Dead Boy Detectives is officially on Netflix, and it stars George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri as the titular duo.
The show is based on the DC and Vertigo comics by Neil Gaiman, who co-created the characters in The Sandman III with Matt Wagner and Malcolm Jones III.
The detectives themselves are the undead young boys Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine, the latter of whom Rexstrew plays.
Interestingly, though the original comics Charles and Edwin were children who have not aged, Rexstrew stands at 5' 11", taller than would typically be associated with children.
Still, this is his first major on-screen credit, aside from a single 15-minute short, and a big accomplishment for the breakout star.
5 Key Facts About George Rexstrew
George Rexstrew plays Edwin Paine in Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives, and fans may be wondering exactly who this new star is.
George Rexstrew Attended LAMDA
Rexstrew is an alum of the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art, where he got an MFA in acting.
During his time in school, he played many roles in various shows and short films. He played Jack in the short film Still Here, Sebastian in a production of Twelfth Night, Andrei in Three Sisters, and three roles (Sigmund Freud, St Thomas, Soldier) in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and roles in various other projects.
He is skilled in stage combat, including with props like sabers and swords. In fact, he was the runner-up at 2019's LAMDA Fight Night, a stage-combat-themed event at the school.
George is Fluent in Four Languages
Rexstrew is able to fluently speak in English, Italian, Spanish, and French. He also can speak conversationally in Catalan.
Not only is this a useful skill for an actor, but it's also an impressive one for anyone, regardless of profession.
He also can speak in several dialects, including RP — standard British pronunciation — General American, Belfast, and General Northern.
This allows him to play a wide range of roles, like those listed previously.
George's Edinburgh Fringe Play Earned Rave Reviews
Rexstrew played Jonny in a play called Screen 9, which ran during the 2021 Edinburgh Film Festival.
Screen 9 is based on the true story of the gun violence that took place at a movie theater showing The Dark Knight Rises in 2012.
His performance got fantastic reviews, including praise for the "vivid life" he brought to the character. He and his cast mates were all complimented on the sensitivity in their portrayals, too.
The show was so well received, in fact, that the production ran at London's Pleasance Theatre. Again, Rexstrew received praise for his "realism and passion" in the role, in "an honest portrayal of survival:"
"George Rexstrew as Jonny gives an honest portrayal of survival, also tackling Jonny’s perspective with such realism and passion."
George's Dead Boy Detectives Journey Started During COVID
In a recent interview with Collider, Rexstrew revealed that a self-tape from 2020, during the pandemic, ultimately led to him landing the role of Edwin Paine.
He explained that during COVID-19, studios ran "initiatives to help with the graduates of that year," since the normal gamut of showcases and performances were unable to be held.
He sent a self-tape to a mentorship program run by Warner Bros., hoping to take advantage of this "actors-in-training" program opportunity:
"I graduated from drama school in 2020, which was the COVID year, so our showcases and public performances were quite affected, as were all drama school finalists of that year, around the world. A lot of casting directors in the studio set up initiatives to help with the graduates of that year, and Warner Bros. set up an actors-in-training scheme where you could apply for mentorship."
He did not hear anything until 2021, when Warner Bros. emailed Rexstrew, asking him to audition for the Dead Boy Detectives pilot.
Rexstrew said that his first chemistry read for the role happened on Zoom "a few days later," and 10 days after that, he "somehow secured the role:"
"I applied and sent off a self-tape in May 2020, but I didn’t really hear back. And then, in October 2021, I had a message to my personal email from Warner Bros. casting saying, 'Hi, we have you in our archives and we’d love you to audition for this pilot, 'Dead Boy Detectives.'' And I thought, “Great!” I filmed the self-tape the day after, and then a few days later, we had our chemistry read on Zoom. Ten days after I got that email, I somehow secured the role."
George Wants to Crossover with The Sandman's Mason Alexander Park
Like in both series' source comics, Dead Boy Detectives and The Sandman shows take place within the same universe.
As ScreenRant pointed out in a recent interview, the character of Death from The Sandman appears in the trailer for Dead Boy Detectives, further solidifying that connection.
Still, though, if further crossovers were to happen, Rexstrew would love to see Edwin Paine interact with Mason Alexander Park's Desire, from The Sandman series.
He told ScreenRant that Park "does such a good job" portraying Desire, and that "Edwin would be so uncomfortable" if they ever were to meet:
"I would love to interact with Desire. I think Mason [Alexander Park] does such a good job with that character, and I think Edwin would be so uncomfortable."
How to Follow George Rexstrew Online
For those looking to keep up with George Rexstrew through social media, fans can follow his Instagram page (@georgerexstrew).
Read More about Dead Boy Detectives on The Direct:
Are the Dead Boy Detectives Gay In the Comics & Netflix Series?
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
