Harris Dickinson on making the move behind the camera with Urchin, playing John Lennon and persistent Bond rumours

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As a real cinema fan, I’ve been seriously impressed with Harris Dickinson. Even though he’s only been acting for a relatively short time, he’s quickly become one of the most exciting actors coming out of the UK, in my opinion. He first caught my attention in the brilliant indie film Beach Rats back in 2017, and since then, he’s shown incredible range. He’s done it all – huge franchise movies like The King’s Man, critically acclaimed films that have won awards like the Palme D’Or with Triangle of Sadness, fantastic British films like Scrapper, and even really moving, based-on-a-true-story dramas like The Iron Claw.

On top of everything else, Dickinson has now taken on a role behind the scenes, having written and directed the new drama Urchin – which is being released in UK cinemas today. The heartfelt film features Frank Dillane as Mike, a young man experiencing homelessness, as he tries to get his life back on track after a brief time in prison – all while battling to overcome past problems with substance abuse.

[It] originated from observing people close to me who struggled with repeating patterns – not just substance abuse and lacking housing,” he explains. “For me, it was largely about the impact of trauma and how we cope with difficult experiences after going through something very challenging.

From what I understand, the work we were doing seemed to be happening at the same time as a script was already in progress. And honestly, the whole thing just naturally grew into a much clearer and focused idea. It really evolved into something more specific, you know? I’m really excited about where it’s going, and I think it’s a great direction for the project.

Initially, the idea was to tell Mike’s story alongside another narrative. However, Dickinson ultimately felt it was more effective to center the story entirely on his character – a man “someone [who is a] similar age to me, kind of battling against themselves and testing the audience’s level of tolerance for someone who’s making difficult decisions and isn’t always likeable”. He wanted to explore a character who was flawed and challenging, pushing viewers to consider how much they would accept from someone making tough choices.

I’m simply trying to understand the whole person and what they’re experiencing,” he explains. “For me, homelessness is more of a circumstance, not the defining aspect of their story.”

While the film clearly aligns with the tradition of social realism seen in the work of renowned British directors like Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, Dickinson’s work also occasionally ventures into more experimental territory.

The film features several moments of surrealism, and the director felt more confident experimenting with this style because of his experiences working with talented filmmakers as an actor. He was inspired by their skills and felt encouraged to incorporate similar techniques into his own work.

I’ve been fortunate to work with and enjoy so many talented directors,” he explains. “People like Halina Reijn, Sean Durkin, Ruben Östlund, and Joanna Hogg – they all really welcome and explore the more surreal aspects of filmmaking.

As a lifelong cinema devotee, I’ve always been drawn to stories that really pull you in. So, making films feels like a natural extension of that – it’s about exploring the kinds of narratives *I* love to watch and how *I* like to experience them. I think when you make your first film, there’s a beautiful naivety to it. You haven’t developed any rigid rules or expectations yet, so you just go for it and see what happens! It’s a really freeing experience, and I think that rawness can often come through on screen. It’s all about the story, really.

However, embracing surrealism also presented some difficulties during filming for Dickinson. He explains, “Communicating your creative ideas to a team can be tough.” He adds, “It’s unusual to attempt to explain something that’s both vivid and not firmly defined.”

It was undoubtedly a success. The film was selected for the Un Certain Regard section at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered to very enthusiastic reviews and Dillane even won an acting award for their lead role. This wasn’t Dickinson’s first visit to the Croisette – but how did this experience compare, considering he had created the film entirely from the beginning?

“Honestly, being at Triangle was incredibly moving and a unique experience,” he remembers. “Then, the following year, we returned to seek funding for the movie, which meant a series of meetings where I had to persuade people about its potential.”

Honestly, being back there showing the film at such a prestigious event… it was really special, yeah. Seeing Frank finally get the recognition he so deserved was incredibly meaningful and a bit overwhelming, actually. It took me a while to really process just how much that meant to me!

What’s next for Ben Dickinson? According to some online speculation, he’s a leading contender for the role of James Bond – often appearing on lists of potential actors for the next installment in the famous spy series, which is being directed by Denis Villeneuve.

When we brought up this rumor, he – understandably – didn’t want to discuss it much. He explained, “I’d guess around 50 to 100 people are asked this same question,” he said. “So it doesn’t feel special or noteworthy to be asked it now.”

However, Dickinson will be portraying one famous British figure. It was revealed earlier in the year that he will star as John Lennon in Sam Mendes’s large-scale film project about the Beatles – alongside Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, and Barry Keoghan, who will play the other members of the Fab Four.

Filming has recently begun on the project, and Dickinson is certainly enjoying the process so far.

“It’s been incredible,” he says. “Playing opposite someone with that level of talent is a really special experience. It’s definitely a bit scary, but also very rewarding. I’ve really enjoyed the chance to explore such a complicated and demanding role. I feel fortunate to go to work each day and try to understand the character and everything that makes them who they are.”

Some people have criticized the decision to create four separate films – each showing events from the viewpoint of a different Beatle – but Dickinson believes this actually increases its attractiveness.

[It’s] understandably a more extended process, but I believe that’s exactly what actors are looking for,” he says. “You want the chance to really dedicate time to a project and have a solid opportunity to fully immerse yourself in it. That’s essentially the ideal scenario.

Notably, Dickinson also appeared briefly as an actor in Urchin, playing Nathan, a slightly unreliable friend of Mike’s character. However, this wasn’t originally intended: they had already cast another actor, but he had to withdraw due to personal issues. Since Dickinson had already been rehearsing lines and had a natural chemistry with Dillane, he stepped into the role instead.

Still, he can’t imagine that future directorial efforts will see him double up in a main role.

“No, I don’t think I could,” he responded when questioned about directing. “I have a lot of respect for those who can – filmmakers like Fassbinder, Cassavetes, and even Bradley Cooper. It’s just not something I feel capable of doing myself.”

So what can we expect from future Dickinson-directed features? “I think the tone of [this] film is probably something I want to carry across,” he explains. “The level of humour and drama and sort of high stakes. But I don’t know what that means for genre, really.”

Naturally, he’ll need to juggle his writing and directing work with his acting, which is likely to become even more successful. Also, he’s eager to work with many different filmmakers in the future. He’s hoping for some exciting collaborations going forward.

He explains that he has a continually evolving list, and he’s constantly adding to it. He mentions Julia Ducornau (Titane), Justine Triet (The Anatomy of a Fall), Lynne Ramsey (Die My Love), and Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) as just a few of the directors he hopes to work with. “It’s a very extensive list!”

If he continues to develop the potential demonstrated with Urchin, it likely won’t be long before others also start considering Dickinson as a valuable asset to their teams.

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2025-10-03 09:36