‘Mercifully very good’: Rafe Spall's teacher's relief that Timothy Spall's son could act
Rafe Spall’s father Timothy would not allow him to act professionally as a child - but he got an early vote of confidence when he did finally try for the National Youth Theatre.
Spall, 32, today told how he auditioned for the NYT’s then-leader Edward Wilson, whose notes were found some years ago: “He wrote, ‘Tim’s son - mercifully very good.’”
He revealed the remarks as he showered his own praise on 17-year-old Asa Butterfield, who plays an autistic maths prodigy, Nathan, who is coached by Spall’s maverick teacher Mr Humphreys in new film X+Y. Sally Hawkins plays the boy’s mother.
Spall said he admired how Butterfield, from Islington, had succeeded in staying “lovely” during a film career that has included roles in The Boy In The Striped Pajamas and Martin Scorsese’s Hugo. “His parents have done a really good job of preserving him,” he said. “It’s a difficult thing to grow up in front of everybody. To navigate that and still find yourself a rounded person is no mean feat.
“I wasn’t allowed to. I always wanted to be a child actor but my parents were very keen I should leave school first.”
Spall, who is married to former Hollyoaks star Elize du Toit, admitted he “did not have a great time at school” and certainly never had a “life-changing” teacher like Mr Humphreys.
Instead he was encouraged by Wilson, who “just explained to me what was needed if you wanted to have a life as a professional actor”.
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Spall’s character in X+Y has multiple sclerosis, and the actor said he met members of the Hampstead MS Society because “when it comes to representing a serious illness that people live with you have a responsibility to know as much as you can so as not to offend anybody”.
X+Y is in cinemas on Friday.
