Asa Butterfield, known for his portrayal of nerdy teenager Otis in Sex Education, is transitioning from the classroom to the stage, making his theatre debut in the one-man show Second Best.
The 27-year-old stated he was finished with playing like a teenager and wanted to do something completely out of the ordinary completely.
He browsed through several theatrical scripts and Second Best stood out to him.
It's the perfect story that delves into what happens when you move beyond pivotal moments.
The show revolves around the story of a former child actor, Martin, who narrowly escaped playing Harry Potter when he was younger.
The story revolves around Martin as he adjusts to fatherhood and contemplates how his life would have unfolded if he had secured the part.
There is laughter and empathy in this play, where we see reflections of our own uncertainties and second-guessing about relationships and life,
As Butterfield chats informally in the designated corner of the stage, which will serve as his temporary home for the next four weeks, he exudes an air of surprisingly calm demeanor.
I'm still coming down from the high of being on stage and I don't think I've really come to terms with it so my feelings are still uncertain.
He appears composed, and it's evident that he's intensely focused on delivering his best. After the performance and just prior to our conversation, he swiftly seeks out the director for a review of his performance, carefully highlighting the aspects where he felt he required improvement.
At the young age of 27, Butterfield has spent nearly two decades acting.
At the age of 10, he portrayed Bruno in the Holocaust drama "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and later starred as the lead in Martin Scorsese's "Hugo".
He claims he had been "setting theatre aside for an extremely long time" but ultimately decided to take the plunge as he wanted to challenge himself - and challenge himself he did, as it's not an easy task to remain on an almost empty stage for 90 minutes and deliver a monologue.
He expressed satisfaction with his decision, describing the experience of being on stage as "totally exhilarating".
"He didn't sleep at all after the first performance," he says.
As a contender to become Spider-Man
Similar to his character Marty, Butterfield had to learn coping with rejection and states he has been rejected for roles "countless times".
Several years ago he was considered for the role of Spider-Man, which ultimately went to Tom Holland.
I often wonder about the auditions I didn't make it through," he says. "However, I also think that another opportunity will come along. If I had gotten the role of Spider-Man, I wouldn't have been able to work on Sex Education.
It's becoming clear to me that there are certain things in life that are beyond our control. From this perspective, what's most important is that we commit to doing our best with the resources we have, and not worry about outcomes that are outside of our reach.
His character Martin couldn't escape Harry Potter without recalling the hurt of having previously been overlooked for the role, says Butterfield, and he believes it would be even more challenging in real life due to the pervasive presence of social media.
He stresses the need to handle social media with caution, as excessive exposure to it can have a detrimental effect on one's mental well-being.
I make an effort to limit its usage as I'm not fond of measuring myself to others.