Ex-Coronation Street star Luca Toolan has spoken openly about auditioning for a major new role.
Luca Toolan has opened up about auditioning for what he called the “biggest role of my life” following his exit from Coronation Street, though the opportunity sadly didn’t come to fruition.
The talented actor first gained attention when he joined the ITV soap in 2023, portraying school bully Mason Radcliffe. After tormenting Maria Connor’s (Samia Longchambon) son, Liam Connor (Charlie Wrenshall), Mason was eventually sent to a Young Offenders institution.
When he later returned to Weatherfield, Mason was determined to turn his life around and break free from his violent family, including his brothers Logan (Harry Lowbridge) and Matty (Seamus McGoff).
Tragically, Mason’s journey came to a devastating end in January 2025 when his brothers caught up with him and fatally stabbed him with a zombie knife.
Since leaving the cobbles, Luca has kept himself busy. In addition to plans to direct his own film, the actor recently attended an audition for what he described as the “biggest role of my life,” according to reports from the Mirror.
Luca shared his audition journey on TikTok, posting a video that followed him as he prepared for and travelled to the casting. The clip was captioned, “POV: Recall Audition for Paul McCartney (Beatles TV show),” alongside footage of his day.
He added, “I’ve arrived, wish me luck…” In a follow-up video, Luca gave fans a detailed rundown of how the audition went—though sadly, the outcome wasn’t what he had hoped for.
He admitted openly: “I walked into the casting office and was chatting with the casting assistant just before meeting the casting director. Then she said something that completely threw me—‘You’re the only Paul we’re seeing today.’ My head just went.”
He went on to explain: “At that point, I realised I was the first Paul and that the shortlist was probably down to five or six people at most. Suddenly, I knew I had a real shot at the biggest role of my career. Instead of staying focused on the process, my mindset shifted entirely to the outcome.”
@lucatoolan Yesterdays audition post match analysis… #fyp #thebeatles #actor ♬ original sound – Lucaku
He went on to explain: “In that moment, all my focus shifted to impressing the casting director—doing a strong read and making sure they liked me. And that applies to so many things in life. As soon as you stop concentrating on the process, that’s when things start to fall apart and your nervous system switches into survival mode.”
He continued: “When I walked into the room, spoke with the casting director, discussed the project, and did the read, it just fell flat. It was nowhere near as good as my self-tape—and I completely fell apart. I just crumbled.”
He concluded by sharing an important lesson he’s taken from the experience, explaining that to achieve what you want, it helps to maintain a childlike sense of detachment. He said it’s important not to take everything so seriously, to imagine life without certain outcomes, and to stop tying your self-worth to achievements.
Luca’s candid honesty struck a chord with his followers, prompting an outpouring of support. One fan wrote, “You’ve got such wisdom for someone so young. I wish I’d understood this at your age—what’s meant for you will never pass you by.” Another added, “The path isn’t easy, but keep pushing forward. You’re incredibly talented, and Coronation Street has lost a brilliant actor. Best of luck with whatever comes next.”
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