Nicholas Hoult facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicholas Hoult
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Hoult at the 81st Venice International Film Festival
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Nicholas Caradoc Hoult
7 December 1989 Wokingham, Berkshire, England
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1996–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Partner(s) | Bryana Holly (2017–present) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Anna Neagle (grand-aunt) |
| Awards | Full list |
Nicholas Caradoc Hoult (born on 7 December 1989) is a talented English actor. He has appeared in many different movies and TV shows. These include big Hollywood films and smaller, independent projects.
Nicholas has received several important awards and nominations. These include a British Academy Film Award and two Golden Globe Awards. In 2012, he was even named one of Forbes magazine's "30 Under 30". This list highlights successful young people.
Nicholas started acting in local plays when he was a child. He made his first screen appearance at age six in the 1996 film Intimate Relations. He then appeared in several TV shows. His big break came in 2002 with the comedy-drama About a Boy.
He became even more well-known for playing Tony Stonem in the teen TV series Skins (2007–2008). Nicholas began taking on adult roles in 2009. He starred in the drama A Single Man and the fantasy film Clash of the Titans (2010). He also played the mutant Hank McCoy, known as Beast, in the superhero film X-Men: First Class (2011). He played Beast again in later X-Men movies.
Nicholas played the main character in the adventure film Jack the Giant Slayer (2013). He also played a zombie in the romantic comedy Warm Bodies (2013). He had a supporting role in the action film Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). He has also played real historical figures. These include Robert Harley in The Favourite (2018) and Peter III in The Great (2020–2023). His work on The Great earned him nominations for two Golden Globes and a Primetime Emmy Award. More recently, he starred in The Menu (2022) and Nosferatu (2024).
Outside of films, Nicholas voiced a character named Elliot in the video game Fable III (2010). He also appeared in a play called New Boy in London's West End in 2009. He supports charities like the Teenage Cancer Trust and Christian Aid.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Nicholas Caradoc Hoult was born on 7 December 1989. His birthplace was Wokingham, Berkshire, in England. His mother, Glenis, was a piano teacher. His father, Roger, was a commercial pilot. Nicholas's middle name, Caradoc, is Welsh and means "The Beloved One".
His great-aunt was Dame Anna Neagle, a famous actress from the 1930s and 1940s. Nicholas has three siblings. His older brother studies biology in the United States. His two older sisters are also actresses. Nicholas spent most of his childhood in Sindlesham, a village near Wokingham.
His older siblings were interested in acting and dancing. Nicholas started going with them to classes and auditions. This is how he became interested in acting too. He said his childhood was "very normal," with lots of outdoor play.
Nicholas's father often worked away from home. His brother was away at school. So, Nicholas spent most of his time with his mother and sisters. He felt that being raised by women helped him avoid some common mistakes.
He went to The Coombes Infant and Nursery School. Then he attended Arborfield Church of England Junior School. Nicholas also practiced ballet with his sisters. He performed in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker with the English National Ballet.
At first, he wanted to study English, Biology, and Psychology. But in 2002, when he was 12, he decided to go to acting school. He attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School. At age 14, he left to attend Ranelagh School, a regular secondary school. Nicholas played the trombone as a child and sang in a local choir.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting Out: 1996–2005
Nicholas's acting talent was first noticed when he was just three years old. A theater director saw him during a play that his brother was in. The director was impressed by how well Nicholas could focus. He offered him a role in his next play.
Nicholas began going to auditions. At age five, he got his first movie role in the 1996 drama Intimate Relations. After that, he appeared in TV shows like Casualty, Silent Witness, and The Bill. At first, Nicholas saw acting as a fun hobby, not a career. He said he just enjoyed it, like playing for a football team.
His next big movie role came at age eleven in 2002. It was in the comedy-drama About a Boy. Nicholas was not sure about auditioning at first. The process was long and interfered with his schoolwork. But he decided to try out and was cast as Marcus. Marcus is a shy, unusual boy who gets bullied at school.
About a Boy was a huge success, earning over $130 million worldwide. Critics also loved it. Nicholas's performance as the lonely schoolboy was highly praised. By the time the film came out, Nicholas had started at Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. He found this change difficult and preferred regular school. He still did not want to be a professional actor. So, at 14, he left the acting school for Ranelagh School.
Nicholas also starred in the film Wah-Wah (2005). He played Ralph Compton, a boy dealing with his family breaking apart. The film was set in Swaziland in the 1960s. He also made his Hollywood debut in The Weather Man (2005). He played the son of a TV weather presenter. Both Wah-Wah and The Weather Man did not do well at the box office.
Becoming Famous: Skins and Stage Debut (2006–2010)
In 2006, Nicholas was a student when he got the main role in the TV show Skins. He was unsure if he could play Tony Stonem, a clever but self-centered character. He felt he was more like the supporting character, Sid.
The show was very popular and ran for seven seasons. Nicholas appeared in two of them. His performance was well-received, and his character became very popular. Skins won an award, and Nicholas was nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series. One critic praised Nicholas for keeping the "inexplicable core" of his character. During his time on Skins, Nicholas felt overwhelmed by the attention. He even thought about quitting acting. Instead, he left school after the first season of Skins to focus only on acting.
Nicholas also appeared in the TV series Wallander. He then made his debut in West End theatre (London's famous theater district). He played Mark in the play New Boy. The play sold many tickets, mainly because of Nicholas's popularity from Skins. The play ran for a week in March 2009. Nicholas had to commit to filming Clash of the Titans (2010). Critics had mixed feelings about his performance in the play. Clash of the Titans was not liked by critics but earned almost $500 million worldwide.
Nicholas next appeared in A Single Man (2009). He played Kenny Potter, a gay college student who helps a professor deal with sadness. This was seen as Nicholas's first adult role. He worked on his American accent for the part. A Single Man was praised by critics and did well at the box office. This film earned Nicholas a nomination for the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2010. In 2010, Nicholas also voiced Elliot in the video game Fable III.
Big Success: X-Men and Mad Max (2011–2016)
Nicholas was cast as Nux in the action film Mad Max: Fury Road. This movie had been planned for many years. Filming was delayed, so Nicholas looked for other roles. He was then cast as Hank McCoy / Beast in the X-Men movie series. He was chosen because he could play a character who was both gentle and fierce.
Before filming X-Men: First Class (2011), Nicholas learned about his character. He wanted to be like Kelsey Grammer, who played Beast before him. Nicholas learned to speak in a similar way without copying him. He also trained physically and gained weight for the role. The film was praised by critics and earned about $353 million worldwide.
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Mad Max: Fury Road was finally filmed in 2012 in the Namibian desert. Nicholas played Nux, a sick slave. He said Nux was "enthusiastic and committed." Nicholas shaved his head and followed a strict diet to lose weight for the role. He also talked about doing stunts, calling the experience "scary." But he liked that the film used real action instead of green screens. Fury Road opened to great reviews in May 2015. It earned over $378 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Mad Max film. Critics especially praised the action and stunts. Nicholas's "fabulously unhinged" performance was also highlighted. In 2012, Nicholas was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
In 2013, Nicholas starred in two major films. First, he played a zombie named R in the romantic comedy Warm Bodies. The film is based on a novel and is told from R's point of view. Nicholas was drawn to the project because it was "much more than a horror movie." He felt the role "bowled [him] over." He was inspired by Edward Scissorhands (1990) because both characters face similar challenges. To prepare, Nicholas and other actors practiced with performers from Cirque du Soleil. The film received positive reviews. Critics praised Nicholas for bringing life to his zombie character.
Nicholas's next film was Jack the Giant Slayer (2013). This fantasy adventure did not do well at the box office and received mixed reviews. He played the main hero, Jack. Some critics did not like his performance, calling it "bland" or "boring."
Nicholas then appeared in the science-fiction film Young Ones (2014). It is set in a future where water is scarce. Nicholas played Flem Lever, a young man trying to take land from another character. He found the role different from his past work. He read novels to prepare. The film was shot in South Africa. Nicholas said filming in the hot weather was hard but the scenery helped tell the story. The film received mixed reviews.
Nicholas played Beast again in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). He said playing Beast was a freeing experience. He enjoyed being able to "break loose" when wearing the makeup. The makeup process could take up to three and a half hours. X-Men: Days of Future Past earned over $747 million worldwide. This made it the highest-grossing film in the series and Nicholas's career at that time.
In 2015, Nicholas had three other films released. These were Dark Places, Kill Your Friends, and Equals. All of these films were not well-received by critics and did not earn much money. However, Nicholas's performance in Equals was better. One critic called him and his co-star Kristen Stewart "quietly devastating." Despite doubts about his contract, Nicholas returned for the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse. This film earned about $540 million worldwide.
Biographical and Independent Films (2017–2019)
Nicholas starred in a series of films based on real people and history in 2017. He said he preferred roles that would help him improve as an actor. He wanted to learn and grow.
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He played American author J. D. Salinger in Rebel in the Rye. This film showed Salinger's life from his youth to after World War II. Nicholas was interested in Salinger's mysterious personality. He read Salinger's book The Catcher in the Rye and biographies to prepare. He said the biggest challenge was understanding Salinger's character. Rebel in the Rye received poor reviews. Critics felt Nicholas's performance was "feeble" and not believable as Salinger.
Nicholas also co-starred in The Current War. This film showed the rivalry between electrical pioneers Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse. Nicholas played Nikola Tesla. He grew a mustache and learned about science for the role. He also lost weight. Reviews for The Current War were mixed.
Nicholas then starred as an American soldier in Sand Castle. He described it as a different kind of war film. He recalled training in Jordanian military bases. The film was released on Netflix in 2017 and received mixed reviews.
In The Favourite (2018), Nicholas played a supporting role as Robert Harley. This film was a period drama about Queen Anne of Great Britain. He also voiced Fiver in the animated TV series Watership Down. In 2019, Nicholas played author J. R. R. Tolkien in the movie Tolkien. He also played Hank McCoy again in the X-Men film Dark Phoenix. Both Tolkien and Dark Phoenix were not well-received.
Recent Work: The Great and Beyond (2020–Present)
In 2020, Nicholas began starring as Peter III of Russia in the comedy-drama series The Great. Both the series and his performance received great praise. He was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award for his role.
In 2021, Nicholas appeared as a villain in the thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead. In 2022, he starred in the black comedy film The Menu with Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy. This film received positive reviews. Nicholas then played the main character in the comedy-horror film Renfield. In June 2023, he was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the Oscars.
In 2024, Nicholas voiced Jon Arbuckle in the animated film The Garfield Movie. That same year, he also starred in the crime thriller The Order and the courtroom drama Juror #2. Nicholas also starred as Thomas Hutter in Nosferatu.
In 2025, Nicholas is set to play Lex Luthor in the film Superman.
Personal Life
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Nicholas Hoult spends his time living in both London and Los Angeles. From 2010 to 2014, he was in a relationship with his X-Men co-star Jennifer Lawrence. Since 2017, he has been in a relationship with American model Bryana Holly. They have two children together.
When he was a child, Nicholas played basketball for the Reading Rockets. This team played in the English Basketball League. He later became an ambassador for the club. He also enjoys Formula One racing and has attended several races.
Charity Work
Nicholas Hoult is a kind person who supports many charities. He has worked with organizations that help children. He was named the first Young Person Ambassador for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). He supports their work for children and young people.
Since 2009, he has also worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust. He visits patients and helps promote their campaigns, like "Shunburn" for sun safety. Nicholas designed sweaters for Save the Children's and Selfish Mother's "Christmas Jumper Day" campaign. He encouraged people to buy the festive clothes to help children. He also donated shoes to the Small Steps Project. This organization helps homeless and hungry children. In 2010, Nicholas was added to the NSPCC Hall of Fame for his work against child cruelty.
Nicholas visited Nairobi, Kenya, for a Christian Aid project. This project aimed to provide clean water and sanitation. He met local people and helped clean the area. He said it was "heart-breaking" to see the living conditions but met "great people." Nicholas also took part in the Rickshaw Run in January 2017. Participants drove a small vehicle called a tuk tuk for 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) across India. They raised money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and the World Wide Fund for Nature. He has also worked with Jeans for Refugees. This project helps refugees around the world. He donated a signed pair of jeans, and the money raised went to the International Rescue Committee.
See also
In Spanish: Nicholas Hoult para niños
