Welcome back readers to another installation of Inspired by Beatrix, a blog that features people who have found the works and legacy of Beatrix Potter to be a direct impact on their own life. This month, we feature actor, writer, and producer, Justin McDonald, who fans of the 2006 biographical drama, Miss Potter, will recognize as the actor who played a young William Heelis.
Miss Potter movie poster
McDonald’s acting resume expands beyond film into TV, theatre, and voice acting. He tells the Society that due the nature of acting as a freelance-style environment, it continues to be exciting and unpredictable, and you never know which world or story you are going to get the opportunity to be a part of next. McDonald also writes screenplays and currently has several feature films and series in development, which he tells us, allows for more autonomy as an artist, and affords the opportunity to explore and pursue the stories that he feels passionate about.
Justin McDonald as young William Heelis in Miss Potter
We asked McDonald to tell us more about his own background with Beatrix Potter, especially his lovely experience working on the Miss Potter film.
How did you first discover Beatrix Potter’s work?
Like most people I have many fond early memories of being read Beatrix Potter’s stories as a child and enjoying the iconic illustrations associated with them. I was then fortunate enough to rediscover her work on an even deeper level in my twenties when I auditioned and was later cast as Young William Heelis in the Beatrix Potter biopic ‘Miss Potter’. To actively step into that world was such a joy and a dream come true. Encouraging the young Beatrix Potter, played by a young Lucy Boynton (@lucyboynton1 on Instagram), in her writing and artwork was incredibly rewarding and a real privilege, not least because we were surrounded by such stunning scenery in the lake district. Even though I had worked on high profile tv shows and independent films, Miss Potter was such a large-scale film with Hollywood heavyweights and it was inspiring being part of Beatrix Potter’s story on the big screen.
Catching the train from London to the Lakes with Renee Zellweger to shoot my scenes was another highlight – Renee was so kind and thoughtful and made such an effort to put me at ease – I probably looked hungry as she bought a load of sandwiches for me to choose from for the journey – I was too embarrassed to tell her I had already packed my own! Working with the late, great costume designer Anthony Powell to create the look for young William Heelis was another treat, as was discussing the role on set with the brilliant Lloyd Owen (@lloydowenofficial on Instagram) who played the older version of Heelis. A few years later, I returned to the Lakes to get married, so it is safe to say the Lake District holds special memories for me and Beatrix Potter is a huge part of that.
What aspects of Beatrix Potter’s work inspire you the most?
I love the idea of getting back to nature. Having gone camping around the lakes as a boy I am now a member of the National Trust and enjoy exploring the rich history and beautiful scenery of the sites around the country. The Lake District is a national treasure, and I escape there to explore with my family at every opportunity.
And just for fun, do you have a favorite Beatrix Potter book or character?
I always gravitated towards Peter for his adventurousness or the troublesome Mr. Tod for his conniving escapades and I often pretend to be Mr. Tod when chasing my children around. However, I now have three young daughters so am looking forward to exploring the adventures of Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail together with my little trio.
Justin McDonald at the 2023 Royal Television Society North East and the Border RTS TV awards ceremony
McDonald also shares how he feels connected to the storytelling aspect of Beatrix Potter’s legacy. In development and preproduction the writing leads the way, with design and art shaping pitch materials, visual references and storyboards—helping ideas leap from words on a page into fully realised stories for stage and screen. As an actor, the craft is also to bring those words to life – which of course Potter achieved so beautifully with her illustrations. McDonald also mentioned he would love to return to Beatrix Potter’s world with his own work one day, whether that’s in film, tv, theatre or animation.
The Society would also like to wish McDonald a congratulations for his well-deserved 2023 win of ‘Best drama performance of the year’ at the Royal Television Society Awards North East & Borders for his performance in BFI short film FIST.
A huge thank-you to Justin McDonald for the blog feature! We encourage readers to check out his various works, and you can follow Justin at his Instagram account at @pixjustin.
Miss Potter movie poster from IMDB
All other photos courtesy of Justin McDonald
Justin McDonald actor photo credit: Andrew James
