Luke Treadaway has won the hotly contested Best Actor Award at this year’s Olivier Awards with MasterCard for his much acclaimed role in The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.
His starring role in the National Theatre’s hit production marks the 28-year-old actor’s first ever Olivier Awards win after facing fierce competition in a category that also included two-time Olivier Award winner Mark Rylance, and stars of stage and screen, James McAvoy, Rafe Spall and Rupert Everett.
Treadaway leads the cast of the hugely popular production, which is currently playing at the Apollo theatre after transferring to the West End following its world premiere at the National Theatre’s Cottesloe theatre, as a 15-year-old with an extraordinary, but unusual brain.
In the production, which was directed by Marianne Elliott and adapted from Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel by Simon Stephens, Treadaway’s astonishing execution of the role is both a physical and intellectual feat, requiring the actor to portray Christopher’s unique inner world through innovative movement in an all-consuming performance that has been hailed by critics and audiences alike.
After accepting his award, Treadaway spoke to press backstage and still hadn’t got over the surprise, explaining: “I never thought this would happen at all. I don’t know if I can speak. That is mental! I didn’t expect it at all. I’ve got to get a drink of champagne!”
Prior to his part in this eight-time nominated show, Treadaway starred alongside his twin brother Harry in Over There at the Royal Court, led the cast of War Horse as Albert at the National Theatre and appeared in films including Killing Bono and Attack The Block.