Billy Barratt doesn’t care about being the first this or the youngest that—even if, technically, he is. At just 13, he became the youngest actor to win an International Emmy, thanks to his gut-wrenching turn in Responsible Child. But accolades don’t seem to be what drives him. If anything, Barratt’s compass points toward something more grounded: a good story, a complicated role, a time to stretch.

Now 17, Barratt has already spent over a decade in the industry—first stepping into period dramas like Mr. Selfridge and The White Princess before cementing his reputation in the BBC’s Responsible Child, a courtroom drama that asked big questions and demanded even bigger emotional truth. Since then, he’s moved between genres with intent, never chasing spectacle for its own sake. There’s Crater, a coming-of-age adventure through space. Invasion, where he plays a teen navigating alien apocalypse and fractured family ties. Kraven the Hunter, My Spy, and now Bring Her Back—a new A24 horror from the Talk to Me directors, where Barratt stars as Andy, a foster kid whose new home hides something ancient and terrifying.

But for all the bloodshed and blockbuster credits, Barratt is less about spectacle than he is about subtle shifts: the blink-before-you-cry moments, the silences between the lines. It’s a skill not just learned on set, but etched into muscle memory—refined in training halls like Sylvia Young and ELAM, and tested under the stage lights during his West End debut in Big Fish with Kelsey Grammer. Today, he fronts his own band, The Hunger, splitting his time between acting and music with a rhythm that feels less like reinvention and more like instinct.

Barratt is not interested in legacy or accolades. Just the work. The story. The next song. The next scene.

See below, Billy Barratt opening up about his breakthrough role in Responsible Child, navigating horror with Bring Her Back, balancing music and acting, and what drives him beyond the spotlight.

Between Mr. Selfridge and Bring Her Back— how do you choose your roles now? Is there a “gut check” moment when you know a part is right for you?

Ok, so I don't know if I really like just choosing or picking roles. When I was filming Mr. Selfridge, at that age, I was so young. I didn't really know what I was doing anyway, to be honest. You know, you just sort of learn the lines, you tape, and then you hear you get the job, and that's what you're doing for the day. And that was kind of it. But then, with Bring Her Back, later on, in my career. Obviously, I've become more aware of what I'm doing and just gotten older, I guess. So yeah, I don't really pick roles. I kind of just auditioned for everything that I'm offered, but at the same time, I do certainly have preferred storylines. I think I look at the story more.

You’ve already worked across period drama’s sci-fi features, and horror films. Is there a genre you’re still dying to try?

Yes, I really want to do a romance film. A good romance film, and even if that's a romantic comedy, that could be quite funny, I think. Well, you'd hope so, wouldn’t you? But yeah, I think a romantic drama would also be really cool. Like a coming of age one, I guess they're always really nice, but also, you know, Westerns. I'd love to do a classic Western or just any David Fincher film, to be honest.

What does your prep look like when you first get a script? Do you journal, read aloud, build playlists?

I do build a playlist. I build a playlist of different types of music that the character would listen to, and I also sometimes journal, but not all the time. I think journaling can be really helpful sometimes, but then other times I end up just writing like myself and I guess that's alright cause you incorporate a part of yourself into the character, which I think is also important.

Given your background in both music and theatre, would you be open to returning to the stage—maybe even in a rock musical?

Like American Idiot 2.0. Yeah, I would. I mean, film is definitely something I prefer at this moment in my life, but I'd like to. I'd like to do that, I think. But then if it's a rock musical, I kind of also think I could just play one of my shows with my band.

You’re also a musician in The Hunger. What part of you becomes fulfilled through music that acting doesn’t touch?

The playing live aspect is definitely a part of it. I mean, you're kind of doing that for the camera, I guess. But to a lot more people than the 200 people in a sweaty hot, dark basement of a pub—those are the best times, man. My favorite part of that is probably seeing a bunch of kids my age coming out and not filming the whole time. They just sort of dance. And I think that's really important and it's something that's lacking at the moment, just the sort of sense of, “let's just be in the moment,”  sort of thing. I know it sounds really hippy, but it's true.

What did you learn working alongside seasoned actors like James Cosmo and Sally Hawkins? Is there any advice you still carry with you today?

James Cosmo actually gave me three pieces of advice, and I've forgotten most of it because I was so young when he gave it to me. I think I was about 11 or 12, but I remember it was something like “don't be late, don't let yourself believe that a drink will ever help your performance…”  And there was something else in there, but it was good advice. And I mean working with Sally, she's just f****** incredible and I think working alongside her, you sort of just pick up her way of working, and it's just something you kind of have to experience. I can't really explain it, but she's so good, man.

What's something that people would be surprised to learn about the Off-Camera you?

Be surprised… I don't know. Let me have a think. Probably that I'm not someone that really likes to just sit indoors. I have friends that like to do that, they could sit indoors for ages. I'm constantly wanting to leave the house. I love hanging out with friends and going out and meeting people. And I think that's just something I really like to do. I think it's important to meet as many people as possible and, you know, it is also important to stay indoors for sure, but that's something about me. Yeah, even if I'm really tired, I can still make an effort to go out and see my friends—even if that going out means sitting in a living room and just playing Monopoly, that's still good enough for me. But yeah, I just like being around people.

You've already made history, becoming the youngest person ever to win an International Emmy. What legacy do you want to leave behind in the industry?

Hmm. I don’t know man. My only aim is to keep doing what I love doing and I guess the legacy part of that is not for me to decide. You know, I guess I'm just being myself. I'm just doing my thing. I'm doing what I love to do and I just hope that I can keep doing that for the rest of my life, to be honest with you.