Finalists Announced for the Spotlight Prize 2022

We're excited to announce that this year’s Spotlight Prize is returning to an in-person ceremony, for the first time since 2019.

The Spotlight Prize is our annual event where selected graduate nominees showcase their talents in front of industry professionals. Since the 50s, its has been an exciting opportunity for graduates to perform in front of an audience of leading industry figures, helping to establish their careers as professional performers. Previous finalists include Bessie Carter, Jodie Whittaker, Ben Wishaw, Edward Bluemel, Rosalind Eleazar, Sam Heughan, Gwendoline Christie, Joel Fry and Yasmin Mwanza amongst others.

Over 70 drama schools and universities were invited to nominate a student from their graduating class to submit a self-tape audition for this year's Spotlight Prize. The 19 finalists were selected by a panel of industry experts based on the quality of their audition.  

We’re delighted to welcome back Paulette Randall MBE to direct the finalists as they film their monologues for the Best Actor (Screen) award and thrilled that Atri Banerjee will be directing their stage performances as part of the Best Actor (Stage) award.

We’ll be announcing our esteemed judging panel for each award soon but in the meantime, lets meet this year's nominees.

The 2022 Spotlight Prize finalists are:

  • Aaron Hodgetts (Guildford School of Acting, GSA)
  • Alice Mann (Performance Preparation Academy, PPA)
  • Angela Jones (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, LAMDA)
  • Bill Caple (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, BOVTS)
  • Blair Malone (Bow Street Academy)
  • Blaize Alexis-Anglin (Arts Educational Schools, Arts Ed)
  • Connor Charlesworth (ALRA South)
  • Ellie Gallimore (East 15 Acting School)
  • Eoin Sweeney (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, RCS)
  • Gabriella Manning (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, RCSSD)
  • Imogen Ogden (ALRA North)
  • John Rogers (Italia Conti)
  • Jonny Tulloch (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire)
  • Kerill Kelly (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, RADA)
  • Kieran Smith (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama)
  • Lewis Shepherd (Rose Bruford College)
  • Nina Mahdavi (St Mary’s University Twickenham)
  • Os Leanse (Guildhall School of Music and Drama)
  • Victoria Wyant (Oxford School of Drama)

The nominees join a glittering class of previous alumni and previous winners of the prize have starred in TV shows and films like Doctor Who, Outlander, Black Mirror, Game of Thrones, Fresh Meat, The Personal History of David Copperfield. They’ve also gone on to tread the boards at The Globe, the National Theatre and become members of The Royal Shakespeare Company and the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company.

Huge congratulations to the nominees, we’re excited to see your performances!

Photo by Joanna Nicole Photography