HE’S the heart-throb introducing thousands of women to Charles Dickens.
But Douglas Booth, who has just starred as Pip in BBC1’s hit version of Great
Expectations, only took up acting as he feared his dyslexia would block
other careers.
Now, following his lead role in the classy Dickens adaptation, hordes of girls
are demanding to know where he has come from.
Twitter has gone into meltdown, with female fans feverishly declaring their
adoration for the 19-year-old.
One wrote: “I can’t cope with how beautiful he is. It hurts.”
Another said: “How many women were crying out for Pip to have a Mr Darcy
moment in the water just then?!”
The big-budget version of Great Expectations was the highlight of the BBC’s
Christmas line-up — and it has won the ratings war hands down.
Six million watched the second episode of the three-parter — trouncing ITV’s
Christmas special, Fast Freddie, The Widow And Me, by nearly two million
viewers.
Great Expectations, which concluded last night, boasted a stellar cast
including Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham, Ray Winstone as Magwitch and
Vanessa Kirby as Estella.
Yet some reckon it was Douglas’s chiselled cheekbones that netted the big
audience. The female part, at least.
Despite his youth, Douglas is no stranger to top-level acting. He was praised
for his portrayal of Boy George in the 2010 TV drama Worried About The Boy.
And in March he starred opposite Dr Who’s Matt Smith in hit BBC2 drama
Christopher And His Kind.
Fans won’t have to wait long to see him on the big screen either. He recently
finished filming romantic comedy LOL with Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore.
But Douglas, who modelled for British fashion brand Burberry for two years,
was only attracted to the arts after finding school tough. He said: “I’m
dyslexic and when I was at school I struggled with academics.
“At first, I said to myself that if I can’t become an academic then I’ll
become a musician and took up the trumpet.
“I became very good at a very young age. But that slipped away as I found
acting because I fell in love with it.”
Douglas was born in Greenwich, south-east London. His dad works for financial
giants Citigroup, while his half-Spanish, half-Dutch mother is an artist.
He went to top schools in Kent and acted with the National Youth Theatre.
He also recently appeared on the cover of Gay Times magazine. But don’t worry
girls, he is straight.
“Acting is where I felt most comfortable and how I wanted to express myself,”
said Douglas. “I was lucky to get a very good agent at the age of 15 and got
my first film (Hunters Of The Kahri) when I was 16.”
Yet Douglas knows the dangers of showbusiness. “Things can go downhill very
quickly,” he said. “But I have a great team behind me.”