Cast of Nativity! 2009 – Full List and Where They Are Now

Few Christmas films have the same nostalgic pull as Nativity! (2009), the British comedy that turned a school nativity play into a heartfelt, chaotic triumph. Sixteen years later, the real story isn’t just about the film’s box office success — it’s about what happened to the children who performed in it.

Release Year: 2009 ·
Director: Debbie Isitt ·
Number of Films in Series: 3 (as of 2025) ·
Lead Actor: Martin Freeman

Six key facts, one pattern: the film’s modest budget and British indie roots meant most of the cast — especially the children — were paid industry-standard rates rather than Hollywood-scale fees.

Are the children in the nativity actors?

Yes — every child who appears in Nativity! was a professional child actor, not a random student pulled from a real school. Debbie Isitt held casting calls across the Midlands to find the young performers who would play the schoolchildren of St. Bernadette’s.

How the casting worked for the school play

• Open casting calls were advertised in the Coventry and Birmingham areas, according to Radio Times (UK entertainment magazine).
• Children were selected for their acting ability, singing, and screen presence — not for any prior fame.
• Several of the young actors had already appeared on shows like Britain’s Got Talent before landing their roles.

Among the children cast were Jake Pratt, who had reached the Britain’s Got Talent semi-finals in 2007, and Krista Hyatt, who had performed as part of the dance duo Cheeky Monkeys on the same show, as reported by Birmingham Mail (regional UK news outlet).

Names of the main child actors and their roles

• Jake Pratt as Alfie — one of the children competing for the role of Joseph
• Ben Wilby as Bob — the quiet, lovable pupil
• Sydney Isitt-Ager as Sadie — a confident and outspoken student
• Krista Hyatt as Becky — part of the ensemble
• Tom McGarrity as Zack — another key pupil
• Maeve Dolan as Sam — a supporting child role
• Cadi Mullane as Crystal — a student in the class
• Ellie Coldicutt as Beth — part of the school ensemble
• Bernard Mensah as TJ — a pupil at St. Bernadette’s

All roles were filled by real child actors, as confirmed by IMDb (film industry database).

Did any of the children from Nativity become famous?

None of the child actors reached the same level of mainstream fame as adult leads like Martin Freeman, but several have built steady, respectable careers in the entertainment industry.

Child actors who continued acting

• Ben Wilby (Bob) has appeared in TV shows including The Dumping Ground, according to Birmingham Mail (regional UK news outlet).
• Sydney Isitt-Ager (Sadie) now works in theatre, as reported by Radio Times (UK entertainment magazine).
• Tom McGarrity (Zack) continues to perform, having worked on cruise ships in Australia and South Africa, according to Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle magazine).
• Maeve Dolan (Sam) has been sharing singing videos on TikTok, per Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle magazine).

Those who pursued other careers

• Jake Pratt (Alfie) now works as a sound technician, living in Surrey and Scarborough, as reported by Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle magazine). He was 29 in 2025.
• Krista Hyatt (Becky) stepped away from the spotlight after the film.
• Ellie Coldicutt (Beth) and Bernard Mensah (TJ) have not publicly pursued acting careers.

What this means: the film served as a positive early experience for most of its young cast, but only a minority chose to remain in the entertainment industry long-term.

Where are the Nativity cast now?

Sixteen years after the film’s release, the cast has dispersed across vastly different industries and life stages. Here is a detailed 2025 update.

Martin Freeman and Marc Wootton today

• Martin Freeman remains one of the UK’s most recognisable actors, with major roles in Sherlock, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and The Responder, as documented by IMDb (film industry database).
• Marc Wootton continues acting and voice work, with credits in TV and film, per IMDb (film industry database).
• Jason Watkins (Gordon Shakespeare) has an active TV career, appearing in The Crown and McDonald & Dodds.
• Ashley Jensen (Jennifer Lore) remains a busy actress, known for Ugly Betty and Extras.
• Pam Ferris (Mrs. Bevan) continues to take roles in British television and film.

The child actors: updates from Radio Times and Cosmopolitan

• Jake Pratt (Alfie) — age 29 in 2025, works as a sound technician, lives in Surrey.
• Ben Wilby (Bob) — has appeared in The Dumping Ground and other TV projects.
• Sydney Isitt-Ager (Sadie) — now a theatre actress.
• Tom McGarrity (Zack) — still performing, married in 2024, celebrated his first anniversary in May 2025, per Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle magazine).
• Maeve Dolan (Sam) — age 24 in 2025, shares singing content on TikTok.
• Cadi Mullane (Crystal) — age 25 in 2025, part of the Royal Welsh Musical Theatre, per Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle magazine).

Who are all the people in a Nativity scene?

Beyond the schoolchildren, the adult cast of Nativity! features a mix of established British character actors and comedians.

Main cast of the film Nativity! (2009)

• Paul Maddens — played by Martin Freeman: the stressed but well-meaning primary school teacher
• Mr. Poppy — played by Marc Wootton: the eccentric, over-enthusiastic teaching assistant
• Gordon Shakespeare — played by Jason Watkins: the smug rival teacher from a neighbouring school
• Jennifer Lore — played by Ashley Jensen: an American teacher who becomes Paul’s love interest
• Mrs. Bevan — played by Pam Ferris: the formidable headteacher

Supporting characters and their actors

• Mr. Sheen — played by Alan Carr: the flamboyant local priest
• Lord Mayor — played by Ricky Tomlinson: the local dignitary
• Miss Rye — played by Lucy Clarke: a teacher at the school
• Various parents — played by ensemble actors

All cast details are confirmed by IMDb (film industry database).

The implication: the film’s adult cast is stacked with character actors who bring credibility and humour to the school-play premise, from Alan Carr’s comic priest to the always-reliable Pam Ferris.

How much did the kids make in Nativity?

No public records specify exactly how much each child actor was paid for Nativity!. However, industry norms for low-budget UK films provide a reliable estimate.

Standard child actor pay on a UK film

• Child actors on low-budget British films typically earn a daily rate of £100 to £300, or a flat fee for the entire production, based on BECTU (UK entertainment trade union) guidelines.
• Principal child actors — those with speaking lines and named roles — may earn slightly more than background performers.
• For a film shot over 6–8 weeks, a child with a substantial role might have earned a total fee in the range of £2,000 to £5,000.

Estimates based on industry norms

• BECTU’s minimum rates for child performers on low-budget features in 2009 were approximately £150 per day for a speaking role, according to BECTU (UK entertainment trade union).
• Some child actors may have received residuals from DVD sales and television broadcasts, though these would be small given the film’s modest budget.
• Streaming residuals, if any, would depend on individual contracts — a detail that has not been publicly disclosed.

The pattern: even the best estimates leave a gap in public knowledge, underscoring how little is known about compensation for child performers in low-budget British cinema.

For the child actors of Nativity!, the film was a formative chapter — not a launchpad to stardom, but a meaningful experience that shaped their careers in different ways. Some stayed in the spotlight, others moved behind the scenes, and a few left the industry entirely. The story of actors like Jake Pratt, who transitioned from child star to sound technician, underscores the film’s lasting impact on those who performed in it.

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