Billy Barratt, unfiltered: from Emmy glory to A24 horror and teenage rebellion

Actor, musician and generational voice, Billy Barratt speaks to Xmag about his new A24 film, evolving through ‘Invasion’, and why he wishes he’d lived in the 90s—without social media.

“If I could go back to an era, I wouldn’t care which… as long as there was no social media,” Billy Barratt says with a laugh—though the sentiment is far from superficial. The British actor, who became the youngest ever recipient of an International Emmy at just 13 for ‘Responsible Child’, knows what it’s like to carry the weight of expectations early on. “It was emotionally and physically intense. Everyone on that set gave their all. We were telling a true story, and it had to feel authentic,” he recalls.

Trained in musical theatre, Barratt admits most of his screen experience has come on the job. “I wish they taught more screen acting, but you often learn it by doing—by working with others. Musical theatre is about projecting more, but on screen, less is more. That’s what I love.”

This year, he stars in ‘Bring Her Back’, the latest horror offering from the Philippou brothers for A24, following their critically acclaimed ‘Talk to Me’. “Working with Danny and Michael was insane—in the best way. They’re geniuses, and watching them work for three months was a privilege,” he says. In the film, he plays Andy, a boy trying to shield his sister from a world that’s falling apart. “There’s a lot of psychological trauma. Luckily we had Miranda Harcourt on set—she’s brilliant and really helped us not lose ourselves in the role.”

He shares the screen with the legendary Sally Hawkins, something Barratt still seems in awe of: “I was nervous when we first met, but she was so kind and generous. She shared her experience, which not every actor does, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Since 2021, Billy has played Caspar in Apple TV+’s sci-fi series ‘Invasion’, a character that has grown with him: “There’s a lot of me in Caspar. As I’ve grown up, so has he.” He’s worked across a range of studios—Disney, Marvel, Amazon, A24—but his process remains steady: “If they cast you based on your audition, you need to stick to what you brought. If they don’t like it, that’s on them.”

“If I could go back to any era, I wouldn’t care which—just as long as there was no social media.”
Billy Barrat

Outside of acting, Billy is the frontman of his band The Hunger, a creative outlet he describes as essential. “Playing live shows, performing songs we wrote in our bedrooms… it means everything. People come to forget about life for a while, and that’s beautiful.” He also writes scripts—mainly for himself and his friends—for now. “There’s a drawer full of scripts. One day we’ll do something with them.”

Creativity, he says, flows between acting and music. And when the occasional writer’s block hits—as it has recently—he doesn’t fight it: “Sometimes it just means you need a change of pace. That’s part of the rhythm too.”

As for theatre, he hasn’t ruled it out: “I’d love to return to the West End, or do more musical theatre. Not right now—but at some point, for sure.” Balancing work and life, even with a packed schedule, doesn’t seem to faze him: “I’ve managed to blend them. I go to gigs, play shows, hang out with mates. Even on set, the crew becomes your family. If you love what you do, it makes everything easier.”

Fashion also plays a role in his identity: “I love piecing together outfits. My stylist Steven Huang totally gets what I’m into—that sort of 90s, thrown-on but cool look. Blue jeans, a leather jacket, and a vintage tee. I’d absolutely love to collaborate with brands. Hopefully one day.”