diverse Casting Pathways
11.30am – 12.30pm, Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre

Despite the progress that has been made in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), many now feel these hard-won gains are facing setbacks. Spotlight’s expert panel of leading advocates from the racial, disability and LGBTQ+ DEI spaces – Melanie Hoyes (BFI), Nahrein Kemp (ITV), Marcus Ryder (Film and TV Charity), Daniel Edwards CDG, Kelly Valentine Hendry CDG, actors Ash Palmisciano and Gabriella Leon, and agent Ryan Iosco Holmes –will share insights drawn from real-world experiences and data. 

Thriving! Not Just Surviving: Fostering a Sustainable and Collaborative Ecosystem
11.30am – 12.30pm, GBS Theatre

Designed for performers and their representatives who are committed to creating a more resilient community, this session will provide concrete, actionable advice for all creative professionals. The panel includes InterTalent’s managing director and talent agent, Alex Segal, tax advisor and accountant from Streets, John Donegan and actor Jonny Weldon. 

Outstanding Contribution: A Fireside Chat with Ben Frow
12.40 – 1.10pm, Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre

Come celebrate Ben Frow’s visionary pivot from unscripted shows to high-quality, homegrown content. Moderated by Andy Brierley CDG, with soecial guest Tamzin Outhwaite, this chat will explore the strategic thinking behind Ben’s success and what it means for the future of British broadcasting. 

From Breakdown to Broadcast: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Commercial Castings
12.40 – 1.20pm, GBS Theatre

This session pulls back the curtain on the fast-paced world of commercials and the advertising industry. Gain valuable insight from a panel of leading commercials experts  – Ali Fearnley CDA, Hannah Birkett CDA, director Max Fisher, Chris Walker (Director of Public and External Affairs at the Advertising Association) and Miranda Heffernan (Head of Commercials at The Artists Partnership)– on topics like the pace of commercial casting, the art of the self-tape, and a deep dive into the submission processes.

Artificial Intelligence and The Casting Process
2 – 2.50pm, Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre

We bring together an influential panel of industry leaders to explore rapid technological advancements and address significant questions around the licensing and use of data, especially with self-tapes and photos. Speakers include Rishi Coupland (BFI), casting director Manuel Puro, Lana Veenker ICDA and David Zitzlsperger (Founder of Filmmakers Europe).

Casting for Stage: How Casting Directors Cast
2 – 2.50pm, GBS Theatre

Dive deep into the specific, nuanced world of theatrical casting with our expert panel including Nadine Rennie CDG, Alastair Coomer CDG (Director of Casting at the National Theatre) and Annelie Powell CDG. From subsidised houses to commercial West End productions, regional theatres and fringe companies, this session is an essential exploration of the processes that define casting for the stage.

The Human Future of Talent Discovery: A Conversation with Shaheen Baig & Friends
3 – 3.50pm, Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre

Join acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning casting director Shaheen Baig as she leads a discussion that champions the human element as a priority asset in casting. The panel will share their practises for discovering and nurturing underrepresented actors who may otherwise have never found their way onto our screens. The session will be moderated by Charles Gant of Screen International and, alongside Shaheen, speakers include director, writer, producer and actor Philip Barantini, actor and founder of Open Door, David Mumeni, CEO of WeAreBridge, Axa Hynes, and actor George MacKay.

The Resilience Toolkit: Navigating Feedback and Industry Pressure
3 – 3.50pm, GBS Theatre

In an industry where ‘no’ is the most common answer, we go beyond simple advice to build empathy, ignite change and equip every professional with a toolkit to thrive in a competitive industry. Speakers include specialist counsellor and founder of Centre Stage Therapy, Annie Jones, theatre director and artistic director of Queer Theatre, Andrew Keates, managing director and agent at Sainou Talent Agent, David Marsden, and Rachel Freck CDG.

Unintended Consequences: Playing Out the Next Five Years
4 – 4.55pm, Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre

This interactive session will discuss upcoming policy shifts and their potential to create both benefits and unforeseen consequences for the industry. Using The Spotlight Conference app, attendees can vote in real-time on whether proposed changes will improve or hinder the collective future of the creative sector. Spotlight’s managing director, Matt Hood, will moderate this session and will be joined on stage by Kelly Andrews, United Agents Kirk Whelan Foran, BECS Tayyiba Nasser, agent Kate Staddon (Curtis Brown), Ross Grant (Act on This) and performer Tamzin Outhwaite.   

Picture Perfect: Nailing Your Headshot Session with YellowBelly Photography
4 – 5pm, GBS Theatre

Join Jackson and Liv, from internationally renowned photography studio YellowBelly, for an honest and inspiring talk on the art, purpose, and power of the modern acting headshot. Whether you’re a drama student or a seasoned performer, this is a practical, empowering session designed to help you understand and take ownership of your professional image — the YellowBelly way.

Keep an eye on our News and Advice page for our upcoming recap on The Spotlight Conference 2025.

The post The Spotlight Conference Lineup Revealed appeared first on Spotlight.

Last updated on 16 October 2025

Whether you need help to make ends meet, support your child in education or face challenges through illness, injury, age, or unexpected circumstances, there’s advice and support should you need it.

You’re not alone, and organisations exist to assist performers in their time of need, often set up by people who have had similar experiences and understand what you’re going through. No matter what career stage you’re at, or what role you played in the performing arts, there’s a charity or foundation who can help you.

Charities Who Help Performers:

• Acting for Others – Provides financial and emotional support to theatre workers in times of need through their 14 member charities. actingforothers.co.uk
• Actors’ Trust – Gives support for actors and stage managers who are facing challenges with their finances, physical and vocal health, and mental health. They also provide resources to help with your career, and assistance with building a network within the industry, which can sometimes feel isolating. www.actorstrust.org.uk
• British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) – Provides medical advice to people working and studying in the performing arts, helping you overcome work-related health problems. www.bapam.org.uk
• The Actors’ Children’s Trust (ACT) – Awards childcare grants and education support to help working actors cover the costs of their child’s care and education. actorschildren.org
• Dancers’ Career Development (DCD) – Helps support dancers who want to evolve into a career beyond performing. Dancers can get a bespoke programme of support to help progress to the next phase of working life. thedcd.org.uk
• Dance Professionals Fund – Provides financial grants to dance professionals of all ages facing illness or injury and can support everyday living costs or with crisis funding. They also offer confidential advice and financial support through a range of specialist bursary schemes. www.dancefund.org.uk
• Denville Hall – A residential home for members of the theatrical profession. They provide support for residential care, enhanced residential care, nursing care, dementia care, palliative care and short stay, with nurses and carers on duty 24 hours a day. www.denvillehall.org.uk
• The Drury Lane Theatrical Fund – Financial help for subscribers and, where possible, performers and stage management who have worked at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane who have been forced to retire, through age or ill health. www.drurylanefund.com
• The Equity Charitable Trust – Offers financial help when you need it most with welfare grants to help when faced with an unforeseen medical, financial or professional event. They offer debt or benefits advice and help with overcoming an accident or paying a bill to get you back on your feet. www.equitycharitabletrust.org.uk/financial-help
• The Evelyn Norris Trust – Provides holiday grants of up to £1000 to members of the concert, performing and theatrical professions who are convalescing, undergoing treatment, are in poor health or need a longed-for break. www.equitycharitabletrust.org.uk/other-grants/evelyn-norris-trust
• The King George V Fund for Actors and Actresses – Awards grants to British actors and actresses aged 60+ who have been acting for at least 15 years and are in need of financial help. www.kinggeorgevfund.com/about-us
• The Ralph and Meriel Richardson Foundation – Helps to relieve the need, hardship or distress of British actors (and their spouses and children) who find themselves in less fortunate circumstances. Applicants will need to have professionally practised or contributed to the Theatrical Arts – on stage, film, television or radio – for a minimum of 15 years. www.sirralphrichardson.org.uk
• The Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund – Provides confidential advice, emotional support and financial assistance to past and present employees (and their dependents) of the Royal Opera House and Birmingham Royal Ballet who need help. www.roh.org.uk/about/benevolent-fund
• The Royal Theatrical Fund – Support for people who have worked, or work, in the theatrical profession and are in need as a result of illness, accident or old age. They provide grants, assist with shortfalls in nursing and residential homes fees, give advice about benefits and debt as well, or offer a friendly ear if you need to talk. www.trtf.com
• The Royal Variety Charity – Provides financial assistance in the form of grants to those who have worked professionally in the entertainment industry. They also own and manage Brinsworth House, a residential and nursing care home for elderly entertainers. www.royalvarietycharity.org
• SafetyCurtain – Helps provide grants to struggling performers and creative practitioners outside of the UK living in dangerous countries to help with essential living costs or medical bills. https://www.safetycurtain.org.uk/need-help
• The Theatrical Guild – Practical help at any stage of your career – from welfare and debt advice to financial support and counselling – for backstage and front of house workers. ttg.org.uk
• TheatreMAD (Make A Difference Trust) – Supports individuals experiencing hardship across the UK. providing grants to help those living with, or at risk from, HIV and AIDS. www.madtrust.org.uk/what-we-do
• Wellbeing in the Arts – Supports people across the creative industries to look after their mental health and wellbeing by offering access to a wide range of industry specific services. www.wellbeinginthearts.co.uk

If you’re a Spotlight member aged 18+ who resides in the UK, you can access free mental health and wellbeing support as part of your Spotlight membership thanks to our partnership with Wellbeing in the Arts.

The post Performing Arts Charities appeared first on Spotlight.

Nathaniel Parker is an actor with a career spanning over four decades, instantly recognisable to millions as ‘Inspector Lynley’ from the long-running BBC series The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. His performance as ‘Henry VIII’ in the award-winning stage production of Wolf Hall earned him an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and he’s since graced the screens in productions like Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel, Midsomer Murders and The Doll Factory.

As well as being a talented actor, Nathaniel has also served as an executive producer on the acclaimed series The Beast Must Die, and shares his love of poetry through his Instagram account by doing regular readings. 

Most recently, Nathaniel will be performing in Ragdoll, Katherine Moar’s new play, at the Jermyn Street Theatre. Drawn into this project by gripping dialogue, the challenge of playing a character that’s very different from himself, and the joy of being the first to play the role of ‘Robert’, Nathaniel has nothing but praise for the experience of working with both Katherine and the play’s director, Josh Seymour.

With the show now having begun its limited run, we caught up with Nathaniel to discuss his extraordinary acting journey. From struggling with undiagnosed dyslexia and playing ‘Inspector Lynley’, to his latest artistic endeavour at Wilton’s Music Hall and how he became involved in Ragdoll, here’s what he shared:

In this interview, you’ll find:

• An account of Nathaniel’s childhood realisation that acting was his destined career path.
• A look back at Nathaniel’s major career highlights, including his long-running role in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and the significance of playing ‘Henry VIII’ in Wolf Hall.
• Details on Nathaniel’s expansion into executive producing for television and his current collaborative role in the new play Ragdoll.
• Information about Nathaniel’s personal artistic ventures, such as performing T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, and the most impactful acting advice he has received.

Hi, Nathaniel! What made you first want to become an actor?

I love that question because nothing made me want to become an actor. I wasn’t going to do anything else. I realised when I was nine. Up to that point, I’d wanted to be a train driver, an astronaut, Fred Astaire, a cowboy, Tarzan – anything I’d seen on telly. I wanted to be all those things and lived through every moment of every programme or film that I watched. I remember watching [Laurence] Olivier when I was five, and I was just thinking, “I want to be Henry V. I want to be everything.” 

When I was nine, I took a train by myself from London to Cambridge to see my sister in her first term at Cambridge playing Lady Macbeth. And when she came on, I just went, “I see, I can be a 12th century Scottish king or a doctor like my mum without six years of practise. I can just do three weeks of rehearsal. This is fantastic. I could just be an actor.” So it became a realisation rather than a choice.

I’ve wanted to do other things along the way. I wanted to, at one point, emulate my mum and be a doctor, but I’m dyslexic, and that doesn’t help with exams. I had a brother who’s now a film director – Ollie [Oliver Parker], who could do crosswords in Latin when he was 11, another brother who did his A-levels at 16, and a sister who I think has got four different MAs from around the world. I was not an intellectual or an academic like they were. 

For a long time, I thought myself a bit dim. But when I was 42, I discovered I was dyslexic, and that made a lot of sense. You’d think, wouldn’t you, that dyslexia makes it harder sometimes to learn lines, but I know a lot of people in the arts that are dyslexic. It’s not a novelty anymore, and neither is my ADHD. Everybody’s on the train now. But I adore it. I think none of the characters I’ve ever played have been dyslexic, which I think helps me learn my lines. I don’t know. I must be fooling myself on that one, but it’s true. And I played a lot of lecturers and professors recently over the last five or six years. And so they’re as smart as anything. And I guess I realised at 42 that, yeah, I’m not that dim, I just don’t see words in the same way that others do.

I remember my dad putting me to bed one night and saying, “Do you see the swirls on that wallpaper? What does that look like to you?” And I went, “Oh, well that’s a cloud and that’s an elephant.” And that’s when he said, “Yeah, that’s called using your imagination.” And I’ll never forget that. So I think without that, I would’ve been sunk.

How did you get started as an actor?

I didn’t want to go to drama school. I wanted to go to university. I was at a school called Leighton Park just outside Reading – a Quaker school. It was a boarding school, and I’d slip out after my prep and go and join a local amateur dramatics theatre company. I don’t think the school knew, but I was in plays in Reading while I was at school. I found myself then thinking, ‘Okay, I can just go straight into it. I’ll just go straight into it.’ 

There was an actress I’d met who was fantastic, I thought. She went to Hull University, so I thought, ‘That’s what I’ll do. I’ll go to Hull’. So, on my UCCA forms I put on my five top universities to go for: Hull at the top, then Bristol, Manchester, Oxford and Cambridge. Funnily enough, none of the others replied, but Hull did. 

I’d just done a play, Sergeant Musgrave’s Dance, and I played ‘Musgrave’. I went into my chat and this professor showed me the theatre and they were doing Sergeant Musgrave’s Dance. I started quoting it and he was obviously really impressed because by the time we got back to his office, he said, “So, what would you like us to offer you?” And I went, “A couple of Cs and a D will do me, thank you very much.” But I didn’t get anywhere near it, so I didn’t get into university and I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ I retook A-levels. And then I thought, ‘Well, I suppose I better go to drama school and learn’. 

I was at the National Youth Theatre. I had a great time there. People like Douglas Hodge, Sally Dexter, Colin Firth and I became really good mates at that place. It was really fun. It was a whole new experience. And people like Colin were getting into Drama Centre and a lot of people were going to various drama schools, so I thought I better try. 

I got into LAMDA and, honestly, it wasn’t my favourite place in the world. I found it quite cliquey and difficult. The actors who’ve come out of it, when I meet them again or see them, I just have nothing but admiration for them. How they stuck at it as well, I don’t know. We had really good actors, but it felt difficult for me. I was never part of a group.

I was very lucky. In those days, you needed an Equity card. Somebody was inevitably offered that, and different jobs and agents came to them. I’d happened to play a really good part – ‘Captain Brazen’ in Trumpets and Drums, which is Brecht’s version of The Recruiting Officer. I had such fun playing him and I was luckily offered lots of different things and lots of different agents, and I felt quite secure for the first time. I’m still picking up things sometimes that I learned and going, “Oh yeah, I remember then they had that class. I did this, didn’t I?” Still now, 40 years later.

How did you first get involved in ‘Ragdoll’?

Initially, you’d think it was a radio play for me because I am meant to be late 70s and an LA lawyer originally from Boston, but he’s lost that. I’ve just done [The Twelve Dates ‘Til Christmas] for Hallmark, where I had the amazing Mary McDonnell as my ex-wife and Jane Seymour as my girlfriend, and I got a phone call that said, “Here, sending a play. Have a look. See what you think.” Over the last few years, I’ve been very lucky. I’ve done a lot of theatre over the last few years – had an absolute ball. I mean, I’m astounded how poorly paid this business is, but the parts are great.

I’ve done some new plays and I’ve worked with some fantastic writers over the last few years. Hilary Mantel when I was doing the Wolf Hall series, and Tom Stoppard. So I’m quite used to working with writers at the moment, and I thought, ‘Okay, let’s see what this one’s like’. Katherine Moar, she wrote a play called Farm Hall, which was on at the Jermyn Street Theatre when I was at Southwark playing the same story by a play written by somebody else. So it was quite interesting. I thought, ‘I’ll read this and see what I think’.

And like those other really good playwrights, I found myself reading the part out loud as I was reading the script, which is an indication for me of proper talent, and I’m identifying with it straight away. [‘Robert’ is] very different from me and I think this is going to be a fun challenge. This is going to be something different. And the joy, of course, of playing in a new play is that you are forging the road. Nobody else has done that one and nobody else has played this character. 

When I played ‘Henry VIII’ in the Wolf Hall series, lots of people have played Henry VIII, but nobody played that one. A lot of people have done A Man for All Seasons or Shakespeare’s Henry V, but no one had played Hilary Mantel’s version of Cromwell’s version of Henry VIII. And no one has played Katherine Moar’s version of Robert before, who is loosely based on a real character. And I just thought, this is going to be so exciting. 

The dialogue zips through, it’s fantastically clever, really inventive stuff, challenging. People often use the word rollercoaster, but it’s cleverer than just going up and down. It’s going round and inverting itself and going back again. And we’ve got Katherine in the room. So I read it and I thought, ‘Okay, this is going to be interesting’. So I had a long chat with Josh [Seymour, the director]. I went to see Josh in a cafe in town and we talked about it, and I came away thinking, ‘Yeah, this is really getting more interesting by the second’.

You know, when someone’s offering you a part, inevitably they flatter you a little bit, and I’m a sucker for that, frankly. Flattery will get you everywhere in my book. So I spoke to Katherine, and actually, she didn’t really flatter me that much. It was more about what she saw Robert to be and how different he was from the other. There’s two characters in the play, Robert and Holly, and they’re in 2017, at the beginning of the Me Too movement. Then there’s two other actors in the play who are playing the same people but young, back in 1978. It’s very clever. 

Image credit: Alex Brenner / Nathaniel Parker as ‘Robert’ and Abigail Cruttenden as ‘Holly’ in ‘Ragdoll’

She then started comparing me to the younger one, saying, “He’s got to have changed like this and he needs to have developed, and what we’re seeing now is this.” And that’s really great. It’s a very exciting thing to do. So you’re partly basing it on a real person, which is always a fun challenge, but also having the imagination to take it beyond that and do your own interpretation of somebody.

The writer isn’t always right just because the word sounds the same – writer and right. They can be challenged, and Katherine is very accepting of that challenge. She’s almost always right, it has to be said, but there’s a really important talent, not just as a writer, but as a director and as an actor, too. It’s not often used enough as a producer, but I think it’s a really good talent for that too. 

I remember being told this by my brother twice in my life, once when I was about to play ‘Macbeth’ for the National Youth Theatre, and the other time I was about to direct. And he said the same thing: “Just listen to what the person has to say.” If someone comes up to you, if you’re an actor, listen to what the other character says. And if it’s good writing, you’ll know how to respond. And if you’re directing or on the other side of the thing, then listen to whatever he says because if you interrupt somebody, then they haven’t finished telling you their idea, and their idea might be the thing that unlocks everything. So, let them have their idea, and if you don’t use it, fine – they won’t resent you because they’ve been heard. 

It’s a really good tactic. I’ve been on film sets with Ollie many times and I’ve seen him do that, and the sets have always been wonderful sets. People have really enjoyed the process because he listens. Katherine does that, as does Josh. They really do listen and they let me say what I have to say. And sure enough, they often don’t use it. It’s really great to have been heard, and look, I’m enjoying the process.

How do you choose which projects and roles to take on?

I did a play at Southwark a few years ago, which I didn’t have much to say in. I hadn’t done any theatre for a while. From there, I thought, ‘I really need more words’. And then I did Rock ‘n’ Roll with Tom Stoppard, which was full of words. It’s the moment you identify with somebody and somebody thinks you identify with them, so you give them a shot and go, “Okay, let’s see if I do.” And there are some things which I don’t identify with. I often see actors go, “Why were you asked? Why did you choose to do this?” And more often than not, the question is answered by, “I was offered it. I had nothing else to do. They’re paying me, I’m doing it.”

I have been very lucky recently, and I have read some plays and a lot of them have been fantastic, but the ones that really, really gripped me are the ones I’m able to do. There’s a lot of experience there now. I’ve been around the block a couple times, but the greatest thing is you do some of this and you’re learning again. I just love that sensation.

I did a Hallmark series earlier this year for Christmas – The Twelve Dates ‘Til Christmas. I’d never done anything like that. Working with Jane Seymour, Mary McDonnell and Mae Whitman, who was playing the lead. That was an experience. I’ve done TV shows before, I’ve done series before, but it was completely new to me to do that, and every day was a joy.

You’ve recently been reading poetry on your Instagram account. What made you decide to do this?

I started doing it because poetry has always been a huge part of my life, without sounding pretentious. My dad was, I think, at one point, chair of the William Blake society. It was integral to his life, William Blake, and I remember him teaching me and Ollie about Blake and getting us to learn poems as kids. Like I said, I was dyslexic. He used to have to pay me. So I was paid a sixpence to learn ‘Tiger Tiger, burning bright’. I found the financial incentive really worked for me. 

I have a voice that can sometimes resonate with poetry. Although I remember when I was at my Quaker school, you’d have ‘Collects’ instead of an assembly or meetings sometimes, and you were able to stand up and say something if you felt the need. And I would rather pretentiously stand up and recite poems.

I remember reciting Once the Lamb by William Blake, and afterwards, my English teacher came up to me and said, “I had no idea it was so sinister.” I go, “Oh shit, got that wrong.” So I’ve got to be careful how I sound. My oldest brother actually suggested it to me, Al. And so I thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it’. And a year and a half ago, I just started reading poetry on Instagram and I went through all of Songs of Innocence and of Experience, which is where I feel safest, with Blake. Then, I started going off a bit on different jams – I’ve read the whole of The Ballad of Reading Gaol, I’ve done [poems by] various amazing women.

I’ve never done this before and I feel kind of nervous about it. I’ve booked myself into [Wilton’s Music Hall] to read some poetry. About four or five years ago, I read T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land at Cheltenham Literary Festival, and I fell in love with it as a poem. I think it’s extraordinary. The lady who runs Wilton’s, Holly [Kendrick], said, “We’d love to have you there.” I said, “Really? What? Reading poetry?” She said, “Yeah, why not?” So I put myself in on the 15th and 16th of December. And it’s selling really well! I think they’ve sold 85% so far.

I’m starting with reading The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Then I’m having a chat on stage with Giles Taylor, who’s a wonderful actor that was in all the Wolf Hall trilogies with me and other plays. I’ve known Giles for a while and I trust him enormously. We’re going to have a discussion about The Waste Land and all the incredible imagery that’s in it and the references. Hopefully I’ll give the audience a bit of a mental bingo card that they can check off as we go through them. There’s a bit of German, Italian, French. So I’ll give them the translations first and then I’ll do the poem. It’s only an hour or so long. 

I’m really looking forward to it. It’s just kind of weird because I’m employed to do things, and this is me employing me to do things. If it goes well, who knows? Maybe I’ll do it more and take it around the country a bit.

What are your career highlights and why?

One of them was the first short film I shot with my brother directing, which my wife was also in. It was shot at our house. We did all the costumes, make-up, food. I was being the devil as a painting. And the first time he said action, I just looked at him and sobbed and thought, ‘That’s such a wonderful, proud moment. My brother’s finally found his feet from being an actor and a writer to being a director’. So that was a really proud moment. 

Being ‘Henry VIII’ [in Wolf Hall]on Broadway, being in London and Stratford – just fabulous to be working with that. I wasn’t on stage to receive the Olivier, but that’s probably one of the proudest achievements I’ve ever had.

Being in a Ridley Scott film, The Last Duel, was amazing. Sitting with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jodie Comer and Adam Driver. Amazing experience.

Or producing. I produced a TV series called The Beast Must Die, which had my mate, Jared Harris, Cush Jumbo, Billy Howle and myself. Turning up on set the first day as a producer on that was oh my god. So, yeah – lots of proud moments, I’m afraid! I live in a place of joy most of the time.

Image credit: Charlie Carter

What was your producing experience like?

Up to that point, I’d only produced a couple of short films. My daughter did a short film, and I was in it and producing it, and you’re literally washing pans at two in the morning, up again at six, making breakfast for 30 people. It was relentless and exhausting. 

Doing [The Beast Must Die] with Scott Free Productions on one side and New Regency on the other – amazing producers to work with – and little me in the middle. You only have the odd lunch, deciding on takes and, “Let’s have a look at the script and do…” Absolutely brilliant feeling. And having an input from the word go like that. I absolutely loved it and I’d love to do more.

Getting something off the ground is so difficult. I had this image that once I’m a producer, everyone will come and see me. No, it’s not like that. You produce your own stuff and it’s really hard. It’s a really hard, slow process. But I’ve got a couple of things up my sleeve, so I’m hopeful.

Do you think your acting experience helped you with producing and vice versa?

Definitely. It’s dangerous to bring the producing into acting because it can distract you. There’s a couple of plays I wanted to do once, and I got really well-advised by proper theatre producers who said, “Don’t do it. Don’t produce and act because your mind isn’t there.” 

But on TV or film, it’s very different, and it definitely helps. If you’re an exec producer, like I’ve been, you’re looking at a perspective that most of the other producers haven’t got. And it is really helpful. A lot of the best directors I’ve ever worked with have been actors because they’ve really understood it. Not all of them – Ridley Scott was never an actor, and he’s not bad, is he? But people like Jeremy Herrin. Ollie, my brother, understands what it’s like to stand on the stage, and I think that’s really helpful.

You’re probably best known for your role of ‘Inspector Lynley’. Looking back, what did this role teach you about acting?

[The Inspector Lynley Mysteries] started in the 2000s and I’d already done quite a lot – period dramas and films and stuff. But what was great was, suddenly, there’s so many people who are in your show. In one of the first series, we had Bill Nye, Martin Jarvis, Henry Cavill, who I had to give a kiss of life to – snogging ‘Superman’! 

I could go through a long list of people who helped the show take off over the first season or two. Idris Elba was in one. We had so many people there, and I had some great advice from Jason Connery, who was a mate at the time. He’d been playing ‘Robin Hood’ on TV, so he knew about being in a series, and he said, “Nat, right now you are the pin up. Don’t become the dart board.” It was really clever advice. 

And so one of the great things to do when you’re on set is always to make sure… so 

I remember being in an Inspector Morse before I started my thing, and John Thaw was an amazing guy, but very insular. He’d do his stuff and that was it. I remember saying to him at the end of my first ever rehearsal on set with him and Kevin [Whately], “So, is it all right if I do that then? Do you want me to do anything different?” It was a three page scene of dialogue. He said, “You do your job, I’ll do mine, alright?”

So when I was doing my series in my little trailer, I had a fruit juice machine, I had sweets, I had everything I could possibly do for the cast to make them feel at home and welcome. And I don’t know if we ever reached the heights that John Thaw did, but that was my way of doing it. I love the process.

What was it like being part of such a long running TV show?

I think we did 25 shows, but they were an hour and a half each, so like films. I went out to Ireland to do The Twelve Dates ‘Til Christmas on Hallmark – fantastic series. When I was doing that, I turned up in Ireland and I stayed in this flat, and guess who just moved out? Leo Suter, who’s the new Inspector Lynley. How weird is that? I don’t know Leo. We’ve exchanged emails and wished each other an enormous amount of luck. We shared a role, and I’m sure he’ll be fantastic in it. 

I was asked initially about that by the casting director, but I was rather put off because the first thing she said was, “Would you like to play his dad maybe?” And I had to point out that he’s a Lord. His dad died. That’s how he became a Lord. Maybe in a flashback? More than being in it, I’d like to direct one.

You’ve also been in some amazing feature films, like Stardust, The Last Duel, The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. How does the set of a big budget film compare to television and theatre work?

[Voyage of the Dawn Treader] is on my CV, but I wasn’t really in it. Ben Barnes, who’s a wonderful guy, played the younger me in Stardust, and we said, “If there’s ever a time when you need a father or I need a son, let’s call each other.” And he was ‘Prince Caspian’ in it. He phoned me up and said, “Listen, they need a ghostly image of my father behind me, will you come and do it?” I was on holiday and they flew me back to get this mask of myself done so I could be this ghostly image for him.

When you’re doing a Lynley, if you’re running a show like that, you’re part of its creative process. Whatever you’re doing, there’s a time schedule. It’s a different feeling, but it’s equally enjoyable, equally challenging, and it’s fantastic. 

What was it like to work with Ridley Scott on The Last Duel?

I just thought he was incredible. There was one scene we did where we had me and Matt Damon discussing the dowry for Jodie Comer, who played my daughter. I’d just been working on a Spanish film series where the director kept going, “Okay, you look here for three seconds, then you look up for five seconds and then you come around here for six…” I hated being told to look like that. 

Whereas Ridley just said, “I’m going to focus on the background and I’m going to come to you two. But it’s a negotiation. It’s like a poker game, okay? Take your time. When you’re ready, speak.” The tension, the electricity, was just fabulous. I think he’s a genius.

What’s been your favourite role you’ve played and why?

I don’t know if I’ve played it yet. If I could pick one, I guess Henry the eighth because it opened some amazing theatrical doors for me with Hillary and Jeremy and Ben. But I don’t know. I want to find it. I’m looking for it.

Finally, what was the best piece of acting advice you’ve ever been given?

One I was given was Ollie saying, “Just listen to what the other person says and then you’ll know what to say back.” There was another brilliant piece of advice which I read from Olivier – who I also worked with in his last film, my first film, War Requiem, when he was being asked the difference between film and theatre, and he said, “Just be honest.” And that’s what it’s about. If you can persuade someone that you are telling the truth, then you’re succeeding, whatever medium it is.

Thank you, Nathaniel, for sharing your career insights and advice!

Nathaniel’s Insights:

• Listen intently to your scene partner, as their words provide the necessary response for good acting.
• If you lead a show, take responsibility for creating a collaborative and welcoming set atmosphere for your colleagues.
• Strive for honesty and truth in every performance to effectively persuade the audience, regardless of the medium.
• Be willing to accept roles for practical reasons, such as pay or lack of other immediate opportunities.
• When acting, focus solely on your performance and avoid the distraction of production or business concerns.

‘Ragdoll’ is now on at the Jermyn Street Theatre until 15 November 2025. 

Nathaniel will be reading ‘The Waste Land’ at Wilton’s Music Hall on 15 and 16 December 2025.

Take a look at our website for more casting stories and interviews with performers, casting directors and agents.

The post My Casting Story: Nathaniel Parker in ‘Ragdoll’ appeared first on Spotlight.

The winners of the Casting Directors Association (CDA) Awards 2025 have been announced at a ceremony at St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, hosted by the hilarious Lou Sanders. The awards, created to celebrate the crucial yet often under-appreciated work of the casting director, honour the exceptional achievements of casting in film, television, new media and live performance.

A couple of casting directors secured multiple wins on the night. Ali Fearnley was a dominant force, taking home three awards for Best Casting Campaign, Best Casting UK & ROI Commercial and Best Casting Online Commercial. Hannah Birkett Casting also celebrated a double victory, winning both the Best Casting Featuring Children and Best Casting International Commercial awards. 

Spotlight was proud to once again sponsor the CDA Awards. Following an incredible year of casting, the atmosphere at the live ceremony was electric as the industry gathered to recognise the talent that brought so many excellent projects to life. 

The Winners of the CDA Awards 2025 are:

Best Casting featuring Children

Winner: Hannah Birkett Casting – First School Poo, Andrex

Best Casting Campaign

Winner: Ali Fearnley – Britain’s Tea, Tetley

Best Casting UK & ROI Commercial

Winner: Ali Fearnley – 40 Years of Christmas Magic!, Vodafone

Best Casting Feature Film & Scripted Production

Winner: Shakyra Dowling – Last Swim

Best Casting Live Performance

Winner: Rosie Pearson & James Pearson (Pearson Casting) – Starlight Express, Troubadour, Wembley Park

Best Casting of a Music Promo

Winner: Kharmel Cochrane – Young, Little Simz

Best Casting Short Film

Winner: LANE Casting – Delivery

Best Casting Stills Campaign

Winner: Road Casting – Family Portrait, JD Sports

Best Casting International Commercial

Winner: Hannah Birkett Casting – Your Door to More, Doordash

Best Casting Online Commercial

Winner: Ali Fearnley – Never Just A Period, Libresse

Best Casting Open Media

Winner: Leanne Flinn – Where Clothes Move On, eBay x Love Island Idents

Best Casting of Charity/Public Awareness Commercial

Winner: Thomas Adams Casting – This is Not a Drill, CALM

Best Street Casting

Winner: ET Casting – Made with Care, Department of Health & Social Care

From all of us at Spotlight, a massive congratulations to all the winners and nominees! Take a look at our website for more awards news and industry advice.

The post The Winners of the CDA Awards 2025 appeared first on Spotlight.