Rufus Sewell
Rufus Sewell | |
---|---|
Born | Rufus Frederik Sewell 29 October 1967 Hammersmith, London, England |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1991–present |
Spouses | Yasmin Abdallah
(m. 1999; div. 2000)Amy Gardner
(m. 2004; div. 2006) |
Children | 2 |
Rufus Frederik Sewell (/ˈsjuːəl/; born 29 October 1967) is an English actor. In film, he has appeared in Carrington (1995), Hamlet (1996), Dangerous Beauty (1998), Dark City (1998), A Knight's Tale (2001), The Legend of Zorro (2005), The Illusionist (2006), Amazing Grace (2006), The Holiday (2006), The Tourist (2010), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), Judy (2019), The Father (2020), and Old (2021).
On television, he has appeared in
On stage, he originated the role of Septimus Hodge in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia (1993) and the role of Jan in Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll (2006), with the latter earning him an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play as well as a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.
Early life
Sewell was born the son of Jo, a Welsh artist and classically trained pianist.[2][3] His Anglo-Australian father, William John Frederick Sewell (1924–1978), was born in Australia to English parents and worked as an animator on the “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" segment of animation for the Beatles' Yellow Submarine film.[4][5][6][7] His parents divorced when Sewell was five and his father died when he was 10.[8][9] Sewell's mother subsequently lived at The Pelican, Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, formerly home to the parents of Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas.[3][10] Sewell has said that he was a difficult teenager.[8]
Sewell was educated at Trafalgar Junior School, a state junior school in Twickenham which he left in 1978. Whilst at Trafalgar Junior School he was a member of the drama club and he played the lead in Rumpelstiltskin, which he acted on his knees.
Sewell went on to Orleans Park School,[11] a state comprehensive school in Twickenham, which he left in 1984, followed by West Thames College, where a drama teacher sent him to audition for drama school. He later enrolled at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London.[8][11]
Career
After graduating, Sewell was set up with an agent by Judi Dench, who had directed him in a play while at the Central School of Speech and Drama.[citation needed] His breakthrough year was in 1993, in which he starred as the unpleasant Tim in Michael Winner's film Dirty Weekend. Winner chose him after seeing him in a play at the Criterion Theatre.[12] Also in 1993 Sewell starred in the BBC serial of George Eliot's Middlemarch and on stage in Tom Stoppard's play Arcadia at The Royal National Theatre (Lyttelton).
His film work includes 1995's Cold Comfort Farm, directed by John Schlesinger, the lead role of John Murdoch in the science fiction film Dark City in 1998, Amazing Grace, The Illusionist and Nancy Meyers' romantic comedy The Holiday. Amazing Grace deals with William Wilberforce's political fight to abolish slavery in Britain, with Sewell playing Wilberforce's co-campaigner Thomas Clarkson.
Sewell is known for his villainous roles, such as those in
In 2008, Sewell appeared in the
He co-starred in the controversial film Downloading Nancy, which was released on 5 June 2009.[15] At the Sundance Film Festival in 2008, audiences walked out of the screening. Despite the controversy, Sewell continues to staunchly support the film. "It's a film I'm very proud of, whether you consider that it fails or succeeds, whether you like it or don't like it. I'm proud to be in it."[14]
Between 2006 and 2009, on BBC Radio, Sewell read Russell Thorndike's stories of Doctor Syn—the adventures of an 18th-century clergyman, adventurer, smuggler and pirate. Although best known for his work in costume dramas, Sewell prefers "
in 1999. The role also reunited him with his Charles II co-star Shirley Henderson.He appeared in the premiere and first run of Tom Stoppard's play
He has recorded eleven of Ian Fleming's James Bond books on 36 CDs for Collins. He continues to work in film, television and theatre, playing the lead role of Dr. Jacob Hood in the CBS TV series Eleventh Hour.[1] He finished filming in November 2009 for the miniseries The Pillars of the Earth, which was shown on TV in 2010.[16]
In 2010, he played the Italian detective
Sewell played the role of Ethics Man in
In February 2023, it was announced that Sewell had been cast as
Personal life
Sewell has been married twice. His first wife was his long-term girlfriend,[8] Australian fashion journalist Yasmin Abdallah; they were married in 1999 and divorced in 2000.[24] He married his second wife, scriptwriter and producer Amy Gardner, in 2004 [8] and divorced in 2006.[25] They have a son, William Douglas Sewell (born 2002). Sewell also has a daughter, Lola (born 2013), with Ami Komai.[26][27]
In December 2023, he became engaged to American actress Vivian Benitez.[28]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Twenty-One | Bobby | |
1993 | Dirty Weekend | Tim | |
1994 | A Man of No Importance | Robbie Fay | |
1995 | Carrington | Mark Gertler | |
Cold Comfort Farm | Seth Starkadder | ||
1996 | Hamlet | Fortinbras | |
Victory | Martin Ricardo | ||
1997 | The Woodlanders
|
Giles Winterbourne | |
1998 | Dangerous Beauty | Marco Venier | |
Dark City | John Murdoch | ||
The Very Thought of You | Frank | ||
Illuminata | Dominique | ||
At Sachem Farm | Ross | ||
1999 | In a Savage Land | Mick Carpenter | |
Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence | Frank | ||
2000 | Bless the Child | Eric Stark | |
2001 | A Knight's Tale
|
Count Adhemar | |
2002 | Extreme Ops | Ian | |
2003 | Victoria Station | The cabbie | short film |
2005 | The Legend of Zorro | Count Armand | |
2006 | Tristan and Isolde | Marke | |
The Illusionist | Crown Prince Leopold | ||
Paris, je t'aime | William | Segment: "Père-Lachaise" | |
Amazing Grace | Thomas Clarkson | ||
The Holiday | Jasper Bloom | ||
2008 | Downloading Nancy | Albert | |
Vinyan | Paul Bellmer | ||
2010 | The Tourist | English man | |
2012 | Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
|
Adam | |
Hotel Noir | Felix | ||
2013 | All Things to All Men | Parker | |
I'll Follow You Down | Gabe | ||
The Sea | Carlo Grace | ||
2014 | Hercules | Autolycus | |
The Devil's Hand | Jacob Brown | ||
2015 | Blinky Bill the Movie | Sir Claude (voice) | |
2016 | Gods of Egypt | Urshu | |
2019 | Judy | Sidney Luft | |
2020 | The Father | Paul | |
2021 | Old | Charles | |
2023 | The Trouble with Jessica | Richard | [29] |
2024 | The Uninvited | Gerald | |
2024 | Scoop | Prince Andrew |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Gone to Seed | Billy | 6 episodes |
1992–94 | Screen Two | Mike Costain Clive |
2 episodes |
1994 | Middlemarch | Will Ladislaw | 7 episodes |
Citizen Locke | Midshipman Clarke | Television movie | |
1995 | Cold Comfort Farm | Seth Starkadder | Television film |
Performance | Harry Percy
|
Episode: "Henry IV, Part 1" | |
2000 | Arabian Nights | Ali Baba | Miniseries |
2001 | She Creature | Angus | Television movie |
2003 | Helen of Troy | Agamemnon | Miniseries |
Charles II: The Power and the Passion | Charles II | 4 episodes | |
2004 | Taste | Michael Kuhleman | Television movie |
2005 | ShakespeaRe-Told | Petruchio | Episode: "The Taming of the Shrew" |
2006 | 9/11: Out of the Blue | The Man | Television movie |
2008 | John Adams | Alexander Hamilton | 2 episodes |
2008–09 | Eleventh Hour | Dr. Jacob Hood
|
18 episodes |
2010 | The Pillars of the Earth | Tom Builder | Miniseries |
2011 | Zen | Aurelio Zen
|
3 episodes |
2012 | Parade's End | Reverend Duchemin | 3 episodes |
Restless | Lucas Romer | 2 episodes | |
2015 | Killing Jesus
|
Caiaphas | Television Movie |
2016 | Secret History | Narrator | Episode: China's Forgotten Emperor |
2016–17 | Victoria | Lord Melbourne | 7 episodes |
2018 | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Declan Howell | Episode: Look, She Made a Hat |
2014–19 | The Man in the High Castle | John Smith | 40 episodes |
2020 | The Pale Horse | Mark Easterbrook | BBC1 Miniseries
|
2023 | Kaleidoscope | Roger Salas | Miniseries |
The Diplomat | Hal Wyler | Main role |
Stage
Year | Production | Role | Venue | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | Arcadia | Septimus Hodge | Lyttelton Theatre, Royal National Theatre | [30] |
1995 | Translations | Owen | Plymouth Theatre , Broadway
|
[31] |
2006–07 | Rock 'n' Roll | Jan | The Royal Court Theatre, London | [30] |
2007–08 | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Broadway | |||
2013 | Old Times | Deeley | Harold Pinter Theatre, London | |
2015 | Closer | Larry | Donmar Warehouse, London |
Awards and nominations
References
- ^ a b "Rufus Sewell biography." CBS.com.
- ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ a b Turner, Robin (7 March 2008). "Famous home on sale for owner to get a quieter life". walesonline.
- ^ "Wills and Probate 1858-1996, Surname 'Sewell', Year of death '1979'". Gov.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
- ^ Films and Filming, vol. 10, issues 7-12, Hansom Books, 1964, p. 29
- ^ "Rufus Sewell Biography (1967-)". filmreference.com. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "Rufus Sewell Biography – Yahoo! Movies". yahoo.com. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Saner, Emine (8 December 2006). "Dark Star". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2023 – via theguardian.com.
- ^ West, Naomi (12 January 2013). "Rufus Sewell, interview: back in the spotlight". Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 – via telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "rufussewell.net: Article". rufussewell.net.
- ^ a b Cavendish, Lucy (10 April 2012). "The king of Rock'n'Roll". Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ Winner Takes All: A Life of Sorts by Michael Winner, p. 269.
- ^ Leonard, Tom."I really don't want to play a baddie again." The Telegraph. 8 December 2006. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
- ^ SuicideGirls.com. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2023..
- ^ "Downloading Nancy". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ "Three sign on for 'Pillars of the Earth'", The Hollywood Reporter, 8 June 2009.
- ^ Conlan, Tara (22 February 2011). "BBC1 axes Rufus Sewell detective drama Zen". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ "産婦人科検診の内容 - 知っておきたい婦人科検診のこと". accidentalsexiness.com.
- ^ Dickey, Josh (12 April 2011). "Rufus Sewell is top baddie in 'Vampire Hunter'". Variety. Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ Filipponi, Pietro (30 March 2011). "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Set Pics ..." The Daily Blam!. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ "Pink Floyd album inspires Sir Tom Stoppard radio play". BBC. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
- ^ McNary, Dave (21 March 2013). "Joseph Fiennes, Ian McShane Join 'Hercules' Cast". Variety. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ Pringle, Gill (2 February 2017). "Rufus Sewell interview: 'My character is not a monster - he's a human'". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ Fox, Chloe (5 November 2003). "Cut and Thrust". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ^ "Rufus Sewell Dumped By Wife". 2 January 2006. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ Smith, Neil (22 December 2016). "Art role 'inconvenient' jokes Sewell". BBC News. Retrieved 19 August 2018 – via bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Macdonald, M. "The Evening Standard", page 14. Associated Press, 2005
- ^ "Rufus Sewell, 56, engaged to actress Vivian Benitez, 26". BBC News.
- ^ Ayoola, Simbiat (1 February 2023). "'The Trouble With Jessica' Trailer: Indira Varma Causes Chaos at Dinner". Collider. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Rufus Sewell theatre profile". abouttheartists.com.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
External links
- Rufus Sewell on Twitter
- Rufus Sewell at IMDb
- Rufus Sewell on the British Film Institute
- Rufus Sewell news and commentary on The Guardian