Imagine a 3-year-old boy, wide-eyed and captivated, watching his older brother on a movie set, and then boldly asking, 'How do I do that?' That's exactly what happened when Jacobi Jupe visited his brother Noah on the set of Wonder in 2017. Little did they know, this moment would spark a journey that would eventually lead them to share the screen in a Shakespearean drama that’s already making waves. But here's where it gets controversial—can sibling rivalry ever truly be set aside when both brothers are rising stars in Hollywood? Let’s dive in.
Noah Jupe, now 20, has already made a name for himself with roles in A Quiet Place and alongside heavyweights like Christian Bale and Natalie Portman. His younger brother, Jacobi, 12, is no slouch either, with credits in Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy and the Apple drama Before. But it’s their first collaboration, Hamnet, that’s turning heads. Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 bestseller, the film explores the heart-wrenching story of William Shakespeare’s marriage and the loss of his son, Hamnet, whose death is said to have inspired Hamlet. And this is the part most people miss—the emotional depth these brothers bring to their roles is nothing short of extraordinary.
Jacobi landed the role of Hamnet first, working alongside Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao and stars like Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. Noah admits, 'I was maybe a tad jealous,' to which Jacobi quips, 'Maybe a bit more than a tad.' But the real twist? While Noah was in Greece, he got a call from their mom asking if he’d consider playing Hamlet in the film—a role that would place him opposite his brother. Unbeknownst to everyone, Jacobi was eavesdropping through the tent wall. 'He’s too good at finding stuff out,' Noah laughs.
The result? A film that critics are already praising for its emotional symmetry. Jacobi’s portrayal of Hamnet’s death has been called scene-stealing, while Noah’s delivery of Shakespeare’s iconic soliloquies is nothing short of cathartic. But what’s truly surreal, the brothers agree, is sharing the screen. 'When you’re watching yourself, you judge yourself a lot,' Noah explains. 'But with my brother, I know every bit of his face, every emotion he’s ever had, and yet there is no judgment.'
Growing up in London with their actress mom, Katy Cavanagh, and filmmaker dad, Chris Jupe, the brothers were no strangers to the arts. But their journey into acting has been uniquely their own. Noah recalls, 'I didn’t want to be that older brother who says, ‘Do it this way.’ I wanted to support him, to make sure he felt loved and protected in this crazy world.'
As for what’s next, Noah has The Death of Robin Hood and the new season of The Night Manager on his plate. Jacobi, meanwhile, is diving into the horror thriller Victorian Psycho but admits, 'I would really love to do a comedy, please.' For now, though, they’re savoring the novelty of finally sharing the screen.
But here’s the question that lingers: Can two rising stars from the same family truly avoid comparison, or is sibling rivalry an inevitable part of their journey? Let us know what you think in the comments—and
