EE Rising Star award: schoolfriends George MacKay and Will Poulter are Bafta rivals
They acted in the same plays and sketch shows at the Edinburgh Fringe as schoolfriends.
Now George MacKay, 21, and Will Poulter, 20, former pupils at Harrodian School in Barnes, are going head to head in the Baftas. Both said they are thrilled to be in the EE Rising Star category. It includes Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o, 30, for 12 Years a Slave. Her debut feature film performance earned her a “breakthrough” award in Palm Springs at the weekend.
Also in for the Bafta newcomer are American Dane DeHaan, 27, seen kissing Daniel Radcliffe in Kill Your Darlings, and Léa Seydoux, 28, for the lesbian drama Blue is the Warmest Colour.
MacKay, 21, was in the 2003 film Peter Pan after being spotted in a school play and has since appeared in How We Live Now with Saoirse Ronan and the Proclaimers musical, Sunshine on Leith. He said it was “amazing” to be up for an award “that appears to be about looking forward”.
He said he was taking inspiration from British actors such as Eddie Marsan. “I was spoilt when I was younger. I don’t think I had an understanding of it being a craft but I would like to learn to treat it as such now and get better at it,” he said.
Poulter, 20, who came to notice seven years ago in Son of Rambow and has since starred in The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader and We’re the Millers with Jennifer Aniston, admitted it was MacKay who was a major influence on him.
“Without a doubt, George was very inspirational for a lot of people in our school.” He paid tribute to Harrodian’s drama teachers Simon Parker and Laura Lawson for nurturing talents, also including Robert Pattinson and Tom Sturridge.
He said of the rising star nomination: “I honestly think it’s the most crazy thing that has ever happened to me.” He said there was not “an ounce of tension” with his friend. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony next month.
