Brian Vernel is a Scottish actor best known for his film role as Bala-Tik in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), as Odda the Younger in the TV series The Last Kingdom (2015), and Billy Wallace in British gangster series Gangs of London (2020-).
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Early life
A native of Glasgow, Vernel attended St Mungo's Academy in Gallowgate before training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) after a one-year general arts foundation course at Glasgow University.
Career
He played the role of Bala-Tik in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Vernel's character spoke in a Glaswegian accent.
Vernel played the main role of Billy Wallace, junkie brother of London drug cartel boss Sean Wallace, played by Joe Cole, and working alongside Michelle Fairley, who played his mother, in Gangs of London, between 2020-2022.
Filmography
Stage
The Seagull (2017) playing Konstantin at the Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith)
Barbarians (2015) playing Paul at the Young Vic
Future Conditional (2015) at the Old Vic
The Static (2012) playing Sparky at the Underbelly, Edinburgh - Nominated for Best Actor The Stage Awards for Acting Excellence at the Edinburgh Fringe
Macbeth (2012) playing Macbeth at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
