Starting his screen career in 2012 in the TV series The Ministry of Curious Stuff alongside Vic Reeves and Tyger Drew-Honey, Georgie Farmer went on to appear in Disney Channel’s The Evermoor Chronicles where he played the character Jake Crossley. Having already performed in theatre and TV, Georgie has now filmed for two major movies, Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One and the soon-to-be released Warner Bros production of Mowgli. We talked to Georgie about his time on Evermoor, being on the set of two major films and acting at the National Theatre.
You played Jake Crossley in Disney’s Evermoor, how was your time on the series?
My time on Evermoor was amazing! I spent three summers filming the show and so many pivotal years of growing up in that environment. It was honestly some of the best times of my life. Being on the set helped me mature so much as an actor and as a person.
Can you tell us about your character Jake?
Jake is the youngest in the family. He’s a cheeky guy who loves adventure and mystery. In Series 2, when he turned thirteen, Jake suddenly felt (like most teenagers) that he was on top of the world and felt super cool. Jake was an awesome character to play.
What was the auditioning process like and where were you when you found out you’d got the part?
I remember the auditioning process really well. I had three auditions and in the second one I read for the first time with Alex (Starke), who plays Ludo. We both got along really well and joked saying “can you imagine if we both got it?!”. I was at school when I found out that I’d got the part. My agent at the time said that Tim Compton, the producer of the show, was at school and wanted to talk to me. At first, they told me I didn’t get it, but then they said it was a joke and had got it! I was so relieved!
Was Evermoor filmed in the UK and how long did one series take to film?
Evermoor was filmed in the north of England. A series would take around thirteen weeks to film.
Who did you spend most time with on set?
The two people that I spent the most time with was Alex and India (Ria Amarteifio). We always went out for dinner or to the cinema and hung out – it was super cool.
How was your experience on set of Ready Player One?
Being on the Ready Player One set was incredible. It was so surreal. I had always dreamt of being on a set like that and I really couldn’t believe it was happening!
What was it like being directed by Steven Spielberg?
Like I said, the whole day was surreal. I remember he came up and introduced himself and I was so nervous. I love his films and he is such a cinema legend. He was really nice and so supportive and you can tell he has real passion for storytelling and the art. It was one of the best moments of my life.
You recently attended the cast and crew screening of the film, how was this?
The cast and crew screening was awesome! I went with my mum, and Steven came up at the beginning and welcomed everyone. It was so weird seeing myself on a cinema screen.
Is there anything you can tell us about your time on set of upcoming feature film Mowgli?
My time on the Mowgli set was amazing. It was so cool because it was very different to anything I had done before.
How was it acting alongside the rest of the cast?
The cast were great – we all got along really well. Andy Serkis is such an amazing actor and director, it was really inspiring working with him.
How different is it starring in a popular Disney series to being on a huge film production like Ready Player One and Mowgli?
I would say the main difference is the scale of the set and how much bigger it is. The amount of people on the Ready Player One and Mowgli set was like nothing I had ever seen before.
In 2012, you appeared in The Ministry of Curious Stuff on CBBC, was this your first acting role?
It was my first TV job. My first professional job was in a theatre in London called the Tristan Bates. I was in a play called Rest Upon the Wind.
You’ve previously performed at the National Theatre in Emil and the Detectives, what was the experience like?
Emil and the Detectives was one of my favourite jobs. The friends and memories I made and the feeling of stepping on stage every night is one of the biggest buzzes you can get as an actor. Also, working in such a historic and incredible space as the National Theatre was literally amazing. The director that I worked with, Bijan Sheibani, was such an amazing director. I was able to work with him again last summer which was great.
Would you like to return to stage?
I would love to. It’s such a creative environment and nothing beats the feeling that you get after coming off stage from a good performance. I really would love to return to stage, yes.
What age were you when you started acting and how did you get into it?
I started acting when I was eight years old. I went to Stage One performing arts school every Saturday which I have so many fun memories of.
Do you have any roles coming up that you’re able to tell us about?
I have mostly been writing my own material recently. I’m auditioning at the moment too and have recently signed with a new agent, Sainou, who are great. The team are awesome. I’m so excited for the future.
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