Rising Star Emma Laird Embraces Bold, Bonkers Roles: 'I Don't Want to Do Shakespeare, I Want to Play a Fish'

The British actress talks going from 'The Brutalist' to 'The Bone Temple' and her new lead role in buzzy series 'Mint'

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Emma Laird, one of the U.K.'s fastest rising young actors, has an enviable and eclectic array of high-profile projects already under her belt, including 'Mayor of Kingstown,' 'The Brutalist,' and '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.' The 27-year-old, who is part of a decreasing array of working-class British actors rising up call sheets, is now taking on her first lead role in the buzzy new series 'Mint.' Laird, who is constantly working from a place of self-deprecation, says she wants to be bold, bonkers and loud in her role choices, craving the wild and the weird over more traditional prestige roles. "I don't want to do Shakespeare, I want to play a fish," she says.

Why it matters

Laird's rise represents a shift in the entertainment industry, with more working-class British actors breaking through and taking on high-profile, unconventional roles. Her embrace of bold, bonkers characters also signals a growing appetite among audiences for more daring, genre-bending content.

The details

After initially pursuing modeling, Laird turned to acting and landed a breakout role in Taylor Sheridan's 'Mayor of Kingstown.' She has since appeared in projects like 'The Crowded Room,' 'A Haunting in Venice,' and 'The Brutalist.' But it was her role in the gory franchise sequel '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' that ignited her craving for wild, weird roles. Laird says she was "living the dream" on the derelict set, looking around at the zombie apocalypse and thinking, "This is fucking amazing - this is what I want to do!" Now, she's taking on her first lead role in the stylized drama 'Mint,' though she admits to feeling anxious about the increased scrutiny that comes with being the central character.

  • In 2021, Variety named Laird a Brit to Watch.
  • Laird's breakout role in 'Mayor of Kingstown' came several years after her tearful return from Los Angeles.
  • Laird recently bought a home in west London.

The players

Emma Laird

A 27-year-old British actress who is one of the U.K.'s fastest rising young names, boasting an enviable and eclectic array of high-profile projects already under her belt.

Nia DaCosta

The director of the wild and gory franchise sequel '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,' in which Laird had a delightfully unhinged performance.

Taylor Sheridan

The creator of the bleak Michigan-set prison drama 'Mayor of Kingstown,' which was Laird's major breakout several years ago.

Brady Corbet

The director of 'The Crowded Room,' who accidentally trapped Laird's finger in a door, leading to her role in 'The Brutalist.'

Charlotte Regan

The fellow rising Brit who created the stylized and exquisitely shot drama 'Mint,' in which Laird has her first lead role.

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What they’re saying

“I just looked around and was like, I am living the dream. I was just looking at this derelict set of a zombie apocalypse and thinking 'This is fucking amazing — this is I want to do!'”

— Emma Laird

“I get that you can give a beautiful performance like Jessie Buckley in 'Hamnet,' which was fucking amazing. But what inspires me is watching people do mad stuff. So I want to make films about fairies or wizards or weird shit. I don't want to do Shakespeare, I want to play a fish.”

— Emma Laird

What’s next

Laird has been cast as Daphne du Maurier in the upcoming film 'The Housekeeper' alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Anthony Hopkins. Filming is set to begin later this month.

The takeaway

Emma Laird's rise represents a shift in the entertainment industry, with more working-class British actors breaking through and taking on high-profile, unconventional roles. Her embrace of bold, bonkers characters signals a growing appetite among audiences for more daring, genre-bending content that moves beyond traditional prestige projects.