Craig Roberts

Craig Roberts is a British actor, director, writer and producer who has built an impressive body of work spanning television and film. He first caught the industry’s attention with his breakout role in Submarine, for which he won the BAFTA Cymru Award for ‘Best Actor’, the London Critics Circle Film Award for ‘Young British Performer of the Year’ and was nominated at the 2011 British Independent Film Awards in the category of ‘Most Promising Newcomer’ and at the 2012 Empire Awards for ‘Best Male Newcomer’. He carefully applies his unique and brilliant creativity to each project he takes on and continues to distinguish himself as one of the most exciting young filmmakers working today.

In April 2022, eOne will release Craig’s third directorial effort The Phantom of The Open in the UK. Starring Mark Rylance in his big-screen comedy debut. Written by Simon Farnaby and adapted from the book of the same name which Simon he co-wrote with Scott Murray, Mark plays ‘Maurice Flitcroft’, a dreamer and unrelenting optimist, who managed to gain entry to The British Open Golf Championship qualifying in 1976 and subsequently shot the worst round in Open history, becoming a folk hero in the process. Sally Hawkins and Rhys Ifans also star in the Cornerstone Film, which premiered at the 2021 London Film Festival and will be distributed by Sony Pictures Classics in the US and multiple territories by Sony next year.

Craig’s second directorial feature with his production company Cliff Edge Pictures, Eternal Beauty, had its world premiere at the 2019 BFI London Film Festival. The drama stars Sally Hawkins, Billy Piper, Penelope Wilton, Morfydd Clark and David Thewlis and follows the heart-breaking story of ‘Jane’ who, rejected by life, spirals into a chaotic, schizophrenic world, where love and normality collide. The film garnered praise from the critics, with the Hollywood Reporter writing “creating a highly unusual and welcome look at schizophrenia that neither demonizes those with the condition nor patronizes them as suffering martyrs, the British drama Eternal Beauty pulls off a tricky feat… To Roberts’ credit, his script manages to build up a narrative that has a shape and heft to it.” The Upcoming noted Craig “has delivered a powerful second feature.”, Jumpcut observed “litter too many quirks within the framework of a sensitive subject matter, it undoubtedly dilutes the power at the heart of the frame, which makes the balancing act director Craig Roberts achieves here even more remarkable… Craig Roberts created a fitting title… The deep impact Eternal Beauty had, will not be forgotten in a hurry. Exceptional.” The Skinny observed that “schizophrenia has rarely been portrayed well on film”, UK Film Review commented “Craig Roberts’ reframes the narrative surrounding mental illness… This complex portrayal makes Eternal Beauty one to watch.” Cinema Perspective said Craig “is proving to be an innovative filmmaker… Eternal Beauty (is) a refreshing portrayal of mental health issues… his vivid imagination shines a positive light on subject matter that is usually shrouded in darkness.” The Radio Times perceived “Roberts deftly balances the comedy and drama.”, Little White Lies pointed out “Roberts’ handling of mental health is sensitive but also matter of fact – his film locates a level of intelligence that elevates the material”, Empire stated his film “delivers a clear-eyed, compassionate view of a mental illness” highlighting the “imaginative direction” and his “sensitive writing”. The Guardian identified how Craig “created a thoughtful, valuable, humane drama about mental illness.”, Times Radio noted he is “very talented” and Roger Ebert declared “his genuine talent for cinematic storytelling is evident throughout Eternal Beauty.”. Bulldog released the feature theatrically in the UK and Samuel Goldwyn in the US on 2nd October and it went on to be nominated for 5 BAFTA Cymru Awards.

In 2019, Craig starred as Emperor Nero in Altitude’s Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans alongside Nick Frost and Kim Cattrall. The comedy feature directed by Dominic Brigstocke and based on Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories children’s book series was released in July. On the same day, The Current War premiered in cinemas which saw Craig take on the role of ‘Robert Lane’ alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, Nicholas Hoult and Michael Shannon. Directed by Alfonzo Gomez-Rejon, the historical drama is set in 1879 and is based on a true story when and his rivalry with entrepreneur Westinghouse, which marked one of the first and greatest corporate feuds in the history of America. In May, Craig appeared in Fox Searchlight and Chernin Entertainmant’s biopic Tolkien. Directed by Dome Karukoski, and written by David Gleeson and Stephen Berescord, the film focuses on the early life of the author J.R.R.Tolkien as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school. Craig played the role of ‘Sam’, on whom the character ‘Samwise Gamgee’ was based, opposite Nicholas Hoult’s ‘Tolkien’, who serve together during WWI. 

Craig starred in the third and final season of hit Amazon Prime series Red Oaks in November 2017, reprising the lead role of ‘David Myers’ in the original Amazon Studios production from Steven Soderbergh and David Gordon Green. ‘David’ is a 20-year-old college student who’s hired as an assistant tennis pro at the predominantly Jewish ‘Red Oaks’ country club circa 1985 and tries to figure out what kind of life he wants to lead. The first series premiered in October 2015, with the second going out in November 2016. The Independent called him a “star” and “coming-of-age genre’s poster boy” while Yahoo described him as “the series’ greatest strength”. RogerEbert hailed him as a “talented young future star” while Glamour observed “Roberts is one of those rare finds in the entertainment business, and he’s one you’ll be hearing and a seeing a lot more from in the coming years”. Newsday wrote he “deftly creates a character you may even recognize from your own past – only funnier,” and Decider called him a “rising star”. The LA Times said Craig was “especially funny” while Tablet Magazine said his performance was “Uncanny suburban Jewy perfection by the Welsh (!) actor.”

In June 2016, Craig starred in Rob Burnett’s The Fundamentals of Caring playing ‘Trevor’, a young man who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, opposite Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez. The independent drama, which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, was released globally by Netflix in June. Critics singled out Craig’s performance:  The Examiner wrote “… Roberts not only stars but steals the film… with professionalism and raw talent. Craig Roberts’s performance is something to learn from, and something you won’t soon forget”, the film Journal International compared his “comic firebrand” performance to “a young, more profane Dudley More… so strong and genuinely funny”, while The Huffington Post suggested “Roberts, who was superb in… Submarine… seems to be another one of those Brit actors who we’ll be appreciating for many a decade to come. Expect a “Lord” to be attached to his moniker at least by 2056.”.

Craig made his directorial debut with independent feature Just Jim in September 2015. Shot in Wales, Craig also wrote the feature in which he stars as ‘Jim’ opposite Emile Hirsch. The dark comedy tells the coming-of-age story of ‘Jim’, a lonely teenager whose life is completely changed by new American neighbor ‘Dean’. The film had its world premiere at SXSW Festival and was followed by a UK release. Moviepiolt.com called it “a must watch”, and “one of the most engaging and original pieces of film from 2015” while The Guardian noted that Craig, already “a singular screen presence… acquits himself confidently behind the camera, handling the film’s shifting tones with nicely cracked off-kilter humour.” Flickeringmyth.com wrote that the film “stands as an incredibly striking achievement, illustrating all the potential that the multifaceted Roberts possesses in its execution… Craig Roberts really comes into his own…Just Jim stands as a monumental achievement that signifies the emergence of new British directorial talent”. The same year, in November, Craig appeared in Kill Your Friends, the feature adaptation of John Niven’s cult novel of the same name about the Britpop era in the late 90s. Craig stars opposite Nick Hoult with Owen Harris directing the story of an A&R man working at the height of the Britpop music craze goes to extremes in order to find his next hit. 

2014 was another busy year for Craig: in May, he appeared in Nicholas Stollers’ comedy Neighbors (international title Bad Neighbors) with Zac Efron, Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne and in Richard Ayoade’s The Double, with Jesse Eisenberg. Following this, in June, he was seen in Sony comedy feature 22 Jump Street, with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, the follow up to the hit 21 Jump Street. He also starred in James Adams’ feature debut Benny & Jolene, as ‘Benny’ with Rosamund Hanson and Charlotte Ritchie. Craig also shot a pilot for E4, ALT, starring as ‘Milo’ opposite Gethin Antony, about ex-best friends who find themselves transported to a parallel universe. In the same year, Craig appeared in Dan Beers’ high school comedy Premature, with Alan Tudyk, which was released in the US on 2nd July 2014. 

Craig first caught the industry’s attention in his breakthrough role of ‘Oliver Tate’ in Richard Ayoade’s British Independent feature Submarine: a coming-of-age comedy-drama film adapted from the 2008 novel of the same name, written by Joe Dunthorne. Produced by Ben Stiller, the film also stars Yasmin Paige, Sally Hawkins, Noah Taylor and Paddy Considine. Craig plays the protagonist, a fifteen-year-old boy on a mission to save his parents from the dissolution of their marriage and to lose his virginity before he turns 16. The film won considerable acclaim and was released in the UK on March 18th 2010 and June 3rd 2011 in the US. Craig garnered praise for his performance: The Independent said “Craig Roberts carries the film both visually and, in his delivery,” while The Sunday Times said Oliver was “brilliantly played by Roberts”. US critics were no less impressed: The Wall Street Journal said “Oliver [is] played to perfection by Craig Roberts” and Drew McWeeny of Indiewire said “Craig Roberts… captures that fine line between precocious knowledge and childish naiveté with surgical precision.” 

Craig’s other notable film credits in 2012 include: ‘John Reed’ in Cary Fukunaga’s Jane Eyre, playing opposite Mia Wasikowska, Jamie Bell, Judi Dench and Michael Fassbender; ‘Simon Daldry’ in Jon Kasdans’ The First Time: ‘Sam Smith’ in Simon Aboud’s Comes A Bright Day with Timothy Spall and Imogen Poots and also Rodrigo Cortés psychological thriller Red Lights, where he appeared alongside Robert De Niro, Cillian Murphy and Sigourney Weaver. In 2011 Craig portrayed ‘Adam’, a forty-year-old vampire in a fifteen-year olds body, in BBC3’s hit supernatural drama series Being Human, created by Toby Whithouse, a role he reprised in the online spin-off series Becoming Human, also in 2011. Craig’s other notable television credits include: ‘Dominic’ in iconic Channel 4 series Skins, ‘Noel Coward’ in SKY’s In Love with Coward, ‘Robin Branagh’ for the BBC in Young Dracula, and ‘Rio’ in the popular BBC series The Story of Tracy Beaker.

In October 2013, Craig directed his music video debut ‘Avocado Baby’ for Los Campesinos, which was filmed as an impressive one continuous tracking shot. He also appeared in the music video for ‘Show Me The Wonder’ for The Manic Street Preachers, and in 2012 starred with Winona Ryder in the Tim Burton directed music video ‘Here With Me’, by The Killers. ‘