Rising star William Franklyn-Miller portrays the first U.S. president as a vulnerable twenty-something thrust into battle.

See the Young Washington cast side-by-side with the historical figures they portray (exclusive)

Rising star William Franklyn-Miller portrays the first U.S. president as a vulnerable twenty-something thrust into battle.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer, and many other publications.

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June 17, 2026 10:00 a.m. ET

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William Franklyn-Miller is George Washington in 'Young Washington'. Credit:

- *Young Washington* is a new historical drama about George Washington as a young man fighting in the French and Indian War.

- Rising actor William Franklyn-Miller leads a cast of legends that includes Sir Ben Kingsley, Kelsey Grammer, and Mary-Louise Parker.

- Jim Erwin's film hits theaters on July 3.

Just in time for America's 250th anniversary comes *Young Washington*, a rip-roaring historical war drama about George Washington's early years fighting in the French and Indian War. *Young Sheldon*, this is not.

Jim Erwin's movie, which rides into theaters on July 3, is a portrait of the Founding Father as a young man, with William Franklyn-Miller portraying Washington as a flawed, insecure soldier in his early 20s, long before he helped lead the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolution.**

"A single misstep thrusts young George Washington into the center of a global conflict, testing his honor, loyalty, and courage," reads the official synopsis. "As alliances crumble and the frontier erupts into war, he must confront not only his enemies but the man he's becoming."

History buffs will be happy to hear that *Young Washington* highlights several key figures of the era, from Robert Dinwiddie (Sir Ben Kingsley), the lieutenant governor of Virginia, to General Edward Braddock (Andy Serkis), with whom Washington fought alongside in the French and Indian War.

Below, see the many historical figures featured in *Young Washington *side-by-side with the actors portraying them.

William Franklyn-Miller as George Washington

William Franklyn-Miller is George Washington in ‘Young Washington’; Painting of General George Washington.

Angel Studios; John Parrot/Stocktrek Images via Getty

William Franklyn-Miller is an English actor and model with recent credits that include the series *Medici* and the Chinese blockbuster *Dongji Rescue* (2025).

Next up are a pair of high-profile series adaptations: Netflix's* The Age of Innocence* and Apple TV's *Neuromancer*.

Franklyn-Miller leads the cast as George Washington. In press notes, the actor characterizes *Young Washington* as a coming-of-age film. "It shows George's ambition at such an early stage as well as his vulnerability," he said. "We know George Washington as the historical figure and a face on the $1 bill, but what we haven't seen is his vulnerability."

"William was exactly what we were looking for," Erwin said of the young actor. "Certainly you're looking for the physical attributes: George was tall, and he had blue eyes. William has all that, and he has gravitas. I wanted someone who, when they walk into the room, inspires leadership. William exudes that quality."

Andy Serkis as Edward Braddock

Andy Serkis is General Edward Braddock in 'Young Washington'; portrait of General Edward Braddock.

Angel Studios; Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty

Andy Serkis rose to fame as a motion-capture artist, embodying the voices, movements, and facial tics of animated characters like Gollum in *The* *Lord of the Rings*, Caesar in the *Planet of the Apes* reboot series, and Snoke in the *Star Wars* sequel trilogy.

But the actor can also command the screen without any digital trickery, as he proved playing Alfred Pennyworth in *The Batman* (2022) and Kino Loy on the *Star Wars* series *Andor*.

In *Young Washington*, Serkis plays General Edward Braddock, the brash British officer who serves as a mentor of sorts to the young soldier.

"I loved the character when I read it on the page," Serkis said. "I just thought he's the epitome of a kind of British colonial hubris, thinking they're just going to smash it wherever they go and not find anything a problem."

Serkis also enjoyed playing Braddock's oratorial skills, calling the character "a master storyteller of battle stories."**

Sir Ben Kingsley as Robert Dinwiddie

Ben Kingsley is Robert Dinwiddie in 'Young Washington'; Robert Dinwiddie, Governor of Virginia.

Angel Studios; Smith Collection/Gado/Getty

Sir Ben Kingsley won an Oscar for his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in Richard Attenborough's *Gandhi* (1982), and went on to be nominated for four more.

His extensive résumé includes work with acclaimed filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg (*Schindler's List*), Jonathan Glazer (*Sexy Beast*), Martin Scorsese (*Shutter Island*), and Wes Anderson (*The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar*), among many others.

Kingsley costars as Robert Dinwiddie, the lieutenant governor of Virginia, who is credited with starting Washington's military career.

"My role is not huge, but it's pivotal. I'm fascinated by history and know my history a bit," said Kingsley. "I could drop this script into an historical context. This screenplay, this lovely slice of history, takes place not long after Shakespeare died. In George Washington's time, certainly in his writings, language was beautifully expressed."**

Mia Rodgers as Sally Cary

Mia Rodgers is Sally Cary in 'Young Washington'; George Washington dancing the minuet with Sally Fairfax at the Carlyle House, 1755.

Angel Studios; PhotoQuest/Getty

After appearing on a handful of British series, Mia Rodgers landed the leading role as Taylor in season 3 of HBO's *The Sex Lives of College Girls.*

In *Young Washington, *Rodgers plays Sarah "Sally" Cary, who developed a deep friendship with Washington that never sparked into romance.

"Their storyline in *Young Washington *has been accumulated from all the letters they wrote to each other throughout the years," she said. "They wrote to each other up until their 70s."

She added, "Sally is going through her own inner turmoil. She's in love with George but feels she has to follow the path set out for her and her duty to her family. Reading her letters, there's an obvious fight within herself. Every other letter is basically discussing their love for each other, but they use metaphors to describe their relationship."

Kelsey Grammer as Thomas Fairfax

Kelsey Grammer is Thomas Fairfax in ‘Young Washington’; Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1899).

Angel Studios; The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty

Kelsey Grammer will forever be associated with Frasier Crane, the psychiatrist who debuted on *Cheers* before leading his own acclaimed spinoff, *Frasier*, as well as its 2023 revival series. The role earned him four Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globes.

He's also renowned for his voice work in *Anastasia* (1997) and *Toy Story 2* (1999), as well as his Emmy-winning performance as Sideshow Bob on *The Simpsons*.

Grammer's Lord Thomas Fairfax is a member of the Virginia gentry who sends Washington into the wilderness to survey the Ohio territories claimed by the French. "Much of that territory is unexplored," Lord Fairfax says in the film's trailer. "It's wild, unpredictable, and dangerous."

But Washington and Fairfax's relationship also has a personal dimension. "George Washington and I have a couple of nice scenes, including one where I proclaim to George that the girl he loves is getting together with my son. It's a masterpiece of passive aggression," he said. "But it motivates George to go into the wilderness and explore the French claim to the Ohio territories."

Joel Smallbone as William Fairfax

Joel Smallbone is William Fairfax in ‘Young Washington’; Sir William George Fairfax British Naval Commander During the Napoleonic Wars.

Angel Studios; Historia/Shutterstock

Joel Smallbone is best known as a member of the musical duo For King & Country, but the Australian artist has also appeared in faith-based projects like *Priceless* (2016) and *Journey to Bethlehem* (2023). Smallbone also co-directed and co-wrote the autobiographical film *Unsung Hero* (2024), in which he also starred.

Here, he plays Lord Fairfax's son, William, a friend to Washington who also longs for Sally. This romantic tension, Smallbone said, broadens the scope of *Young Washington*.

"I grew up on epic movies like *Braveheart *and *Gladiator *and *The Patriot*. I'm an unabashed fan of *Pride and Prejudice *and *Sense and Sensibility*. I love that there's a pseudo marriage between all those dramas in *Young Washington,*" he said. "One minute you've got a dance happening in a ballroom, the next a French diplomat is being scalped in the wilderness. Some characters are dealing with death and war; others are dealing with class and pomp." **

Mary-Louise Parker as Mary Ball Washington

Mary-Louise Parker is Mary Ball Washington in ‘Young Washington’; Mary Ball Washington, mother of George Washington.

Angel Studios; Interim Archives/Getty

Mary-Louise Parker's work on Broadway and on series such as *Angels in America* and *Weeds* earned the actress multiple Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe awards. She also starred in several beloved '90s films, including *Fried Green Tomatoes* (1991), *The Client* (1994), and *Boys on the Side* (1995), among many others.

Most recently, she starred on the 2025 adaptation of Stephen King's *The Institute* and appeared on CBS's *Elsbeth*.

As Mary Washington, Parker plays George Washington's mother. The actress described Mary's relationship with Washington as "contentious," but frames her as a positive influence.**

"I think she gave George a certain bearing and confidence. Regardless of how contentious they were with each other, she believed in his ability," she said. "He didn't have a father figure at home. He had his elder half-brother, but for the most part, it was his mother, so she had an enormous effect on him."

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