Rupert Friend was one of the first actors to sign up for THE KID.

“As soon as my agent sent me the script I knew I wanted to do the film. I thought it was a great and very moving story. Also I was delighted to get the opportunity to work with Nick Moran. I’d seen TELSTAR on stage and been very impressed.”

Friend found that he could empathise with Kevin more than might be expected.

“School was not a nice place for me. I was bullied physically, emotionally and verbally. But I had one huge advantage over Kevin. I went home to a loving family every night. I just cannot imagine dealing with what he had to at home. However, I do believe that someone who has had nothing go wrong in their childhood may find it harder in adult life. You learn to withstand future knock backs. It makes you more determined. So perhaps oddly Kevin’s experiences galvanised him into becoming the man that he is today and achieving all that he has. I think he feels he can withstand any kind of persecution. And Kevin believes he can do anything he sets his mind to.”

In order to play Kevin, Friend took up boxing.

“As soon as I agreed to take the part I decided to have boxing lessons, and it was a great education. I wanted to get boxing into my bones. It’s an extraordinary discipline. Boxing is an unnatural thing, and you have to rewire your brain in order to do it. It’s like chess. It’s not about annihilating your opponent, it’s about outwitting them. When you get hit, you don’t just lash out. You mustn’t stop thinking. I needed to do that to do Kevin justice.”

Rupert Friend was named Outstanding New Talent at the 2005 Satellite Awards and was also nominated Best Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards. He first came to the public’s attention as Mr Wickham in the 2005 adaptation of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE opposite Keira Knightley.  He also appeared with Johnny Depp in THE LIBERTINE (2004). Other film credits include OUTLAW (2007), THE MOON AND THE STARS (2007) with Jonathan Pryce and Alfred Molina, THE LAST LEGION (2007) with Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth, MRS PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT (2005) opposite Joan Plowright and VIRGIN TERRITORY (2007). More recently he has appeared in JOLENE (2008), THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS (2008), as Prince Albert with Emily Blunt in THE YOUNG VICTORIA (2009) and alongside Michelle Pfieffer in Stephen Frears’s CHERI (2009). He has recently filmed LULLABY FOR PI alongside Clémence Poésy and Forest Whitaker and GEORGIA with Val Kilmer and Andy Garcia.