Luke Pasqualino (Paolo)

And the nominees for The Times Breakthrough award are ...


TV drama
Luke Pasqualino
One for all and all for . . . actually, sadly there’s only room for one talented, handsome musketeer in the nominations list for our Breakthrough Award.
Pasqualino, who got his black hair, kalamata skin and hot chocolate eyes (Aidan Turner who?) from his Sicilian and Neapolitan parents, first came to our attention in the gripping E4 drama Skins as Freddie McClair, a weed-loving college student.
The 25-year-old from Peterborough then scored a major breakthrough when he was cast as d’Artagnan in the blissfully silly BBC One drama The Musketeers (he was delighted, having been weaned on Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds). Pasqualino, who did an intensive one-week course in horse riding and sword fighting for the part (see what I mean about the next Poldark?), brought a quizzical demeanour and dry wit to the role and pinpricked the bombastic exuberance of the sillier members of the famous trio. He also brought excellently trimmed facial hair. Oh, and did I mention he’d make a great Son of Poldark?
Alex O’Connell