CONTRIBUTION: In the Spotlight – British Actress Darci Shaw Gives Perspective on time in Hollywood

Contributed by Kate Gaddis, alumnae

Twenty-year old Darci Shaw has already made it big in Hollywood. Her first credited roles were both  in 2019, when she starred in the show The Bay  and appeared in the film JUDY. 

Darci was born on April 17, 2002 in Liverpool, England. She began enjoying musical theater very young and wanted to be a singer. She said in our interview that when she saw Sharpay from High School Musical, she thought perhaps she’d like to model herself after her. She said this about getting started in acting:

When Darci turned her sights to acting, she got her breakout role in the TV series The Bay, in which she appeared in several episodes. 

In 2018, it was announced that a biopic of Judy Garland would be made in Britain. 

Darci auditioned for the role of young Judy. When asked about the auditioning process for Judy, she said this:

“It was a long process – there were a few meetings with the director then dancing, tap dancing and an accent session too!” 

Her hard work paid off, as she was offered the role. She said, “ It was a very surreal moment – when my agent rang to tell me I’d been offered the role, I just started crying because I was so delighted and excited to start.” She said that she had very fond memories of making the film Judy and in preparation for the film, she watched a lot of Judy’s films, such as Meet Me In St. Louis, Strike Up The Band and of course, The Wizard of Oz. Shaw had to cut her hair for the film and she took accent lessons. She said “It was a total privilege to be asked to play Judy Garland, also it was quite daunting to portray such an iconic actress. She stole so many people’s hearts so it did feel like I had a bit of a responsibility to give it my best shot.”

Darci’s next project was the short film Bitter Sky. The film follows a girl named Nia who tries to escape her abusive stepfather and find her mother in Liverpool. She befriends a boy named Aron, played by Rowan Jones. 

In 2021, the highly anticipated show The Irregulars came out on Netflix. The Irregulars is a take on Sherlock Holmes. The production was filmed through the beginning of the pandemic. In auditioning for the show, she said it was also a long process. She said she went back and forth to London a lot and had auditions with potential people who were auditioning for the role of Bea and Spike. She secured the part and she said it was an enjoyable experience. She loved working with everyone and she loved all the sets as well as the effects. 

In 2021, Darci auditioned for the film The Color Room, a film about ceramic artist Clarice Cliff. Darci auditioned for the title role but then was offered the role of Dorothy (Dot), the sister. She said it was all a bit last minute, but it was overall a wonderful experience. 

Now, she’s starring in the film Midas Man, which tells the story of Brian Epstein, the legendary agent for the Beatles. She plays  Sonia Seligson, a middle-class Jewish woman who meets Brian because of a family arrangement. The film is hopefully to be coming out soon. 

Her hopes for the future are to own lots of dogs. She would like to explore other avenues of filmmaking, but acting she is most passionate about. 

Her advice to other young actors/actresses? “ It really is all about experience and throwing yourself headfirst into the industry. I watched a lot of TV so I could study how other actors speak and their facial expressions. This was key to expanding my own skills and it’s a great way to take a method from another and make it your own.” Darci is twenty, but she already has made her mark in Hollywood.