Paddy Rowan, renowned for roles in Little Boy Blue, G’wed and Unforgivable, spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview about new film Baby Brother
Paddy Rowan spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview about his first lead role in a film(Image: Paddy Rowan)
Paddy Rowan shot to stardom playing one of Liverpool’s most notorious criminals when he was cast as Sean Mercer in Little Boy Blue in 2017. Eight years on – and the rising Scouse actor’s career is still going from strength to strength, as he has just enjoyed his busiest year yet.
However, the Walton-born star says he is now often more recognised by people in the street for his role as Lewis Connolly in the popular Liverpool comedy, G’wed, than he is for his hard-hitting ITV debut. The vast difference between these two performances is an example of Paddy’s range, and he told the ECHO in an exclusive interview how this is absolutely intentional for the kind of actor he wants to be.
The 27-year-old said: “Having variety as an actor is the most refreshing thing. You play scallies for a bit and then you think, ‘I’ve had enough of this now and it’s just doing the same thing’. You can add little bits to it, but it’s lovely to do things in a bit of a different direction.
“Being able to play as many different characters and do as many different things and play in good stories is just all I want to do.” The actor has certainly done that in 2025, as his latest television performance came in Jimmy McGovern’s critically acclaimed drama Unforgivable, which tackled the difficult subject of the cycle of abuse.
He said: “Unforgivable depressed the living daylights out of me because that was proper heavy. I’d just finished G’wed and I went straight onto that so it was [like a rollercoaster].” It was the second time Paddy has worked with the legendary Liverpool writer after he played Stephen Graham’s onscreen son in Time season one.
He considers being able to perform Jimmy’s words as the proudest moment of his TV career so far, as he said: “Doing two Jimmy McGovern dramas is the pinnacle for anyone in television. He’s my favourite writer. The two scripts I’ve been in, I never question them, which is what I end up doing a lot of the time.
“You read a script by Jimmy McGovern and you don’t ask questions of what you’re reading. You ask questions of yourself, of your own opinions and morals.”
Paddy’s film debut has also come this year, as he bagged his first ever lead role in new film, Baby Brother, which is now available to buy on Google and YouTube. The story explores how generational trauma can define a person’s life, which is told through Paddy’s character, Adam, as he returns home from prison to look after his vulnerable little brother.
The film was shot in 11 days around the area where Paddy grew up in North Liverpool and he loved the chance to represent his home neighbourhood on screen. He said: “I’m from Walton and the vast majority of it was shot there so it just felt mad. There was a scene when I was in a doorway and every car that drove past was someone that I knew shouting, ‘What are you up to?'”
The film was directed by Michael J Long, from Aintree, and Paddy heaped praise on the director for giving him the opportunity to play a lead role in the movie, which is inspired by people they both observed growing up. He said: “It’s hard to put into words because I genuinely do know people like this whose lives have just been plagued with, as bad as it sounds, just misery. As Michael said, there’s a reason why people act the way they are.”
Paddy also opened up on how the film was vital for him personally, as it came when he was in a difficult place in his own life. He added: “I had to go to a couple of dark places to do it. But, to be honest with you, I weren’t in the best place myself then and I was having a rough few years.
“Only watching the film and seeing what I look like then to what I look like now is self explanatory, I needed something to distract me and keep me focused.” Paddy is grateful the film gave him an outlet, as he knows people going through a similar situation are not as fortunate.
He added: “A lot of young men go through that time and I thought, ‘How lucky am I to have been someone else whose life is worse than mine and who doesn’t have the opportunities that I had’. I got to embody that and not be myself, because being myself, in my own head at the time, was worse, so those dark places were easy to get to.”
Paddy Rowan in Baby Brother(Image: Michael J Long)
Paddy has now come out of the other side of his difficult patch and is delighted the film has been met with a great reception, as it won best debut film at the Oldenburg Film Festival and earned a glowing review in the Hollywood Reporter.
He said the reception is validation for the cast and crew’s efforts, as he told the ECHO: “I always felt like we had something when we were doing it. I took myself to some mad places and it was difficult at times. I thought I’ve used up too much energy for this to not be any good. Surely we must have something at the end of it, and a lot of people seem to think we have.”
Paddy has overcome many obstacles to forge the career he is enjoying, as he is dyslexic and left school after only passing a few of his GCSEs. However, he has worked hard to break down the social class barriers that stand in the way of a career in film – and is proud to be part of a thriving Scouse contingent establishing Liverpool as an entertainment hub.
He said: “When I was younger, I felt a little bit like [being from Liverpool] went against me. More my own doing than anything else. But as I got older, I’ve not necessarily leaned into it, but it’s nice to go into a room when you’re confident in yourself, which is something [people from Liverpool] just have.
“I love being able to do other accents [when playing characters], but I love now being able to go into a room and not holding my accent back. I walk in [to an audition] and talk exactly how I talk. It’s a great time to be an actor in Liverpool with the stuff that’s being made.” He added: “The rest of the world now is looking to Liverpool and thinking, ‘Wow these really do know what they’re doing.’ That goes with independent films like [Baby Brother].”
Even though he’s just turned 27, Paddy is determined to help the next crop of rising young talent as he has set up a drama course named Zope Actors Studio, with fellow Liverpudlian talent, Bobby Schofield, Shaun Fagan and Jack McLoughlin. The former Hillside school student is passionate about how he can help the next generation and even reached out to his former drama school teacher while filming an ITV drama in the city to prove a career in acting isn’t as far away as it may seem.
He said: “She brought about five of the kids down. They got to see what it was like on a working set on an ITV drama and they got to meet the lead actor. I remember being there and thinking, one, I’d have loved to have done this [when I was younger], and two, why can’t we do it more?
“We’ve got Hollywood stars coming here shooting massive films, why can’t we show people the possibilities that are available to them? I’d like to see more things like that and I think we need to champion more young people from the city being involved behind the camera. It’s getting better, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Paddy is now looking forward to what comes next as he has appeared in productions for BBC, ITV, Netflix and Channel 5 this year. However, he’s hoping to apply the diversity he’s shown in front of the camera to behind the scenes as he harbours big plans for the future.
He has shot a pilot concept for a comedy show starring Neil Fitzmaurice that he’s hoping to get off the ground. And the Walton actor laughed he is going to use the Scouse charm that’s left him in good stead throughout his career to be able to to kick down more doors and show a life in film and TV is not as out of reach as it may seem.
He said: “It’s that old Scouse thing, hopefully I can get in there and say give us a few quid and see what happens. People like to think it’s a posh boy’s trade, but I’m planning to kick some doors down and try to shake it up.”
Baby Brother is now available to watch on Google TV and Movies and YouTube TV and Movies