We don’t often train our view on the child actors from the series we feature; after all, young performers too often find themselves in difficult or unfair situations, making childhood stardom a tricky subject to celebrate. And even those in the best roles and contracts do, well, grow up and out of those celebrated roles! But sometimes there are children who leave their mark on the industry so early and so often that they simply can't be ignored.
Wilson Radjou-Pujalte is one such standout. The well-rounded eighteen-year-old has already had a long and impressive career, from playing a young John Luther (the titular character from Luther), to taking on the role of a young elf, Dara, in Netflix’s The Witcher. We expect big things from this young man — and can’t wait to see where his acting journey takes him.
In honor of Dickensian coming to GBH Passport, we’re taking a look back at just how Radjou-Pujalte has gotten to where he is today.
John Luther in “Murdah Loves John” music video
One of Radjou–Pujalte’s first roles was as a young John Luther in the music video for the Idris Elba song “Murdah Loves John.” Featuring Wretch 32 and Tanka, the song was the title track off an album inspired by the iconic BBC series Luther. In the surreal music video, a young John Luther, played by Radjou-Pujalte, witnesses the murder of a family member, an event that started the young boy on his journey to become the popular character. The young John Luther embodies a range of emotions — joy, anger, sorrow, fear — all of which can be challenging for a young actor. But the thirteen-year-old Radjou-Pujalte handles the complexity with aplomb, delivering a brilliant, nuanced performance.
Artful Dodger in Dickensian
Dickensian already has so much going for it — a super mash-up of all our favorite characters, moody as all heck, great costumes, ridiculous cast — that it’s hard to single out anything as the definitive “best part” of the series. That said, Radjou-Pujalte does manage to pull off one of our favorite portrayals of the iconic Artful Dodger. With nary a song and dance number in site, this Dodger is street smart, tough, and just as beleaguered as many of Dickens’ characters. Radjou-Pujalte pulls off the difficult role with a shocking amount of gravitas and confidence for a kid of his age, even holding his own in every scene he shares with fan-favorite Anton Lesser, who plays Fagin.
Jake Hunter in Hunter Street
Not everything on Radjou-Pujalte’s resume is British drama related. In 2018 he joined the second season of the Nickelodeon series Hunter Street. Produced in the Netherlands, the show is about a family of foster children who get wrapped up in mystery after mystery, often saving their foster parents from danger. As a children’s show, this series allows Radjou-Pujalte to work on a side of acting he often doesn’t: as an enthusiastic, goofy kid! The series is good fun, and much like a more brightly-colored, amusing mystery drama, filled with adventures and puzzles for the whole family — not to mention a message that will warm even the hardest of hearts.
Dara in The Witcher
Most recently, Radjou-Pujalte scored a big gig as Dara, an elf on Netflix’ The Witcher. As the companion of Ciri — a young princess on the run — Dara has scenes both powerful and touching, offering the young actor an opportunity to truly shine in this role. While much of Dara and Ciri’s adventure in season one has been dark and foreboding, Radjou-Pujalte manages to balance his innate gravitas with a sense of youthfulness and an element of whimsy — a very appropriate decision for someone playing a young elf. Good new for fans: at the time of this writing, we inquired after an interview with Radjou-Pujalte — and were told that he was currently on set for the second installment of this popular series.
It’s always exciting to watch actors develop their talent, especially when it’s obviously such an innate skill, as it is with Wilson Radjou-Pujalte. We can’t wait to see more from this remarkable young actor.
Watch Dickensian on Passport today!
