Variety is pleased to announce its annual list of 10 Brits to Watch, an honor the publication has bestowed since 2013.
For the third year, Variety is partnering with the Newport Beach Film Festival to recognize those selected at the fifth annual Newport Beach U.K. Honours evening, to be held at the Langham Hotel in London on Feb. 7. Talent selected include writers, actors, and singers appearing working in all mediums.
“The health and vitality of the U.K. filmmaking scene can be measured in many ways, from the unprecedented boom in physical production in London and across the British Isles, to the abundance of U.K. talent at the center of awards season,” said Steven Gaydos, VP and executive editor of Variety. “In movies such as ‘The Favourite,’ ‘A Private War,’ ‘The Children Act’ and in the many individual performances by brilliant British screen talents such as Richard E. Grant, Olivia Colman, Rosamund Pike, Felicity Jones, and so many others, the proof is lighting up theater screens around the world. Who is emerging this year to join their colleagues in the continuing story of the vibrant U.K. performing arts scene? Variety’s challenge is again to limit to 10 the number of exciting new names in film, television, theater and music.”
The 10 Brits to Watch will be feted alongside several honorees at the event, held prior to the BAFTA weekend. “This year marks the fifth year of the Newport Beach Film Festival UK Honours celebrating the best in British cinema and TV. A co-hosted event by Visit Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Film Festival, the annual event brings Southern California’s famous sunshine and aspirational lifestyle to London with a star-studded reception,” said Gary C. Sherwin., president and CEO of Newport Beach & Company. “Furthermore, we are thrilled to partner with Variety for the third year to present its 10 Brits to Watch. Together, we have solidified the UK Honours as one of the top BAFTA weekend events.”
Below are this year’s 10 Brits to Watch:
Rhianne Barreto – Soon to be seen in the Amazon series “Hanna,” she stars in “Share,” premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.
Raffey Cassidy – Known for her work on “Mr. Selfridge” and in “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” she played dual roles in the recent “Vox Lux.”
Paapa Essiedu – The first black actor to star as Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Company, he is just completing a run opposite Letitia Wright in “The Convert” at the Young Vic.
Jess Glynne – A singer-songwriter who released her second studio album “Always In Between” last year, she was recently nominated for four Global Awards and four Brit Awards; she was also announced as a special guest on the Spice Girls’ reunion tour.
Kirby Howell-Baptiste – Recently seen in “The Good Place,” “Barry,” and “Killing Eve,” she’ll appear in the “Veronica Mars” reboot/miniseries this year.
Billy Howle – After starring opposite Saoirse Ronan in “On Chesil Beach” and “The Seagull,” he appeared in “Outlaw King” and will be seen as the son of Richard Gere and Helen McCrory in the series “MotherFatherSon”
Oliver Jackson-Cohen – Previously seen on “Emerald City,” he stars as Luke Crain in the Netflix sensation “The Haunting of Hill House”
Jessica Swale – The playwright of “Blue Stockings” and “The Mission,” she just wrote and directed her first feature film, “Summerland,” and is developing a film version of her award-winning play “Nell Gwynn.”
Joivan Wade – A lead in “The First Purge” last summer, he stars as Victor Stone, a.k.a. Cyborg in “Doom Patrol” for DC Universe.
Fionn Whitehead – After starring in Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk,” he became the center of obsession as the lead in “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch,” the revolutionary choose-your-own adventure episode.
