Divian Ladwa


Divian Ladwa is an English actor best known for appearing in the Oscar nominated Best Picture Lion, the BAFTA winning comedy series Detectorists, and the Marvel Studios film Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Career

TV and film

Divian Ladwa's film debut came in a micro-budget feature Saxon where he played a hot-headed Rahim Begum alongside Sean Harris. The film won Best European Drama at the ECU European Independent Film Festival and was nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
His next role was shy and awkward Dev King in the British feature film 8 Minutes Idle. The twisted rom-com was nominated for Best Film at the Royal Television Society Awards and features Tom Hughes, Ophelia Lovibond, Antonia Thomas, Montserrat Lombard and Jack Ashton.
Ladwa is popularly known for playing the sweet and innocent Hugh in the BAFTA winning comedy series Detectorists written and directed by Mackenzie Crook. Originally aired on BBC Four, the show won critical praise and won two BAFTAs.
In 2017, Ladwa received attention for playing a psychologically traumatised character in the Oscar nominated Best Picture Lion. The film starred Nicole Kidman and David Wenham as his adoptive parents and Dev Patel as his adoptive brother. The two time BAFTA winning film, which also starred Rooney Mara, was nominated for four Golden Globes and six Academy Awards including Best Picture. Critics praised Ladwa's performance with Cinapse writing "Lion is aided greatly by the likes of Divian Ladwa who is positively heartbreaking,"
. Stuff wrote "Ladwa is excellent as the wayward brother."
and
Entertainment.ie said
"Ladwa gives a fascinating portrayal of the adopted brother."
Along with Dev Patel and David Wenham, Ladwa was included in the film's submission to the Screen Actors Guild Awards for their Best Supporting Actor category.
In 2018, he appeared in Ant-Man and the Wasp as Uzman, the right-hand man of antagonist Sonny Burch played by Walton Goggins. The Marvel Studios film also included a principal cast that includes Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer and Evangeline Lilly. His involvement in the truth serum trope was hailed by Digitalfox Media as one of the funniest moments in the film.
Later that year ITV announced via their website Ladwa's involvement as a series regular in their upcoming police drama Wild Bill playing opposite Rob Lowe, Rachel Stirling, Angela Griffin and Bronwyn James.
In 2019, Ladwa appeared in the British dark comedy series The End of the F***ing World as Sid, a talkative cop. He made the special guest appearance in episode 7 of the second series which premiered on Channel 4 in the UK and internationally the following day on Netflix who submitted Ladwa for consideration to the Primetime Emmy Awards for the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series category for his role as Sid. 
2019 saw the online release of period drama Mr Malcolm's List on the Refinery29 website with Ladwa playing Gemma Chan and Frieda Pinto's footman in a highly comical role. The film is part of Refinery29's Shatterbox series aiding and encouraging more female filmmakers.
In 2020, Ladwa played Dr Chillip in Armando Iannucci's adaptation of Charles Dickens The Personal History of David Copperfield, which also stars Hugh Laurie and Tilda Swinton and reunites Ladwa onscreen with Dev Patel.

Other

Away from TV and Film, Ladwa has an extensive theatre background working with a wide range of companies including Theatre Royal Stratford East, Tamasha Theatre Company and Fluxx Improvised Theatre, early in his career.
He has worked in radio plays, mostly for BBC Radio 4, reading parts that include secondary school student Charlie in School Drama and as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet opposite Tom Hollander.
He also played Vince the Mushroom Man in a continuation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere series, "How The Marquis Got His Coat Back" and University student Max in Ed Reardon's Week.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007SaxonRahimBest Drama - ECU Festival
20128 Minutes IdleDev
2013FrayedHabbiShort film
2013PunchlineTiny TimShort film
2014My DadVoiceBAFTA nominated animation
2016LionMantosh BrierleyOscar nominated Best Picture
2018Ant-Man and the WaspUzman
2019Mr Malcolm's ListFootmanPeriod drama
2019The Personal History of David CopperfieldDr ChillipPeriod drama