Kit Young


Christopher William Young is a British actor. He began his career in theatre, earning an Ian Charleson Award nomination. On television, he starred as Jesper Fahey in the Netflix fantasy series Shadow and Bone. He won a Scottish BAFTA for his performance in the horror film Out of Darkness. His other films include The School for Good and Evil.

Early life and education

Young was born in Oxford to a Scottish father and a Ugandan mother and raised in Abingdon-on-Thames. He attended Abingdon School from 2008 to 2013; he was a member of the Abingdon Film Unit and played the lead role in the school's 2012 senior production of Candide.
Young was a member of the National Youth Theatre. He had a few minor and ensemble roles, such as in the television film Walter's War and the Oxford Playhouse productions of Cinderella and Dick Whittington. He went on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting in 2017.

Career

Post graduation from RADA, Young played the lead in The Extraordinary Cabaret of Dorian Gray at the 2017 Underbelly Theatre Festival in South Bank. He also joined the UK tour of The Real Thing as Billy. In 2018, he played Octavius in a production of Julius Caesar at the Bridge Theatre, the Journalist in a production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at Donmar Warehouse, and Malcolm in Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at the Globe Theatre.
Young made his television debut in 2019 with a guest role in Endeavour. He also appeared in the Dylan Holmes Williams directed short The Devil's Harmony. That spring and summer, he played Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Bridge Theatre alongside Gwendoline Christie, which earned him an Ian Charleson Award nomination.
In October 2019, it was announced Young would star as Jesper Fahey the 2021 Netflix series Shadow and Bone, an adaptation of fantasy book series The Grisha Trilogy and the Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo. His performance was singled out by several publications. The series was cancelled by Netflix after two seasons. In 2022, he starred in the horror film The Origin and appeared in the Netflix film adaptation of The School for Good and Evil.
Young is currently starring in the 2025 FX on Hulu series Alien: Earth. Also in 2025, he is starring as George Knightley opposite Amelia Kenworthy in Ava Pickett's stage adaptation of Emma at the Rose Theatre, Kingston.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013The Abingdon Passion PlayJesusAbbey Gardens, Abingdon-on-Thames
2017The Extraordinary Cabaret Of Dorian GrayDorian GrayUnderbelly Festival, London
2017The Real ThingBillyUK Tour
2018Julius CaesarOctaviusBridge Theatre, London
2018Winter Blossom Karaoke and Other SnippetsCamden People's Theatre, London
2018The Prime of Miss Jean BrodieJournalistDonmar Warehouse, London
2018MacbethMalcolmSam Wanamaker Playhouse, London
2019A Midsummer Night's DreamLysanderBridge Theatre, London
2023InfluenceThe MagicianCollective Theatre, London
2024All's Well That Ends WellBertramSam Wanamaker Playhouse, London
2025EmmaGeorge KnightleyRose Theatre, Kingston
2025 The Rivals Jack AbsoluteOrange Tree Theatre

Awards and nominations