Hoult performed in local theatre productions as a child. He made his screen debut at age six in the 1996 filmIntimate Relations, and appeared in several television programmes. His breakthrough came with his role in the 2002 comedy-dramaAbout a Boy. He achieved wider recognition for his performance asTony Stonem in theE4 teen seriesSkins (2007–2008). His transition to adult roles began with the 2009 dramaA Single Man and the fantasy filmClash of the Titans (2010). He played the mutantHank McCoy / Beast in the 2011 superhero filmX-Men: First Class, a role he reprised in later instalments of the film series.
Hoult played thetitle role in the adventure filmJack the Giant Slayer (2013) and azombie in the romantic comedyWarm Bodies (2013). He had a supporting role in the action filmMad Max: Fury Road (2015) and portrayed various historical figures such asRobert Harley in the black comedyThe Favourite (2018) andPeter III in theHulu comedy-drama seriesThe Great (2020–2023). His work onThe Great earned him nominations for two Golden Globes and a Primetime Emmy Award. He has since starred in the black comedyThe Menu (2022), the courtroom dramaJuror #2 (2024), the horror filmNosferatu (2024), and the superhero filmSuperman (2025).
Nicholas Caradoc Hoult was born on 7 December 1989,[1] inWokingham, Berkshire, England,[2] to Glenis (née Brown), a piano teacher, and Roger Hoult, a commercial pilot.[3][4] His middle name, Caradoc (pronounced /ka.ˈra.dɔk/), originates fromMiddle Welsh and translates to "beloved one."[5] His paternal great-aunt,Anna Neagle, was a renowned stage and film actress, celebrated during the 1930s and 1940s.[6] Hoult has three siblings: an older brother and two sisters.[2][7]
Hoult spent much of his early years in the village ofSindlesham, located in the borough of Wokingham, where his family lived on a quiet estate.[8] His older siblings were passionate about acting and dancing from a young age, participating in classes and auditions. As a child, Hoult often accompanied them to these events, which sparked his own interest in acting. Reflecting on his childhood in a 2011 interview withThe Guardian, he described his upbringing as "pretty outdoorsy" and "normal,"[9] noting that he and his siblings enjoyed "running around in the garden and making tree houses."[9]
He attended The Coombes Infant and Nursery School before moving on to Arborfield Church of England Junior School for his primary education.[10] He also developed a passion for ballet during his early years and performed as a dancer with several high-profile companies, participating in regional productions. He notably took part in prestigious productions ofSwan Lake andThe Nutcracker with theEnglish National Ballet, showcasing his versatility and dedication to the performing arts.[11] However, in 2002, at the age of 12, Hoult decided to shift his focus towards acting and enrolled at the renownedSylvia Young Theatre School, marking the beginning of his formal training in the craft.[12]
At the age of 14, Hoult left his previous school and attendedRanelagh School,[13] aChurch of England's secondary school in Bracknell, Berkshire, where he continued his education while balancing his growing interest in acting.[13] By 2006, he made the decision to further his studies atFarnborough Sixth Form College in Hampshire, where he studiedA-levels in English literature, biology, and psychology.[7] After filming the first season ofSkins, he chose to leave his studies behind and dedicate himself fully to acting.[7]
Apart from his acting pursuits, Hoult also had a musical background. As a child, he played thetrombone and was an active member of his localchoir.[2] Hoult playedbasketball for theReading Rockets, who played in theEnglish Basketball League.[14] He was later appointed as the club's ambassador.[14]
Hoult's acting potential was discovered at age three by a theatre director during a performance of a play that starred Hoult's brother. The director was impressed at Hoult's ability to "concentrate well" and offered him a role in his next theatre productionThe Caucasian Chalk Circle.[13] Hoult began attending auditions and at age five was cast in the 1996 dramaIntimate Relations, his first feature-film role. He later appeared in the television programmesCasualty,Silent Witness,The Bill,Judge John Deed, andDoctors, among others. Hoult initially treated acting as a hobby rather than a potential career option; in a March 2009 interview withThe Daily Telegraph, he said he was not "in love with it ... I just enjoyed it. It was like playing for a football team. When you got a part it was great. And meeting new people. It was an exciting new world."[13]
Hoult's next feature-film appearance came at age eleven inChris andPaul Weitz's 2002 comedy-drama filmAbout a Boy.[15] Hoult was initially reluctant to audition for the role as the casting process was a lengthy one and interfered with his schooling. He nonetheless decided to participate in the early rounds of auditions and was eventually cast in the role of Marcus, a "woolly-hatted, oddball son of a suicidal, hippy-ish single mother, [who] gets bullied horribly at school".[16]About a Boy was a commercial success, grossing more than $130million worldwide and receiving praise by film critics.[15][17] Hoult's portrayal of a lonely schoolboy was well-received; David Thomas, writing forThe Daily Telegraph, attributed the film's appeal and success to Hoult's performance.[16] By the time the film was released, Hoult had left his junior school in Arborfield and began attending Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. He said the change was difficult; his time there was short and he preferred attending a regular school. He still did not want to pursue acting as a profession and at 14 he left Sylvia Young Theatre School in favour of Ranelagh School.
Hoult starred inRichard E. Grant's semi-autobiographical filmWah-Wah (2005) as Ralph Compton, a boy who is forced to deal with the disintegration of his family. The film, set inSwaziland during the 1960s, chronicles the waning years of theSwaziland Protectorate.[18] Hoult made his debut in Hollywood withGore Verbinski's filmThe Weather Man (2005) as the son of a television weather presenter undergoing amid-life crisis. The film and Hoult's performance went largely unnoticed.[19][7] BothWah-Wah andThe Weather Man performed poorly at the box office.[20][21]
Hoult was a student atSixth Form College Farnborough in 2006 when he was cast in the lead role of the television teenage-dramaSkins. He was initially sceptical of his ability to playTony Stonem, a manipulative, egocentric anti-hero, and identified more closely with the supporting character Sid.[7] The programme was a success and ran for seven series, only two of which Hoult appeared in. His performance was well received; the character was popular, and Hoult garnered widespread attention.[22]Skins won theBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Philip Audience Award, and Hoult was nominated for theGolden Nymph Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series.[23] Critic Elliott David lauded Hoult for his performance in a 2016 retrospective review, and wrote that he "maintain[ed] the inexplicable core of his character throughout".[24] During his time onSkins, Hoult felt overwhelmed by the attention he received and considered quitting acting altogether at one point. Instead, he left school at the end ofSkins' first series and chose to focus solely on acting.[9]
Hoult briefly appeared as Stefan Fredman in the pilot episode of the British television seriesWallander.[25] He later made hisWest End theatre debut as Mark, the protagonist inWilliam Sutcliffe's coming-of-age playNew Boy; the production premiered atTrafalgar Studios and had record-breaking ticket sales, which was mostly attributed to Hoult's popularity among viewers ofSkins.[26][27][28] The play was staged for a week in March 2009 because Hoult had committed to a part in the fantasy-adventure filmClash of the Titans (2010), filming for which was scheduled for mid-2010. Hoult's performance as Mark, a "ferociously bright and articulate but sexually confused sixth-former" received mixed responses from critics. Dominic Cavendish ofThe Daily Telegraph wrote that his performance was persuasive, but Lyn Gardner ofThe Guardian found him average and highlighted his inability to bring out the "unresolved sexual tension beneath [the] banter".[27][28]Clash of the Titans was panned by critics but was a success at the box office, grossing nearly $500,000,000 worldwide.[29]
Hoult next appeared inTom Ford'sA Single Man (2009), after the actor originally cast in the role of Kenny Potter left the film a few days before filming commenced. Hoult had previously shown interest in the project and had sent a recorded audition tape; he was eventually chosen for the role of Kenny, a homosexual college student who helps a college professor deal with his grief.[30][31]A Single Man was variously described by media outlets as the first adult role for Hoult, who described Kenny as a "spontaneous" character not simply defined by his sexuality.[31][32][33] Because the role was his first as an American character, Hoult worked on hisaccent; Sukhdev Sandhu ofThe Daily Telegraph noted Ford's choice of casting British actors as Americans (Hoult andMatthew Goode) and vice versa (Julianne Moore).[34][35]A Single Man opened to widespread acclaim despite reservations from critics about Ford's directorial abilities; it was a box-office success.[36][37][38] The film earned Hoult a nomination for theBAFTA Rising Star Award at the2010 ceremony.[39][40] In 2010, Hoult voiced the character of Elliot inLionhead Studios'action role-playing gameFable III (2010).[41]
2011–2016: Commercial success withX-Men andMad Max
Hoult was cast asNux inGeorge Miller's action filmMad Max: Fury Road; the project spent several years indevelopment hell because plans for a fourth film in theMad Max franchise encountered financial difficulties.[42] Filming was planned for mid-2010, but heavy rain caused severe delays during pre-production in Australia.[24] With no other immediate commitments, Hoult began to look for other prospects. He was eventually cast in the role ofHank McCoy / Beast for theX-Men film series owing to his ability to play somebody "gentle with a capability of being fierce".[43][44] Before filming began on the 2011Matthew Vaughn-directed instalmentX-Men: First Class, a prequel to the franchise's earlier films, Hoult familiarised himself with his character; he said he "formulated [his] own version of the Beast" and took inspiration fromKelsey Grammer's performance in the previousX-Men: The Last Stand because he wanted to emulate Grammer's charm and eloquence. Hoult learned to speak in a dialect similar to Grammer's without trying to imitate it.[45] He also underwent physical training and gained weight to better suit his character.[46] The film, which was widely praised by critics for its script and performances, performed moderately well at the box office, collecting about $353million against a production budget of $160million.[47][48] Although it was the lowest-ranked production in the entire series in terms of revenue, Chris Aronson of20th Century Fox deemed it "an excellent start to a new chapter of the franchise".[49]
Mad Max: Fury Road was eventually filmed in 2012 in theNamibian desert. Miller had conceived Nux, a terminally ill slave, as a "quasi kamikaze pilot"; Hoult said of his character; "he's very enthusiastic and committed and affectionate but also kind of clumsy".[50] Hoult shaved his head and followed a strict diet because his role required him to lose a lot of weight.[51] He also talked about performing stunts in the film, describing the entire experience as "scary",[52] but favourably compared the stunt crew and Miller's choice to incorporate real action sequences instead of using agreen screen, saying it made the performance more believable because the actors are placed in a real situation.[52]Fury Road opened to critical acclaim on 14 May 2015 and grossed more than $378million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film in theMad Max franchise. The technical aspects and stunt sequences drew particular praise from film critics and it was credited for reviving interest in the series.[53][54] Shalini Langer noted that while the real hero of the film wasCharlize Theron, "[Hoult] is the closest in the acting department ... as Joe's 'war boy' chasing imagined glory".[55] Hoult's "fabulously unhinged" performance was also praised byRobbie Collin ofThe Daily Telegraph.[56] Also in 2012, Hoult was included in theForbes 30 under 30 list.[57]
In 2013, Hoult had starring roles in two major films; he first played azombie named R inJonathan Levine'sromantic comedyWarm Bodies, which was released on 1 February.[58] An adaptation ofIsaac Marion'snovel of the same name, the film is presented frompoint of view of the central character, mostly through narration. Levine said he had difficulties finding a suitable actor to play R until he met Hoult, who was attracted to the project—which he described as "much more than a horror movie" owing to the use of multiple pop culture and literary allusions—and even more so to the role which "bowled [me] over". Hoult said he drew inspiration fromEdward Scissorhands (1990) because he thought the central characters in both films share the same difficulties.[59] To prepare for the role of a zombie, Hoult and the other actors practised withCirque du Soleil performers; he said of the experience; "we would take our shoes off in a dance studio ... kind of grow out of the wall and make our bodies feel very heavy".[60] The film garnered positive response from critics and audiences.[61] Ben Kendrick praised Hoult for the restraint in a potentiallyRazzie-worthy role: "[he] brings a lot of life to R without stepping too far in the other direction [and although his] zombie mannerisms may come across a bit forced but, overall, his memorable moments outnumber (and outweigh) the awkward ones."[62] Hoult was also described as "an extremely appealing actor, [who] is charm personified" in his role of the living-dead.[63]
Hoult's next film,Bryan Singer's 2013 fantasy adventureJack the Giant Slayer, failed at the box office and received mixed response from critics. He playedthe eponymous hero in the film, which is based on the British fairy tales "Jack the Giant Killer" and "Jack and the Beanstalk".[64] Hoult's performance was poorly received by film critics Mary Pols,Justin Chang andRichard Roeper; Pols was critical of his "disconcerting" imitation of Hugh Grant and the other two dismissed him and his character as "bland" and "boring", respectively.[65][66][67]
Hoult then appeared inJake Paltrow's science-fiction filmYoung Ones (2014). Set in a dystopian future where water is scarce, the film had Hoult play Flem Lever, a young man who is trying to claim the land owned by the film's central character Ernest Holm.[68] Hoult thought the role was unlike any of his previous work and said his character's questionable choices throughout the film intrigued him. Hoult read novels written byS. E. Hinton to prepare for the role. The film was shot in a deserted location in South Africa; Hoult said filming in the hot weather conditions was difficult but the "beautiful" scenery helped to tell the story better.[69] He said it also made him more conscious of environmental concerns.[70] The film premiered at the2014 Sundance Film Festival and was met with mixed responses.[69][71] Commentators highlighted the film's standout scenery but were critical of its plot.[68] Keith Uhlich ofThe A.V. Club said Hoult was a poor fit for the story's "stoically retrograde machismo".[72]
Hoult reprised his role asBeast in Bryan Singer'sX-Men: Days of Future Past, his other release of 2014. Hoult said playing the character was a freeing experience for him and that it was "fun to suddenly be able to break loose ... when you're wearing the makeup ... you can perform big ... you get to have two very different techniques, performances." He also said the lengthy make-up procedure could last up to three and a half hours.[73]X-Men: Days of Future Past earned more than $747million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film in the series and in Hoult's career at that time.[74]
In 2015, Hoult had three other releases—thefeature film adaptation ofGillian Flynn's mystery novelDark Places;Owen Harris'dark comedyKill Your Friends, based on the 2008 novel of the same name; andEquals, a dystopian, science-fictionromantic drama directed byDrake Doremus—all of which were critical failures and rank among the lowest-grossing films of his career.[75][76] Response to Hoult's performance inEquals was relatively better;[77][78] Peter Travers called him and his co-starKristen Stewart "quietly devastating", and Katie Walsh, writing forLos Angeles Times, said the duo were "finely matched both in their androgynous beauty and in their performances of a repressed humanity".[79][80] Despite doubts about his contract with the franchise, Hoult returned for the 2016 filmX-Men: Apocalypse. Upon release, the film became the third-rankedX-Men film in terms of worldwide box office collections, earning about $540million.[74] It was also a top-grossing production outside the United States.[81]
The action filmCollide, in which Hoult starred as a drug dealer, was released in the United States in February 2017 to a poor response from audiences and critics.[82][83] The film garnered negative reviews; its dismal box office performance was attributed to poor marketing and multiple delays caused by the 2015chapter 11 bankruptcy of its production companyRelativity Media.[84]Forbes' Scott Mendelson analysed the film's failure and said Hoult did not necessarily have enough "star power" to draw audiences.[85] He highlighted themisogyny and sense of entitlement in the entertainment industry, writing that directorEran Creevy and Hoult would get better offers despite the failure of films likeCollide, as opposed to the women and otherminority groups, who are either ignored or stereotyped.[85] Responses to Hoult's next film, the romance dramaNewness, were more enthusiastic.[86] The production had its world premiere at the2017 Sundance Film Festival; it stars Hoult as one half of a Los Angeles-based couple who meet throughonline dating and begin anopen relationship.[87] Drake Doremus, the film's director, said Hoult's role was unlike his previous work; "a very complex and emotionally mature performance that we haven't seen yet".[88]
Hoult starred in a series of biographical and historical films in 2017; he said he preferred playing characters that might help him improve as an actor and that the "actors I look up to started doing their best work in their early 30s and I'll be hitting that age ... I'm just trying to learn".[89] He portrayed American authorJ. D. Salinger inDanny Strong'sRebel in the Rye, which chronicles Salinger's life from his youth to theWorld War II era and the years preceding the publication of his debut novel,The Catcher in the Rye.[90] Hoult auditioned for the role because he was intrigued by the film's script and Salinger's enigmatic personality; "I didn't know he fought in the second world war and landed onD-Day: ... had intermittentPTSD or that he became interested inVedanta philosophy and meditated and did yoga."[89] To prepare for the role, Hoult readThe Catcher in the Rye and biographies about Salinger. Hoult said the biggest challenge was to get a real understanding of Salinger's character; "everyone has an idea of [Salinger] in their mind ... you're creating a character that people have very strong feelings about. You can't prove to be right or wrong through impressions."[91]Rebel in the Rye opened to a poor response from film critics.[92] Carson Lund ofSlant was largely unimpressed by Hoult's "feeble" performance and his inability to "reinvest the character with the complexities lost in the story's programmatic telling".[93]RogerEbert.com's Matt Fagerholm wrote that although Hoult was capable of illuminating the insecurities and fixations of his character, he is never "quite believable as Salinger". Fagerholm ascribed the failure to the script, which left the character's key motivations "frustratingly muddled".[94]
Hoult co-starred inThe Current War, a dramatisation of the feud between electrical pioneersThomas Edison andGeorge Westinghouse. Hoult was cast in the role ofNikola Tesla, for which he grew a moustache and attended science lessons aboutelectromagnetism and dynamos.[89][95] He lost weight for his role by following a strict diet.[96] Response toThe Current War was mixed;David Ehrlich ofIndieWire described Hoult's performance as a tribute toDavid Bowie, who had previously played Tesla inThe Prestige (2006).[97] In a departure from biographical dramas, Hoult then starred as an American soldier inSand Castle, a production he described as a very different war film "in terms of the pacing and the emotion ... very under the surface, that futility-of-war idea".[96] He recalled the filming experience in the Jordanian military bases practising clearing procedures: "we put on these masks, get given these guns, are put inside this pitch-black house ... try and hunt down these bad guys hiding inside. You're in all the gear ... the adrenaline starts pumping."[96] Released on Netflix in 2017, the film garnered mixed reviews.[98]
Hoult is the father of two children with American model Bryana Holly, with whom he had been in a relationship since 12 December 2016.[95][132] Their first child was born on 17 April 2018, and their second in October 2022. Hoult called Holly his "wife" at the 2024 Governors Awards on 17 November 2024.[133][132]
Hoult is a philanthropist and supports numerous charities; he has been associated with organisations that support children. He was appointed the firstNational Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) Young Person Ambassador, for supporting the charity's activities aimed at children and young people.[134] Since 2009, he has also been involved with theTeenage Cancer Trust; he continues to visit patients supported by the organisation and has helped promote its awareness campaigns, including the sun-safety campaign "Shunburn".[135] Hoult designed sweaters forSave the Children's and Selfish Mother's jointChristmas Jumper Day campaign. He encouraged customers to buy the festive collection and support the charitable cause, which he thought would bring a "real change to children's lives".[136] He also donated a pair of shoes, which was auctioned by Small Steps Project, an organisation that helps homeless and malnourished children.[137] Hoult was inducted into the NSPCC Hall of Fame in 2010 for his contributions to the campaign against child cruelty.[138]
Hoult in 2019
Hoult visitedNairobi, Kenya, as a part of aChristian Aid project aimed at providing clean water and sanitation. During his stay he met local people and helped clean the locality. He said of his experience; "I met great people making the best of the situation... it is heart-breaking in many ways to see the living conditions".[139] Hoult also participated in theRickshaw Run in January 2017, in which participants drove anauto rickshaw (also called atuk tuk) for 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi) across India to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust andWorld Wide Fund for Nature.[140][141] He has also been associated with Jeans for Refugees, a project and fundraising initiative intended to help refugees around the world.[142] He donated a signed pair of jeans to the organisation; profits from the campaign were donated to the refugee support agencyInternational Rescue Committee.[143]
On 1 August 2020, he participated in the Outreach Project campaign alongsideCharlize Theron, where the filmMad Max: Fury Road was screened at a drive-in theater inLos Angeles to raise funds.[144] In 2021, forSave the Children UK, he took part in Misan Harriman's campaign to raise awareness about the urgent changes children want to see in the world: "Ban plastic. Reduce pollution."[145] In June 2022, he participated inBiotherm's #BeAWaterLover campaign to raise awareness about ocean preservation and to announce the brand's commitment to becoming Ocean Positive by 2030.[146] In both 2022 and 2023, he championedArmani's Acqua for Life campaign.[147]
In 2025, Hoult was named aSave the Children Ambassador.[148] As part of his new role, he visited an after-school workshop in London, where he spoke with children about topics related to his role asLex Luthor inSuperman (2025) and promoted values such as compassion and responsibility. As an ambassador, Hoult supports the organisation's initiatives focused on education, health, and child welfare at a global level.[148]
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