For Newcastle-born actor Alfie Williams, the path to cinematic stardom has been marked by a uniquely frustrating hurdle: not being old enough to legally watch his own blockbuster films. The rising star, who carried last year's hit '28 Years Later' on his shoulders, returns in the gnarly sequel 'The Bone Temple', but the BBFC's age certifications continue to be a personal bugbear.
The Agony of the Age Rating
Williams, now 15, recalls the "mortifying" moment he tried to take friends to see his debut in Danny Boyle's 2025 film, only to be barred at the cinema door because the film was rated 15. "I pulled out my phone and started showing them photos of me on set with Danny Boyle," he remembers, his face still crestfallen at the memory. "They said it was cool, but they still needed ID. We had to go and watch F1 instead."
The indignity has been compounded with the release of the sequel, directed by Nia DaCosta, which has been slapped with an 18 certificate. While Williams has seen it at a private screening, his Newcastle mates are out of luck. "I know they're just doing their job," he sighs, "but... bastards."
Stepping Up Alongside Screen Legends
Meeting Williams at King's Cross station, where he arrives with his dad and publicist, the actor exhibits a relaxed, ordinary charm far removed from the eerie poise of some child stars. He's in London to finish filming horror movie 'Banquet' with Meghann Fahy and to promote 'The Bone Temple'. He admits to feeling more at ease this time around.
"I didn't feel the pressure when I was filming, because you just can't make a fool out of yourself in front of Ralph Fiennes," he grins. The anxiety, he confesses, came before the first film's release. "I was really worried people were gonna be like, 'oh, this kid sucks'. But I think people liked my performance, so that was nice to hear."
Williams, who had only taken a few drama classes before being discovered by Boyle in a widespread North East search, credits a deeply personal connection for his powerful performance in a key scene with Jodie Comer. To access the emotion of mourning his on-screen mother, he thought of his own grandfather, who had passed away two years prior. "I have this picture of my granddad that I carry with me," he shares. "In those moments, it wasn't Jodie that I was seeing but my grandad. I think he would have been proud of us."
Gore, Guitars and Missed Opportunities
'The Bone Temple' sees Williams's character, Spike, absorbed into a cult led by a maniacal Jack O'Connell, once again crossing paths with Ralph Fiennes's doctor. Williams relished being more of an observer this time. "It's so gory but so awesome," he laughs. "I'm wearing a mask in the film a lot, which was great because I was just watching this really cool gore and smiling the whole time."
He fondly recalls O'Connell playing guitar between takes and Fiennes's gentle, if firm, handshake etiquette. Yet one meeting eluded him: a chance to connect with the franchise's original star, Cillian Murphy, who made a casual set visit. "Because I'm not 18, I can only be on set for a certain amount of time," Williams explains with palpable regret. "So as soon as I wrapped I had to be rushed off. If we'd finished literally 10 minutes earlier, I could have met him."
With a third film now announced, Williams hopes that meeting will finally happen. In the meantime, his creative energy is channelled into a new passion: forming a rock band. A deep dive into Nirvana, Weezer and System of a Down has inspired him. "I think we need to bring rock back," he declares. "I'm just gonna put up some flyers looking for people who want to make some guitar music. Put 'em on telephone poles and stuff."
His enthusiasm peaks when his publicist reveals a past client list including Korn and Soundgarden. "Wow, did you do Alice in Chains?" he beams. It's a moment of pure, unfiltered teenage fandom from a young actor navigating extraordinary fame with endearing normality. '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' is in cinemas now.
