Sartaj Singh
The principal photography for the Toby Jones-led biographical drama ‘Mr Burton’ will start in August in Wales, the United Kingdom. Helmed by Marc Evans, the movie’s cast also includes Harry Lawtey, Lesley Manville, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, and Aneurin Barnard. The script is written by Tom Bullough and Josh Hyams, with Josh Hyams, Ed Talfan, and Hannah Thomas on board as producers.
The movie will narrate the true story of Philip Burton and his mentee, Rich Jenkins, who eventually rose to become the Hollywood icon known as Richard Burton. Philip is an English teacher who recognizes the potential of Rich Jenkins, one of the students at his school. However, Rich is a wild-hearted kid whose family situation and lack of discipline jeopardize his promising future. Twelfth in a family of thirteen children, Rich’s mother died when he was a toddler, and his only security lies in his alcoholic coal miner father. The film will explore the gritty and heartfelt tale of the teacher shaping Rich into the man who would become the greatest Welsh star in Hollywood.
Toby Jones OBE is an English actor who began honing his craft in theater and has since had a long and illustrious career, with an Emmy nomination and a BAFTA win under his belt. You may have seen him in recent productions like ‘Mr Bates vs. The Post Office’ as Alan Bates, ITV’s ‘The Long Shadow’ as DCS Dennis Hoban, and ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ as Basil Shaw. He is also slated to appear in ITV’s ‘Ruth,’ ‘The Actor,’ and Martin Freeman-starrer ‘Flavia de Luce.’
Harry Lawtey is a seasoned actor who will be donning the garb of a young Richard Burton in ‘Mr Burton.’ Harry has garnered fame for his performance as Cadet Artemus Marquis in ‘The Pale Blue Eye,’ Ben in ‘You & Me,’ Robert Spearing in HBO’s ‘Industry,’ and Robert Blakiston in ‘Magpie Murders.’ His upcoming projects are ‘Joker: Folie à Deux,’ ‘Words of War,’ and ‘Longbourn.’
Lesley Manville is an esteemed English actress who will be stepping into the role of Ma Smith in ‘Mr Burton.’ Her latest portrayals include Cynthia in the musical biopic ‘Back to Black,’ Princess Margaret in Netflix’s ‘The Crown,’ Robina Chase in BBC’s ‘World on Fire,’ and Annabel in ‘The Critic.’ Manville’s upcoming work includes the second seasons of ‘Sherwood’ and ‘Citadel,’ ‘Moonflower Murders,’ ‘Grotesquerie,’ ‘Queer’ with Daniel Craig, ‘Disclaimer,’ and Liam Neeson-starrer ‘Cold Storage.’
Wales will provide the credible backdrops the film needs to transport us back to the World War II era in which it is set. Some notable movies and shows shot in the region include ‘The Acolyte,’ ‘The Crown,’ ‘Sex Education,’ ‘Sherlock,’ and ‘Welcome to Wrexham.’
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