Young Washington Star William Franklyn-Miller Talks History And Teases Neuromancer

William Franklyn-Miller discusses bringing a young George Washington to life, filming massive battle sequences, learning from Sir Ben Kingsley and teasing his upcoming role in Apple TV’s Neuromancer.

Before George Washington became America’s first president and one of the most recognizable figures in history, he was an ambitious young man navigating dangerous battles, personal failures, and decisions that would ultimately shape his future. This lesser-known chapter of his life takes center stage in YOUNG WASHINGTON, a historical drama starring William Franklyn-Miller as the future founding father.

Following its theatrical and digital release this summer, YOUNG WASHINGTON is now streaming on Wonder Project’s subscription service through Prime Video. Directed by Jon Erwin, the film explores Washington’s formative years long before the American Revolution, offering audiences a more personal look at the man behind the legend.

The film also stars Kelsey Grammer as Lord Fairfax, Mary-Louise Parker as Mary Washington, and Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley as Robert Dinwiddie.

Nerdtropolis recently spoke exclusively with William Franklyn-Miller about his experience portraying the young George Washington, discovering the surprising truth behind his early adventures, filming enormous battle sequences and working alongside some of Hollywood’s most accomplished actors.

William Franklyn-Miller Initially Thought Young Washington’s Story Was Fiction

Although George Washington’s place in American history is firmly established, the extraordinary circumstances surrounding his younger years remain unfamiliar to many audiences. Surprisingly, even Franklyn-Miller initially struggled to believe everything described in the screenplay actually happened.

The actor explained that his fascination with history began long before accepting the role, thanks in part to his family’s interest in preserving its past.

“Honestly, my family’s always been so big into history,” Franklyn-Miller told Nerdtropolis. “My nan, actually, who is Australian, has an archive of our family history going back hundreds and hundreds of years.”

“I’ve always grown up sort of surrounded by my own family history, which is great. But coming to the George Washington story, you know, I had very little understanding of his younger years.”

Like many people, Franklyn-Miller knew Washington primarily through his presidency and his familiar image on American currency.

“Obviously, the dollar bill, the President of the United States, I knew all that. But when it came to his younger years, knew literally nothing.”

His understanding changed when he received the screenplay.

“When I read the script for the first time, to be quite honest, I thought it was made up. I didn’t believe it. I didn’t think this young 20- or 21-year-old man could have done these things.”

Determined to understand the events, Franklyn-Miller began researching Washington’s experiences and discovered that the historical foundation behind the film was far more remarkable than he expected.

“Then I did all the research I could to get to the bottom of it all, and I realized it is true. It’s a true story. And so it shocked me.”

“It just shows how ambitious George Washington was in his younger years.”

The discovery became an important part of his preparation, allowing him to approach Washington not simply as an American icon but as a young man still finding his place in the world.

Discovering the Humanity Behind America’s First President

One of the film’s most compelling elements is its portrayal of Washington before he became the confident leader generations of Americans would come to recognize.

Franklyn-Miller was approximately the same age as the historical figure he portrayed, creating an interesting connection between the actor and his character despite nearly three centuries separating their lives.

During our conversation, we asked whether Washington’s ambitions, insecurities, and struggles helped him discover anything about himself.

“Oh, definitely, definitely,” Franklyn-Miller responded.

“It was one thing reading the script for the first time and reading the battles and, you know, going, ‘Oh yes, he’s 20 years old, he’s my age.’”

However, physically stepping into Washington’s world gave him a much deeper appreciation for the challenges young soldiers faced.

“Even as an actor, you know, very different to being in a real war at the time, of course, but for me, just being on set and reliving, even just through the eyes of George, in a way, the way he navigated these battles and really just what his surroundings were like at the time, it was so harsh, man.”

“It was so harsh.”

The experience also made him reflect on the enormous differences between modern life and the world Washington inhabited.

“I had this, I suppose, this gratitude to him in a way that, you know, what he went through is a lot.”

“There are things today that we take for granted that back then were, you know, a luxury or didn’t even exist yet.”

Franklyn-Miller continued by acknowledging the tremendous hardships faced by ordinary people and soldiers during that period.

“It’s just so surprising how much everyone back then had to go through, and these battles were just brutal.”

For the actor, that understanding became essential to portraying Washington’s resilience, vulnerability, and determination throughout the story.

Leading His First Major Film Alongside Hollywood Legends

Portraying one of America’s most influential historical figures would be an enormous responsibility for any actor. For Franklyn-Miller, the challenge carried additional significance because YOUNG WASHINGTON marked his first leading film role.

“When I first got the audition, I couldn’t believe it,” he recalled.

“It’s like a dream of mine to play a biopic and an historical or legendary figure like George Washington.”

“I was like, absolutely, this would be a dream.”

His excitement came with the responsibility of carrying an ambitious historical production alongside an accomplished ensemble.

When asked whether Washington’s journey toward leadership reflected his own experience taking charge of such a large film, Franklyn-Miller discussed the valuable lessons he learned from his co-stars.

“There were some amazing actors on board as well. And really, just from these legends, I just learned how to approach a script in different ways and what they chose not to do.”

He explained that watching other performers make creative decisions helped him develop a stronger understanding of how to approach individual scenes.

“It was really fun, and I just learned so much about really, just not only reading the scene, but how to act it.”

“Being my first-ever lead film as well, you know, it was a lot to carry on my shoulders as well.”

Despite the pressure, Franklyn-Miller looks back on the experience with tremendous appreciation.

“I’m just so happy that I went through it and did it the best I could.”

Working With Sir Ben Kingsley Created An Unforgettable Acting Experience

Among the film’s notable supporting performers is Sir Ben Kingsley, whose character, Robert Dinwiddie, plays an important role in Washington’s early military career.

For Franklyn-Miller, sharing scenes with the Academy Award-winning actor became one of the most memorable experiences of the entire production.

“I think especially with the Sir Ben Kingsley scenes, every time I walk into that office, I— because I was towards the end of the schedule shooting, I’d done all the other scenes already.”

Having already filmed much of Washington’s journey, Franklyn-Miller felt especially connected to the character’s experiences by the time he worked opposite Kingsley.

“I knew everything that George had gone through at this point.”

His familiarity ultimately produced an unexpected breakthrough in his performance.

“I was almost in like a flow state, you know, my lines, I wouldn’t even think of my lines. It just would come out of my mouth.”

He described the resulting interaction as something entirely new in his acting career.

“It was this really just powerful exchange between me and Sir Ben’s character.”

“For me, that was just incredible to see because that had never happened to me before. I’d never felt like that before.”

The moment demonstrated how preparation, experience and the energy between performers can transform a scene into something special.

“It was a really fun scene to do, and just the freedom of it made it so much easier.”

Young Washington’s Massive Battle Scenes Were Almost Too Real

Beyond its personal storytelling, YOUNG WASHINGTON recreates the dangerous world of 18th-century warfare through elaborate costumes, historical weapons, horses, and large-scale battle sequences.

During our interview, we asked Franklyn-Miller whether being surrounded by such an enormous production ever made him feel as though he had stepped into a time machine.

His enthusiastic response revealed just how immersive the experience became.

“Literally, it was crazy, and it’s exactly how you were saying it. I mean, it just felt like it was real.”

In fact, the production was so convincing that Franklyn-Miller occasionally found himself making an unexpected mistake.

“A lot of the time— I was saying this before as well— there was a lot of time where I’d accidentally look straight down the camera lens, which, if you know, is like the most illegal thing you can do during a film set.”

“Like, an actor, you’re not supposed to do that at all.”

He explained that the remarkable scale of the battlefield environments made it difficult not to become distracted by everything happening around him.

“I just kept doing it because I was just so shocked by everything going around me.”

“It felt so real, and I was surrounded by, you know, all these background actors that were doing their absolute best at creating this realistic fight. Realistic battle.”

The environment occasionally became so overwhelming that he momentarily lost track of his own performance.

“A few times I actually forgot my lines because I was just looking around and just being engulfed by this battle.”

While the actor emphasized that filming a battle could never compare to experiencing actual warfare, the production offered him a small window into the world Washington endured.

“It just gave me just a little hint of what George would have gone through and what everybody would have gone through back then during that war.”

“It was crazy, crazy to experience.”

The Historical Costumes Gave William Franklyn-Miller Some Unexpected Swagger

While audiences might assume the battles and physically demanding sequences were the most exciting parts of portraying Washington, Franklyn-Miller revealed that the historical costumes were among his favorite elements of the production.

“I think honestly, yeah, I would have to say the costumes.”

“These costumes are beautiful, and they were so well done that your posture would automatically just adjust itself, you know?”

According to Franklyn-Miller, wearing the military uniforms naturally changed the way he moved and carried himself.

“You couldn’t slouch, you’d have to keep your shoulders back.”

Even Washington’s distinctive headwear helped him embrace the character’s developing confidence.

“The hat would give you a bit of, I don’t know, not ego, but just a bit of confidence in the way you walked and a bit of swagger.”

Those seemingly small details became surprisingly important to his performance as Washington gradually developed into a more confident military figure.

“That for George, especially as he rises up the ranks, was really important to me as a character development.”

The costumes were more than elaborate wardrobe pieces. They helped Franklyn-Miller physically communicate Washington’s growth throughout the film.

The Terrifying Frozen River Scene Had A Surprising Behind-The-Scenes Secret

One particularly intense sequence in YOUNG WASHINGTON involves a dangerous icy river crossing that looks absolutely freezing on screen.

Franklyn-Miller revealed that filming the sequence was actually one of his favorite experiences.

“I think the most fun scene was definitely the ice river scene, because that was just incredible to shoot.”

The production constructed an elaborate environment in Ireland specifically for the sequence.

“They spent so much money building this huge pool in the middle of Ireland, with the fake snow and the trees and, you know, all sorts of stuff going on there.”

For Franklyn-Miller, the experience represented another exciting first.

“That was a first for me as well. So it was a blast.”

When we mentioned how convincingly freezing the water appeared on screen, the actor shared a hilarious detail about the production.

“Which is funny because the water was about 30 degrees. It was honestly, it was boiling.”

“By the time we got in, we’d want to get out.”

While Ireland’s outdoor temperatures were chilly during filming, the water itself was considerably warmer than audiences might expect from the finished sequence.

“It was quite cold in Ireland at the time. But yeah, it does look cold.”

The contrast between the actual filming conditions and the terrifying scene demonstrates the impressive work involved in recreating Washington’s dangerous early adventures.

What Would George Washington Think About iPhones And TikTok?

After spending so much time portraying one of America’s most famous historical figures, Franklyn-Miller has developed a unique perspective on how Washington might react to the modern world.

During our conversation, we presented him with a hypothetical question: If he could bring young George Washington into 2026 for a single day, what would surprise him the most?

“God, such a great question,” Franklyn-Miller responded.

“I think he’d be just so interested to see how we can all connect on a global scale nowadays.”

He explained that modern communication would likely be extraordinary to someone who lived during an era when connecting with people across vast distances was considerably more difficult.

Franklyn-Miller also believes modern medicine would leave Washington amazed.

“I think he’d be amazed by just the medical advancements of today.”

Of course, no trip to the modern world would be complete without introducing Washington to the technology and entertainment that define contemporary culture.

“I’d show him an iPhone and show him maybe a few TikToks of George Washington and see what he thought.”

The actor also shared a funny personal connection to his historical character: he brought home two American one-dollar bills after visiting the United States.

“I’ve got two $1 notes just over here. I brought them back from America because I had to keep them because it’s so cool.”

It’s certainly not every day that an actor gets to look at a piece of currency and see the historical figure they portrayed.

William Franklyn-Miller Teases His Role In Apple TV’s Neuromancer

Although YOUNG WASHINGTON gave Franklyn-Miller the opportunity to explore the distant past, one of his upcoming projects will transport audiences into an entirely different world.

The actor is part of Apple TV’s anticipated adaptation of NEUROMANCER, based on William Gibson’s influential cyberpunk novel.

Naturally, we couldn’t end our conversation without asking what he could reveal about the upcoming science fiction series.

“I can’t reveal much, actually, about that,” Franklyn-Miller admitted.

However, he did confirm that his appearance would be relatively small while expressing excitement about the opportunity.

“But I’ve got a great little role. It’s not a huge one, but it’s a great little one.”

Although the actor remained careful not to reveal details about his character or the story, he offered a confident prediction about the series.

“That TV series is going to be one to watch.”

Franklyn-Miller also revealed that his enthusiasm for the project comes from a genuine personal interest in the genre.

“I’m in love with the cyberpunk genre.”

“One of my favorite video games is Cyberpunk 2077.”

His appreciation for cyberpunk storytelling made joining NEUROMANCER particularly exciting.

“This film I’ve been looking forward to for quite a while,” he said, referring to the project.

“It’s going to be a good series. It’s going to be a great series. But I can’t reveal too much.”

While the actor kept the specifics firmly under wraps, his enthusiasm suggests that NEUROMANCER is a project he is particularly excited for audiences to experience.

The upcoming adaptation also represents an interesting contrast to YOUNG WASHINGTON, allowing Franklyn-Miller to move from the historical battlefields of 18th-century America into the futuristic world of cyberpunk science fiction.

Young Washington Finds A New Home On Wonder Project

Following its theatrical and digital run, YOUNG WASHINGTON is reaching new audiences through Wonder Project’s subscription service on Prime Video.

The film also delivered a notable theatrical achievement, ranking as the No. 2 movie at the domestic box office on July 4 during America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Franklyn-Miller personally attended numerous screenings during the film’s theatrical and promotional run, revealing that he watched the movie several times simply to experience audience reactions.

“I saw it maybe seven or eight times in the end after the whole press tour.”

“Every time I sat through the whole film and watched it, just to see everybody’s reactions to it as well.”

The actor even recalled hearing some enthusiastic patriotic reactions during the screenings.

“There were a few ‘USA’s at the end, which was very fun.”

“Everybody seemed to enjoy it.”

The film now anchors Wonder Project’s Stories Worth Knowing collection, which explores remarkable real-life figures and events that have helped shape American history and culture.

The collection also includes ELKHORN, which follows Theodore Roosevelt’s transformative years in the Dakota Badlands; SARAH’S OIL, inspired by the story of Sarah Rector; A GREAT AWAKENING, exploring the relationship between George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin; AUDREY’S CHILDREN, about pioneering pediatric oncologist Dr. Audrey Evans; and DOLLY PARTON: HERE I AM, examining the life and career of the beloved entertainer.

YOUNG WASHINGTON is now streaming through Wonder Project on Prime Video.

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