The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes star Tom Blyth everything you need to know

Tom Blyth takes on the trials and complexities of Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Leading a stellar cast, the English actor, 28, has already garnered acclaim for his gritty portrayal of the character, and it's safe to say, he's become one of 2023's biggest breakout stars. So, what do we know about man of the moment, Tom Blyth? Keep reading for all the details…

Tom Blyth's family life

Born in Birmingham in February 1995, Tom grew up in Woodthorpe, Nottingham, where he attended Arnold Hill Academy and Bilborough College. The son of Charlotte and Gavin Blyth, Tom's father was a celebrated TV producer and journalist, famed for being a series producer on Emmerdale, while his mother is a careers counsellor. 

In 2010, when Tom was just 15, the star sadly lost his father to cancer. Having played a pivotal role in his life, Tom credits Gavin as a major inspiration. Speaking to W Magazine, he explained: "Through watching him work, I realised it was actually possible to make a job out of these interests. And that [entertainment] is a viable way to make a living."

Echoing this sentiment in an interview with The Times, Tom said: "My dad would come home from work, pour himself a glass of wine and write down notes on a script. I realised at 14 that it could be done."

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While very little is known about Tom's siblings, The Guardian reports that he has a sister, Anya, and a half-brother, Carter. As for the star's love life, the actor remains incredibly private, and is yet to reveal his current relationship status. 

Tom Blyth's rise to stardom

Determined to enter the industry, Tom eventually joined the Television Workshop, and moved to London at the age of 18. During this time, he appeared in productions for the National Youth Theatre, before landing a place – and a full scholarship – at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York. 

After graduating from the performing arts conservatory in 2020, it didn't take long for Tom to bag his next role. Cast in the biographical romantic drama, Benediction (2021), the 28-year-old played Glen Byam Shaw, acting alongside Jack Lowden, Peter Capaldi and Jeremy Irvine. Among his other projects, Tom has starred in an episode of The Gilded Age (2022) and he also portrays the eponymous Billy the Kid in the western drama of the same name. Following the release of part one on October 15, 2023, part two is expected to premiere in 2024. 

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How Tom Blyth landed the role of Coriolanus Snow

Of course, it's the role of Coriolanus Snow that's everyone's talking about right now, and according to Tom, the audition process was pretty intense. Speaking to PA at the UK premiere of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes, he said: "It was a pretty hefty casting process. I was still pretty new on the scene, especially in the States, so they had to kind of put me through the wringer to find out if I could do it. I'm just glad that they thought I could."

Having watched the original Hunger Games films, Tom was already taken with Donald Sutherland's portrayal of the character. "I don't like to say this because I play him, but Donald Sutherland was truly one of my favourite characters in the original films," he told W. 

While Tom has great admiration for Donald, he decided that talking to the iconic actor would only result in a "copycat" performance, so instead, he worked on creating his own, individual portrayal, with very subtle nods to Donald's.

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