Craig Roberts

For other people with the same name, see Craig Roberts (disambiguation).

Craig Roberts
Roberts in 2013
Born
Craig Haydn Roberts

(1991-01-21) 21 January 1991 (age 33)
Wales
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active2000–present

Craig Haydn Roberts (born 21 January 1991) is a Welsh actor and director.[1] He is best known for lead roles as Oliver Tate in the coming-of-age comedy-drama film Submarine (2010) and David Meyers in the series Red Oaks (2014–2017), and for playing Rio Wellard in the television series The Story of Tracy Beaker (2004–2006).[2][3]

Early life

Roberts was born on 21 January 1991,[4] the son of Alison (Bishop) and Haydn Roberts. He was raised in Maesycwmmer, Caerphilly and attended Lewis School, Pengam.[5][6] Roberts has a sister, Chelsea, and two half-sisters, Natalee and Angharad.

Career

Roberts began his television career in the dramas Care (2000) and Little Pudding (2003). After these he was given roles in the series The Story of Tracy Beaker (2004–2006) and Casualty (2005–2008), and played vampire fanatic Robin Branagh in Young Dracula (2006–2008). He also appeared in the dramas Kiddo (2005) and Scratching (2006).

On stage, Roberts toured Britain in 2008 with Y Touring Theatre Company, playing young Ryan in Full Time, a play that explores racism, sexism and homophobia in football; in January 2009 he played the evil queen's sidekick Drax in the pantomime Snow White at Worthing.

In 2010, Roberts had worldwide success with the teenage lead role in the film Submarine,[7] based on the 2008 novel by Joe Dunthorne. It was directed by Richard Ayoade and also starred Paddy Considine and Yasmin Paige.[8][9]

Since then Roberts has appeared in the BBC Three television show Being Human (2011, 2012) and in the online spin-off series Becoming Human (2011) as Adam.[10]

In 2012, he starred in The Killers' music video for "Here with Me" with Winona Ryder, directed by Tim Burton.[11] He also starred in Kassidy's music video for "One Man Army" in 2012.[12]

In late 2012, Roberts started working on a short television comedy he wrote and directed, entitled The Sheepish Approach.[13] In 2014, he starred in the film Jolene: The Indie Folk Star alongside Charlotte Ritchie and Rosamund Hanson. He played the role of Dom in the seventh series of the TV show Skins, and "Assjuice" in the 2014 film Neighbors. He also appeared in the Manic Street Preachers video for "Show Me the Wonder" and directed the music video for the Los Campesinos! single "Avocado, Baby" from their album No Blues.

In 2015, Roberts made his feature-director debut with Just Jim, which he also wrote and starred in.[14]

On 9 October 2015, Amazon Studios released season 1 of Red Oaks, an original comedy series where Roberts stars alongside Paul Reiser. Season 2 was released in late 2016, after which the show was renewed for a third and final season.[15]

Roberts starred in the 2016 film The Fundamentals of Caring alongside Paul Rudd. He played Trevor, a quick-witted 18-year-old boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The film premièred at the Sundance Film Festival in January and was released on Netflix in June.

In 2019, Roberts appeared in the film Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans as Emperor Nero.[16]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Scratching Mike Short film
2010 Submarine Oliver Tate
2011 Jane Eyre John Reed
2012 Red Lights Ben
The First Time Simon Daldry
Comes a Bright Day Sam Smith
2013 Benny & Jolene Benny
The Power Inside Neil
The Double Detective
2014 Neighbors Gary "Assjuice"
22 Jump Street Spencer
TEOTFW James Short film
Premature Stanley
Sunday Roast Arthur Bird Short film
2015 Kill Your Friends Darren
Just Jim Jim Also writer and director
2016 The Fundamentals of Caring Trevor
2017[17] The Current War Robert Lane
2019 Tolkien Sam Hodges
Bittersweet Symphony Bobby
Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans Emperor Nero
Eternal Beauty — Writer and director
2021 The Phantom of the Open — Director

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Care Craig, Pauline's Child Television film
2003 Little Pudding Television film
2005–2006 The Story of Tracy Beaker Rio Wellard 36 episodes
2005 Kiddo Jay Television film
2005, 2008 Casualty Darren Smith / Jordan Philpot 2 episodes
2006–2008 Young Dracula Robin Branagh 27 episodes
2011 Being Human Adam 2 episodes
2013 Skins Dominic 2 episodes
2013 Playhouse Presents Carl Episode: "Cargese"
2014 Under Milk Wood Nogood Boyo Television film
2014–2017 Red Oaks David Myers 26 episodes
2015 Hoff the Record Josh Brooke-Webb Episode: "The Movie"
2023 Still Up Danny Main role[18]

Music videos

Year Title Role Artist Notes
2012 "Here with Me" Wax Boy The Killers
2012 "One Man Army" Kassidy
2013 "Avocado, Baby" N/A Los Campesinos! Director
2013 "Show Me the Wonder" N/A Manic Street Preachers
2019 "Rom-Com Gone Wrong" N/A Matt Maltese Director

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Film Result Ref.
2011 British Independent Film Award Most Promising Newcomer Submarine Nominated [19]
2012 London Film Critics' Circle Young British Performer of the Year Won [20]
Empire Award Best Male Newcomer Nominated [21]
BAFTA Cymru Award Best Actor Won [22]
2016 Best Writer Just Jim Nominated [23]
Fantasporto Film Festival Director's Week Special Jury Award Best actor Won [24]
Director's Week Award Best film Nominated

References

  1. ^ Tom Seymour. "Craig Roberts: the Richard Ayoade protege turned debonair director". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  2. ^ Jacob Stoleworthy. "Red Oaks actor Craig Roberts: 'I'll always look like I'm coming of age'". The Independent. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  3. ^ Jess Hardiman. "Rio Wellard From 'The Story Of Tracy Beaker' Is Now A Hollywood Star". LADbible. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  4. ^ Rose, Lacey; O'Connell, Michael; Sandberg, Bryn Elise; Stanhope, Kate; Goldberg, Lesley (28 August 2015). "Next Gen Fall TV: 10 Stars Poised for Breakouts". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  5. ^ "Maesycwmmer teen lands role in Ben Stiller film". Campaign Series. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  6. ^ Williams, Kathryn (16 August 2014). "What Craig Roberts did when he came home from Hollywood". Wales Online.
  7. ^ Henry Barnes (15 March 2011). "'I love deadpan': Richard Ayoade and Craig Roberts on Submarine". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  8. ^ White, James (6 November 2009). "Paddy Considine starring in Submarine". TotalFilm.com. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  9. ^ "Submarine stars Craig Roberts and Yasmin Paige: Q&A". Film4. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  10. ^ "BBC Three – Being Human, Series 3, Adam's Family". BBC.
  11. ^ Lewis, Randy (18 December 2012). "Tim Burton directs the Killers' new 'Here With Me' video". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  12. ^ Balla, Reemul (17 June 2021). "The Tracy Beaker actor you never knew went on to appear in Hollywood blockbuster comedies". mylondon.news. MyLondon. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  13. ^ The Sheepish Approach Teaser. Vimeo.
  14. ^ Nick Levine. "'Submarine' Actor Craig Roberts On How Eminem Inspired His Directorial Debut, 'Just Jim". NME. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  15. ^ Adam Starkey. "season of Amazon's Red Oaks, Halloween reboot and being 'pigeonholed' as an actor". Metro UK. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  16. ^ Harrison, Ellie (3 October 2018). "Horrible Histories: The Movie is officially happening". Radio Times.
  17. ^ The film was initially intended for release in October 2017 and it was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017, but it was not released publicly in theatres until 2019.
  18. ^ "Apple TV+ announces new 'Still Up' comedy for September". appleinsider.com. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  19. ^ (2011) Most Promising Newcomer 2011 British Independent Film Awards
  20. ^ Chamberlain, Laura (January 2012). "Craig Roberts scoops award for Submarine role". BBC. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  21. ^ "Best Male Newcomer". Empireonline.com. Bauer Consumer Media. 2012. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  22. ^ "BAFTA in Wales Announces The Winners of the 2012 British Academy Cymru Awards". BAFTA. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  23. ^ "British Academy Cymru Awards Winners in 2016". Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  24. ^ "Fantasporto 2016, 36th Oporto International Film Festival". Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2018.