Leo Woodall is quickly becoming one of the UK’s finest exports.
In his latest role, he’s breaking out of his pigeonholed persona of boyish heartthrob once and for all. And I couldn’t be happier about it.
Since his breakout appearance as cheeky Essex chappy Jack in season two of HBO’s The White Lotus in 2022, Woodall’s popularity has skyrocketed; plenty of thirsty TikTok montages and a lot of floppy-haired glossy photoshoots later, and everyone had Woodall fever.
That was quickly followed up by his flawless performance opposite Ambika Mod in the irresistible but heartbreaking love story One Day. His portrayal of Dexter Mayhew was hailed as ‘extraordinary’.
Next came Bridget Jones’ much younger love interest Roxster McDuff in the fourth film in the series, Mad About the Boy, his eyes bluer than the pool he jumps into fully clothed to rescue a dog in his standout scene.
Another unforgettable moment where he rescues our Bridge from a tree in Hampstead Heath rendered everyone powerless to his charm.
You can sense a theme.
Woodall, 29, has very much fallen into the trap of the good-looking golden boy typecast, something he says often leaves him feeling ‘vulnerable and exposed’.
He told Radio Times that playing the heartthrob isn’t always glamorous, saying: ‘When you’re playing a role described like that, you can’t help but look at yourself and go, “Am I that guy?” There’s sometimes pressure in making people buy that.’
It’s about time we made some room for Woodall, and his latest role in A24’s Tony proves exactly why.
When I saw the film, a biographical comedy-drama showcasing the early years of chef and author Anthony Bourdain’s life, I was transfixed at how Woodall very nearly outshines his co-stars.
He is sensational in this film.
The London-born actor plays Sal, a grimy, womanising restaurant worker who is such an absolute sleazeball alpha male that he’s unlikeable in almost every way.
He’s the complete opposite character to every major role he’s had so far. One that obliterates preconceived notions about his skills as an actor.
Without spoiling the film, Sal uses hard drugs to get him through his tedious shifts in the kitchen, sleeps with almost every girl he encounters, gets into bar fights, and even engages in some racy activities with a newlywed bride.
And because it’s Leo Woodall, he still does it charmingly.
Dominic Sessa, who plays Bourdain in Tony, told Metro of his co-star: ‘He’s so charming. If you’ve met him, you love him.
‘He’s so kind to everyone. He plays such a piece of crap in this movie, but people are in love with him. He’s beautiful. He’s got the most amazing looks, the eyes, the smile.
‘He’s got everything. So even when he’s like being horrible, he’s still sexy and charming. He’s perfect, he’s amazing. It’s such a compliment to have someone like that next to me.’
It’s not just his role in Tony which has Woodall showcasing his range; crime thriller Tuner, which was released earlier this year, saw the actor ditch his status as romcom king for a piano tuner with incredibly sensitive hearing, who draws the attention of criminals thanks to the fact he’s a dabhand at cracking open safes.
The performance has been labelled his ‘best yet’, even with a sprinkling of romance.
Looking to the future, Woodall has big things on the horizon, including his ‘dream’ role playing an original character Halvard, a Dúnedain, in the new Lord of the Rings movie.
Woodall recently told Bustle that he’s ‘not going after romcoms’, adding: ‘I’m probably not, at this stage in life, wanting to do them that much. But I also kind of look forward to the next time I do a rom-com, because they’re fun.’
After the release of Tony, it’s obvious that Woodall is less Hugh Grant, and more young Leo DiCaprio. But with plenty of British charm and the feeling that you could easily bump into him in a London beer garden.
He’s finally broken out of his shell – and it’s impressive.