Talented ten-year-old Harrogate schoolboy talks about juggling TV and film roles with schoolwork
A ten-year-old Harrogate actor who was discovered while travelling with his family on the London Underground has won a top award at an international film event.
Talented Bon Cooper, who lives with his family in Harrogate and is a pupil at the town’s Brackenfield School, told the Harrogate Advertiser he had never thought about acting until that moment on the Tube three years ago when he was aged just seven.
"I was with my parents on the Underground and I was chatting away to a nice lady next to me who turned out to be a casting director,” said Bon.
"When we got off, she gave her business card to my parents.
"A few weeks later we got in touch and soon after I got my first role in a Tesco Club Card advert.”
Since then, Bon’s CV has been steadily building with the support of his parents and the help of Articulate Agency in Shipley.
He even shared a 40-minute casting session with award-winning actor Andy Serkis of Lord of the Rings fame.
Earlier in the year, Bon also made an impression in a small role in BBC TV's Lord of The Flies adapted by multi-BAFTA award-winning writer Jack Thorne.
And, last week, the articulate and exuberant youngster received the Rising Star Award at the prestigious Lytham International Film Festival.
Bon says he was more nervous about the awards night than playing the lead role in God Of Mischief, the short film which wowed audiences at the festival.
"I played the main character Ed, who was very cheeky, which was easy for me,” said Bon.
"I don’t get nervous at all when I’m acting, I just enjoy it.
“Being nominated for best actor was a shock.
"Was I really going to win?”
Written and directed by Christian Stevens, God Of Mischief has also won official selections at other film festivals, including Buffalo Film Fest in New York, Birmingham and Cardiff, where it won Best Short.
Bon is now set to appear in several upcoming productions yet to be released, including The Tenth Planet, in which he stars opposite Kevin Spacey, which is currently in editing.
There’s also the possibility of reuniting with Christian Stevens on a new feature film playing a cheeky character – again.
Bon says balancing a life of acting with studying at school like any other ten-year-old has come pretty easily.
He loves being at Brackenfield School in Harrogate and loves his school friends.
"It feel natural to do this,” Bon said.
"All my friends at school know about my acting; the whole school knows.
"But they think it’s cool.
"I’ve just been elected to the school council, which is a great privilege.”
Despite his talent and growing success, Bon Cooper may not necessarily grow up to be an actor.
And that’s not merely because it is a challenging and fickle profession.
It just depends.
"I probably will keep on acting,” said Bon.
"But I might want to go into psychology.”