Leo Woodall is rapidly establishing himself as one of the UK's most compelling exports, and his latest role in A24's biographical comedy-drama Tony marks a definitive break from his earlier heartthrob image. The 29-year-old London-born actor plays Sal, a grimy, womanising restaurant worker who is the antithesis of every character he has portrayed before, a performance that has led critics to compare him to a young Leonardo DiCaprio.
Breaking the Heartthrob Mold
Since his breakout role as Jack in season two of HBO's The White Lotus in 2022, Woodall's popularity has soared, fueled by viral TikTok montages and glossy magazine spreads. He followed this with a critically acclaimed performance opposite Ambika Mod in the Netflix adaptation of One Day, where his portrayal of Dexter Mayhew was hailed as 'extraordinary'. He then charmed audiences as Roxster McDuff, Bridget Jones's much younger love interest, in Mad About the Boy, in a scene where he jumps fully clothed into a pool to rescue a dog, his blue eyes as striking as ever.
However, Woodall has acknowledged the constraints of being typecast as the good-looking golden boy, a role that he says often leaves him feeling 'vulnerable and exposed'. In an interview with Radio Times, he explained, 'When you're playing a role described like that, you can't help but look at yourself and go, "Am I that guy?" There's sometimes pressure in making people buy that.'
A Career-Defining Performance in 'Tony'
In Tony, which explores the early years of chef and author Anthony Bourdain, Woodall delivers a sensational performance that nearly overshadows his co-stars. Sal is a drug-using, womanising, bar-fighting sleazeball who even engages in racy activities with a newlywed bride. Despite the character's unlikeable traits, Woodall imbues him with an undeniable charm, obliterating preconceived notions about his acting range.
Dominic Sessa, who plays Bourdain in the film, told Metro of his co-star: 'He's so charming. If you've met him, you love him. He's so kind to everyone. He plays such a piece of crap in this movie, but people are in love with him. He's beautiful. He's got the most amazing looks, the eyes, the smile. He's got everything. So even when he's like being horrible, he's still sexy and charming. He's perfect, he's amazing. It's such a compliment to have someone like that next to me.'
Expanding His Repertoire
Woodall's range extends beyond Tony. In the crime thriller Tuner, released earlier this year, he traded his romcom king status for a piano tuner with incredibly sensitive hearing who becomes a target for criminals due to his skill at cracking safes. The performance has been labelled his 'best yet', even with a subplot of romance.
Looking ahead, Woodall has a 'dream' role on the horizon: playing Halvard, a Dúnedain, in the new Lord of the Rings movie. He recently told Bustle that he is 'not going after romcoms', adding, 'I'm probably not, at this stage in life, wanting to do them that much. But I also kind of look forward to the next time I do a rom-com, because they're fun.'
After Tony, it's evident that Woodall is less Hugh Grant and more a young Leonardo DiCaprio, but with a distinctly British charm that makes him seem approachable, as if you might bump into him in a London beer garden. He has finally broken out of his shell, and the result is impressive.
