Rafe Spall to Star as Atticus Finch in the West End's To Kill a Mockingbird

Olivier and Emmy nominee Rafe Spall will headline the upcoming London staging of Broadway's hit play To Kill a Mockingbird. Spall will portray Atticus Finch in the previously announced production. The show, adapted from Harper Lee's novel by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Bartlett Sher, is set to begin previews on March 10, 2022 and open on March 31 at the Gielgud Theatre. Rhys Ifans had originally been announced to take on the role.

Spall was nominated for Olivier Awards for his performances in Hedda Gabler and Constellations. He appeared on Broadway in the 2013 revival of Betrayal opposite Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz. His screen credits include Trying, The Salisbury Poisonings, The War of the Worlds, his Emmy-nominated turn in Black Mirror, The Big Short, The BFG and more.

Based on an event that occurred in Alabama in the 1930s, To Kill a Mockingbird is a story of racial injustice and the destruction of childhood innocence centering on one of the most admired characters in American literature, small-town lawyer Atticus Finch. 

To Kill a Mockingbird opened at Broadway's Shubert Theatre on December 13, 2018. Celia Keenan-Bolger won a Tony Award for her performance as Scout Finch. Jeff Daniels and Gideon Glick received nominations for their performances as Atticus Finch and Dill Harris, respectively. Additional nominations went to Adam Guettel for the score, Sher for directing, Miriam Buether for scenic design, Ann Roth for costume design, Jennifer Tipton for lighting design and Scott Lehrer for sound design.

Additional casting for the West End production will be announced later.