If you’re a young, talented actor thriving in London’s West End, what could convince you to move back home to Cardiff? Sion Daniel Young starred as Albert Narracott in the National Theatre’s production of War Horse, and Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – then he returned to Wales. A first language Welsh speaker, born in Cardiff, Young believed in the appeal of stories from his homeland. Sticking by his roots, he played Gethin in BBC3’s 2019 drama The Left Behind – a rare TV role that allowed him to keep his accent. Now he’s set to star in BBC One’s first ever primetime bilingual English/Welsh drama: Lost Boys & Fairies.
“I just can’t believe it’s taken until 2024 until we’ve gotten to that point,” Young, 34, says over Zoom from his South Wales home as he rushes to grab a navy fleece to keep warm. “Welsh is a minority language, especially compared to English,” he says. “People are getting more interested in the minorities in a way that they haven’t been in the past. Watching subtitles. All of a sudden that frees you up as a creative. There’s an appetite to see different people’s lives on screen.”
