Ordinary Roots, Extraordinary Journeys: Inspiring Working-Class Actors

With recent successes putting working-class actors and production teams on the forefront once again, it is important to notice and celebrate them and their impact on the industry. Representation of Northern talent and diversity as a reflection of our society is the way to move forward, bringing authenticity to the screen and relatibility with the audience. Through big names that have “made it” despite not attending private schools or sometimes even drama schools, we are reminded that it is possible and there is space for working-class representation in the industry.

How much is the working-class represented in media?

Statistics show that only 8.4% of creatives come from working-class backgrounds, whilst over 60% are middle or upper-class. In addition, nearly half of all BAFTA and British Oscar nominees in the last decade come from private education - which is shocking when taken into account that across the UK, only 5.9% of pupils attend private schools. This shows the wide gap in representation between the classes, and it comes down to media perception and how many of the common routes into film and TV rely on unpaid (or low-pay) internships and placements, something working-class creatives may not be able to afford whilst working full-time. This results in less free time, less chances to attend auditions, and in some cases having to turn down great opportunities if they are not paying enough.

These statistics are further supported when looking at British actors and their socio-economic backgrounds. From the top ten all-time grossing British male actors, 50% are privately educated, with Idris Elba being the only working-class state-educated actor in the top five. When looking at British actresses, this is even more extreme with 80% of the top twenty grossing actresses being privately educated or aristocratic, and all of them white. From the list, the only state educated British actresses are Keira Knightley and Jodie Comer, and interestingly neither attended drama schools.

Although the representation of working-class actors seems to have dropped over the years, there are many efforts being carried out by organisations to bring diversity into the industry. Through workshops, industry placements by big companies such as BBC and ITV, schemes for under-represented creatives facing barries entering the industry such as CrewHQ, diversity schemes, as well as big actors speaking out about these issues and bringing awareness, there is a fresh wave of opportunity for new artists seeking to enter the film and TV industry.

Recent successes and authentic representation

Despite the gruelling facts, it is still important to focus on the achievements of actors who come from working-class backgrounds who have made an impact in the industry. Most notably and recently, we saw at the Emmys the successes of Adolesence, a very Northern HETV series made by a cast and crew dominated with working-class talent. Starring Stephen Graham, a very well-known name who comes from a working-class environment, raised in the town of Kirkby. He was brought up by his mother who was a social worker, and his step-father who was a mechanic. From his biological father’s side, he had a Swedish grandmother and Jamaican grandfather and has previously discussed his experience being a light-skinned multiracial actor, having brothers with darker skin. Before Adolescence, Stephen Graham also appeared in Philip Barantini’s low-budget drama Boiling Point, a one-take fast-paced 2021 film focused around the busy environment of a kitchen where everything is falling apart around Stephen Graham’s overwhelmed head chef character. The film captures the essence of the emotional, financial, and mental struggles of people working in a busy manual labour job environment, an authentic representation of an experience many working-class audiences can relate with. The film was met with critical acclaim, being nominated for four categories at the BAFTAs, including Outstanding British Film and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.

We also saw the recent success of the emerging talent Owen Cooper, who was cast as an authentic young Northern talent out of a pool of over 500 auditions. With his portrayal of Jamie Miller in Adolesence, Owen Cooper earned widespread critical acclaim, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, making him the youngest male actor ever to win an Emmy, and also the youngest actor to be nominated in that category. Owen Cooper was born in the industrial town of Warrington, between Manchester and Liverpool. His parents carried out routine manual working jobs. Cooper originally wanted to be a footballer before pursuing acting, when he attended weekly acting classes - where he was later scouted by the Adolesence production team.

Aside from the leading actors, much of the supporting cast in Adolesence is Northern and working-class, with the production team reaching out to local drama schools to notice young talent. These successes are important to be celebrated, showing that there is a space for working-class stories to be told in the mainstream media, as well as the real possibility for authentic working-class talent to portray these roles on screen. 

Why is it important to have authentic representation of working-class characters and stories in media?
Over the years, much of the “working-class” being shown in TV and film has relied on actors playing down in terms of class and upbringing, which is commonly seen as unproblematic yet takes away opportunity from true working-class artists. In Trainspotting, Ewan McGregor plays a heroin addict set in a working-class Edinburgh, yet he attended the private Morrison’s Academy. On the other hand, it is much less common to see working-class actors play up and portray middle or upper-class roles. One notable example of this is Kenneth Branagh, who achieved this with his associated with Shakespeare. It demonstrates the imbalance in the industry, and how there is a lack of opportunity for actors depending on their background, upbringing, and financial status… As well as many other factors. Diversity in media is important in order to have an accurate reflection of our real world, which in itself is diverse in culture - and this can only be authentically represented by cast and crew who come from these cultures themselves.

Working-class actors in the media industry today

Whilst it may be more difficult to find actors who come from a working-class background, there have been many success stories over the years and actors who proved they don’t need private education or contacts in the industry to flourish and display their talents.

James McAvoy has been very outspoken about “classism” in the film industry. He grew up in a council estate in the Drumchapel area of Glasgow, with his dad being a bus driver and his mother a psychiatric nurse; they separated and divorced when he was just a child, and due to his mother’s poor health McAvoy lived with his maternal grandparents. He attended state schools and considered being a priest to explore the world as a missionary. He later applied for the Royal Navy and had already been accepted when he received a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and pursued acting. James McAvoy has himself spoken out about the lack of opportunity for working-class talent, stating “It’s tricky, this industry doesn’t exist to provide opportunities for people.” He discusses the need for diversity in the industry as a way for authenticity and a realistic reflection of society, as well as adding that what’s missing is the availability of art education for all people, not just a select group. Whilst this doesn’t necessarily only mean creating and nurturing artists and actors, educational art gives all young people the skills that they might not be able to access otherwise - it teaches the expansion of horizons and looking beyond just the walls of the school, something that doesn’t come very easily for young students with less financial backing. McAvoy also adds that performance art in particular nurtures young people who are “desensitised to the prospect of failure,” who can go into life believing in themselves and their abilities.

Imelda Staunton is another prime example, known for her roles as Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix historical series The Crown. Staunton grew up in Archways, with a mother hairdresser and father who was a labourer, and attended a state Catholic school. She has achieved major successes in film, TV, as well as stage: winning a BAFTA Award for playing the title role of a working-class woman in Vera Drake (2004), Primetime Emmy Award and British Academy Television Award nominations, as well as fourteen Laurence Olivier Award nominations for stage. Imelda Staunton is a very talented and well-known actress globally, coming from a background that didn’t give her any opportunities yet she persisted and got to where she is now through her talent and perseverance. Staunton has openly supported the Open Door scheme by Emilia Clarke, which aims to “open doors” for young emerging actors who aren’t given the opportunity to showcase their talents due to barriers when trying to enter the industry. 

Better known for her work in independent film, Samantha Morton is yet another talented actress who comes from a working-class background and has actively spoken out about it. Coming from Nottingham, her parents were factory workers of Polish/Irish heritage. She lived with her father until she was 8, however spent most of her childhood in and out of foster care as her father was an abusive alcoholic and her mother was in a violent relationship. She attended state school and during this time joined a Television Workshop where she landed her first small roles. Workshops like such are a great source of inspiration for working-class actors to represent themselves authentically on screen, however they themselves are threatened by financial difficulties serving as a constant reminder of the urgent need for increased funding for arts education. Despite this, Morton has been incredibly successful in her career, having won two BAFTAs, a Golden Globe award, a Primetime Emmy award, and having two Academy Award nominations. During her acceptance speech of her BAFTA Fellowship award, Samantha Morton delivered a powerful speech in which she openly talked about her upbringing in Notthingham, her financial struggles growing up, and her situation, dedicating the award to “every child in care today, or who's been in care, or is suffering or who didn't survive.” 

Knowing about these success stories is a great way to stay motivated and inspired when navigating the industry. There are many British actors who come from a working-class background, who have been successful both in achievement, as well as having an impact through speaking out about these issues and organising schemes to give opportunities to actors who are struggling to emerge. Actors such as James McAvoy, Imelda Staunton, Samantha Morton, and many more are prime examples of working-class actors who have had a great impact on the industry and continue to amaze and inspire generations to come.

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Author

Rafal Szuba