From TV Christmas ad failure to West End fame: Dear England star who won ... trends now
Just a few years ago Will Close's most high-profile role was as a frivolous gap year student but was abruptly axed by Tesco from its TV adverts with Ruth Jones and Ben Miller because his character was 'too annoying'.
Today the actor is the toast of the West End after picking up a prestigious Olivier Award for playing Harry Kane in the National Theatre's hit show Dear England, which also won best new play.
Picking up the best supporting actor award - whose previous winners include Eddie Redmayne, Toby Jones and Sir Patrick Stewart - the football mad Everton fan looked shocked and overwhelmed, poignantly dedicating the gong to his late mother, a lover of amateur dramatics who died during the pandemic and inspired him to act.
But he also thanked the England captain himself in his speech - and revealed that while he has never met Harry, the footballer's friends came to watch the show and were bowled over by the performance.
Speaking on the red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall he said: 'I had a few people who came to see it who know Harry and are friends with him who were very encouraging and complimentary, which was a relief'.
Will said that he had studied Kane's intonation and his over-use of certain bland words in interviews such as 'nice' and 'obviously'. He added: 'I think that if he had been in the audience I don't think I would have been able to handle it - I would have been too nervous'.
A delighted Will Close after being presented with the Best Actor in a Supporting Role award at the Olivier Awards at the Royal Albert Hall
Will as Harry Kane in hit play Dear England, by James Graham
The extraordinary moment he won the best supporting actor gong. previous winners include Eddie Redmayne , Toby Jones and Sir Patrick Stewart
Will Close dedicated the award to his late mother - who died in the pandemic - and thanked Harry Kane
Will was in a Tesco advert with Ruth Jones and Ben Miller (centre in blue) playing a 'boomerang child' back living with his parents. But the supermarket axed the role when viewers found 'Freddie' annoying
Mr Close, originally from Worcestershire rather than Kane's native Walthamstow, thanked Bayern Munich striker Harry and Joseph Fiennes, the star of the show as Gareth Southgate, for being his 'hero'.
He also paid tribute to his mother, saying: 'My mum who passed away during Covid', adding: 'Here's to all the single mums in council housing.'
After his win he added: 'I wouldn't have been into this if it wasn't for my mum. She loved it. The am-dram stuff was her biggest passion and pleasure. It spread to me. She was so integral to me going on to do it'.
On the morning after the awards ceremony Will admitted he had celebrated all night and had not been to bed.
Speaking to BBC Hereford & Worcester about the night, he said: 'It is mad. It is weird, I feel like I am on a cloud, it is crazy.'
Recalling the moment he heard his name called out, Close, added: 'I felt like I was asleep, like I was dreaming.'
Before Dear England that he was best known for his part as Freddie in Tesco's fictional family where he played a 'boomerang
