10 Things to Love About the New Romeo, Douglas Booth
How do I love thee, let me count the ways. The new film adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" stars an up and coming English actor Douglas Booth who plays the dashing Romeo in the Carlo Carlei's new film.
The 21-year-old came to public attention when he starred as Boy George in BBC Two film "Worried About the Boy." After his first success, he followed it up in the BBC adaptation of "Great Expectations" and "Christopher and His Kind" which are all released in 2011.
In the new "Romeo and Juliet," Booth bested 300 other actors who were interested in the part and was casted in June 2011. According to R. Kurt Osenlund of "Slant" Booth's portrayal of Romeo is "a rather fantastic breakthrough performance, offering a poignant interpretation of one of literature's greatest lovers."
Here are the 10 things you would love about the new Romeo, Douglas Booth.
1. Born on July 9, 1992 in London, England, Douglas Booth is severely dyslexic and had a hard time to read and write until the age of 10. He has to work doubly hard to keep with other kids in school, but he said that being dyslexic made him "more resilient in every sense."
2. As young kid, the dashing Casanova played a trumpet and he developed an interest in drama at the age of twelve after he starred in the school's play "Agamemnon."
3. After the play, he was involved with the national Youth Theater and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. At the age of fifteen, he joined the Curtis Brown acting agency and won his first professional acting role at the age of sixteen.
4. Booth underwent a physical transformation just by playing Boy George in BBC Two drama "Worried About the Boy" in 2010. He shaved his eyebrows and was wearing heavy makeup to play the part.
"He just gets it. There's something about him that reminds me of me when I was 17," says Boy George .
5. He played the role of Pip in the BBC One adaptation of Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" in 2011 along side Ray Winstone and Gillian Anderson. According to Anne Billson of "The Telegraph" Booth was "so distractingly lovely" that it's misstep to cash him in the miniseries.
6. He played alongside Miley Cyrus in the movie "Lol" before she shaved her head and went to the wilder side. That's the first time that he witnessed how paparazzi followed Cyrus like a stalker.
7. The "Romeo and Juliet" is reportedly seeing country superstar Taylor Swift and the two were seen sharing a meal at the Holly Bush pub in London.
8. Hailee Steinfeld introduced Booth and Swift together during the after party of the film's L.A. premiere in September.The young actor was left bewildered on Swift's persistence that he accompanied the pop princess when she was reportedly house-hunting in London.
9. The young actor shares a flat with his sister, Abi, in Bermondsey, London.
10. He once dated an English actress Vanessa Kirby for two years.