Nathaniel Dass

Last updated
Nathaniel Dass
Education King Edward VI Five Ways School
Occupations
  • Actor
  • Singer
  • Musician
Years active2016–
AgentRed Door Talent Management
Television Almost Never
Hollyoaks

Nathaniel Dass is a British actor, singer and musician. Dass played the main role of Nathaniel/Nate in the CBBC musical dramedy television series Almost Never , which ran for three seasons between 2019 and 2021. Since 2023, Dass has portrayed Dillon Ray in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks , for which he was nominated for "Best Partnership" at the 2024 Inside Soap Awards.

Contents

Life and career

Dass is from Birmingham. [1] He attended King Edward VI Five Ways School, where he gained 10 GCSE subjects at grade A* and A in 2018. [1] In 2016, Dass appeared as a singer in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar . [1] In 2018, it was announced that Dass had been cast as the lead role of Nathaniel/Nate in CBBC's new musical dramedy television series Almost Never . [2] The show revolves around teengaers trying to make it in the music industry after appearing fictional music competition series. [3] Nate was characterised by the BBC as being the lead singer of the show's fictional boyband The Wonderland and being a "a natural leader" who is enthusiastic about music and "has a way of bringing out the best in those around him", though they added that Nate has the "usual teenage insecurities" and worries about his band's success and his own abilities. [2] [4] Dass performed in several songs that were performed on the show. [5] In 2019, Dass appeared on CBBC's morning children's magazine entertainment programme Saturday Mash-Up! . [6] The first two series of Almost Never originally aired in 2019. [7] [8] In April 2019, Dass gave his condolences following the death of his Almost Never co-star, Mya-Lecia Naylor. [9] In 2021, Dass appeared on Blue Peter . [1] That same year, he starred in the third series of Almost Never. [10]

In April 2023, it was announced that Dass had been cast as 15-year-old Dillon Ray on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks . [11] He was introduced as the nephew of established character Misbah Maalik (Harvey Virdi), who takes him in when he is kicked out from his mother's home. [11] Virdi explained that she had screen tested with several actors whilst casting Dillon and she felt that Dass had the "right energy", and has revealed that they get on well, calling him "funny, kind, really handsome and such a sweetheart". [12] Hollyoaks executive producer Lucy Allan had previously announced Dillon's introduction in January 2023, describing him as a "very different character" that would be impacting the Maalik family and the Hollyoaks teenage group. [13] Dillon was characterised as having a "trendy fashion sense" and being more sensitive than he lets on. [11] Speaking about joining the soap, Dass revealed, "I'm so happy to have been welcomed into the Hollyoaks family. Everyone here is amazing and I've had the best time so far, especially with my new family, the Maaliks. I'm super excited for people to see what's in store for my character Dillon. He's got a lot about him so it's going to be fun seeing what kind of trouble he gets into, who he'll become friends with and if there's maybe a few potential romances, you'll have to see". [11] Dass' debut as Dillon aired on 20 April of that year. [11]

Dillon's storylines have included becoming friends with other teenagers in the village, coming out to his mother, being involved in long-running conversion therapy storyline with Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis, and beginning a romantic relationship with Lucas. [14] [11] [15] [16] [17] Lucas and Dillon's relationship gained a fan following. [18] [19] Curtis praised his working relationship with Dass, explaining, "Our off-screen chemistry reflects on-screen as we get on so well, I honestly couldn't do [my job] without him". [20] For their roles as Dillon and Lucas, Dass and Curtis were longlisted for "Best Partnership" at the 2024 Inside Soap Awards. [21] [22]

Dass continues to sing and write music and is in a band, No Romance,a with fellow Almost Never cast member Oakley Orchard. [12] [23] Dass appeared on Saturday Mash-Up! again with his Hollyoaks co-star Haiesha Mistry. [24] In July 2024, it was confirmed that Dass was dating his Hollyoaks co-star Ruby O'Donnell. [25]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2019, 2021 Almost Never Nathaniel/NateMain role [2]
2023– Hollyoaks Dillon Ray Regular role [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diane Parish</span> English actress (born 1969)

Diane Carol Richards, known professionally as Diane Parish, is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera EastEnders since 2006.

Harvey Virdi is a British actress of Indian descent. She trained at Academy Drama School in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ste Hay</span> Fictional character from Hollyoaks

Ste Hay (also McQueen) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kieron Richardson. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 10 February 2006. Ste was created by David Hanson and was originally intended to be a short-term character for seven episodes. The following series producer Bryan Kirkwood decided to bring the character back on a permanent basis. As of 2010, Richardson has revealed that he is committed to staying in the serial. In April 2017, Richardson began taking hiatus from the show due to paternity leave, and made a full-time return on 18 December 2017. In October 2019, it was confirmed that Richardson will take a hiatus from the show departing on 20 November 2019. He returned on 3 November 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucas Hay</span> Fictional character from the E4 soap opera Hollyoaks

Lucas Hay is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Oscar Curtis. Lucas is the son of Ste Hay and Amy Barnes, and the half-brother of Leah Barnes and Hannah Hay-O'Connor. He was born on-screen in episode 2530, originally broadcast on 3 April 2009. The character was of recurring status from 2009 to 2023, being portrayed by three different child actors, but the role was promoted to regular when the recast of Oscar Curtis was announced. Since the characters' recast, series producers Hannah Cheers and Angelo Abela placed Lucas at the forefront of a conversion therapy issue-based storyline that saw Lucas subsequently struggling to come to terms with his sexuality whilst being incorrectly influenced by his headteacher Carter Shepherd to hate homosexuality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruby O'Donnell</span> English actress (born 2000)

Ruby Victoria O'Donnell is an English actress. Since 2013, O'Donnell has portrayed the role of Peri Lomax in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. For her portrayal of Peri, she won the award for Best Young Actor at the 2016 British Soap Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoenix Hathaway</span> Fictional character from Hollyoaks

Phoenix Hathaway is a fictional character from the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Tylan Grant. Grant made his first appearance as the character in episode 4947, originally broadcast on 10 July 2018. Phoenix is initially introduced as Brooke, an autistic teenage girl who is fostered by the Osborne family. He was the first autistic regular character in a soap opera and Grant marked the first BAME actor to portray an autistic character in a television series. Phoenix's storylines in the soap have included being adopted by the Osbornes following the death of his mother, his relationships with Imran Maalik and Oliver Morgan, being bullied by Juliet Nightingale, becoming pregnant and putting his son up for adoption and coming to the realisation that he is non-binary, but later transitioning to a trans man and changing his name to Phoenix. Grant quit his role as Phoenix and made his final appearance on 31 January 2024, when Phoenix and Shing Lin Leong move to London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juliet Nightingale</span> Fictional character from Hollyoaks

Juliet Nightingale is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Niamh Blackshaw. Hollyoaks announced the character and Blackshaw's casting on 4 September 2018, with the character making her first appearance as Juliet on 21 November 2018. Juliet was introduced as the half-sister of Romeo Nightingale and the daughter of Donna-Marie Quinn and was brought into the soap as part of the decision to expand their family. Juliet is later revealed to be Mac Nightingale's daughter. The shock twist links her to the established Nightingale family, especially Marnie, who she forms a close bond with. Juliet is initially shown to be an aggressive and harsh character, with an initial storyline seeing her bully Brooke Hathaway due to seeing them as an easy target. However, throughout her tenure, her vulnerable and emotional personality has been explored.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haiesha Mistry</span> English actress

Haiesha Natwarlal Mistry is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Yasmine Maalik in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2017 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beau Ramsey</span> Fictional character from British soap opera Hollyoaks

Beau Ramsey is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jon-Paul Bell. Beau first appears in episode 5964, originally broadcast on 20 October 2022. Bell's casting and character details were announced on 6 September 2022 by Hollyoaks's former executive producer Lucy Allan. The newcomer was later revealed as the estranged son of the soap opera's longest serving character Tony Hutchinson. Beau's storylines since his debut in the serial consist of being revealed as the son of Tony, settling into the Hutchinson family and moving into The Dog in the Pond public house, his brief affair with Liberty Savage upon introduction, his relationships with Maxine Minniver and Kitty Draper before murdering Kitty's conversion therapist father Declan Hawthorne in self-defence after he held her hostage. Bell's portrayal of Beau received a nomination for "Best Newcomer" at the Inside Soap Awards 2023. In June 2024, it was reported Beau was set to leave the series, with his departure airing on 2 August 2024.

The 2022 British Soap Awards honoured the best in British soap operas throughout 2021 and 2022. The ceremony was held on 11 June 2022 at the Hackney Empire theatre in Hackney, London, and was broadcast live on ITV, ITV Hub and STV.

Oscar Curtis is a British actor and model. Curtis took acting classes and modelled for several photoshoots and promos between 2017 and 2022. Curtis appeared in the 2021 feature film Last Village on the Right, and in 2022 he guest starred in an episode of Doctors. In 2023, Curtis took over the role of Lucas Hay on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, where he was involved in a long-running storyline about conversion therapy. For his role as Lucas, Curtis was longlisted for "Best Young Performer" and "Best Partnership" at the 2024 Inside Soap Awards.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Nathaniel Dass". Backstage . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Characters". BBC Media Centre. BBC. 17 December 2018. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  3. ↑ "Interview with Kimberly Wyatt". BBC Media Centr. BBC. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  4. ↑ "Almost Never character guide". Comedy.co.uk . 19 November 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  5. ↑ Sampson, Issy (12 January 2019). "Pitchy resting face: why CBBC's musical drama Almost Never disappoints". The Guardian . Guardian Media Group . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  6. ↑ CBBC (26 January 2019). "Nate from The Wonderland gets slimed!". YouTube . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "Season 1 – Almost Never". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  8. ↑ "Season 2 – Almost Never". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  9. ↑ Eckardt, Steph (18 April 2019). "Actress Mya-Lecia Naylor, of Cloud Atlas and Almost Never, Has Died at Age 16". W Magazine . Condé Nast . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  10. ↑ "Season 3 – Almost Never". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Harp, Justin (11 April 2023). "Hollyoaks cast Nathaniel Dass as Misbah's nephew Dillon Ray". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  12. 1 2 Hughes, Johnathon (15–21 April 2023). ""Dillon brings a new energy to the Maaliks!"". Inside Soap . No. 3. p. 49.
  13. ↑ Dainty, Sophie (11 January 2023). "Hollyoaks is bringing in Misbah Maalik's nephew Dillon". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  14. ↑ Harp, Justin (25 May 2023). "Hollyoaks airs emotional scenes as newcomer Dillon Ray comes out". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  15. ↑ Harp, Justin (23 April 2024). "Hollyoaks confirms Lucas and Dillon tragedy at Pride event". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  16. ↑ Baalla, Sara (21 June 2024). "Hollyoaks' Dillon and Lucas make huge decision about their relationship". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  17. ↑ Duncan, Charlie (1 May 2024). "Hollyoaks' conversion therapy storyline comes to tragic head as Dillon and Lucas are left to die". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  18. ↑ ""The fans deserve to see Dillon & Lucas together!"". Inside Soap . No. 2. 13–19 January 2024. pp. 50–51.
  19. ↑ Hughes, Johnathon (11–17 May 2024). ""Lucas thinks he doesn't deserve Dillon..."". Inside Soap . No. 19. pp. 48–49.
  20. ↑ Baalla, Sara (25 February 2024). "Hollyoaks' Oscar Curtis reveals real-life friendship with co-star he doesn't share scenes with". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  21. ↑ Harp, Justin (16 July 2024). "Emmerdale's Tom and Belle story and EastEnders' Six drama among Inside Soap Award nominees". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  22. ↑ "Cast your vote now! Inside Soap Awards 2024". Inside Soap . No. 29. 20–26 July 2024. pp. 49–52.
  23. ↑ @no.romance (11 August 2023). "Back To Sleep 🎶" – via Instagram.
  24. ↑ "Nate and Haiesha get Super Slimed!". CBBC . BBC . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  25. ↑ Alexander, Susannah (8 July 2024). "Hollyoaks' Ruby O'Donnell confirms romance with co-star". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 3 August 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.