Actor Nicholas Hoult made a surprise visit to a community arts centre in East London to meet children taking part in a film and multimedia workshop focused on superheroes.
Though Hoult, 35, plays the villain Lex Luthor in the latest Superman film, he was warmly welcomed by the local group of 7 to 11-year-olds at Rich Mix in Shoreditch.
The children had been scripting, filming, and acting out their own sketches featuring heroes and villains as part of the workshop.
Hoult joined a Q&A session, discussing his film career and answering questions about the new Superman movie, including the role of CGI in bringing the story to life.
Just before his arrival, the children had watched a preview of the film, which hits cinemas on July 11, and they excitedly asked Hoult for autographs.
They also encouraged him to FaceTime with his co-star David Corenswet, who plays Superman.
The conversation also turned to Hoult’s childhood and what inspired him to pursue acting, giving the children a glimpse into his personal journey.
Hoult began acting as a child and found early fame starring opposite Hugh Grant in About a Boy. He went on to appear in the BAFTA-winning teen drama Skins, before carving out a successful film career with roles in The Favourite, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Menu, and the X-Men franchise, in which he played Hank McCoy, also known as Beast.
This visit marked Hoult’s first day as an official ambassador for the charity Save the Children, joining other public figures such as Ashley Jensen and Sir Mo Farah who support the charity by visiting projects and raising awareness of its work.
“It’s been a real privilege to meet the children here at Rich Mix on my first day as an official ambassador for Save the Children,” Hoult said. “Seeing the joy they get from the workshop reminded me how much I loved film from a young age. It’s inspiring to meet such passionate young creatives from all backgrounds.”
Rich Mix runs free after-school clubs and partners with Save the Children’s ‘Power of Play’ project, which supports learning through creative play in Tower Hamlets, an area facing one of the highest child poverty rates in London, with nearly half of children living in poverty.
