Barnard attended Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari, a Welsh-medium secondary school located in Rhondda Cynon Taf. At the age of 11, he appeared in the HTV Wales series Jacob’s Ladder. He later trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where he studied alongside notable actors such as Tom Cullen and Kimberley Nixon. He graduated in 2008. His first language is Welsh.

Stage Career and Acclaim

Barnard gained initial recognition for his performance as Melchior in the London production of the Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening. The show premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith before transferring to the West End. His performance earned him the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2010, marking a significant milestone in his stage career.

He has also performed in theatre productions such as Singin’ in the Rain—where he played Don Lockwood for Bridgend County Youth Theatre—and Il Miracolo for Elan Wales.

Film and Television Roles

In television, Barnard has taken on various roles, including appearances in series such as Doctors, Shameless, Y Pris, and Casualty. He also returned to Jacob’s Ladder in a more mature role. His performance in the short film Owl Creek Bridge contributed to its BAFTA Cymru win. He was also featured in the TV films Night on the Tiles and The Big Day.

Barnard’s noteworthy film roles include playing Davey in Hunky Dory, Claude in The Truth About Emanuel, and Bobby Willis Jr., the Liverpool music manager, in the ITV biopic Cilla alongside Sheridan Smith. He portrayed King Richard III in the BBC One series The White Queen, not King Richard II as previously reported.