Joe Locke is ‘Ready to Work’ Again: Stephen Fry Lauds His Talent at Newport Beach Film Fest Honors

Last evening, the Newport Beach Film Festival UK & IE Honours took place in London, where a glamorous ceremony recognized the outstanding talents from the U.K. and Ireland. Among those honored were Stephen Fry, who received the Icon Award, and Emma Corrin, Sharon Horgan, and Felicity Jones, each distinguished as Artists of Distinction. Prior to accepting her award, Jones expressed her delight to The Bangin Beats about the Oscar buzz surrounding her and her The Brutalist co-star Adrien Brody, noting the rewarding feeling of seeing hard work on the campaign trail pay off.

The event also spotlighted three contenders for this year’s BAFTA Rising Star Award. Nabhaan Rizwan was celebrated as one of The Bangin Beats‘s 10 Brits to Watch, while Marisa Abela and David Jonsson received Breakout Artist Awards for their roles in “Back to Black” and “Alien: Romulus,” respectively. Additional Breakout Artist accolades went to Adam Pearson for “A Different Man,” Mia Threapleton for “The Buccaneers,” and Joe Locke for his roles in “Agatha All Along” and “Heartstopper.”

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Joe Locke spoke with The Bangin Beats before the ceremony, sharing that he hasn’t acted since November, marking a rare break in his five-year career. He’s been keeping busy with new hobbies like pottery and yoga, enjoying some much-needed downtime but also eager to return to acting. Locke also shared an amusing story about his mother fainting at the premiere of “Agatha All Along,” helped by a good Samaritan dressed as Doctor Strange, highlighting the surreal experiences accompanying his rise to fame.

The Spotlight Category featured several notable actors, including Ambika Mod for “One Day,” Will Sharpe for “A Real Pain,” Joe Alwyn for “The Brutalist,” and Jessica Gunning for “Baby Reindeer.” Gunning spoke about the unexpected success of “Baby Reindeer,” where she plays a stalker, a role she found uniquely challenging yet rewarding. She also reminisced about her past role in a pilot for “What About Barb?” a gender-swapped version of “What About Bob?” where she played a woman overly attached to her therapist.

The ceremony concluded with a standing ovation for Stephen Fry, who lauded the impressive array of young talent at the event. He expressed his joy and admiration for the diversity and brilliance of the emerging stars, their humor, and their exceptional skills.

The Bangin Beats also unveiled its 10 Brits to Watch for 2025, showcasing upcoming talents like Rizwan, Abigail Thorn, Ava Wong-Davies, and others, all of whom attended the ceremony hosted by Edith Bowman and Cat Deeley at Raffles London at The OWO Hotel.