Aidan, best known for his roles as Jacob Garrett in Black Sails and Brian Chase in Homeland, ran an acting masterclass for the students, offering advice on learning lines and how to perform well in auditions.

“I focused on some acting exercises to get the students to drop into their truth, get out of their head and listen more effectively, because a great scene comes from great listening,” said Aidan. “The students have been great. They have been proactive and got stuck in – they are keen to learn.”

Aidan took the students through a number of exercises to break the ice, then gave them tips on how to remember lines more effectively. He also offered advice on how to give a good audition and how to impress a director.

Senior Lecturer in Media Performance Dr Maria Wiener said: “Aidan’s workshop gave our students insightful information on building confidence and strength as a creative practitioner in the media industry. His approach was open, interactive and invaluable for our students. He shared with them top tips from his own experience as an actor, director and producer and motivated them to follow their own ambitions driven by their passion and integrity. It was an honest, heart to heart exchange, which encouraged the students to overcome their reservations and see the bigger picture.”

The students’ feedback from the workshop was overwhelmingly positive. Second year student Jack Martin said: “Aidan’s experience genuinely shone through with the way he connected with us. He gave us a unique insight into the acting industry, point-by-point specific tips on possible ways to get into the industry, and made the class upbeat, interactive, fun and ultimately a safe space in which to experiment with our ranges as actors.”

Third year student Beata Mazur said: “This workshop was the best one we have had so far. The script exercise was very helpful because Aidan knew how to lead us to create an actual bond and an interesting story without needing to stick to the script.”

First year student Samuel Olufa said: “It was a pleasure to have Aidan, someone who is in the industry, come in and tell us about his experience and his advice. The examples he showed of his work has shown that anyone in this day and age can make quality content if they have the motivation and the right people to help. The workshop has given me more confidence to go and create and audition.”