What is charisma? It is hard to define and cannot be taught but when a person has it, it is instantly recognizable.
The young British actor, Douglas Booth, must have been born under a lucky star because he is that unusual package of good looks, talent and charisma that has top film agents putting him on speed dial. It does not take long to figure out why.
My meeting with Booth takes place in the office of his London agent, Curtis Brown. He’s just finished filming in New York and Iceland for Darren Aronofsky’s Noah with a star-studded cast that includes Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins and Ray Winstone. Booth plays the part of Shem, Noah’s (Crowe) eldest son.
He also recently starred as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet directed by Carlo Carlei and adapted by Julian Fellowes (of Downton Abbey fame). Both films have yet to hit screens but when they do, Booth looks set to join the exclusive club of actors instantly recognizable around the globe.
From the age of 13, Booth attended classes every Saturday at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama and was a member of the National Youth Theater of Great Britain. He makes of point of paying tribute to his “wonderful” drama coach, Lonnie Christophers.
Booth has been working professionally since the age of sixteen and won rave reviews for his performance as Boy George in the BBC TV drama Worried about the Boy and for his role as Pip in the BBC’s 2011 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.
Speaking of his role as Pip he say, “What caught my attention straight away was the journey this character goes on, from having very little but having a lot of love to having everything but not having much love.” He sees an analogy between Pip’s story and the lives of some actors or celebrities who almost overnight find fame and all the trappings that go with the high life.
“In this industry a lot of people I meet suddenly come into a lot of money. It’s very interesting to see how different people react,” he says.
In Great Expectations he enjoyed working alongside American actress Gillian Anderson, who played Special Agent Dana Scully in the TV series The X-Files. He is also full of praise for the actor Ray Winstone who played the terrifying yet pitiful escaped convict, Abel Magwitch. He was delighted to work with Winstone again on Noah. “Ray is one of the top most actors I’ve worked with and he’s the most fun. He’s a dear friend — and so down to earth,” he says.
When he visits Los Angeles he sees the quest for fame and recognition at its most intense. “You sit there in these fancy restaurants and Members Clubs in LA and almost all the staff are budding actors. You sit down in a cafe and everyone is writing a script. It’s almost too much. LA is the heart of the movie industry and it is a complete necessity to go there — but I would never go to LA unless I was invited.”
He’s had his US agent since he was 16. “I have an amazing team over there and my career wouldn’t be where it is now without them or without my London agents here at Curtis Brown. It’s very much a collaborative effort,” he says.
He’s keen to steer clear of work that he doesn’t find fulfilling. “There are the big movies, the big franchises like those mimicking Twilight or The Hunger Games that get laid before you occasionally,” he says. “I had the experience recently where something was within my reach which could have made me a multi-millionaire by the age of 22 but I’m not one to ever take anything for the money — whatever the consequences,” he adds.
Asked which actor he most admires he doesn’t hesitate in naming Leonardo DiCaprio. “His career is so varied and he’s made very interesting choices. As well as being a fantastic actor he’s got the perfect balance between being commercially successful and having integrity in doing what he wants, while keeping his private life out of the public eye as much as possible,” he says.
As this article goes to press his latest project is confirmed as Jupiter Ascending directed by Andy and Lana Wachowski, starring Mila Kunis, Sean Bean, Channing Tatum and Eddie Redmayne. “It’s great to work with such talented and visionary directors — it’s the most rewarding thing you could ever imagine”, he says.
Another bonus is that the film will be shot in the UK where he has his London base. It’s a city whose rich history and character he clearly loves, noting, “You can walk down the streets that Charles Dickens walked down.”
One day, another up-and-coming actor may term them the streets “Douglas Booth walked down.” Only time will tell.

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