Nicholas Caradoc Hoult (; born 7 December 1989) is an English actor. His filmography includes work in big-budget mainstream productions and starring roles in independent projects in American and British films. His accolades include nominations for a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. He was included in Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2012. Hoult performed in local theatre productions as a child. He made his screen debut aged six, in the 1996 film Intimate Relations, and appeared in several television programmes. His breakthrough came with his role as Marcus Brewer in the 2002 comedy-drama About a Boy. He achieved wider recognition for his performance as Tony Stonem in the E4 teen series Skins (2007–2008). His transition to adult roles began with the 2009 drama A Single Man and the fantasy film Clash of the Titans (2010). He played the mutant Hank McCoy / Beast in the 2011 superhero film X-Men: First Class, a role he reprised in later instalments of the film series. Hoult played the title role in the adventure film Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) and the zombie lead in the Romeo and Juliet homage comedy Warm Bodies (2013). He had supporting roles in the action film Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), portrayed various historical figures such as Robert Harley in the black comedy The Favourite (2018) and Peter III, Emperor of Russia in the Hulu comedy-drama series The Great (2020–2023). His work on The Great earned him nominations for two Golden Globes and a Primetime Emmy Award. He has since starred in the black comedy The Menu (2022), the courtroom drama Juror #2 (2024), the horror film Nosferatu (2024), and the superhero film Superman (2025). Outside of film, Hoult voiced Elliot in the 2010 action role-playing game Fable III and appeared in the 2009 West End play New Boy. He supports the charitable organisations Teenage Cancer Trust and Christian Aid. He is also a trained racing driver, competing in the Ferrari Challenge racing series.