Almost every Oscar season there seems to be one young actor who charms the pants off everyone. Sometimes they win Oscars (“The Piano’s” Anna Paquin), sometimes they get nominated (“Beasts of the Southern Wild’s” Quvenzhané Wallis), sometimes they grow up to have established careers (“Billy Elliot’s” Jamie Bell, “About A Boy’s” Nicholas Hoult) and often they just have a grand ol’ time on the awards circuit (“Room’s” Jacob Tremblay, “Jojo Rabbit’s” Roman Griffin Davis). And, yes, it’s noteworthy that many of them delight voters because they are quintessentially not American, but it’s a phenomenon that isn’t ending anytime soon. This year’s adorable and talented newcomer to the group? “Belfast’s” Jude Hill.
Now 11 years old, Hill portrays Buddy, a pseudonym for the film’s director and star Kenneth Branagh in the Best Picture frontrunner. Set in 1969, the film is inspired by Branagh’s experiences in the Northern Ireland capital during a period of increasing tension between Catholics and Protestants in the city. As Buddy’s parents (Jamie Dornan, Caitríona Balfe) debate on whether they can find greener pastures by moving to England, Buddy navigates the terror and dreams of connecting with his elementary school crush.
Earlier this month, the utterly delightful Hill, who was born and raised in Northern Ireland, jumped into a zoom meeting to discuss landing his breakout role, his impressive professional demeanor, and much, much more.
Note, this interview was conducted on the day Hill earned a British Independent Film Awards nomination in the Breakthrough Actor category.
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The Playlist: Jude, congratulations on your British Independent Film Awards nomination this morning. What was your reaction?
Jude Hill: Well, it’s just crazy and amazing. Thank you to BIFA for nominating me for breakout performer. And congrats to all the other nominees. I’m really just excited and I’m really grateful.
I know you’re only 11, but do you remember when you wanted to be an actor? Do you remember seeing something on TV or a movie that made you want to do it?
I think my main sort of spark for being an actor was probably just the entirety of all the Marvel and Star Wars films because I just loved how easy the actors played the roles. I had questions from looking at it, and I found all them out. I’m really glad that I’m here today.
Do you have a favorite movie or a favorite character out of either the Star Wars or the Marvel films?
I think my favorite character is probably Ironman. Robert Downey Jr. played Ironman. I think he just plays the role with such ease. I’m trying to do that in the role of Buddy and multiple different things that are coming up.
Let’s talk about playing Buddy. Do you remember your audition for the film? Were you nervous beforehand?
Well, I wasn’t really nervous before. I just found out that it was a normal audition, but as soon as I found out the Kenneth Branagh would be directing it, my brain just went into autopilot and I focused on it and I did a bunch of self-educating on the Troubles and Catholics and Protestants because kids my age wouldn’t really know about them because in primary school they don’t really teach kids about The Troubles. So I’m glad our generation has gone pass that. And I think this film does Troubles justice.
Talk about Buddy as a character. How do you think you are different from him?
I don’t think me and Buddy are that different, to be honest because we both have the same interests, just the same personality sort of. But the only thing that’s different is the football team that he supports because I’m a Liverpool supporter and Buddy was a Tottenham Hotspur supporter. That’s the only thing that’s a bit…
Wait, don’t you live in Northern Ireland?
Yeah, I live in Northern Ireland.
Why are you a Liverpool supporter?
They’re just the best team there is, honestly. It’s nothing else to say.
Nothing else to say. [Laughs], O.K., when you were making the film, how did you memorize all of those lines? Do you remember that process?
Well, I remember asking one of the actors of the cast beforehand, because I was in almost every single scene in “Belfast,” so it was just crazy. I can’t remember who it was, but I got a really good tip on how to learn lines and just get them done quicker and learn them all in a really short space of time.
What’s the tip?
You basically just take it sentence by sentence or paragraph by paragraph, and you just add it all together in the end. That really helped with Buddy.
What was the toughest part about shooting the movie?
Oh, the hardest scene to film was one of the riot scenes because there was so many things going on, bombs being thrown, windows being broken, people running about the street. And I just loved it. Buddy was supposed to be acting scared in the scene, but I was genuinely scared.
Which actor that you worked with surprised you the most? Who was either nicer or friendlier than you ever thought they would be?
Jamie Dornan.
Really? What surprised you about him?
Yeah, because he’s just a really, really nice guy in real life. Sometimes I just take the hand out of him and mess about with him, but that’s only normal for a person living in Northern Ireland. So yeah, me and him are great friends.
Your friends must have seen the trailer and know the movie’s coming. Are they excited for you?
Well, the day that the trailer came out, me and my classmates watched the trailer on one of the interactive whiteboards at school. We played it about three times, and the first time we played it, everyone was just like… their mouths were wide open. “That’s my friend. He’s over there!” But then a few days after that, they just forgot it.
Kenneth Branagh has said in other interviews that you’re incredibly professional for your age as an actor. Where do you think you get that from? Do you get it from your parents?
I remember my mum just did poems and extracts from books whenever she was younger. I started off with poems and monologues and stuff like that. And then I’ve got into the acting industry, and I’m loving it. And I’m just really grateful and towards Ken because without him, I wouldn’t be here today.
Do you remember your audition with him in person?
Well, I think it was one of the last callbacks that I did and it was the first time meeting Ken in real life. He’s really just a nice person. As soon as me and my mum got in the car ready to drive home in, in my head, I was like, “I’ve got this. No way I haven’t got this.”
Was it just how he was in the audition or you’re just naturally confident?
Well, I’m naturally confident, but for that, I was sort of nervous. But Ken just sat me down and he was just my friend from the start because he’s just so easy to sit down and have a chat with. He’s just a really nice person. And I think me and him bonded a lot, and that’s what made me think, I’ve got this.
When you saw the movie for the first time, what was your reaction?
I cried. Before the film, I was like, no, I’m not going to cry, but I legitimately, as soon as I saw myself on the big screen, I started crying because the ending is just so rewarding after all of that hard work. It’s probably really, really rewarding to Ken as well because he put blood, sweat, and tears into making that film and he really, really deserves it.
You talked about why you wanted to be an actor, but what do you like about acting? What makes you want to keep working?
I’m just loving the moment right now, and I want to do more of this. I really just love acting. It brings sort of an excitement to me because every time I act a scene, my brain just goes into autopilot, and I just love it. It’s one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done.
You’re also in this new upcoming television series “Magpie Murders.” Can you talk about your character in it?
I play the young Sam. Sam is one of the victims of a murder that is still unsolved. The main characters in the story you’re trying to figure out who could be behind all of these murders and murderings that have happened.
I’m going to guess that this was a very different experience than from “Belfast.“
Yeah.
Was it fun? Did you enjoy it just as much?
Oh, 100%. I remember one of the scenes I filmed was a lake scene. I was in the lake and it was really, really cold. I was like, I was just lying there in the lake like, this is so cold, but I was alright after it. I just loved the different experience from “Belfast.”
I’m going to guess you know that there’s been a lot of talk about the movie in terms of the Oscars. Do you know what that means? Do you know how big that is?
Well, yeah, I know the Oscars are really, really big, but to be honest, I’m really just happy about all the popularity the film’s getting. And Ken, he should be really happy with how much hype the film is getting.
“Belfast” opens nationwide on Nov. 12