Award-winning actor Jonno Davies teams up with Manchester’s BWS Studio for new short film

Davies is known for playing Robbie Williams in the musical biopic Better Man and also made global headlines earlier this year when he became the first actor in the 67-year history of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards to win Best Lead Actor in Film for a motion-capture performance.

Inspired by the intensity of that breakthrough role, BWS founder and creative director Ben Wild invited Davies to collaborate on a different kind of project, the result is The Man Behind the Monkey — a raw, emotional portrait of performance, vulnerability, and creative transformation.

Ben Wild, founder of BWS said: “Jonno’s work in Better Man is phenomenal — vulnerable, dynamic, and completely absorbing. I wanted to build something that pulled back the curtain and revealed the actor, not the character. This film is honest, stripped down, and emotionally rich.”

Jonno Davies, said: “When Ben reached out, I immediately loved the idea. It wasn’t about spectacle — it was about connection. I was really impressed with BWS’s visual storytelling — they’re always finding new ways to bring scripts to life. This short gave me the space to reconnect with why I love this craft.”

Known for standout roles in Kingsman: The Secret Service, Hunters (Amazon Prime), and his stage turn as Alex Delarge in A Clockwork Orange, Davies continues to establish himself as one of the UK’s most compelling acting talents.

Based in Manchester, BWS has earned a reputation forrich storytelling — with a client roster spanning the Premier League, CBBC, New Balance, and Amazon Prime.

The Man Behind the Monkey is available to watch now via the BWS YouTube Channel