I've been a massive fan of Josh O'Connor for years, and although Challengers might be his most significant role yet, cast of Peaky Blinders, but it was his performance in 2017's God's Own Country that showed just how incredible an actor he really was. Movies like Emma and La chimera have just solidified what I have known for a while — that he is one of the most talented (and probably underrated) actors working today.

Of course, his performance in Challengers is fantastic alongside Zendaya and Mike Faist in Challengers' complicated and messy love triangle. While Challengers could be a good shout-out for O'Connor's best film to date, I like Bonus Track just a bit more, and I think that his role in it might be one of the best in his career, even if it is lesser known than some of his other works. Even if there might be some pushback on what his best film is, it's easy to see that Josh O'Connor is one of the best actors working today.

Why Bonus Track Is Such A Great Movie

A Queer Film Full Of Love And Joy

Romantic comedies have always been one of the most popular film genres out there, and while there have been countless classics over the course of film history, there aren't nearly enough that revolve around queer couples, exploring the LGBTq+ community and their own stories of love in the process. When these movies do appear, they aren't necessarily romantic comedies, and a lot of them tend to end in a tragic way. Fortunately, Bonus Track leans into the joy of finding love in the queer community while embracing happiness.

Set in 2006, Bonus Track tells the story of 16-year-old George Bobbin, played by Joe Anders, and his dream of becoming a pop star while living in his small English town. He ends up meeting Samuel Small's Max, who is the son of a famous musical duo. After striking up a friendship, the two of them start to become something more, and Bonus Track explores their blossoming romance against the backdrop of a great musical soundtrack. It's delightful from start to finish and a warm, heartfelt entry into the romantic comedy genre.

Bonus Track Is One Of Josh O'Connor's Best Roles

He Plays Jonno

Picking just one role as the best for Josh O'Connor feels like an impossible task given how great he has been throughout his entire career. Some of my favorite roles of his include Challengers, La chimera, God's Own Country, and Hope Gap. His immense talent is on full display in these arts, though I don't believe he has ever actually had a bad performance, especially if you really examine his entire career from the beginning.

Bonus Track was also based on an original story by Josh O'Connor, while the screenplay was written by Mike Gilbert.

Still, I can confidently say that Bonus Track ranks among the best roles in O'Connor's career, even if it might not actually be the biggest role in the film. He plays Jonno in Bonus Track, an offbeat street artist who comes across Joe Anders and Samuel Small's characters while he is creating art. It's a funny scene where he is incredibly worried about his identity being revealed, eventually giving them piercings. On top of it being a small but great performance, Bonus Track was also based on an original story by Josh O'Connor, while the screenplay was written by Mike Gilbert.

What Josh O'Connor's Bonus Track Co-Stars Have Said About Him & The Film

They Have Nothing But Praise For O'Connor's Talent And Commitment

Though he didn't have a massive role in Bonus, Josh O'Connor was an integral part of the entire thing, given that he created the story and handed over script duties to his childhood friend Mike Gilbert. There has been nothing but praise for O'Connor and Bonus Track from his co-stars. In an interview with The at the 2023 London Film Festival, Joe Anders talked about what jumped out in the script, including "the happiness of it," and how he felt about having O'Connor on set and working with him and the rest of the actors, stating:

He's an incredible actor and a lovely, lovely man. It was really a pleasure to have him around and get to know him.

Alongside Anders and all the incredible things he had to say about O'Connor, co-star Samuel Small and director Julia Jackman talked about Bonus Track with Pink News, sharing what it means to them, and how they felt when O'Connor was on set, showing obvious care for the film. Small opened up about what it felt like to finally meet O'Connor, stating:

Josh was like this mythical being throughout the whole shoot... I hadn't met him, none of the cast had, he wasn’t on the set because he was busy... When we finally got to meet him, and thank him for this film, and thank [him] for being in it with us, it was really sweet…. He was just so giddy, and it was a really genuine moment for all of us... He was fantastic, funny and off the cuff. Everything that came out his mouth was gold.

Jackman had already met O'Connor prior to the shooting of Bonus Track, of course, and she recalled her experience meeting him over a Zoom meeting right at the start of the process. She talked about how much of a hand he had throughout the whole thing, and how he really wanted to get everything right, stating:

From the very beginning, he was curious and excited about coming in and helping to make the story...Like, ‘What was important about being a queer teen for you?’ he would ask. He was very keen in fitting the pieces of the puzzle together.

What's Next For Josh O'Connor And His Bonus Track Co-Stars

Josh O'Connor Has A Lot To Look Forward To

Following his massive success with Challengers, Josh O'Connor isn't slowing down anytime soon, as he has several major projects lined up. His 2025 got off to a fantastic start with Rebuilding, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and he has two more major roles coming throughout the year. He will star alongside Paul Mescal (Normal People, Gladiator II) in the historical romantic drama The History of Sound, and he s the cast of Rian Johnson's third Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man. The Mastermind and an untitled Steven Spielberg movie are also on the horizon for O'Connor.

Of course, Bonus Track wouldn't be the same without its stars at the center, Joe Anders and Samuel Small. Small doesn't have any big projects lined up at the moment, but according to his IMDb page, he does look to have a few short films in the works — The Last Moment We Spoke, No Tros, and Screening Room. Given that Bonus Track is so great largely because of his chemistry with Anders, hopefully, he will have more opportunities soon.

Anders doesn't have a ton lined up either, but he is going to be part of the cast of the 2026 East of Eden television adaptation based on the seminal novel by John Steinbeck. The series will star Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, and Josh O'Connor's Challengers co-star, Mike Faist. It's great to see Anders find a place in the new series, as his performance in Bonus Track showed just how talented of an actor he can be.