Exclusive: Asa Butterfield on his darkest role yet, Hollywood's biggest problem, and his favourite East London haunts
The Sex Education star's next role sees him take on American high school shooters and online trolls — but he's still got time for his London roots
Being directed by Martin Scorsese before you've finished secondary school sets a pretty high bar. Somehow, Asa Butterfield has kept raising it ever since. The Islington-born actor has spent almost two decades hopping between prestige dramas, cult indies and global streaming hits without ever standing still. Two decades on from breaking through at just nine years old in the acclaimed The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas and starring in Hugo, the 29-year-old has since won over a whole new generation as Otis Milburn in Netflix's Sex Education. Now, he's delivering another bold left-field performance.
In fact his newest film, Our Hero, Balthazar, may be his most challenging yet: After an online troll becomes convinced he's uncovered a potential mass shooter, the film spirals into a razor-sharp dark comedy about loneliness, internet culture and the dangerous search for belonging.
Hot off the back of international acclaim for the latest role, Shortlist caught up with Butterfield to get real about tackling his darkest character to date, why Hollywood isn't speaking to young audiences, his favourite London hometown haunts and the action movie still sitting at the top of his bucket list…
Shortlist: How do you sum up Our Hero, Balthazar?
Asa Butterfield: It's a very, very dark comedy about two lost young men in America who bond over the most unlikely - and borderline - problematic subject matter.
Speaking of problematic, the subject is obviously dark, but it's also a comedy. What kind of research went into that for you?
Being a Brit, I'm blissfully removed from this specific American experience. I didn't go through these shooter drills at school. I never have and I will never have to worry about that or think about that.
So, it was about getting into the mindset of what could drive a young man to do something like this, and then to empathise with them. Solomon [Butterfield’s character, .ed] is a complex and tragic figure who is totally misunderstood and mislabeled to the point of driving him to really consider doing something awful.
There aren't enough films being made that speak to young people these days.
Asa Butterfield
For me, playing a character unlike anything I'd got to play before was really exciting. It was a challenge to step into the shoes of someone with a totally different life experience to myself, and to showcase what I can do to audiences who perhaps think of me in other ways, because of the roles I've done.
The film has had fantastic reviews. How has that reaction felt for you?
It's always really great to see how audiences connect with the film, particularly young audiences, because it really is for them.
It feels like there aren't enough films being made that speak to young people these days. This film feels so in touch with the lived American experience, but not just American - around the world there's this sense of isolation, this annihilation mentality, this desire to be seen, connected and be a part of something, and the extreme lengths that some people can go to if they're driven to.
Is that something you've noticed in the scripts that come your way - that there isn't a lot being made for young people?
Well, it's not that it's not being made for young people. It's that people think it is being made for young people, but young people are watching these trailers and seeing these movies and being like, "So what? What is this? I don't see myself in this.” We are getting some young filmmakers who are able to do that, but I think people are so scared to invest in these more daring, independent films.
Having said that then, would you ever want to direct and get behind the camera?
Maybe one day! It scares me, directing. I've had the privilege of working with some incredible directors and seeing their process, and their ability to have this entire film or TV series in their head and really understand every facet of it. I don't know if I'm ready yet, but I hope one day.
At Shortlist, we're always looking for the best London recommendations. Being a Londoner born and bred, what are some of your favourite spots in the city that you always take visitors to?
I went to school in Hackney, so a lot of East London. Clissold Park is my favourite park in London. Walking down Regent's Canal is great. I love Brick Lane for some vintage shopping, or to get a bagel, or a curry.
Dalston's got some great locations. I’ve discovered Gillet Square lately - some people love it, some people hate it. It’s a residential block, but there's often open food markets, good music events and a couple of jazz clubs on either side of it. Then, the Dalston Curve Garden is a really cute spot near Dalston Junction station. It's relatively low-key.
It's just been announced you're going to star as The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein in the upcoming series, Hamburg Days. What are you most excited about for it?
I just think the character's fascinating. Getting into that world; the costume and the voice... I'm a big music fan, so just being part of a TV show where music is so in its veins is exciting.
You've worked on so many different projects from such a young age. What's something you haven't done yet that you'd still love to do?
Let's do a proper action movie, with some cool fight scenes! Or a swords-and-sandals type of thing. That'd be fun. I haven’t done any sword training yet though - not other than just swinging around stuff and imagining it!
Our Hero, Balthazar is out on digital release from 11th August 2026.
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