From awkward child star to ultimate supervillain: How Nicholas Hoult became a major Hollywood player

You know when you're watching a movie and you're sure you've seen the actor or actress on the screen before, but you can't quite figure out where from?

That happened to me this week while I was watching the new Superman movie

The movie follows a recent tradition of starting in the the middle of the action, with little build up, which is how I found myself facing the new supervillain Lex Luthor.

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Luthor, in this latest iteration, is part computer geek and part monster. But where had I seen him before?

It took me a good 15 minutes of distracted viewing to make the connection.

Lex Luthor was portrayed by none other than Nicholas Hoult, who found fame as awkward adolescent Marcus Brewer in the hit 2002 movie About A Boy, alongside Hugh Grant.

But could it be him?

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Marcus is so innocent and pure and troubled and awkward. Luthor is anything but. He is confident, focused, a leader, and hyper-fixated on destroying Superman.

In an alternate universe, Marcus grows up to become Lex Luthor, yet another misunderstood youth who turns to power to deal with his troubled life.

But let's leave leave alternate universes in the DC and Marvel realms, where they belong.

Instead, let's take a look at Nicholas Hoult's rise to fame, from sweet little Marcus to Lex Luthor, the destroyer.

An unexpected career

Nicholas Hoult wasn't sure he wanted to be an actor when he first auditioned for the role in About A Boy. He later explained he didn't want to go through the process because he would miss too much school.

Still, he went along and at the age of 11 starred alongside Hugh Grant who, at the time, was one of the biggest stars in the world.

Marcus' mother was played by Australia's Toni Collette. They would reunite in the 2024 drama Juror No.2, which also starred Kiefer Sutherland and Zoey Deutch.

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But back to 2002.

Hoult had caught the acting bug, but as many a child star before him knew, the transition from child star to established performer is a difficult one. He navigated it by working on his craft.

A 'charismatic and manipulative teen'

Hoult's next significant role was playing Tony Stonem in the British TV series Skins, a character described as a "charismatic and manipulative teen".

This role helped him shed Marcus and begin venturing into character-actor territory, albeit still in Britain.

It was then Hoult's career came to a standstill for the next decade, until he began appearing in roles in the US.

Hoult arrives in Hollywood

It wouldn't take long for Hollywood to come calling, and he appeared in a number of comic book franchises, joining the X-Men series as Hank McCoy/Beast in 2011.

Warm Bodies came next in 2013, with Hoult playing a zombie alongside Dave Franco and Australia's Teresa Palmer.

Fantasy adventure was next, with Hoult starring in Jack the Giant Slayer, however this wasn't a commercial success.

He returned to his homeland for Kill Your Friends in 2015, and then back to the US for Equals that same year, alongside Kristen Stewart.

Hoult's career continued to improve when he starred alongside Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015.

Then came a role of a different kind in the 2018 movie The Favourite.

In 2019, Hoult joined the cast of Tolkien, the Lord of the Rings prequel movie, and then starred in the Hulu series The Great with Elle Fanning.

The thriller/horror genres came calling.

He starred alongside Angeline Jolie in the 2021 movie Those Who Wish Me Dead as a hitman, before playing wannabe foodie Tyler in the 2022 Ralph Fiennes movie The Menu.

Renfield came next in 2023, with Hoult playing Dracula's weary assistant.

But it was his next role that would lead to to super stardom.

A supervillain is born

Hoult is earning widespread praise for his work in the latest Superman movie.

While his casting as Lex Luthor shocked some fans who were used to an older, more seasoned Superman villain, his portrayal has proved impressive.

Fun fact: Hoult originally auditioned to play Superman in the James Gunn movie, but Gunn immediately saw his supervillain potential and he balanced perfectly alongside David Corenswet in the lead role.

Hoult feels Lex Luthor, like many supervillains, is misunderstood.

"He imagined himself as a humanist and protector of humanity, and he wants to be idolised and adored for that," Hoult told Collider.

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"So, someone else showing up who's just naturally more gifted and able to do that—and taking all the limelight—is something that definitely irks him."

His next movie is How to Rob a Bank directed by David Leitch, which tells the story of a bank robbery. It is due for release in September 2026.

Personal life

Hoult divides his time between his home in London and one on Huntington Beach in California.

He dated his X-Men co-star Jennifer Lawrence for around four years, and is now married to model Bryana Holly.

Hoult and Holly have been together since 2016.

The couple are parents to two children, son Joaquin, six, and a second child born in 2022, for whom details remain scarce.

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So, young Marcus is now a dad. And a supervillain.

At just 35, having already built a long and impressive career filled with diverse characters, we're sure the best is yet to come for Hoult – in particular in the DC universe, which is sure to continue with him in his role as Lex Luthor now the movie has been deemed a commercial success.

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