Darren Boyd

Darren Boyd (born 30 January 1971 in Hastings, East Sussex) is an English actor well known for his roles in Smack the Pony, Green Wing, Whites and most recently for playing the role of John Cleese in Holy Flying Circus. He is a classically trained singer, and played a jazz musician in NBC’s Watching Ellie. He is 6'4" tall and likes exploring the use of physicality in his characters.

Acting career

Television

Boyd co-starred in the BBC comedy sitcom Kiss Me Kate (1998), which ran for three years and established him as new talent in the UK. This led to starring roles in popular British comedies such as Hippies (1999) and Smack the Pony (1999).

In 2001, Boyd collaborated with Victoria Pile on new comedy Los Dos Bros, a quirky, off-beat sitcom exploring physical comedy and the relationship between Boyd and Cavan Clerkin as the titular (half-)brothers. Boyd was co-creator and co-writer. During this time Boyd was cast in NBC comedy Watching Ellie a vehicle for former Seinfeld star Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as Ben Radfield. Other cast included Steve Carell and Peter Stormare.

Boyd returned to the UK in 2005 and took on notable comedy characters including Dr. Jake Leaf in the second series of Green Wing (2006) and neighbour Jonathan in Steve Coogan's Saxondale.

In 2009, Boyd took a turn towards more serious leading roles with two-part adaptation "May Contain Nuts", based on John O'Farrell's best-selling novel, "Personal Affairs" for BBC3 and Royal Wedding (2010), which follows the 1981 Royal Wedding through the perspective of events held in a small Welsh mining village, written by BAFTA winner Abi Morgan, starring Jodie Whittaker.

The BBC announced in June 2011 that Boyd would play the role of John Cleese in Holy Flying Circus, a 90-minute dramatisation of the controversy that arose when Monty Python's Life of Brian was released in 1979. Boyd won critical and public praise for his portrayal of John Cleese.

Boyd currently stars in Sky 1's half-hour sitcom SPY. He plays Tim, a single father who is accidentally recruited by MI5. He also stars alongside Olivia Williams in the crime drama Case Sensitive, a series that has been adapted from Sophie Hannah's novel Point of Rescue for ITV. The next two episodes will be aired in early 2012.

Memorable cameos include playing an evangelical vicar in Rev. and cringeworthy ex-athlete Dave Wellbeck in BBC's olympic mockumentary Twenty Twelve.

Film

Feature films Boyd has appeared in include High Heels and Low Lifes (2002), Imagine Me & You (2005), Magicians (2007) and Chris Morris' Four Lions (2010).

Radio

Boyd currently stars in the BBC Radio 4 comedy series ElvenQuest (as Vidar the Elf Lord) and Safety Catch.

Awards and Recognition

Los Dos Bros was winner of a Silver Rose for Best Sitcom at the Montreux Festival in 2002.

Darren won the Best TV Comedy Actor award at the The British Comedy Awards in 2011.

Personal life

Boyd is an only child. He began acting at age 17 in amateur theatre and performed in local productions from 1989 to 1995. He was accepted to drama school on two different occasions, but was unsuccessful in receiving a grant from his local council so was unable to accept the places. Boyd moved to London in his mid-twenties, upon being cast in the West End's Les Miserables. It was during this time he met fellow cast member Chris Langham who then wrote him into his new BBC comedy sitcom. Boyd currently lives in London with his wife Amanda Ashy-Boyd whom he met in Los Angeles. He has a cat.

External links

• Darren Boyd at the Internet Movie Database