Lecturer and actor Derek Miller, who teaches at MetFilm School Leeds, appears alongside Glen Powell in Edgar Wright’s new sci-fi thriller The Running Man, sharing his Hollywood experience and love of improvisation with the next generation of screen talent.
A Leeds lecturer is celebrating his latest big screen appearance with a role in Edgar Wright’s new sci-fi thriller The Running Man, which opens in UK cinemas this week.
Derek Miller, who teaches acting and screen performance on the BA Acting for Screen at MetFilm School Leeds, features in the long-awaited adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian novel. The film stars Glen Powell playing a contestant forced to survive a deadly TV game show in a world obsessed with entertainment.
“I’m from Chicago originally,” he said. “I spent about twenty years in Los Angeles working as a professional actor before moving over here. Now, I live just outside Leeds. Teaching at MetFilm School lets me stay connected to the industry while sharing what I’ve learned with students.”
Derek’s route into The Running Man came through a casting director, who recommended him. “It was a rare thing to have an in-person audition,” he said. “So much is done by self-tape now. I was sitting in Soho across from the studio when I saw Edgar Wright walking up the street. I’ve run into him a few times around Soho before, but to see him that morning felt serendipitous. I thought, ‘This is meant to be.’”
On the day, Wright encouraged improvisation, something that suited Derek’s background perfectly. “I come from the improv world,” he explained. “I trained and performed at Second City in Chicago and Los Angeles, and I’ve always used improvisation as the backbone of what I do.”
Derek described the experience on set as “a dream come true”. “Everything about it was impressive,” he said. “The design, the costumes, the world they built. There were so many moving parts in the scene I was in, even a car sequence I wasn’t expecting to operate. It was just pure joy from start to finish.”
“I’m not going to say what role I play in the production just because I’ll let people watch and find me. Not sure what I’m allowed to say either.”
He really enjoyed working with Glen Powell, and described him as ‘humble, funny and down-to-earth’. “Glen is on the verge of becoming one of the biggest action stars in the world, but he’s still the nicest guy,” Derek said. “We talked about our families, about comedy. He even sent a lovely video message to my wife. He’s someone you genuinely root for.”
Derek has worked across lots of big productions, including Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Wrath of Man, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and Netflix’s, Wednesday, directed by Tim Burton. He also led the Comedy Central series Secret Girlfriend and has appeared in Scrubs, Superstore and The Goldbergs.
He thinks his background in improvisation and directing shapes his teaching at MetFilm School Leeds. “I’ve worked on both sides of the camera – as an actor and in casting and I help students understand what’s actually happening in the room,” he said. “I want them to leave here feeling ready to hit the ground running.
“That’s the unique thing about MetFilm School, the lecturers are all still working – we know what’s being shot, who’s casting, and… how to connect students with opportunities.”
That industry connection extends beyond the classroom. Derek recently directed a short film in Leeds, bringing together students, alumni and staff as cast and crew. “It’s great that we can all look out for each other,” he said. “Here in the North there’s a real sense of community.”
He thinks working on The Running Man has given him fresh insight to share with his students. “I tell them to be bold, and to take risks. Improv teaches you to trust yourself and keep pushing a scene forward. It’s always easier to pull an actor back than to push them to give more.”
His advice for aspiring actors is simple: perseverance. “It took me ten years before I landed my first series lead,” he said. “There were plenty of times I thought about giving up. But you keep working, even on commercials or short films. It all builds experience and confidence.”
“I’m grateful for every chance to get on set,” he said. “Working with Edgar and Glen reminded me why I love this job. It’s the collaboration, the energy, the creativity.”
Although he missed the film’s premiere while attending a wedding in Chicago, Derek will be watching The Running Man on opening night with the rest of the audience. “I can’t wait to see it,” he said. “It’s a true Edgar Wright film – the music, the energy, the style… I think it’s going to be his biggest yet.”
Derek’s achievement reflects MetFilm School’s growing reputation as a hub for professional film education in the North of England, proof that the line between classroom and industry is closer than ever.
