Britain’s newest child star? Scottish schoolgirl Frankie Corio, 12, who leads Paul Mescal’s new film Aftersun had never acted before her teacher mother sent a photo to casting agents – and is winning rave reviews

• Frankie Corio, 12, from West Lothian, won role after mother sent photo to agent
• Primary school teacher and amateur singer Leona had seen advert for the role 
• Leona and her husband Frank, and children, travelled to Turkey to film the movie
• Franke developed a close friendship with co-star Paul Mescal during filming 
• Aftersun has been making waves playing on the festival circuit around the globe
• Film is now winning rave reviews from critics ahead of its release today 

Britain could have a new child star on the rise as 12-year-old Frankie Corio has been winning rave reviews around the world for her performance opposite Paul Mescal in the new film Aftersun.

Aftersun, which is due for release today, stars newcomer Frankie as 11-year-old Sophie who´s traveling with her father, Calum (Mescal), on a summer vacation in Turkey.

The movie, which was created by 35-year-old Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells, has been making waves playing on the festival circuit around the globe, including the New York Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.

And schoolgirl Sophie, who won the part when her amateur performer mother Leona sent her photo to casting agent, is winning praise from critics for her role. 

Britain could have a new child star on the rise as 12-year-old Frankie Corio has been winning rave reviews around the world for her performance opposite Paul Mescal in the new film Aftersun

The Scottish schoolgirl stars as 11-year-old Sophie who´s traveling with her father, Calum (Mescal), on a summer vacation in Turkey

Leona, who works as a primary school teacher and is also a singer, spotted an advert on a Facebook group for teachers which was looking for a tomboyish girl aged between 10 and 12. 

Speaking to BBC , Frankie said she ‘hadn’t been trying to get into acting’ when her mother told her she had an audition for the role. 

Meanwhile Leona said she was in ‘disbelief’ when she learned her daughter had won the part.

She said: ‘Everyone said how natural her acting is. In her real life she is very expressive so to see her playing it really calm and not going over the top it was like ‘wow, she is really acting’.’

Leona, who works as a primary school teacher and is also a singer who performs in pubs and clubs, spotted an advert on a Facebook group for teachers seeking tomboyish girl aged between 10 and 12

The 12-year-old was introduced to Paul before filming began, and the two spent two weeks getting to know one another.

Speaking to NYUNews, she said: ‘We sometimes went out and got ice cream, waffles and pancakes. I remember we also went into the sea one day, when it was super high and the waves were just crazy.’

She added: ‘In those two weeks we really got to build a good bond. Paul is super easy to get along with, so it wasn’t that hard.’

Meanwhile Leona, along with Frankie’s father Frank and their children Mariella, 13, and Lorenzo, six, stayed with her while filming took place for two months in Turkey.

The 12-year-old was introduced to Paul before filming began, and the two spent two weeks getting to know one another (pictured, Charlotte Wells, Laura Weir, Frankie and Paul Mescal)

Seeking inspiration for her role, Frankie said she looked to fellow child star Millie Bobby-Brown.

She said: ‘I absolutely love Millie Bobby Brown. I watch her stuff a lot, especially when she does crying scenes. I always take tips from them.’

And Paul praised his co-stars performance, telling ID: ‘Frankie is just a machine. She’s colourful, smart, fast — like she works fast.

‘She takes and gives a lot of energy. There’s something really fair about Frankie, if you don’t match her level, she’ll just pummel you. So, you match it. I just adore her.’

Frankie’s mother Leona, an amateur performer, said she was baffled when her daughter won the role 

Leona and Frankie’s father Frank travelled to Turkey for the duration of filming for the movie (pictured together) 

The film follows Sophie and Paul’s relationship from the perspective of an older Sophie whom the audience only vaguely sees.

It shows a young dad and his 11-year-old daughter during a week-long holiday in a Turkish seaside resort in the nineties. 

Mescal’s character is depicted as struggling with depression, while trying to hide it from Sophie, who is entering her quickly approaching teenage years.

Since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, ‘Aftersun’ has accumulated a rare kind of buzz. 

The film follows Sophie and Paul’s relationship from the perspective of an older Sophie whom the audience only vaguely sees

Critics have praised the uncommonly mature debut for the filmmaker’s masterful control and deep wells of empathy, as well as the performance by Mescal and Corio (pictured) 

Critics have praised the uncommonly mature debut for the filmmaker’s masterful control and deep wells of empathy, as well as the performance by Mescal and Corio. 

The Independent gave the film five stars, writing: ‘Corio movingly captures mute desperation. She shrinks down. She smiles small.

‘It’s the hesitancy of a child who wants to show her dad that she loves him, but doesn’t quite know how.’

And The Telegraph’s review was equally, gushing, saying the teenager ‘has a magically inquisitive quality, and is so believable it hurts.’

Meanwhile the Irish independent praised the 12-year-old as ‘remarkable’  and ‘a gifted performer, with a bright future.’

The film is now leading British Independent Film Awards nominations with 16 nods, including one for best joint lead performance category.

The teenager has won praise from critics and is even now up for a British Independent Film Awards with Mescal in the best joint lead performance category 

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