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Leeds youngster's role with Gladiator star
LITTLE Jack Downham has already filmed his own stunts in Heartbeat and starred in a cat food advert – and he's only seven years old.
But now, the angelic youngster is preparing for the biggest role of his life – starring with Russell Crowe in the latest film version of the Robin Hood story.
Jack, from Farsley, Leeds, will play young Robin in the blockbuster Robin Hood, which reunites Crowe with Gladiator director Ridley Scott.
Crowe recently said that making the movie, which stars Cate Blanchett as Maid Marion, would be like "climbing Mount Everest".
But Jack told the YEP he was "excited" about his role in the film, about the famous outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor.
He said: "I was very happy when my mum told me I had got the role. I like Robin Hood and I know quite a lot about the story.
"I'm going to play little Robin Hood as a child and I'm going to be in a flashback where Robin's dad is dying.I've been to the set already and I met Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott. They were really nice and made me feel at home."
Jack, a pupil at Farfield Primary School, recently flew to Berlin to shoot a cat food advert for Whiskas, featuring the slogan "I love my cat".
The young star is following in the footsteps of his older sister Sophie, nine, who played Katie Slater in the ITV1 drama Unforgiven.
The siblings are pupils at Scala Performing Arts in Horsforth, which is currently training a 40-strong choir to appear in Never Forget: The Musical, featuring the hits of Take That.
Jack and Sophie will be among the young singers who take to the stage when the show arrives at the Bradford Alhambra on July 21.
Other budding stars from the school include nine-year-old Tamsin Mitchell, who was one of three pupils in the Red Riding trilogy on Channel 4.
Tamsin also played young Kimberley Walsh in The Girls Aloud Christmas Party; while Charlotte Thornton, 14, filmed scenes for Heartbeat.
Scala owner Lynne Walker said: "We've had two or three rehearsals already and once we have a couple more, we'll be ready for opening night. We're very proud that a little one like Jack has got such an important role.
"He won't be on screen for long but he's our own little Russell Crowe."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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