Playing a troubled heartthrob in hit Netflix drama One Day made Leo Woodall Britain’s hottest new actor. But as these photos prove, it’s already one of the most versatile.
London-born Leo, 27, has seamlessly transitioned from heartthrob to codebreaking for his latest TV series Prime Target, in which he stars as a postgraduate maths student who finds himself at the center of a spy plot.
Pictured on set at Cambridge University’s historic Bridge of Sighs, which links St John’s College buildings across the River Cam, Leo plays lead character Edward Brook in the Apple TV thriller.
Leo on set at Cambridge University for his upcoming TV series Prime Target, in which he stars as a postgraduate maths student who finds himself at the center of a spy plot
The 27-year-old heartthrob plays main character Edward Brook in the Apple TV thriller
Leo pictured on set at Cambridge University’s historic Bridge of Sighs, which links buildings of St John’s College across the River Cam
Brook’s research at university involves finding a pattern within prime numbers that could give him access to any computer in the world. But according to the drama’s synopsis, “He begins to realize that an invisible enemy is trying to destroy his idea before it is even born.”
He stars opposite Daisy Waterstone, a British actress who played Margo Durrell in the ITV Sunday evening drama The Durrells.
The role is a step away from the parts that made Leo’s name.
He appeared in the second series of the critically acclaimed HBO drama The White Lotus as Essex wide boy Jack, who is initially introduced as the cousin of Tom Hollander’s character Quentin, but is later revealed to be his lover.
Leo as his character Dexter in Netflix miniseries One Day with co-star Ambika Mod playing his love interest Emma
Leo as his Essex bad boy character Jack in White Lotus with Portia played by Hailey Lu Richardson
Leo met his girlfriend, 33-year-old American actress Meghann Fahy, on set in 2022, with the couple confirming their relationship late last year.
But it was the charming, privileged Dexter in the Netflix adaptation of David Nicholls’ 2009 novel One Day that thrust Leo into the spotlight.
The plot revolves around Dexter meeting Emma (Ambika Mod) on the eve of their graduation. They break up the next day. They are then shown on the same date every year to see where they are in their lives, together or apart.
Dexter becomes a messy TV presenter in 1990s London and ends up abusing alcohol and drugs. About Dexter, Leo said, “I know they say you shouldn’t judge a character, but in retrospect I can say he’s a wuss.”
Like Dexter, Leo enjoys his moment in the spotlight, but without the self-destructive streak.
Filming has begun on his first major film, a drama about the Nuremberg Trials, directed by James Vanderbilt and starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek and Richard E Grant. Yet Leo’s impressive career almost didn’t materialize at all. He reportedly wanted to become a gym teacher or stuntman and only made a final decision to pursue acting after winning a place at drama school at the age of 19.
