From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph McManners (born 3 December 1992,[1]
in Canterbury, Kent) is an English actor and singer. He lives on a non-working farm in
Petham near Canterbury[1]
and recently left Simon Langton Grammar
School for Boys (also in Canterbury) for a boarding school
after being awarded a drama and academic scholarship.
Singing
career
McManners decided to become a singer after he heard the song My Heart
Will Go On whilst watching the film Titanic
at the age of 8.[2]
He plays the violin and the piano and is learning to play the
guitar.[1]
McManners auditioned for the lead role in the BBC's operatic version of "The Little Prince" directed
by Francesca Zambello and was chosen
from 25000 others to play the part. During filming for "The Little
Prince", he was spotted by executives from Sony BMG which led to a UK£2 million 4-album record
deal.[3][4]
McManners went to Prague
together with his producer Nick Patrick in 2005 to record the music
for his first album In
Dreams. Most of the music was performed by the Prague Philharmonic
Orchestra, and Joseph's brother plays violin on "Where is
Love".[1][3]
The album was released on 5 December 2005.
His debut album release reached number five in
the classical charts within a few days.[5
] The album was nominated for "Album of the Year"
at the 2006 Classical BRIT Awards and
the release of "Bright Eyes" from the same album debuted at number
one in Asian airplay.[6][7]
In December 2006 it was reported that McManners had left Sony
BMG over artistic differences.[8]
In the same year, Joseph was a guest singer at Liam Lawton's live concert held at the Dublin docklands, an event
attended by almost 5,000 people. The orchestral arrangements were
done by composer and arranger Nick Ingham.[9][10]
Joseph's second album is currently being recorded and will be
released some time in 2010.[11]
Acting
career
In 2004, McManners starred as Oliver Twist in a local production of the
play at Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre opposite
Ron Moody who played Fagin in the 1968 film
adaptation of the famous novel. He reprised his role as Oliver Twist two
years later in the BBC's "Celebrate
'Oliver!'" presented by Shane Ritchie[12] on 26
December 2005,[13]
and he appeared in an episode of BBC's The
Sound of Musicals on 4 February 2006 (filmed in 2005).[14]
McManners made his feature film acting debut in Hot Fuzz. He played the
part of Gabriel who is described as being an 'angelic
schoolboy'.[15]
The back-story and sub-plot
surrounding his character was cut from the final version and can be
found in the bonus material of the DVD.[16]
One reporter noted shortly after the film's release in early 2007
that because of Joseph's age, he was unable to legally view the
film until his 15th birthday later that year.[17]
It was also reported that McManners had turned down an earlier
offer in 2005 to star as the young Hannibal Lecter in the Hollywood film
about the serial killer's childhood called Hannibal
Rising due to school and other commitments.[18]
In the summer of 2007 Joseph auditioned for the role of Eustace Scrubb, a
character in the film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of
the Dawn Treader, which is scheduled for release in 2010.[19]
However, the part went to British actor Will Poulter.[20]
See also
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