We caught up with John Leader ahead of his run playing the beloved BFG and discovered an actor who finds the joy in every role he takes on and who is thrilled to be coming home
Actor John Leader has enjoyed a sparkling career. His first job after graduating was in the acclaimed War Horse and since then, it’s been one long list of brilliant roles. This month, John’s heading back to his roots in the Midlands to take on the beloved role of Roald Dahl’s iconic BFG adapted by Tom Wells. A collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Chichester Festival Theatre and the Roald Dahl Story Company, the show has a 10-week run in Stratford which John is delighted about.
Having grown up in Birmingham and studied at Stratford College, John describes coming back to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as a ‘full circle moment’. Of the role as the BFG, he says: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be playing such an iconic character who means so much to so many people. Everyone has their own picture of the BFG, so it’s really exciting to help bring him to life on stage. It’s a real joy to be collaborating with Daniel (director) and such a talented team of creatives on this story.”
ESSENTIAL PART
The show’s director, Daniel Evans says John’s casting was an essential part of the puzzle and praises his warmth and humility as well as the show’s incredible puppetry designed by Toby Olié. John’s had experience of working alongside puppetry thanks to his stint in War Horse and offers some insight into what that’s like. He says, “You have to treat them like they’re human and look them in the eyes as if they’re actors. They’re so alive, so real and not just part of the set, they’re actors. The puppeteers have the scope to react to what’s happening on the stage. It’s magic.”
Growing up, John was into sport rather than drama and hadn’t considered a career on the stage. It wasn’t until he was doing his A-Levels that the acting bug struck. A friend suggested reading a script which he agreed to and which had a big impact on him. John recalls: “It was like a bomb going off!” His teachers opened his eyes to the possibilities and John went on to study acting in Stratford. Fresh from college, the War Horse job was a dream first gig of which John says: “I was really fortunate. I’ve had a career I could have only dreamed of.”
HUMAN CONNECTION
John last worked with the RSC in The Merry Wives of Windsor and The School for Scandal in 2024 and previous credits include Wuthering Heights and Peter Pan at the National Theatre, A Monster Calls at the Old Vic and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Bridge Theatre. While theatre has formed the lion’s share of John’s career, he also enjoys working in TV and film and says he has a deep love for both. Having said that, he admits there’s something magical about performing to a theatre audience. John explains: “Theatre is special. Phones are turned off and audiences are completely tuned in. It’s an industry so grounded in human connection, shared experience.”
In terms of dream roles, John says he’s a big believer in mustering up that dream job feeling in every role. He says: “That way each job feels special – you find that sense of excitement and joy in everything you do.” If there was ever a match made in theatre heaven, it feels like John Leader playing the BFG is it.