He got everyone's attention with his breakout role in God's Own Country, bagging a British Independent Film Award for his powerful performance, as well as a nomination as a BAFTA rising star. But even before that, Josh O'Connor was already one of the most prolific stars on British TV. From wowing us in Peaky Blinders to starring alongside Meryl Streep [1] and Hugh Grant [2] in Florence Foster Jenkins, Josh has already starred in some of the most talked-about British TV shows and films of recent times, including The Durrells and Les Miserables. And now we can settle back and prepare for a total Joshfest in the coming months, as he's set to play Prince Charles in Netflix's The Crown.
With all this to come, isn't it about time you got to know him a little better?
He Recognised the Importance of His Breakout Film
The decision to cast Josh in his breakout role as Johnny in God's Own Country led to fierce debate over whether a straight actor was the right choice for a gay role. Josh has nothing but praise for director Francis Lee, who masterminded the award-winning movie. He described the sex scenes between his character and Gheorghe, played by Alec Secareanu, as safe and well choreographed [3]. Their performances led to some critics labelling the film as the sexiest of the year, while Josh said afterward that he hoped it would lead to more films focused on LGBTQ characters.
He Comes From an Artistic Family
Josh describes his family as very arty. and he once toyed with the idea of a career as an artist himself, telling Interview, "I wanted to be an artist; it was be an artist or be an actor. This seems to be working right now." [4]
His big brother chose the artist's path instead, and it's something that runs in the family: one of their grandfathers was a sculptor, while one of their grandmothers was a ceramicist. Josh loves sharing art on his Instagram, and he's been spotted at major exhibitions before.
He Credits His Ears For Helping Him Land a Dream Role
Josh has made no secret of his excitement around taking on the role of the Prince of Wales in Seasons 3 and 4 of The Crown on Netflix. His time as Charles will see him tackle some of the biggest moments in the future king's life including his romance with Camilla Parker Bowles and his wedding to Princess Diana. But the actor is taking it all in stride, joking that he "has the ears" for the part [5]. He kept his future screen mum happy recently by celebrating with Olivia Colman [6] as she was named Best Actress at the British Independent Film Awards, for her work playing another monarch, Queen Anne.
He'd Like to Be a Superhero
Josh admits that starring in God's Own Country, for which he won a British Independent Film Award and a BAFTA Rising Star nod, opened more doors for him than he could ever have imagined. "People are interested, simply because we have had such a success story with this film," he told The Guardian [7]. While Josh says he's not sure he's ready for an action movie just yet, he's more than happy to consider a part as a superhero in the future.
He's Not Scared by Darker Roles
Many of his best-known roles have been gritty and part of stories with more serious undercurrents. As well as wowing audience in God's Own Country, he tackled the difficult subject of suicide and loss in Bridgend, where he played Jamie, while his TV work includes dark dramas like Peaky Blinders and Ripper Street.
He's a Huge Daniel Day-Lewis Fan
Josh really immerses himself in preparation for his roles, working with voice coaches to perfect difficult accents and going to live in some of the locations his films are set in to get a feel for life there. It's an attitude his idol, famed method actor Daniel Day-Lewis, would probably admire. Josh has spoken before of his admiration for Day-Lewis, telling Anthem, "I could watch him do anything" [8]. Given his already impressive tally of trophies for his acting work, Josh might well one day match his idol, who has a record number of Best Actor Oscars on his mantelpiece.