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Colin O'Brien (actor)
American actor (born 2008) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Colin O'Brien (born October 15, 2008) is an American actor. O'Brien's breakout role was as the lead character in the Apple TV+ television series Dear Edward. His performance as Edward earned him a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Performance in a Streaming Series: Leading Youth Artist.
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Colin O'Brien started performing at the age of five in musical theater. In 2021, he landed his first role in a major production, The Mothership, starring Halle Berry.[1] O'Brien's career began to accelerate when he was cast as a young Timothée Chalamet in Wonka,[2] where he played Willy Wonka as a child, alongside Sally Hawkins as Mrs. Wonka. O'Brien's next big role had him acting with Donald Sutherland, in Mr. Harrigan's Phone, where O'Brien played a younger version of Jaeden Martell's character Craig Poole.[3]
O'Brien then landed his first starring role, as Edward Adler in the Apple TV+ series, Dear Edward, also starring Connie Britton and Taylor Schilling.[4] The series' creator, writer, and executive producer, Jason Katims, said of O'Brien, "Finding Colin was just the key to everything ... It was like when I worked with ... Claire Danes ...[b]ecause she had such maturity from a very early age as an actress. I felt similarly with Colin."[5]
O'Brien began his work on network TV by guest starring as Matthew Kay, the son of Deacon Kay (played by Jay Harrington), in the 2017 series of S.W.A.T.[6] He also guest starred in a double episode of Grey's Anatomy, as Grayson Friedman.[7] His most recent role has him starring alongside Theo James, playing James' character Hal Shelburn's son Petey Shelburn in the 2025 film The Monkey, written and directed by Osgood Perkins.[8]
Critical reception
O'Brien's performance in Dear Edward earned him numerous plaudits from critics and a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Performance in a Streaming Series: Leading Youth Artist.[9]
Time magazine described O'Brien as a "luminous newcomer".[10] Richard Roeper of Ebert and Roeper stated, "Young Colin O'Brien is tasked with doing some heavy lifting as Edward, and he does fine work."[11] The Hollywood Reporter declared, "O'Brien is thoroughly committed to Edward's grief ... making his bursts or even glimpses of emotion radiate."[12] Variety magazine noted, "O'Brien renders well the character's humanity, his confusion, his guilt and desire for a moment's break from pain."[13] Roger Ebert.com added its praise, "O'Brien's wounded, withdrawn performance offers the most complete, multifaceted journey among the sprawling ensemble that surrounds him."[14] The Boston Globe stated, "[A]s Edward, young Colin O'Brien is easy to feel for, never working to stir our compassion or pity. He's a natural."[15]
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Filmography
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References
External links
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