William Franklyn-Miller Says 'Dongji Rescue' Prepared Him for 'Young Washington' Lead
William Franklyn-Miller says filming Chinese epic ‘Dongji Rescue’ prepared him to play young George Washington on screen.
William Franklyn-Miller is stepping into his biggest role yet as young George Washington in the upcoming series Young Washington. The British actor, known from Medici and Apple TV’s Neuromancer, says his time on the Chinese WWII epic Dongji Rescue gave him the tools to take on the part.
“I wouldn’t have got it if it wasn’t for Dongji,” he told Variety, reflecting on how the project taught him to handle large productions and demanding roles. In that film, he played a British medic rescued during the 1942 Lisbon Maru incident, working alongside Zhu Yilong, Wu Lei and Ni Ni.
The shoot on remote Dongji Island was no easy ride. Franklyn-Miller faced intense heat, long hikes to set, underwater scenes and his first-ever stunts. Communication often came through translators or simple gestures. Looking back, he says the experience was transformative, and it is now shaping how he approaches his journey as Washington.