Movie star set to watch showing of his latest film in Doncaster cinema

When the audience turns up to see a film on the big screen a cinema in Doncaster this weekend, they’ll have quite a claim to fame.
Ethan Willkie, from Bentley,  on set in South Yorkshire filming Pondlife.Ethan Willkie, from Bentley,  on set in South Yorkshire filming Pondlife.
Ethan Willkie, from Bentley, on set in South Yorkshire filming Pondlife.

That’s because they will be sitting in the auditorium with one of the main stars of the film.

Ethan Wilkie, from Bentley,  was only 12 when he filmed the feature film Parklife with former Coronation Street actresses Sally Lindsey and Julie Hesmondhalgh, and Broadchurch actor Shaun Dooley.

Ethan Willkie, from Bentley,  on set in South Yorkshire filming Pondlife.Ethan Willkie, from Bentley,  on set in South Yorkshire filming Pondlife.
Ethan Willkie, from Bentley, on set in South Yorkshire filming Pondlife.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He’s still only 13 – but he and his family and friends are heading to the cinema at Doncaster Lakeside on Saturday for what will be a single showing of the movie in the borough.

Read More
Read more: PICTURE GALLERY: 13 TV and film hits shot in Doncaster
Ethan Wilkie, 13, pictured, stars in the new film Pond Life. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP-27-04-19-PondLife-4Ethan Wilkie, 13, pictured, stars in the new film Pond Life. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP-27-04-19-PondLife-4
Ethan Wilkie, 13, pictured, stars in the new film Pond Life. Picture: Marie Caley NDFP-27-04-19-PondLife-4

Ethan and the rest of the cast shot the film last year in Doncaster and other locations in South Yorkshire, including Edlington, Maltby and Ravenfield, near Rotherham. It is set in the 1990s in a mining village near Doncaster.

Don Valley School pupil Ethan is heading for the film along with relatives and all his team mates from his local junior football team, AFC Bentley, and pals from his drama schools, Let's Act and JKL.

Ethan can’t wait, although he’s already seen the film once. It has been shown at the London Film Festival.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “I’m really just over the moon about seeing it in Doncaster with my friends,” he said. “Lots of them are coming. We’re all really excited.

Ethan Wilkie, from Bentley, with Sally Lindsey , who played his mum and Shaun Dooley who played his step dad, in the film PondlifeEthan Wilkie, from Bentley, with Sally Lindsey , who played his mum and Shaun Dooley who played his step dad, in the film Pondlife
Ethan Wilkie, from Bentley, with Sally Lindsey , who played his mum and Shaun Dooley who played his step dad, in the film Pondlife

"It was quite overwhelming the first time I saw it – I had only been on stage before that so it was the first time I had seen myself acting.

"We did a lot of the filming at a house in Edlington, so there may be people who go to see what it was that was being filmed there.”

Since filming Pondlife, Ethan has been offered parts in another two roles, as a result of contacts he has made with the producers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He did a day’s filming on a movie called Nocturnal, and is also due to spend time in the North East this month working on a historical production set during World War One.

“It’s all come as a result of Pondlife,” he said.

“It’s a bit like having a film premier in Doncaster, without a red carpet,” said Ethan’s mum, Rachel. “We’re really proud of what Ethan’s done.”