# Billy Howle
**Billy Howle** (born 1989) is a British actor known for stage, television, and film roles ranging from the television series *Glue* and *The Serpent* to the film *On Chesil Beach* and a 2022 title role in *Hamlet* at the [Bristol Old Vic](https://www.edgepedia.org/bristol-old-vic).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | William Walter Douglas Howle; the nickname Billy stuck from a young age[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) |
| Birth | Born the day the Berlin Wall was pulled down[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) |
| Training | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduated 2013[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) |
| Breakthrough | Lead in Jack Thorne's E4 series *Glue*[2](https://www.screendaily.com/stars-of-tomorrow/billy-howle-stars-of-tomorrow-2015/5094629.article) |
| Signature film role | Edward Mayhew in *On Chesil Beach* (2018), his first lead film role[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) • [3](https://www.transmissionfilms.com.au/uploads/media/Transmission_Films_-_On_Chesil_Beach_production_notes.pdf) |
| Award | Best Actor nomination, Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards 2025, for the title role in *Kid Snow*[4](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/billy-howle/) |
| Stage | Hamlet at Bristol Old Vic (2022); Harvey Pell in *High Noon*, his first West End show, in 2025[5](https://www.whatsonstage.com/bristol-theatre/news/hamlet-billy-howle-old-vic_57650.html/) • [6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Billy-Howle/) |
| Representation | Conway Van Gelder Grant[4](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/billy-howle/) |
## Early life and training
Howle was one of four sons raised mostly in [Scarborough](https://www.edgepedia.org/scarborough) by a schoolteacher mother and a music professor father[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) • [7](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/billy-howle). His mother had him on the day the [Berlin Wall](https://www.edgepedia.org/berlin-wall) was pulled down and initially wanted a German-sounding name like Wilhelm before settling on William[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic). He describes his childhood as "feral": around age 13 he began misbehaving, drinking, and getting into minor trouble in the seaside town, and he spent much of school time challenging teachers[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic).
Acting began with childhood performances at home and community theater as a teenager, especially workshops for children with behavioral difficulties and special needs, which he credits with sparking his passion for acting[7](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/billy-howle). After school he joined a youth group at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where Alan Ayckbourn became a mentor[8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/billy-howle-am-not-sure-061500714.html). He spent a foundation year at one drama school before three years at the [Bristol Old Vic Theatre School](https://www.edgepedia.org/bristol-old-vic-theatre-school), graduating in 2013[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) • [7](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/billy-howle). He has spoken about rejection in training: one teacher told him he had failed to get into a drama school because he was "too weird", a moment that nearly stopped him acting altogether[9](https://www.backstage.com/uk/magazine/article/the-serpent-the-beast-must-die-star-billy-howle-on-acting-73405/).
## Screen career
His first role after graduating was the lead in [Jack Thorne](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-thorne)'s cult E4 drama *Glue*[2](https://www.screendaily.com/stars-of-tomorrow/billy-howle-stars-of-tomorrow-2015/5094629.article). He then took a small role in the BBC television film *Cider with Rosie* and appeared as Joseph in [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4)'s historical drama *New Worlds* in 2014[2](https://www.screendaily.com/stars-of-tomorrow/billy-howle-stars-of-tomorrow-2015/5094629.article) • [3](https://www.transmissionfilms.com.au/uploads/media/Transmission_Films_-_On_Chesil_Beach_production_notes.pdf).
**Film.** Howle became identified with literary adaptations. He appeared in [Julian Barnes](https://www.edgepedia.org/julian-barnes)'s *The Sense of an Ending*, played Konstantin in [Michael Mayer](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-mayer)'s 2018 film of Chekhov's *The Seagull* opposite [Annette Bening](https://www.edgepedia.org/annette-bening) and Saoirse Ronan, and starred as Leonard Vole with Kim Cattrall in *The Witness for the Prosecution*, based on the Agatha Christie short story[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) • [10](https://www.flaunt.com/blog/billy-howle). His first lead film role was Edward Mayhew, opposite Saoirse Ronan's Florence, in Dominic Cooke's 2018 adaptation of Ian McEwan's *On Chesil Beach*, set on a honeymoon in 1962 England[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) • [11](https://time.com/5280445/on-chesil-beach-movie-review/). Casting director Nina Gold's process ended with five finalists flying to New York for a screen test with Ronan[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic). In the autumn of 2018 he appeared with Chris Pine in Netflix's *Outlaw King*, going head-to-head as rival kings of Scotland[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic). Later film work included *Infinite Storm*[12](https://cinemascholars.com/an-interview-with-infinite-storm-star-billy-howle/) and a 2025 Best Actor nomination from the Film Critics Circle of Australia for the title role in *Kid Snow*[4](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/billy-howle/).
**Television.** In the BBC drama *MotherFatherSon* (2019) he played Caden, the son of a media tycoon played by [Richard Gere](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-gere); his character's storyline included a controlling sex scene made before intimacy coordinators became widespread, and Howle later said he was "not sure I would do full-frontal nudity again"[8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/billy-howle-am-not-sure-061500714.html). He followed his star turn on the BBC and Netflix hit *The Serpent* with *The Beast Must Die*, co-starring [Jared Harris](https://www.edgepedia.org/jared-harris) and [Cush Jumbo](https://www.edgepedia.org/cush-jumbo) on BritBox and AMC+[9](https://www.backstage.com/uk/magazine/article/the-serpent-the-beast-must-die-star-billy-howle-on-acting-73405/). In the Amazon Prime Video thriller *Chloe* (2022) he played an ascendant politician married to the title character[13](https://time.com/6190101/chloe-review-amazon/), and he appeared in *Under the Banner of Heaven*[14](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7349662/news/). Upcoming projects reported by Deadline include the lead in the WWII survival drama *Turret* and a role in the A24 television adaptation of Kaliane Bradley's novel *The Ministry of Time*[14](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7349662/news/).
## Theatre
Ghosts came early: Howle was in Richard Eyre's 2014 production of Ibsen's *Ghosts* and, when the play transferred to New York, replaced [Jack Lowden](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-lowden); the Broadway run put him on the radars of international casting directors[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic) • [2](https://www.screendaily.com/stars-of-tomorrow/billy-howle-stars-of-tomorrow-2015/5094629.article).
In 2022 he played Hamlet at the Bristol Old Vic, the theater city where he trained. Reviewers described a quicksilver, melancholy prince who sat rather than stood, carrying a tape recorder, with one critic noting his strength in contrasting moods of tears and caustic wit[5](https://www.whatsonstage.com/bristol-theatre/news/hamlet-billy-howle-old-vic_57650.html/). His first West End show was *High Noon*, which opened in 2025 with him in the role of Harvey Pell[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Billy-Howle/). He then opened at the Almeida as Jimmy Porter in a revival of [John Osborne](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-osborne)'s *Look Back in Anger*, a role *Deadline* called mammoth and career-defining, running in rep with [Arnold Wesker](https://www.edgepedia.org/arnold-wesker)'s *Roots* opposite Morfydd Clark[14](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7349662/news/).
## Approach and recognition
Howle has described himself as a professional storyteller rather than a method actor, aiming to present audiences with a series of truths when the writing supports it[7](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/billy-howle). He prepares meticulously for roles, especially literary adaptations, and has spoken about the "upstairs, downstairs" division in British acting, in which performers are often typecast by social background; he has criticized auditions that ask where an actor went to secondary school[10](https://www.flaunt.com/blog/billy-howle) • [1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic). Outside acting, he was selected as one of the new faces of Prada alongside Eddie Redmayne and has modeled, including six months posing for life-drawing classes[1](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic).
## References
1. [Billy Howle: 'There's definitely something in me that is a bit broken and poetic', The Guardian / The Observer, 20 May 2018](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/may/20/billy-howle-theres-definitely-something-in-me-that-is-a-bit-broken-and-poetic)
2. [Billy Howle, Stars of Tomorrow 2015, Screen](https://www.screendaily.com/stars-of-tomorrow/billy-howle-stars-of-tomorrow-2015/5094629.article)
3. [Transmission Films: On Chesil Beach production notes](https://www.transmissionfilms.com.au/uploads/media/Transmission_Films_-_On_Chesil_Beach_production_notes.pdf)
4. [Billy Howle, Conway Van Gelder Grant](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/billy-howle/)
5. ['Hamlet' at Bristol Old Vic – review, WhatsOnStage, 20 October 2022](https://www.whatsonstage.com/bristol-theatre/news/hamlet-billy-howle-old-vic_57650.html/)
6. [Billy Howle, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Billy-Howle/)
7. [Billy Howle, Interview Magazine, 2014](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/billy-howle)
8. [Billy Howle: 'I am not sure I would do full-frontal nudity again', Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/billy-howle-am-not-sure-061500714.html)
9. ['The Beast Must Die' Star Billy Howle on Owning Your Acting Process, Backstage, July 2021](https://www.backstage.com/uk/magazine/article/the-serpent-the-beast-must-die-star-billy-howle-on-acting-73405/)
10. [Billy Howle, Flaunt](https://www.flaunt.com/blog/billy-howle)
11. [On Chesil Beach Is a Moving Tale of Love Without Lust, Time, 17 May 2018](https://time.com/5280445/on-chesil-beach-movie-review/)
12. [An Interview With Infinite Storm Star Billy Howle, Cinema Scholars](https://cinemascholars.com/an-interview-with-infinite-storm-star-billy-howle/)
13. [Amazon's Psychological Thriller Chloe Is a Riveting Twist on the Scammer Show, Time, 24 June 2022](https://time.com/6190101/chloe-review-amazon/)
14. [Billy Howle News, IMDb / Deadline Film + TV](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7349662/news/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Gw to H*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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