A Monster Calls
Discover the film
Focus Features
Toby Kebbell as Dad
A versatile actor who always surprises audiences with his characterizations, U.K.-born Toby Kebbell was nominated for BAFTA’s Rising Star Award in 2009.
He has starred in several action-packed fantasy adventures, among these his memorable performance-capture portrayals as the warmongering Koba in Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and as the heroic Durotan in Duncan Jones’ Warcraft. He has recently completed filming Legendary and Warner Bros.’ highly anticipated Kong: Skull Island, with Brie Larson; and Stephen Gaghan’s epic Gold, with Matthew McConaughey. He starred as the villainous Messala in Ben-Hur, directed by Timur Bekmambetov and released in the summer of 2016.
Mr. Kebbell first caught the attention of the British public with his 2004 feature film debut, when director Shane Meadows cast him in the role of Anthony in Dead Man’s Shoes. His portrayal of a young man with a learning disability earned him a nomination for Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA). His next features were Oliver Stone’s Alexander and Woody Allen’s Match Point.
Critical acclaim came his way anew in 2007 when he played Rob Gretton, the manager of Joy Division, in Anton Corbijn's award-winning Control. Mr. Kebbell won the BIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor, and was nominated for the London Critics' Circle Film Award.
His standout performance in Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla earned him The Sun newspaper’s Best Actor award as well as an Empire Award nomination. His other films include Steven Spielberg’s War Horse; Mike Newell’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time; Jon Turtletaub’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice; Jonathan Liebesman’s Wrath of the Titans; Ridley Scott’s The Counselor; and Robert Redford’s The Conspirator.
On television, Mr. Kebbell took the lead in an episode of Jimmy McGovern’s BBC series The Street, which subsequently won the BAFTA Award for Best Drama. His other work for the BBC includes a modern retelling of Macbeth, alongside James McAvoy. For Channel 4, he starred in an episode of Black Mirror.
On stage, he has performed at the Almeida Theatre, in Sir David Hare’s reworking of Maxim Gorky’s Enemies; and at the Playhouse Theatre in R.C. Sherriff’s classic Journey’s End.
NEWSLETTER
Sign up for A Monster Calls film updates
SUBSCRIBE
SOCIAL
REACTIONS
"Unforgettable masterpiece"
ED DOUGLAS
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
"If Bayona is the Next Steven Spielberg, then A MONSTER CALLS is his E.T."
SEAN O'CONNELL
CINEMABLEND
"One of the best movies of the year."
REBECCA PAHLE
FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
About the Film
FILTER
Videos
Trailer
Featurettes
Clips
Interviews
BTS
Photos
Unit
BTS + Conceptual Art
Cast & Crew
Felicity Jones
Sigourney Weaver
Toby Kebbell
Liam Neeson
Lewis MacDougall
J.A. Bayona
Patrick Ness
Press, Reactions & Reviews
Features
Quotes
Social
Instagram
Video
|
"Break The Windows" Clip
Video
|
"In The Eyes" Clip
Video
|
"Messily Ever After" Clip
Video
|
"I've Come To Get You" Clip
Video
|
"Face Your Fears" Spot
news
|
Sigourney Weaver on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
news
|
Sigourney Weaver Speaks to The Hollywood Reporter
news
|
The New York Times Profiles Felicity Jones
Video
|
Official Trailer: Focus Features and J.A. Bayona Present A Monster Calls
bio
|
Lewis MacDougall as Conor
“
The role of Conor is a very demanding one, physically and emotionally. Lewis was so courageous, so present, so truthful.
ON LEWIS MacDOUGALL
“
MacDougall is fantastic in what should be considered an Academy Award-worthy performance.
JOBLO.COM
Photo
|
Mom: Felicity Jones stars in J.A. Bayona's A Monster Calls.
news
|
Entertainment Weekly Introduces A Monster Calls
“
Felicity Jones is absolutely devastating.
MASHABLE
Photo
|
Determination: Connor [Lewis MacDougall] and The Monster [Liam Neeson].
Photo
|
Change: Struggling to understand one another, love must carry Connor [Lewis MacDougall] and his Grandma [Sigourney Weaver] to a place of comfort.
Video
|
J.A. Bayona Talks with Gold Derby
social
|
Early Concept Art by Daniel Carrasco
news
|
Writer Patrick Ness and the Backstory of A Monster Calls
social
|
SFX Artist David Marti Captures BTS Moment of Rest
Photo
|
Connor: In just his second on-screen role, young Lewis MacDougall portrays Connor - a boy determined not to lose his mother.
news
|
Patrick Ness Named One of "Hollywood's 25 Most Powerful Authors"
news
|
BTS: A Look at A Monster Calls' Animated Sequences
social
|
Concept Art by Daniel Carrasco Jabalera
bio
|
Felicity Jones as Mom
“
And if you need to break things, then by God, you break them good and hard. And I'll be right there. You might not see me, but I'll be right there, breaking 'em along with you.
Photo
|
Faith: A boy confronted with a monumental shift in what he once considered "normal", Connor [Lewis MacDougall] will stand tallest when atop the shoulders of The Monster [Liam Neeson].
bio
|
Liam Neeson as The Monster
Photo
|
Illustrated: Connor [Lewis MacDougall] brings his imagination to life on paper.
social
|
Illustrator Andreu Zaragoza's Monster
“
One of the best films of 2016.
COLLIDER
bio
|
J.A. Bayona, Director
social
|
Monster Building
“
I saw this as a powerful and important story to tell as a movie – an adventure that anyone can relate to.
DIRECTOR
bio
|
Sigourney Weaver as Grandma
Photo
|
Life: Director J.A. Bayona brings Patrick Ness' novel A Monster Calls to life with beautiful, signature scenes lensed by cinematographer Fernando Velázquez.
bio
|
Toby Kebbell as Dad
Photo
|
Origin: J.A. Bayona directs A Monster Calls from a script by the novel's author Patrick Ness. The novel was awarded 2012's Carnegie and Greenaway Medals.
Photo
|
Escape: No matter the level of fear, anger or confusion, Connor [Lewis MacDougall] is able to find comfort with his pencils, pens and brushes.
“
Belief is half of all healing. Belief in the cure, belief in the future that awaits. Your belief is valuable, so you must be careful where you put it. And in whom.
