Sebastian de Souza

Sebastian de Souza

de Souza in 2014
Born (1993-04-19) 19 April 1993
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Other names Seb de Souza
Occupation Actor, screenwriter, producer
Years active 2007–present

Sebastian Denis de Souza (born 19 April 1993)[1] is an English actor, screenwriter, and producer. He first gained popularity by portraying Matty Levan in the E4 teen drama series Skins.[2]

Early life

De Souza was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire. He attended Brockhurst Preparatory School. He grew up in Boxford, Berkshire,[3] developing a fascination with theatre, music, and writing since early childhood.[4] At the age of 11 he decided to dramatise The Willows at Christmas, William Horwood's adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, and performed it in the barn with his classmates. In 2006, when he was 13, he starred in the short film Hangman, premiered at the Corn Exchange. It's a story of witchcraft in the mould of Macbeth, that he co-wrote with the Prep School's Film Club.[5] In the same here, he won a music award at St Edward's School as a pianist, clarinetist and singer.[6]

At the North Wall Arts Centre, de Souza performed lead roles in school productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream playing Puck, Great Expectations as Pip, C. P. Taylor's Good as Maurice, and Henry V as Henry,[4] which earned him a drama prize in 2010.[7] He was educated at boarding Brockhurst Preparatory School in Berkshire and at St Edward's School, Oxford,[8] where he completed A-levels in English, History and Philosophy.[9] During school age he also followed the acting workshops at the Watermill Theatre, near Newbury. Since 2010 he's a member of the National Youth Theatre.[10]

Career

After a brief appearance in Nick Ross's documentary series The Truth About Crime,[8] de Souza got his break on television at the age of 17, when he was cast as Matty Levan in the fifth and sixth instalment of cult drama Skins.[11] In 2012, he joined the cast of historical drama The Borgias,[12] created by Neil Jordan for the American TV network Showtime and filmed at Korda Studios, near Budapest.[13] His character, Alfonso d'Aragona, first appeared in The Confession and closed his run at the end of the third and final season.[14] While in Hungary, he was filmmaker with photographer Benjamin Lebus for Evelyne's World, a concept short film about the allegory of the Cave starring Évelyne Brochu.[15]

De Souza's first big screen role is in Julian Gilbey's thriller Plastic. Production took place in early 2013 on location in Miami and London.[16] As a screenplay writer, he is set to make his cinematic debut in Kids in Love, a film produced by Ealing Studios with de Souza also taking a title role alongside Will Poulter, Alma Jodorowsky and Cara Delevingne.[17] In 2014, he was cast as the male lead in a new Freeform show called Recovery Road, which was broadcast for a single season in 2016.[18]

In addition to his acting career, de Souza is a singer and musician. In 2011 he's featured as a guest vocalist for Cubiq in their Say EP released by Hidden Label. The tune, related to current electro club music, has been remixed by Matanza and Timmy P[19] in an alternative version that fits the traditional house template.[20] In 2016, the Recovery Road cast including Sebastian performed for the spring finale a musical ensemble version of Lean On Me by Bill Withers.

De Souza also works in the field of producing. In 2013 he co-founded with actor Will Poulter the TV and film production company Good Soil.[21] The following year he created his own brand management called de Souza aimed at helping young storytellers, producers or filmmakers develop their scripts.[22]

Personal life

De Souza is the second of two sons of Elinor Kelly and Chris de Souza,[23] an opera producer of partial Portuguese Indian descent.[24] With his family he annually runs drama courses for 9 to 16 years old at a home-based Centre for Music Drama and Art.[23] In 2013 he has been made a patron of The Globe Theatre Education Fund, which runs drama projects for schools around the country, mostly Shakespearean.[25] Through a practical experience provided by orchestras he can sing in the tenor range and play different instruments.[8]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2014 Plastic Rafa
2016 Kids in Love Milo Writer

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2009 The Truth About Crime Himself Documentary
2011–2012 Skins Matty Levan 14 episodes
2012–2013 The Borgias Alfonso d'Aragona 11 episodes
2015 Crossing Lines Matteo de Sabato 1 episode No.3.3 Dragon
2016 Recovery Road Wes Stewart 10 episodes

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2007 A Midsummer Night's Dream Puck North Wall Arts Centre
2007 Great Expectations Pip North Wall Arts Centre
2008 Good Maurice North Wall Arts Centre
2009 Henry V Henry North Wall Arts Centre
David Howorth Drama Prize 2010
2015 The Read Through[26] Criterion Theatre[27]

References

  1. ↑ Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England and Wales, 1916–2005 B100D
  2. ↑ "Sebastian de Souza plays Matty". Channel 4 Press. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "The new Skins cast revealed". BBC UK. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Meet Sebastian de Souza". Screen Terrier. 10 October 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "Glitzy film premiere hits The Corn Exchange". Newbury Today. 27 June 2006. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "The de Souzas". Arts Play. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "St Edward's Chronicle 10/11". Annual School Magazine XXXIII. 15 December 2011. p. 18. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 "Portfolio de Souza". Nevsmodels Agency. London. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  9. ↑ "Sebastian de Souza starring in the new series of Skins". The Goan Voice. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  10. ↑ Hooper, Joe. "Why talent is a muscle". IdeasTap. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  11. ↑ Pope, Rihanne (17 January 2011). "Oxford teenager lands part in controversial TV series Skins". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  12. ↑ Les Chappell (17 June 2012). "The Borgias: The Confession". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  13. ↑ Herald, Calgary (8 November 2011). "The Borgias set visit in Hungary". Korda Studios. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  14. ↑ Curtis, Beth (28 June 2012). "Sebastian de Souza confirms the Borgias season three role". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  15. ↑ Lebus, Benjamin (16 June 2013). "Evelyne's World". Virgin Media shorts. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  16. ↑ Sell, Maria (7 December 2012). "Hot projects on Screenbase". Screen Daily. London. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  17. ↑ Bamigboye, Baz (29 August 2013). "Bohemia, here we come...". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  18. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (3 Jun 2014). "Sebastian De Souza & Alexis Carra Cast In ABC Family Pilot 'Recovery Road'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 20 Jun 2014.
  19. ↑ "Cubiq from UK". Ibiza Voice. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  20. ↑ "Cubiq Say feat Seb de Souza". Hidden Label. Jan 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  21. ↑ Lamont, Tom (5 October 2014). "Will Poulter: 'Hanging out in Soho House LA, that's my worst nightmare'". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  22. ↑ "We are the You+h". dsbranding.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  23. 1 2 "Drama Courses". Arts Play. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  24. ↑ de Souza, Edward. "Name derivation". Celestial Toyroom. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  25. ↑ "Biographies". Arts Play. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  26. ↑ "Joy Beresford Frye - Writer". The Production Exchange. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Criterion New Writing Showcases 2015". Criterion Theatre. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
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