Billy Postlethwaite

{{Short description|English actor (born 1989)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

William John Postlethwaite (born 1989) is an English actor.

He is the son of actor Pete Postlethwaite,{{cite web |last1=Wiegand |first1=Chris |title='I'm raising demons': Billy Postlethwaite on playing Macbeth in his dad's shadow |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/mar/06/billy-postlethwaite-interview-macbeth-pete-postlethwaite |website=The Guardian |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=6 March 2019}} and grew up in Shropshire.{{cite web |last1=Morton |first1=Thomas |title=Billy Postlethwaite follows father's footsteps at Shropshire visitor centre |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/south-shropshire-entertainment/2017/07/21/billy-following-in-fathers-footsteps-for-craven-arms-centre-film/ |website=Shropshire Star |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=23 July 2017}} He began training in acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2008 and graduated in 2011. That same year, he made his stage debut as Grigory in the John Hodge play Collaborators.{{cite web |title=Collaborators |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2012/40/drama-on-3 |website=BBC Media Centre |access-date=16 November 2021}}

In 2017, Postlethwaite appeared in the Game of Thrones episode "Dragonstone", alongside singer Ed Sheeran in a scene that received critical and fan backlash for Sheeran's cameo.{{Cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7866309/ed-sheeran-deletes-twitter-account-game-of-thrones |title=Ed Sheeran Deletes Twitter Account |last=Stutz |first=Colin |date=17 July 2017 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=17 July 2017}} In 2018, he had a role in Tomb Raider, a film adaptation of the video game franchise. He starred as Boris Stolyarchuk in the HBO miniseries Chernobyl{{cite web |last1=Petski |first1=Denise |title='Chernobyl': Paul Ritter, Jessie Buckley, Adrian Rawlins & Con O'Neil Among Cast Additions For HBO/Sky Miniseries |url=https://deadline.com/2018/05/chernobyl-paul-ritter-jessie-buckley-adrian-rawlins-con-oneil-cast-hbo-sky-miniseries-1202396231/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=23 May 2018}} and had a small role in Sam Mendes' war drama 1917.{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=Howard |title=1917's 1,000 Yard Stare |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU2001/S00075/1917s-1000-yard-stare.htm |website=Scoop |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=14 January 2020}} In 2021, Postlethwaite joined the cast of Beforeigners for its second season.{{cite web |last1=Goldbart |first1=Max |title=HBO Max Drops 'Beforeigners' Season Two Trailer; Paul Kaye, Ann Akin, Billy Postlethwaite Join Cast |url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/hbo-max-drops-beforeigners-season-two-trailer-paul-kaye-ann-akin-billy-postlethtwaite-join-cast-1234874373/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=16 November 2021}}

The actor took up the title role in Macbeth, in addition to the role of Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream for the Watermill Theatre.{{cite web |last1=Wood |first1=Alex |title=Billy Postlethwaite to star in Watermill's Macbeth and Midsummer Night's Dream tour |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/newcastle-upon-tyne-theatre/news/billy-postlethwaite-macbeth-midsummer-tour_49374.html |website=WhatsOnStage.com |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=2 July 2019}} His performance as Macbeth received positive reviews by Judi Herman, writing for WhatsOnStage.com.{{cite web |last1=Herman |first1=Judi |title=Review: Macbeth (Watermill Theatre) |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/newbury-theatre/reviews/review-macbeth-watermill-theatre_48635.html |website=WhatsOnStage.com |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=5 March 2019}} Macbeth had previously been portrayed by Postlethwaite's father, in 1997.