Alex Lawther

Alex Lawther (born 1995) is an English actor. He is best known for portraying the young Alan Turing in the film The Imitation Game (2014), which won him the London Film Critics' Circle Award for Young British Performer of the Year.

Lawther was born in Petersfield, Hampshire. The youngest of three, he has said that his aspiration to be an actor came from having to make up his own games to entertain himself as a child. His parents both work in law, while his older brother, Cameron Lawther, is a film producer. In 2010, the brothers worked together on The Fear.

In 2009, Lawther wrote and put together a play as part of his drama club involvement at Churcher's College. Lawther played Ratty in The Wind in the Willows at school. Lawther did not study drama at GCSE or A level. Until his first professional acting performance, he was set to study History at King's College London. He trained with the National Youth Theatre.

Lawther's professional debut came at the age of 16, when he appeared as John Blakemore in David Hare's South Downs at Chichester Festival Theatre. He made his feature film debut in the Academy Award-winning film The Imitation Game (2014). The role won him the London Film Critics' Circle Award for "Young British Performer of the Year" in 2015. In 2015, he appeared in a supporting role in the critically acclaimed coming-of-age drama film X+Y. In 2016, he appeared in "Shut Up and Dance", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror.

Lawther has been praised by Dame Maggie Smith for his work, reportedly telling him that "most of us spend our lives trying to do what you've achieved". He has been compared to actor Ben Whishaw, whom he cites as an idol of his.

Lawther often kayaks down Camden Lock in his spare time. He tries to spend most of his money on books and theatre and film tickets.

Film

Television

Stage

Radio