Jack O’Connell has said that his role in the 2016 thriller Money Monster risked making him appear to be a “one-trick pony”, after several prominent performances as troubled or violent young men. The film mattered in his career because it reinforced a screen image he was keen to move beyond, despite working alongside high-profile stars and director Jodie Foster.

In Money Monster, O’Connell played Kyle Budwell, an investor who takes a television finance presenter hostage after losing his savings on a failed stock tip. The actor had previously gained attention in projects including This Is England, Starred Up and ’71, often portraying intense, confrontational characters; he later sought more varied roles to avoid being typecast.