Samuel Barnett (Class of 2001)

Samuel Barnett (Class of 2001) found critical acclaim soon after leaving LAMDA through his portrayal of Posner in Alan Bennett’s The History Boys on stage and screen and was nominated for a Tony Award when the show played in New York in 2006. Samuel played a major role in a sold-out run of Dealer’s Choice, alongside Roger Lloyd Pack at The Menier Chocolate Factory, which transferred to The Trafalgar Studios in 2007. 2008 saw Samuel also starring in John Adams for HBO/Playtone opposite Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson, Beautiful People for the BBC and Pathe Feature Film Bright Star. Bright Star will be released in the UK in 2009.

Other theatre credits include When You Cure Me at the Bush Theatre, Accrington Pals at the ChichesterFestival Theatre and The Marriage of Figaroat Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre. On television, Samuel has appeared in Coupling, Strange and The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. He has also appeared alongside Dame Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins in the feature film, Mrs Henderson Presents.

During 2006, Samuel performed in Australia, NewZealand and Hong Kong as part of The History Boys world tour as well as making his Broadway debut in the show. He has, with great critical success, repeated his role of Posner in the film version of The History Boys, which premiered in the UK in October 2006 and the US in November 2006.

Samuel appeared in a sold-out run of Dealer’s Choice, alongside Roger Lloyd Pack at The Menier Chocolate Factory, which transferred to The Trafalgar Studios. 2008 saw Samuel also starring as Thomas Adams, one of the sons in John Adams, a highly successful miniseries made for HBO/Playtone opposite LauraLinney and Tom Wilkinson. He also worked in Beautiful People for the BBC and a Pathé Feature Film, Bright Star. Bright Star will be released in the UK in 2009.

Samuel describes his training as “the most invaluable three years of my life. I will always be grateful to John Studzinski and the Genesis Foundation who enabled me to take advantage of the fantastic tuition on offer at LAMDA.”

LAMDA alumnus and former Genesis Foundation Scholar, Samuel Barnett as Carl
with Roger Lloyd Pack as Ash in Dealer’s Choice at The Menier Chocolate Factory.
Photo: Nobby Clark, 2007

Samuel is represented by Conway Van Gelder Grant.

LAMDA Genesis Scholars homepage.