Brian Vernel

Brian Vernel
Alma mater	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Occupation	Actor
Known for	Dunkirk (2017) Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) The Last Kingdom (2015)

Brian Vernel is a Scottish actor best known for his film role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and as the character Odda the Younger in the TV series The Last Kingdom and Billy Wallace in Gangs of London.[1]

Early life

A native of Glasgow, Vernel attended St Mungo's Academy[2] in Gallowgate before training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) after a one-year general arts foundation course at Glasgow University.[3]

Career

He played the role of Bala-Tik in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Vernel's character spoke in a Glaswegian accent.[4]

Vernel played the main role of Billy Wallace, junkie brother of London drug cartel boss Sean Wallace, played by Joe Cole, and working alongside Michelle Fairley, who played his mother, in Gangs of London, between 2020-2022.[5]

Filmography

Movies

Year	Title	Role
2012	Offender	Genghis
2014	Let Us Prey	Caesar Sargison
2015	Star Wars: The Force Awakens	Bala-Tik
2017	Dunkirk	Highlander 1
2017	Papillion	Guittou

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2011	The Field of Blood	Darren Naismith / Kevin McCorkhill	3 Episodes
2014	Prey	Dale Lomax	3 Episodes
2014	Grantchester	Tam	3 Episodes
2015	The Casual Vacancy	Stuart 'Fats' Wall	Mini-series
2015	The Last Kingdom	Odda the Younger	7 Episodes
2016	The Missing	Young Adam Gettrick	1 Episode
2017	Doctor Who	Lucius	S10 Episode 10: "The Eaters of Light"
2017	The Tunnel	Anton Stokes	5 Episodes
2018	Collateral	Mikey Gowans	3 episodes
2020-22	Gangs of London	Billy Wallace	16 episodes
2022	Slow Horses	Curly	5 episodes
2024	Shardlake	Brother Mortimus	4 episodes

Stage

• The Seagull (2017) playing Konstantin at the Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith)[6]
• Barbarians (2015) playing Paul at the Young Vic[7]
• Future Conditional (2015) at the Old Vic[8]
• The Static (2012) playing Sparky at the Underbelly, Edinburgh - Nominated for Best Actor The Stage Awards for Acting Excellence at the Edinburgh Fringe[9]
• Macbeth (2012) playing Macbeth at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland[10]

References

1. Deen, Sarah (29 April 2020). "Where have you seen Joe Cole and the cast of Gangs Of London before?". Metro.
2. "Star Wars: Scots who won coveted roles in the epic blockbuster and a look back at their predecessors". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
3. "Brian Vernel, Stars of Tomorrow 2015". Screen Daily. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
4. "The Ruthless Weegie Gaze of Bala-Tik". physicalimpossibility.com. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
5. Harrison Bennett (30 April 2020). "Who's who in Gangs of London?". rts.org.uk.
6. "Review: The Seagull (Lyric Hammersmith)". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
7. "Barbarians review – like a furious, punk Godot". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
8. "Future Conditional review – an entertaining assault on the UK's divisive education system". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
9. "Winners revealed for the stage awards for acting excellence at the Edinburgh festival fringe 2012". www.edfringe.com. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
10. "Macbeth - Review -". rcsproductions.wixsite.com. Retrieved 21 December 2017.

External links

• Brian Vernel at IMDb