Alex Lawther

Alexander Jonathan Lawther is an English actor, writer, and director born on 4 May 1995 in Winchester, Hampshire, and raised in Petersfield. Possessing dual British and Irish citizenship, he is widely recognized for playing eccentric roles and outsiders across film, television, and theatre. His prominent credits include portraying a young Alan Turing in the historical drama The Imitation Game, Kenny in the Black Mirror episode Shut Up and Dance, and the co-lead character James in the television series The End of the F***ing World.

Raised as the youngest of three children by parents who both worked as lawyers, Lawther developed an interest in acting through childhood games. He attended Churcher's College in Petersfield, where he became heavily active in student drama productions after initiating an unofficial acting club. During his adolescence, he wrote and directed a full-length local play, joined the National Youth Theatre, and performed in a short film created by his brother. Though he initially intended to study history at King's College London, he chose to pursue acting professionally at age eighteen after securing his feature film debut.

Lawther made his professional acting debut at sixteen, originating the role of John Blakemore in the play South Downs at the Chichester Festival Theatre before transferring to the West End's Harold Pinter Theatre. Following several television appearances and a role portraying Benjamin Britten in a docudrama, he achieved his film breakthrough in 2014 in The Imitation Game. His portrayal earned him critical praise and notable industry honors. He subsequently took on roles in the coming-of-age feature X+Y, the London stage plays The Glass Supper and Crushed Shells and Mud, and his first lead film role in Departure.

His profile grew significantly with his performance in the 2016 Black Mirror episode Shut Up and Dance. Lawther gained further international recognition starring in the television adaptation The End of the F***ing World from 2017 to 2019. During this period, he featured in projects such as the period drama Howards End, the comedy Freak Show, the historical drama Goodbye Christopher Robin, the stage play The Jungle, the horror film Ghost Stories, and the comedy Old Boys.

In subsequent years, Lawther expanded into international cinema and directing. He starred in the French thriller Les Traducteurs, played roles in high-profile feature films including The Last Duel and The French Dispatch, and voiced characters in the animated series Lloyd of the Flies. On television, he portrayed Karis Nemik in the Star Wars series Andor. In theatre, he performed as Ariel in a French production of The Tempest and took on the title role in Hamlet in New York City. As a filmmaker, he has directed music videos and short films, including Rhoda and For People in Trouble.

Over the course of his career, Lawther has earned multiple honors, including the London Film Critics' Circle Award for Young British Performer of the Year and a spot on BAFTA's 2015 Breakthrough Brits list. Outside of performing, he speaks French fluently, avoids social media, and supports various social, climate, and humanitarian causes. He currently resides in London with his partner.