If it seems like Nicholas Galitzine has been everywhere recently, it’s because he has been, and we still can’t get enough. From playing Jeff, the airheaded quarterback in Bottoms, to starring as Prince Henry in the steamy Red, White, and Royal Blue, the 29-year-old actor has not only had a hectic schedule, but he has shown that he has major charisma and can shine in all kinds of roles thanks to his serious range. Surprisingly, Galitzine recently revealed that we also could’ve possibly seen him in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk. However, he ultimately didn’t land the role because of a mix-up.
For those who haven’t seen it, Dunkirk is Nolan’s World War II epic that tells the story of the evacuation of Allied forces on the Dunkirk beaches. It was Nolan’s passion project that he’d been working on since the '90’s, and it had a jam-packed ensemble that included Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine and Barry Keoghan. So, if Galitzine had been part of the Dunkirk cast, there’s no doubt that his talents would’ve boosted the movie’s star power even further. Unfortunately, according to his conversation with Variety, things didn’t work out in his favor during the audition process because he prepared for a completely different scene than what Nolan had planned.
Here’s how it all went down according to him:
He starts reading the scene, [but] it’s not the scene that I prepared…I’m just staring at him for what feels like an eternity. And I finally plucked up the courage to say, ‘I’m sorry, Christopher Nolan, you have the wrong scene or I’d just been royally screwed up by my team.’
Galitzine also mentioned that he had gotten very far in the selection process. So, this audition with Nolan was a big make-or-break moment. However, even though he didn’t land the role, getting to the last stages of an audition for a Nolan movie is no easy feat, so he still deserves all the props.
The Cinderella actor obviously has not let that minor setback stop him, and his career has been soaring. He has a few starring roles on the 2024 movie schedule, including the book-to-screen adaptation of The Idea of You. In the rom-com, Galitzine stars as Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of a famous boy band that falls in love with Solène Marchand, a single mother played by Anne Hathaway. So, while he didn't get to star alongside Dunkirk's cast, in this movie he stars with a notable Nolan alum (Hathaway was in The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar), and he's leading the project alongside her.
Galitzine will also take on one-half of the dangerous mother-and-son duo in Mary & George. He portrays George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, who has been called King James VI and I’s favorite lover. But of course, the miniseries ramps the theatrics, showing that Julianne Moore’s character, Mary Villiers, The Countess of Buckingham, schemed and twisted and manipulated her son to not just become the King’s favorite, but to ensure they had access to all the wealth and power they desired. Just based on the trailer, this is exactly the kind of drama I’ve been needing in my life.
With all the roles Nicholas Galitzine has already shined in, it feels like he's bound to become a household name, making his Dunkirk experience a minor hiccup in what's turning into an incredible career. Be sure to check him out in the premiere of Mary & George on April 5 with a Starz subscription. You can also see him hone his boy band side in The Idea of You with a Prime subscription.
