Positivity radiates from Theo Johnson. Which might be surprising to some, given the things he witnessed as a child growing up in a rough area of Handsworth, Birmingham.
But Theo is clearly someone who refuses to be defined by his origins, and perhaps more importantly works hard to achieve his goals. If opportunities aren’t there, Theo creates them.
Growing up, Theo saw plenty of things that most of us would want to shield our children from. By his late teens, several close friends had been stabbed, some fatally. But he refused to be defined by the area he lived in, or by the limitations of others round him, and instead took inspiration from some of the world’s biggest stars.
“I feel in every situation, everybody has a choice. Some people are scared to go outside because there’s bad things happening. Some people enjoy it and do bad things, but me, I’ve always been very good at learning from other people’s mistakes so I would look and think: ‘OK. Where do the gangsters end up? He’s just been shot. He’s dead. He’s in jail. I can’t see anyone pulling up in a Bentley!’
“When I was young, I was a bit naughty, but with acting, my teachers would praise me. At school I just got bored and disconnected, so when everyone started telling me I’m good in acting I started looking at where that ends. I saw stars like Will Smith and Denzel Washington and realised I could change my family’s life with acting if I get it right.”
For all the troubles Theo saw growing up, he’s an upbeat, optimistic individual. He admits, he’s always felt acting came easily for him: “I always thought I was special, but I never thought anyone else wasn’t.” University wasn’t originally on Theo’s ‘to-do’ list… but he had to bow to a higher authority: his mum.
“I love the power and control I have making my own films.”
She was determined that one of her children was going to go to university, and Theo was, as he puts it “the last chance”. Theo had shown a talent for drama at school: "The teachers never told anyone they were good because the industry is so brutal.” But they told him he had talent, which led him to study drama at the University of Wolverhampton’s Walsall Campus. While at university, Theo performed music alongside Latisha Gordon at a Drake concert on the LG stage in Birmingham. Spotted by a model agent, he found work with Adidas and Xbox.
Wanting more, Theo told his agent straight: “I can act”. Practising and studying in the brand-new Performance Hub and supported by his lecturers – who let him have time off to attend auditions – Theo got several parts. He got his first speaking role, much to the jealousy of his classmates, of Callum in Channel 4’s adaptation of Caitlin Moran’s Raised by Wolves on an auspicious day: “I landed Raised by Wolves the same day I got told I’ve got a 2:1 degree! I opened the paper with my degree and then my phone was ringing.
“I answered it, the paper in my hand still, and I got the role on Raised by Wolves!”
Theo is a man who doesn’t sit and wait for life to provide his opportunities. If they’re not there, he creates them. He admits, he’s partly fuelled by knowing that many of his idols died young. Not that he wants the same fate, but it drives his determination.
“I always felt like I was special, but I looked at special people like Tupac, Bob Marley, Bruce Lee. None of them live long. It sounds morbid, but it makes me feel I have to do everything now.
“It’s not nice when you’re young and black and no one knows who you are. I felt I might not have much time, so I need to do everything today. I ain’t got time to wait till tomorrow or next week. When I was applying to the British Film Institute for grant money, and they’re telling me it’s a six-week wait, I’m thinking: “I haven’t got six weeks! I need to do this film!” I can always find a loophole, always find a way.”
So instead of getting a grant, Theo independently raised the money to create his films by using product placement: using his fans and reach to convince brands they’d get the exposure they’d want. Getting frustrated with the stereotyped roles he was being offered: directionless youth, drug dealer, criminal, Theo decided to turn his hand to writing.
“I’m a big believer in ‘you gotta do what you gotta do, so you can do what you wanna do!’ I never wanted to direct. I never wanted to write. I never wanted to make films. For everything I’ve ever done, acting was the driving force. When the phone stopped ringing, I asked myself ‘How do I fix this, ‘cause I need to act!’ I thought, ‘I’ll team up with some cameramen. I’ll write my own script and then I’ll act.’ I developed all these skills: communication skills, networking skills, through just needing to act .’
Theo’s roles read as the beginnings of many successful actors’ CVs, starring in BBC’s Doctors, cult films The Intent 2 and Blue Story, BBC West Midlands drama Jesus Piece on radio, and the lead role in the National Theatre’s production of Gap. And it’s through the connections he made, and no doubt in part due to his affable and friendly nature, that Theo got support, including financial backing, for his first films.
“I spoke to people I worked with on Doctors about my film on knife crime: One Knife Affects Many Lives, and the fact that it was a positive message. They worked with me on it. It was my first ever short film, and it made the news. When I was on Raised by Wolves, people would ask “when’s it out?” and I wouldn’t know. I love the power and control I have making my own films.”
I always felt like I was special, but I looked at special people like Tupac, Bob Marley, Bruce Lee. None of them live long. It sounds morbid, but it makes me feel I have to do everything now.
Noticing that reality stars were getting more attention than actors and looking for a way to raise his profile, Theo posted comedy sketches online, which gained him a huge following. But it’s his film-making which has raised his profile further, leading to more exposure and invitations to do TedEx talks, modelling, and presenting, and now his regular slot on BBC 1Xtra on Sunday night radio, making history as the first presenter with a permanent 1Xtra show airing from Birmingham.
“I did this game show with Link Up TV called In The Bag. It ended up being a really big hit with over half a million views, because the guests were big rappers, like Cadet (Blaine Cameron Johnson), or Big Tobes (Toby Patten), who at the time had a charting hit.
“No-one in Birmingham was doing what I’m doing. It’s just perception really – I was being paid pennies! But I got called left, right and centre. Could you present this? Could you present that? So now I’m the big presenter in Birmingham! I’m getting invited to things like the Brits now, and I got to host South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas, which was amazing.”
However with Theo, it all leads back to acting, and his love of it: “As an actor, you’re a puppet, someone else is pulling the strings.” And so, in typical Theo fashion, he creates opportunities for himself that put him in control, which include developing his writing.
“I love acting but I provide myself with power. I provide myself with control. I didn’t want to do it at the start, now I’m really grateful. I’m very self-sustaining now. The skill of writing has been so important in my life: the fact that I’ve been able to write has landed me a job on 1Xtra weirdly: I wrote myself into being a presenter by comedy sketches and I wrote myself into film.”
Theo’s films have brought him acclaim and success, and deal with issues that he knows and feels need to be shown without glamour, such as chemical attacks and imprisonment. Just One Drop, released in 2022 reached an audience of over a million people and was listed on Amazon Prime. Just Two Drops was released on LinkUpTV in October 2023 after an exclusive screening at Covent Garden, and hit half a million views in just three months.
"When I write, I get to be the hero. I get to raise awareness on topics close to me. I get to stop someone being acid attacked, to raise awareness of drink driving. Even if I’m negative in the role, I get to do something positive.”
Theo is passionate about helping the next generation get on in life, rather than be pulled into gangs or a life of crime. He’s also proud to be in the position with his filmmaking to be able to help his own family.
“I’m a big family man, so a privilege I’ve had is to be able to put my two nephews in roles. To give them the opportunity to see another life, pay them and bring them on set, get them hotels and the chance to see London.
“There were 30 people behind the camera and I’m telling everyone: ‘These are my nephews!’ Everyone’s treating them like gold. When you’re in the hood, no one treats you good, so it helps give them the vision of what life can be like and helps motivate them to get to where I’m at.”
Theo’s career looks set to continue to be far more varied than he ever imagined. For instance, through his BBC presenting links, he was asked to be part of the secret jury for the UK’s vote in the 2023 Eurovision Song contest.
“It was in a secret room in Manchester! We had a big screen in front of us with big sofas and loads of snacks, which was actually quite nice, but so weird. They wanted someone youthful. I got credits because I’m a young presenter, I’m with BBC and I know my stuff.
“It was all so secret – we weren’t allowed to post anything or let anyone know we were there. I felt like I was a part of such a big thing, but in secret. I wanted people to know about it, because although we posted about it afterwards, once the moment is gone, it’s gone.”
So what’s next for Theo? Who would he like to work with? What are his plans? His answers show he’s still aiming high, and includes an unselfconscious name-drop that’s hard to beat.
“I met 50 Cent last year backstage in Portugal at Afro Nation – just chilling for three hours! He has so much knowledge at the highest levels of this industry, I’d love to work with him. I’d love more time with him.
“Just being around him was inspiring. Hearing what his mindset is helps me stay on my journey because you really have to think a certain way to get somewhere, and I think that way.
“Sometimes I think something’s wrong with me! Or sometimes I think, “Why don’t I chill?” It’s the biggest curse when you want to achieve so much, it’s like you’re never happy. But I’ve learned to count my blessings and thank God.
“I want to become the UK’s Adam Sandler, where I’ve got my own relationship with Netflix and I’m just churning out films, putting all my friends in them, changing people’s lives, helping new actors, uncredited actors, people who didn’t get a look in. When I make a film, I want to give auditions to people who are extras, because I remember what it was like when I was starting out.”
It’s the biggest curse when you want to achieve so much, it’s like you’re never happy. But I’ve learned to count my blessings and thank God.
Whatever Theo goes on to do next, and there will no doubt be great things ahead, he can at least rest assured he’s already made his mum proud.
“When I was at Wolverhampton, picking up my degree, and being told I got the Raised by Wolves part I felt like saying 'Mom, here’s your degree, a 2:1! What you wanted!' I had my degree. But now I feel I’ve made my mum proud again. That’s proud squared.”
Theo's favs
Food at home: Jamaican jerk chicken with rice and peas
Food when out: Teriyaki salmon
Song: Bitty McClean, Tell Me
Animal: Lion
Place: His bed in Birmingham
Memory: Being told he’d gotten the part in Raised By Wolves
Just One Drop is available on Amazon Prime. Just Two Drops is available on LinkUpTV. Theo’s latest project, starring in Seaview, will soon be available on Amazon.
Follow Theo on Instagram
@theojohnsonuk
