Alumnus Joe Alwyn Stars in ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’

Congratulation to alumnus Joe Alwyn, star of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, which opens today in cinemas across the United States.  The film will open in the United Kingdom on 6 January, 2017.

Playing the title role in the hotly anticipated new film marks Joe’s acting debut, having been cast during his final term at Central.  A 2015 graduate of the BA (Hons) Acting course, he has been hailed as a Hollywood newcomer to watch and was named as one of Screen Daily’s Stars of Tomorrow.

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, based on the wildly-acclaimed, bestselling novel by Ben Fountain, was adapted for the screen by Jean-Christophe Castelli and is directed by two-time Academy Award winner Ang Lee.  The film is told from the point of view of a 19 year old private in the American Army.  Through flashbacks, the film contrasts the realities of war with the public’s perception.  Also starring in the film are Kristen Stewart, Chris Tucker, Garrett Hedlund, Vin Diesel and Steve Martin.  The film was shot by Lee using new, ultra-high frame rate technology, creating an immersive and ground breaking digital experience.

Joe’s next projects include a starring role opposite Charlotte Rampling in BBC’s adaptation of Julian Barnes’ novel, The Sense of An Ending, which is being adapted by MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media alumnus Nick Payne.  He will also appear opposite Gerald Butler in Keepers.  Both are due for release in 2017.