‘The Sheep Detectives’ stars Nicholas Braun, Kyle Balda on grief, memory and the power of family

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Monday, May 11, 2026

When Nicholas Braun first read the script for “The Sheep Detectives,” it wasn’t the murder mystery or even the talking sheep that stayed with him most, but the winter lamb, a pariah in his flock, ostracized simply because he was born in the winter.

“There was something about that winter lamb,” the 38-year-old “Succession” actor told The Christian Post. “Obviously, the rest of the script is amazing, and magical, and kind of like a fairy tale. But the big takeaway at the end is just how moving the winter lamb story is. There’s something really crushing about it.”

That emotional depth may come as a surprise in a film whose premise sounds absurd: a flock of sheep attempting to solve the murder of their beloved shepherd. But “The Sheep Detectives,” inspired by Leonie Swann’s novel Three Bags Full, is one of the more thoughtful family films of the year; one that uses whimsy and humor to explore grief, belonging and the value of remembering (read CP's review here).

Directed by Kyle Balda and rated PG, the film follows a flock of sheep left devastated after the death of George Hardy, their shepherd, played by Hugh Jackman. 

Refusing to accept the official explanation surrounding his death, the sheep, including the clever Lily, the mysterious Sebastian, the Winter Lamb and flock leader Mopple, begin their own investigation, aided, somewhat reluctantly, by Braun’s awkward village policeman, Tim Derry (Braun).

For Balda (“Minions: The Rise of Gru”), the project initially appealed because of its comedic potential. But as he continued reading the script, written by “The Last of Us” creator Craig Mazin, the 55-year-old director found himself moved by its treatment of loss and grief.

“What was very obvious at first was this idea of a group of sheep trying to solve a murder mystery,” he said. “These characters have no idea what they’re getting themselves into or how to deal with the problem at hand, but they just dive headfirst into it and sort of fail up. I love underdog stories.”

“The thing that was surprising for me was when it got into the area of grief and loss,” he said. “That resonated on a very personal level for me, especially because I was very young when I lost my mother.”

In the film, the sheep possess the unusual ability to forget unpleasant experiences almost instantly. It’s a defense mechanism that protects them from pain until George’s death forces them to confront grief for the first time: "A friend is never forgotten," Mopple reminds the sheep.

“I recognized that impulse to just kind of put those feelings away,” Balda said. “But it’s Sebastian and Mopple who are really championing the value of remembering.”

One moment in particular struck the director deeply: a scene in which the sheep reflect on holding onto memories of the people they love.

“Mopple talks about remembering his mother’s face and how even difficult memories make life more beautiful because we keep them with us,” Balda said. “By the time I got to that part of the script, I knew I really wanted to be involved.”

Braun said those themes resonated with him as well, particularly in a culture that often encourages people to move on quickly from hardship instead of tackling heartbreak head-on.

“Especially these days, I feel like we’re conditioned to move on quickly from hard things,” he said. “The movie reminds you that you can still hold space for people you’ve lost. You don’t have to fully lose them. You can keep them alive in your memory.”

At first, Derry is an awkward and underestimated village policeman (the town’s only one!), but slowly, he becomes intertwined with the sheep’s investigation. Suspects in George’s death include the innkeeper (Hong Chau), the priest (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), the butcher (Conleth Hill), a reporter (Nicholas Galitzine), another local shepherd (Tosin Cole), a woman who George has been corresponding with (Molly Gordon) and her lawyer (Emma Thompson). 

According to Braun, Tim’s loneliness despite being surrounded by villagers becomes central to the character’s arc.

“He’s kind of the human version of the sheep,” Braun said. “Nobody really believes in him. Sometimes I think of him as the winter lamb of the town.”

“He doesn’t have family, doesn’t have a wife or a girlfriend or a best friend,” he said. “So the relationship he has with the sheep is actually pretty meaningful. They’re the ones who give him confidence and make him feel useful and seen.”

The idea that people often simply need someone to believe in them became one of the actor’s biggest takeaways from the film.

“Sometimes somebody just needs to approve of someone and bring them into the community in order to give that person confidence,” Braun said.

The film also leans heavily into the sheep’s innocent perspective of the world and the wisdom that comes from viewing the world with the eyes of a child. One of Braun’s favorite scenes involves the sheep attempting to cross a road, an everyday task for humans that feels monumental to them.

“For them, crossing the road is this huge courageous thing,” he said. “And they’re only able to do it together, literally pushed up against each other as one. I got really emotional watching it because it takes the same amount of courage for them that huge things take for us sometimes.”

Balda added, “They can’t see symbolism in things yet,” he said. “Everything just means exactly what has been said.”

That perspective fuels some of the film’s funniest moments, including a church scene in which the sheep misunderstand communion and conclude that “poor God” is being eaten every Sunday.

But beneath the humor, Balda said the film is ultimately about growing up and learning how to face difficult realities rather than avoiding them.

“They’re sheltered,” he said of the sheep. “But they don’t turn around and go back to the pasture. They push through their fear because it’s important to do the right thing for someone they love.”

For Braun, the film’s central message comes down to family and connection.

“You can’t do anything without a family,” he said. “The sheep couldn’t solve it alone. Lily couldn’t solve it alone. I think the movie says, ‘Stay close to each other.’ That’s the right way to be.”

Balda echoed that sentiment, saying he hopes the film sparks meaningful conversations between parents and children after they leave the theater.

“The real value of storytelling beyond entertainment is that it’s equipment for living,” he said. “It helps people process things. It gives them tools.”

“The Sheep Detectives” is rated PG and is now playing in theaters.