Young actor has stars in his eyes

The precocious actor has already performed on stage in front of hundreds of people as well as featuring in a Radio 4 production and has the desire to go right to the top.

"He has always wanted to do be an actor," mum Hilary told the Times.

"From an early age all he wanted to do was act and he really enjoys it.

"He is not someone who wants to act to be famous, he just loves performing."

Michael - who is currently an A-Level student at Garron Tower - began to show an interest in acting from a very early age and started attending drama classes from the age of seven.

A shy youngster with a slight speech impediment, Michael initially found it difficult and nerve-racking to stand up and speak in front of others but in a short time his confidence levels rocketed.

Michael is now an integral member of the Ballycastle Speech and Drama Club and has taken part in drama festivals in Coleraine, Portstewart, Carrickfergus and Ballymena.

However the biggest feather in his cap to date is appearances at the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine where he performed in pantomimes before audiences of several hundred people.

And recently he took part in a production which was broadcast throughout the UK by Radio 4 called Zero Degrees of Separation.

Ambitious Michael hopes to follow in the footsteps of his heroes Jimmy Nesbitt and Conleth Hill.

He regularly receives words of encouragement from Jimmy's father, who is involved in Coleraine Drama Festival Committee, and Michael met Conleth - a former pupil of Garron Tower - when the award-winning actor visited the school.

A lover of stage productions and TV dramas, Michael is also a massive fan of Little Britain duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas.

The quietly spoken lad has used his talents to help others, assisting younger wannabe actors in workshops as well as those with special needs.

While admitting to being somewhat of a film buff, Michael aspires for parts in films, television shows and plays.