The film is absolute genius. Directed by the hugely talented Shane Meadows, This Is England has already won cult status in my eyes. It tells the story of a young lad, Shaun, who’s leading a pretty bleak life in 1980’s Grimsby. With his dad killed in the Falklands War, his mum finds it hard to keep tabs on him as he gets involved with a local group of skinheads, taking Shaun and the story into uncompromising territory.

There is no doubt that the lead character Shaun played by Thomas Turgoose is the star of the film. With such a breathtaking performance, you might be forgiven for thing that Turgoose is a classically trained actor or that he actually enjoys acting. You’d be wrong.

Truth is Shane Meadows searched the length and breadth of the country to find the actor right to play Shaun. It wasn’t until he chanced upon a community project in Grimbsy that he came across Thomas Turgoose.

Here is his audition tape. It gives you a real insight into kind a kid he really is. I think what strikes me is how genuine he comes across and how it translates to a captivating performance in the film itself.