RISING star Dominic Baker is set to take a bite at the Big Apple after being selected for a prestigious acting college.

The Wootton Bassett School student found out last week he was successful in his recent audition for a place at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA), in New York.

Dominic, 17, beat hundreds of hopefuls to win a $6,000 (£3,700) scholarship to the famous academy, which has seen the likes of Robert Redford, Kim Cattrall and Kirk Douglas grace its halls, and is due to start in September.

Dominic, of Sparcells, who has not yet been to the iconic city, said: “It’s very exciting – it’s on Madison Avenue, just around the corner from Madison Square Gardens and the Empire State Building. I applied to have an audition in the Prince of Wales Theatre, in London, and performed two monologues.

“One was from Shakespeare’s Two Gentleman of Verona and the other from an award-winning play called Talk about the Passion by Graham Farrow.

“When I got the acceptance letter I was just amazed. This was the one school I really wanted to go to. Their alumni are brilliant.”

Dominic has been studying A-levels in drama, physics and mathematics, but is eager to pursue a career in acting, hoping to follow in the footsteps of his screen hero, Oscar-winner Colin Firth.

He said: “The Brits are at the top of their game at the moment and that inspires me. I have been doing this since I was 11 and I’ve done a lot of stuff in the local theatre.”

Aside from his starring role as Danny in the school performance of Grease last year, Dominic has had various parts in plays and musicals over the last few years appearing with stage stars Jonathan Wilkes, Danny Boys and Keith Jack.

He has also appeared as an extra in the BBC’s Waterloo Road and in a Waking The Dead episode, to be screened soon.

As a student of the Wilkes Academy, Dominic has had the opportunity to train with the professionals and he was coached for his recent audition by Stuart Harvey. Dominic said: “I’ve really been inspired and helped by Nikki and Jonathan Wilkes and all at the Wilkes Academy, and now I have this amazing opportunity to study acting in New York. I have always wanted to live in America and this is my chance.”

The eldest-of-three brothers, Dominic said he has been inspired at school by teachers Jon Gibson and Zoe Markham, who believe he is a star in the making.

Jon Gibson said: “We are absolutely delighted at this news – Dominic is passionate about acting; he is enthusiastic and hard-working. He is determined to succeed and I am sure he will.”

Mum Debra, 42, said: “It’s just fantastic – he has worked so hard and it is a huge opportunity and honour for him to make it into AADA.”

The family now has to find another $45,000 – around £28,000 – a year towards the BA (Hons) degree.

With help from the Wilkes Academy he will be holding a variety of fundraising events in the coming months and working full-time to save enough money to pay for his dream to come true.