'Posh boys' playing gangsters: Eddie Marsan on TV and film industry's obsession with upper-class actors
Actor Eddie Marsan has voiced strong concerns about class inequality in the UK acting industry, arguing that young performers from working-class backgrounds face enormous barriers to success.
"If you want to be an actor in this country, and you come from a disadvantaged background, you have to be exceptional," says Marsan. "If you come from a privileged background, you can be mediocre."
He believes some figures, such as Laurence Fox, fear a fairer film and television environment will "level the playing field." Marsan suggests that many new actors today rely on financial backing from their parents—the so‑called "bank of mummy and daddy"—in order to break into the industry.
Reflecting on his own journey, Marsan shared that he was once a young man in his twenties, unsure of direction, and working as a printer before being accepted into Mountview drama school. Now appointed a vice president of the institution, he emphasizes the importance of supporting talented students who cannot afford to fund their training independently.
"I came here when I was in my twenties… I was a bit lost… I was serving an apprenticeship as a printer when Mountview offered me a place," Marsan recalls.
About the actor
Known for roles in major films such as the Sherlock Holmes series and Mission: Impossible III, as well as television projects like Ray Donovan and Supacell, Eddie Marsan is regarded as one of Britain’s most versatile and acclaimed character actors.
Author’s summary
Marsan calls out the dominance of privilege in British acting, urging for stronger support of working-class talent to foster genuine diversity on and off screen.