It’s not often an actor gets nominated for a Golden Globe in their very first film credit—especially not at twelve years old. Yet, Roman Griffin Davis is one of the youngest actors to be nominated for “Best Actor” for his titular role in the critically-acclaimed Jojo Rabbit, competing against Hollywood royalty like Eddie Murphy and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Hailing from London, Davis knew he’d get involved in film from a young age, given he was raised by cinematographer, Ben Davis, and director and screenwriter, Camille Griffin. By nine years old, he began auditioning. Jojo Rabbit’s director and star, Taika Waititi, said of Davis that after viewing hundreds of tapes over the span of four months, Davis “came out of nowhere and stunned us.” He starred alongside Rebel Wilson and Scarlett Johansson, while his younger twin brothers, Gilby and Hardy, even nabbed two minor roles. The film was an instant success. Not only did it win an Oscar, but Davis alone received several accolades, with ten wins (including “Best Young Performer” from the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards) as well as a whopping twenty-four additional nominations.
Following the fame of his debut role, Davis was asked to be interviewed all across media. Not only has he guest-starred on programs like Hollywood Insider, Ellen, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but he’s been featured in major publications like Entertainment Weekly, Forbes, and Vanity Fair—the latter, calling him a “breakout child star.”
Now, Davis is currently working on his second film, acting across Keira Knightley in the upcoming holiday movie, Silent Night.