Kit Young

Kit Young
Young at the 2021 Comic-Con Germany
Born
Christopher William Young

1994 (age 29–30)
Oxford, England
Alma materRADA (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active2008–present

Christopher William Young (born 1994) is a British actor. He began his career in theatre, earning an Ian Charleson Award nomination. He starred as Jesper Fahey in the Netflix fantasy series Shadow and Bone (2021–2023). His films include The School for Good and Evil and Out of Darkness (both 2022).

Early life and education

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Young was born in Oxford to a Scottish father and a Ugandan mother and raised in Abingdon-on-Thames.[1] He attended Abingdon School from 2008 to 2013; he was a member of the Abingdon Film Unit and played the lead role in the school's 2012 senior production of Candide.[2][3][4]

Young was a member of the National Youth Theatre.[5] He had a few minor and ensemble roles, such as in the television film Walter's War and the Oxford Playhouse productions of Cinderella and Dick Whittington.[6] He went on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting in 2017.[3][7]

Career

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Post graduation from RADA, Young played the lead in The Extraordinary Cabaret of Dorian Gray at the 2017 Underbelly Theatre Festival in South Bank. He also joined the UK tour of The Real Thing as Billy.[8][9] In 2018, he played Octavius in a production of Julius Caesar at the Bridge Theatre,[10] the Journalist in a production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at Donmar Warehouse,[11] and Malcolm in Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at the Globe Theatre.[12]

Young made his television debut in 2019 with a guest role in Endeavour. He also appeared in the Dylan Holmes Williams directed short The Devil's Harmony.[13] That spring and summer, he played Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Bridge Theatre alongside Gwendoline Christie,[14] which earned him an Ian Charleson Award nomination.[15]

In October 2019, it was announced Young would star as Jesper Fahey the 2021 Netflix series Shadow and Bone, an adaptation of fantasy book series The Grisha Trilogy and the Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo.[16][17] His performance was singled out by several publications.[18][19][20][21][22] The series was cancelled by Netflix after two successful seasons, [23] [24] [25] but fans are currently campaigning to get it back, reaching more than 200.000 signatures asking to save it. [26] He has film roles in The Origin and the Netflix adaptation of The School for Good and Evil.[27][28]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2018 Alex Alessandro de Medici Short film
2019 The Devil's Harmony Tyrone Short film
A Midsummer Night's Dream Lysander National Theatre Live
2022 Out of Darkness Geirr
The School for Good and Evil Rafal / Rhian Netflix film
2024 The Beautiful Game Cal Netflix film [29]

Televisions

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Year Title Role Notes
2008 Walter's War Young Edward Television film
2019 Endeavour Chris Episode: "Pylon"
2021–2023 Shadow and Bone Jesper Fahey Main role
2025 Alien: Earth Tootles

Music videos

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Song Year Artist Notes
"Confessions in the Pool" 2018 Ash

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 The Abingdon Passion Play Jesus Abbey Gardens, Abingdon-on-Thames
2017 The Extraordinary Cabaret Of Dorian Gray Dorian Gray Underbelly Festival, London
The Real Thing Billy UK Tour
2018 Julius Caesar Octavius Bridge Theatre, London
Winter Blossom Karaoke and Other Snippets Camden People's Theatre, London
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Journalist Donmar Warehouse, London
Macbeth Malcolm Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London
2019 A Midsummer Night's Dream Lysander Bridge Theatre, London
2023 Influence The Magician Collective Theatre, London

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2020 Ian Charleson Awards A Midsummer Night's Dream Nominated [15]
2023 The Offies Plays: Solo Performance Influence Pending [30]

See also

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Netflix.com

References

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  1. ^ Mitchell, Tamika (23 April 2021). "TBB Talks To… Shadow And Bone Star Kit Young". The British Blacklist. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Abingdon Film Unit" (PDF). The Abingdonian.
  3. ^ a b "Success for OA Actor". Abingdon. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  4. ^ Picou, Sabrina (19 October 2022). "Kit Young: 5 Things To Know About 'Shadow & Bone' Star In New Kerry Washington Netflix Movie". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Chris Young as Jesus in Abingdon Passion Play". Abingdon. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2019.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Ffrench, Andrew (16 February 2013). "Donkey shortage hits Easter play". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Kit Young". RADA. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  8. ^ "The Extra-Ordinary Cabaret of Dorian Gray". IndieGoGo. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  9. ^ "The Real Thing: Kit Young - Billy". Rose Theatre Kingston. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  10. ^ Trueman, Matt (5 February 2018). "London Theater Review: Nicholas Hytner's Politically Charged 'Julius Caesar'". Variety. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  11. ^ Felperin, Leslie (16 June 2018). "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  12. ^ Wood, Alex (13 November 2018). "Michelle Terry and Paul Ready in Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse: first look photos". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  13. ^ Mason, Aiden (7 October 2019). "Meet The Cast of Netflix's "Shadow and Bone"". Variety. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  14. ^ Maltby, Kate (24 June 2019). "From Gilead to Gay Disco: Nicholas Hytner's 'Dream'". NYR Daily. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  15. ^ a b Bosanquet, Theo (29 March 2021). ""Winners announced of 30th Ian Charleson awards"". WhatsOnStage.
  16. ^ Jones, Marcus (2 October 2019). "Netflix announces Shadow and Bone cast and fans are excited to see Ben Barnes as the Darkling". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  17. ^ Fuentes, Tamara (17 April 2021). "Exclusive: "Shadow and Bone" Star Kit Young Wants to Be as Fearless as Jesper After Filming Season 1". Seventeen. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  18. ^ Lawler, Kelly (23 April 2021). "Review: Netflix's 'Shadow and Bone' is a good fantasy adaptation that could have been so much better". USA Today. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  19. ^ Benson, Tracy (21 April 2021). "Netflix Shadow and Bone Review - Turning the tide on young adult fantasy". Critical Hit. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  20. ^ Bisset, Jennifer (27 April 2021). "Shadow and Bone review: Hit Netflix fantasy lacks one thing". CNET. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  21. ^ Greene, Steve (23 April 2021). "'Shadow and Bone' Review: An Impressive Fantasy Series Adaptation with More than Magic on Its Mind". IndieWire. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  22. ^ Nolan, Liam (21 April 2021). "Shadow and Bone Is an Exciting, Fun Adaptation of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse". CBR. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  23. ^ "FAN FAVORITE TV SERIES 2023". rottentomatoes. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Google reveals the Top 10 most-searched TV shows of 2023". BGR. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Shadow and Bone canceled after 2 seasons at Netflix, Six of Crows spinoff also scrapped". Entertainment Weekly. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  26. ^ "Save Shadow and Bone & Six of Crows". neverstopfighting. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  27. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (4 December 2020). "UK Horror 'The Origin', With 'The 100' & 'Shadow And Bone' Stars, Wraps Shoot For 'Saint Maud' Producer". Deadline. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  28. ^ Soman Chainani (19 March 2021). "The dream cast continues. Presenting your Tedros and Rafal. Jamie Flatters as the Prince of Camelot. Kit Young as the hell-raising Wizard". Retrieved 23 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  29. ^ "The Beautiful Game: Cast, Release Date, Photos and Plot of Sports Drama About the Homeless World Cup - Netflix Tudum". Netflix.
  30. ^ ""Kit Young – Influence – Collective Theatre #Offies 2023 #NewNoms: SOLO PERFORMANCE". 2 November 2023.
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