Samuel Leakey has most recently been seen playing Ben in short film Clout, which was written and directed by Jordan Murphy Doidge, with his co-stars Archie Yates, Obi Laughton-Olefero and Ashwin Chandrasekaran, and Samuel attended the UK premiere in London last year and toured for live Q&As. Previously, Samuel played The Boy in short film Jester, and in the Apple TV series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, he played Christopher Wilde alongside Hugh Bonneville as his on-screen father Jonathan Wilde, Noel Fielding as Dick Turpin and Marc Wootton as Moose. In the 2022 Netflix mini-series Treason, Samuel played Callum Lawrence, with his on-screen family – father Adam, played by Charlie Cox, stepmother Maddy, played by Oona Chaplin, and sister Ella, played by Beau Gadsdon. Further screen work for Samuel have been playing Young Oliver Twist (Raff Law) in feature film Twist (a modern take of Oliver Twist), starring as Hansel in Gretel & Hansel opposite Sophia Lillis and Alice Krige, and he worked with Helen McCrory and Richard Gere when he played 7-Year-Old Caden (Billy Howle) in the BBC mini-series MotherFatherSon for his first acting role. With Samuel’s friends forming music band Modus in 2022, Samuel joined them in 2024 playing piano, and lead vocalist on some original songs, and this year, they won Battle of the Bands, which led to a set recently at GuilFest festival, and they continue working on new music. Answering our questions, Samuel told us about playing Ben in short film Clout, his time in The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, starring as Hansel in Gretel & Hansel and being in the music band Modus.

Most recently, you’ve been seen as Ben in the short film Clout, which is written and directed by Jordan Murphy Doidge, can you tell us about the film and how was it being part of telling the story?

Clout is a project I felt very fortunate and proud to be part of, as its main themes focus on the dangers of social media and its impact on the younger generation. Given the importance of the message, it felt particularly meaningful. The film shows how social media can take over someone’s life and have a profound negative impact – a story that is very relevant and, sadly, can affect so many of us. Beyond the message, I had an amazing time working with the cast and crew and made some great memories.

How was it attending the UK premiere in London last year with your fellow co-stars Archie Yates, Obi Laughton-Oleforo and Ashwin Chandrasekaran, and going on tour with the live Q&As?

Attending the UK premiere was an absolute blast! Since our time working on Clout together, Archie, Obi, Ashwin and I have become very good friends, so sharing an experience like the premiere as mates was even better. We all found the live Q&A tour exciting and meaningful, as we got to spend time together talking about a project we loved being part of and spreading its powerful message.

What was it like playing The Boy in the short film Jester?

What I enjoyed most about playing The Boy was delving into the character and his purpose. When I first read the script, I was drawn in by the fatal power imbalance in that period’s society and by how The Boy and the Jester found a way to rebel, even if it cost them everything. I immediately wanted to play the role, knowing it would be a fun experience.

How was your time on set of the Apple TV series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin and how was it getting into character as Christopher Wilde?

My experience on The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin was surreal. Being surrounded by so many British comedy icons made me feel very lucky, and I found myself constantly laughing and loving every minute. To understand Christopher Wilde’s character, I was fortunate to spend time with the director, Ben Palmer, and my on-screen dad, Hugh Bonneville, to work out the father-and-son dynamic. It was great to develop this wholesome, comedic relationship between an uptight father and his dim-witted yet curious son.

Is there anything you enjoyed most about filming for The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, and what was it like meeting and working with Hugh Bonneville (Jonathan Wilde), Noel Fielding (Dick Turpin) and the rest of the cast?

Most of my favourite memories from filming are from sitting on set and joking around with the rest of the cast. There’s a particular day on set I remember well, as it was my birthday, and Marc Wootton had me crying with laughter when, in one scene, he decided to pick me up and carry me around like a baby. I’m pretty sure it made the cut!

Working with actors like Hugh, Noel, and Marc taught me a great deal! I will never forget a read-through rehearsal I attended, where they all went into full improv, spitballing and making up lines on the spot. It was a brilliant experience. I was in awe. They really helped me develop this skill.

What are some of your stand-out memories from playing Callum Lawrence in the Netflix mini-series Treason in 2022?

Playing Callum in Treason was such a cool experience. Being immersed in an MI6 storyline and surrounded by so many talented people is something I still cherish. One of my favourite memories was acting out a scene in Episode 4, when the whole family is under attack. It was a great opportunity to challenge myself as an actor in such an intense scene. Other great memories were the times spent sitting on set with Charlie Cox, listening to some of the wild and hilarious stories about the projects he’s worked on.

How was it having Charlie Cox, Oona Chaplin and Beau Gadsdon as your on-screen family (father Adam, stepmother Maddy and sister Ella respectively), and how would you describe your character Callum?

Charlie, Oona and Beau were genuinely some of the nicest and most talented people I’ve met. I loved spending time with my on-screen sister, Beau Gadsdon, and we quickly became good friends while working together. As she is five years older than me, I looked up to her and learned a great deal from her. Oona is so generous and kind and was the perfect on-screen stepmum. In the story, all our characters go through a very traumatic time, which I think helped us bond more as an on-screen family.

As for Callum, I would describe him as a child who was brought up to be innocent and lovable. But as the storyline unfolds, he develops a resilient, brave demeanour because of the distress he endures.

You played Young Oliver Twist (Raff Law) in the feature film Twist, what was it like filming for a modern take of Oliver Twist?

With Oliver Twist being a household name, I was thrilled to play a version of him in a more modern take. Meeting Raff Law was great, and I thought the film’s concept was interesting and distinctive. Even though my part was small, it was still brilliant to work on, and I loved acting out the scenes I had.

How did you find the experience starring as Hansel in Gretel & Hansel opposite Sophia Lillis and Alice Krige, and what do you feel you learnt from this project?

Gretel & Hansel was literally a dream come true. Being so young, I obviously wasn’t allowed to watch horror films at home, so when I found out I’d landed a role with such an epic horror concept, I couldn’t believe it. Gretel & Hansel was one of the most incredible periods of my life. I felt like I was living a child actor’s dream, and working alongside Sophia Lillis and Alice Krige was the cherry on top.

I was part of such an incredible cast and crew, and I learned so much from them. With a tight filming schedule, we became like a family. I am also forever grateful to the director, Osgood Perkins, for being such an amazing director. He was perfect at guiding me in developing my character and helping me learn any new skills, and he is also literally one of the nicest people I have ever met.

Did you have any favourite scenes to film, and how was it taking on the role of Hansel?

One of my most memorable and favourite scenes is when Hansel wakes up and Gretel tells him she’s leaving, so he has to say goodbye. It was the last big scene I filmed, so the tears in my eyes are real emotion. I was genuinely devastated to be leaving the Gretel & Hansel family. And, funnily enough, we got it in the first take. My sadness about being so close to wrapping was exactly what the scene needed.

Another great scene I’ll never forget is where Jonathan Gunning, who played an emaciated man, chased Sophia and me across a field. It was a night shoot, which was exciting enough for an eight-year-old, but then being chased by a zombie-like figure was totally epic.

Hansel was the perfect first big role for me to delve into. Some aspects of the character felt like I could just be myself, playing a curious, gullible but loving persona. Playing Hansel was also when I started developing my American accent. I can safely say my US accent has come a long way since then. I adored playing Hansel and will never forget it.

What do you remember most from playing 7-Year-Old Caden (Billy Howle) in the BBC mini-series MotherFatherSon?

The role of Young Caden in MotherFatherSon was my first ever role. I was ecstatic and so excited when I found out I would get to play Caden. It was my first time on set and my first valuable lesson in the filming process. And the fact that I got to play my first role alongside such legends as the late Helen McCrory and Richard Gere was something a seven-year-old brain could not comprehend. I. Was. Mind. Blown.

How did you originally get into acting, and did you always know you wanted to act on screen?

Most children like dress-up, but from a very young age I’d dress up and put on shows for my family. I’d make sure it wasn’t sloppy and would probably boss my brother around a bit to make sure he was well rehearsed. So I think my mum and dad may have seen something in me even before I did!

When I was old enough, I joined a local drama group with an attached agency, so it all kicked off from there. With MotherFatherSon and Gretel & Hansel as the first two projects I worked on, I instantly fell in love with on-screen acting – from developing a character to the excitement of seeing it all come alive on set. Each project is unique, and I love every part of the process.

What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch?

This might just be my favourite question to be asked. I love watching and talking about films, and it’s part of why I feel so privileged to be in this industry.

As of now, my top five favourite films are… City of God (2002), Beautiful Boy (2018), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) and The Father (2020).

When it comes to TV shows, I am the definition of a binge-watcher and will get through an entire season in a day without realising. My favourite two shows would have to be The Office (US) and Rick and Morty. I must have watched every episode of Rick and Morty at least three times, and I’ve watched the finale of The Office at least five times!

We understand you are in the music band Modus, can you tell us about the band and some of the shows you’ve played/songs you’ve worked on so far?

It’s really cool that you’ve asked this! Yes, I’m part of a band called Modus, which was formed in 2022 by some of my good friends. I joined the band in 2024 and have loved every minute of the journey.

I’m mainly on the piano, but I’m also a lead vocalist on some of our original songs. At the start of this year, we entered a Battle of the Bands competition against eight other local bands. After successfully bringing it home and winning, we were offered a set at the recent GuilFest festival in July, which was great!

Right now, we are developing a set of original songs and looking for gigs and festivals to play. All five of us love playing together and hope to share our music with anyone who might gravitate towards it.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I love writing, playing my piano and guitar, listening to music, watching films, eating good food, and spending time with my friends and family. I also love playing sports. We’re in footie season now, so I’ll be playing a lot of football matches for my school and my weekend team.

What are you hoping the rest of the year brings for your career, and do you have any projects coming up that you can talk about?

Right now, I don’t have any upcoming acting projects, but in the meantime, my band Modus is working on releasing a number of songs on music platforms by the end of the year!

As for my on-screen acting, I’m happily taking everything as it comes. I’m continuing to develop my craft, and I don’t feel any urgency to find the next role. The right project will come along when it does!

This year is especially important for me, with my GCSEs approaching. I know I’m still young, so as long as I keep putting in the work, great opportunities will come my way in the industry. I really cherish each role I’ve played and the experiences that came with them. I have been very fortunate, and I’m excited for what’s to come!