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At just fifteen, Blake Cameron James is making waves in the #younghollywood scene with his portrayal of Will Hanlon in the HBO limited series It: Welcome to Derry.
In this series, the Alabama-born actor plays a beloved student with a passion for science, whose family is deeply entwined with the lore of Stephen King’s It. You might recognize Blake from his previous work.
Though his resume isn’t extensive yet, Blake has been steadily building his career with notable roles in the indie film We Grown Now and TV appearances in Found and The Sound of Christmas.
Blake recently snagged his second nomination for an NAACP Image Award for his role in It: Welcome to Derry, in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series). Back in 2025, he earned his first NAACP Image Award nomination for his performance in We Grown Now, also for Outstanding Performance by a Youth in a Motion Picture.
Additionally, that same year, Blake was recognized by the Black Reel Awards with a nomination for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance for his work in We Grown Now.
If you aren’t familiar with Blake’s latest project, It: Welcome to Derry, let us catch you up on the action. It: Welcome to Derry is based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel, “It,” and serves as a prequel to the films, It and It Chapter Two.
Per a brief synopsis on IMDb, It: Welcome to Derry takes place in 1962 and follows the journey of a couple with their son as they move to Derry, Maine just as a young boy disappears. With their arrival, very bad things begin to happen in the town.
Blake Cameron James is joined by fellow 2026 NAACP Image Award nominee, Amanda Christine on the set of the horror series. If you aren’t already, make sure to follow Blake’s journey on social media, we have a feeling that it is going to be one outstanding ride!