Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd | |
|---|---|
 promoting Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, 4 May 2007 | |
| Born | 6 October 1973 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse | |
Ioan Gruffudd (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈjo.an ˈɡrɪfɪð] ; born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor.
Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he started off in Welsh language productions, then came to international attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the film Titanic (1997), and as Lt. John Beales in Black Hawk Down (2001). However, he is probably best known for playing the role of Horatio Hornblower in Hornblower, the British made-for-TV films (1998–2003) based on C. S. Forester's novels.
Gruffudd's recent notable film roles include Lancelot in King Arthur (2004), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) in Fantastic Four (2005) and the sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and British slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace (2006). He played Tony Blair in W. (2008).
Family, early life and education
Gruffudd was born on 6 October 1973 in the village of Llwydcoed, near the town of Aberdare, Cynon Valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Tâf, South Wales. Gruffudd's parents, Peter and Gillian (née James) Griffiths, were teachers.[1] His father was headmaster at two Welsh comprehensive schools in South Wales, first at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari then later at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen.[2] He has two siblings; a brother, Alun,[3] who is two years younger, and a sister, Siwan, who is seven years younger than he is.[4] Gruffudd was raised in a Protestant non-conformist household.[5]
The popular Welsh name "Ioan" is an equivalent of "John", and "Gruffudd" corresponds to the Anglicised "Griffith". He has been quoted as saying, "I'm determined not to lose my name. It's who I am. It has neither aided my progress nor hampered it. It's just who I am. My character... my make-up. My culture and heritage is a very rich one. So what if it's difficult for people to pronounce? We all learned how to say Schwarzenegger."[6]
During his childhood, his family moved to Cardiff.[4] Gruffudd attended Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdar (Ynyslwyd) (now situated in Cwmdare), Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd, and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, where he sat his GCSEs and A-Levels. A natural musician, he was an accomplished oboist in his teens,[7] attaining a Grade 8 level in the ABRSM music examinations[8] and playing for the South Glamorgan Youth Orchestra for several years,[9] but gave it up once acting took up most of his time.[10] He also won prizes for his high baritone singing while at school, including one at the National Eisteddfod.[8] He has said, "As a Welshman, I grew up in a culture of singing and performing with music, and I think it was through this performing that I got my confidence as an actor."[11]
Gruffudd's parents are committed Christians, and in his early 20s, he was a member of the controversial London Church of Christ, but his mother later came to London to "sort [his] head out".[12] In June 2007, he said that he "wouldn't describe myself as a deeply religious man".[13]
Career
Gruffudd started his acting career at the age of 13 in a Welsh television film called Austin (1986) and then later moved on to the Welsh soap opera Pobol y Cwm (People of the Valley) from 1987 to 1994.He also played football with the Pobol y Cwm football team Cwmderi FC alongside co-stars Hywel Emrys, Gwyn Elfyn and Ieuan Rhys. During this time, he was also active on stage, in school performances, and in the 1991 Urdd Eisteddfod production of Cwlwm.[citation needed] In 1992, at 18, he began attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. However, he was only given small parts in the Academy's productions, and feeling isolated and directionless, almost dropped out several times. However, in 1995 in his final year, he was cast in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler as George (Jörgen) Tesman, the husband of Hedda, the lead character. This performance led to him being offered the lead role in the 1996 TV remake of Poldark.[7][14]
After playing Oscar Wilde's lover John Gray in 1997's Wilde he took his first international role as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the blockbuster film Titanic. He later landed his best-known role as Horatio Hornblower in Hornblower, the Meridian production of the C. S. Forester novels (1998–2003), shown on ITV1 and A&E. Gruffudd has said: "It was quite something for an unknown actor to get the lead. So I will always be grateful to Hornblower. ... I would love to play this character through every stage of his life. I think it would be unique to have an actor playing him from the very early days as a midshipman, through till he's an Admiral. So, I would love to play this character till he perishes."[11] Since 20 February, 2007, Gruffudd has been making plans to obtain rights to the Horatio Hornblower novels in order to produce a film for the big screen.[15]
Gruffudd's TV work includes playing the character Pip in the BBC TV production of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations (1999), Lt. John Feeley in BBC One's "Warriors" (1999) and architect Philip Bosinney in ITV's adaptation of The Forsyte Saga (2002). He has starred in the films 102 Dalmatians (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001) and King Arthur (2004). In 2007, he starred in the historical drama Amazing Grace as William Wilberforce, the British slavery abolitionist, receiving critical acclaim for the role. Gruffudd has also portrayed characters of both Marvel Comics and DC Comics, having appeared as Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) in Marvel's Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and provided the voice of Mister Miracle in DC's Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006). In 2007, he appeared in Stories USA, and in 2008 also appeared in Agent Crush. He starred alongside Julia Roberts and Ryan Reynolds in Fireflies in the Garden. That year, he also starred in The Secret of Moonacre which was a critical and commercial failure. In 2009, he starred alongside Josh Brolin in W., a biopic about the life of George W Bush. Gruffudd played British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The film was a critical success, with Gruffud praised for his work. In 2011, he played the financier of a cave dive in Sanctum.
Apart from television and film work, he also starred in the music video of Westlife's version of "Uptown Girl" (2001) alongside Claudia Schiffer,[6][9] and on 7 July 2007 he was a presenter at the UK leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium, London.[16]
Gruffudd is a native Welsh speaker. He was inducted into the Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain (the Bardic Order of Great Britain) at the highest rank of druid in the National Eisteddfod at Meifod, Mid Wales, on 4 August 2003, with the bardic name "Ioan".[1][17] In July 2008 he featured in a promotional trailer in Welsh for BBC Wales alongside fellow Welshmen Matthew Rhys and Gethin Jones publicising the broadcaster's coverage of the 2008 National Eisteddfod of Wales in Cardiff.[18]
Selected work
Film
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilde | 1997 | John Gray | |
| Titanic | 1997 | Harold Godfrey Lowe, Fifth Officer of the RMS Titanic | |
| Solomon & Gaenor | 1999 | Solomon Levinsky | |
| 102 Dalmatians | 2000 | Kevin Shepherd | |
| Another Life | 2001 | Freddy Bywaters | |
| Very Annie Mary | 2001 | Hob | |
| Happy Now | 2001 | Sgt. Max Bracchi | |
| Black Hawk Down | 2001 | Lt. John Beales | |
| Shooters | 2002 | Freddy Guns | |
| The Gathering | 2002 | Dan Blakeley | |
| This Girl's Life | 2003 | Daniel | |
| King Arthur | 2004 | Lancelot | |
| Fantastic Four | 2005 | Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic | |
| The TV Set | 2006 | Richard McAllister | |
| Amazing Grace | 2006 | William Wilberforce | |
| Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer | 2007 | Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic | |
| Stories USA | 2007 | Simon | |
| Agent Crush | 2008 | Agent Crush | Voice role |
| Fireflies in the Garden | 2008 | Addison | |
| The Secret of Moonacre | 2008 | Sir Benjamin | |
| W. | 2008 | Tony Blair | |
| Horrible Bosses | 2011 | male prostitute | |
| Sanctum | 2011 | Carl Hurley |
Some information in this table was obtained from Ioan Gruffudd at IMDb. Retrieved on 15 May 2008.
Television
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | 1986 | Dafydd | |
| Pobol y Cwm (People of the Valley) | 1987–94 | Gareth Wyn Harries | |
| Poldark | 1996 | Jeremy Poldark | |
| Hornblower: The Even Chance | 1998 | Midshipman Horatio Hornblower | |
| Hornblower: The Examination For Lieutenant | 1998 | Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower | |
| Warriors | 1999 | Lt. John Feeley | |
| Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil | 1999 | Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower | |
| Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters | 1999 | Lt. Horatio Hornblower | |
| Great Expectations | 1999 | Pip | |
| Hornblower: Mutiny | 2001 | 3rd Lt. Horatio Hornblower | |
| Hornblower: Retribution | 2001 | 3rd Lt. Horatio Hornblower | |
| Man and Boy | 2002 | Harry Silver | |
| The Forsyte Saga | 2002 | Phillip Bosinney | |
| Hornblower: Loyalty | 2003 | Commander Horatio Hornblower | |
| Hornblower: Duty | 2003 | Commander Horatio Hornblower | |
| Century City | 2004 | Lukas Gold | |
| Ben 10: Alien Force | 2010 | Devin Levin | Voice role |
| Ringer | 2011 | Andrew Martin |
Some information in this table was obtained from Ioan Gruffudd at IMDb. Retrieved on 15 May 2008.
Theatre
| Title | Year | Location | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hedda Gabler | 1995 | George (Jörgen) Tesman | |
| Trouble Sleeping[19] | 1995 | National Theatre Studio, London | Unknown |
| The Decameron[20] | 1995 | Gate Theatre, Notting Hill, London | Unknown |
| The Play Wot I Wrote | 2001 | Wyndham's Theatre, London | Mystery Guest |
Some information in this table was obtained from "Ioan Gruffudd CV". Hamilton Hodell Talent Management. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
Personal life
Gruffudd currently lives with his wife, English actress Alice Evans, in Los Angeles, California. The couple met during the production of 102 Dalmatians, and married on 14 September 2007 in Mexico.[21] One of Gruffudd's best men and speechmakers at the wedding was fellow Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, his long-time friend and former flatmate of eight years.[3] On 20 April 2009, Gruffudd and his wife announced they were expecting their first child together.[22] On 6 September 2009, the couple welcomed their first child, a girl, named Ella Betsi Janet Gruffudd. Janet was chosen as a middle name in honour of Evans's mother who died in 1999.[23]
Gruffudd enjoys being in Los Angeles because "it's the easiest place in the world to drive, and it's a real pleasure to do that in my black Jag XK8. I've gone all out." [7] He also admires the physicality and confidence of Americans, and enjoys being around them because he feels these qualities rub off on to him.[24]
Notes
- ^ a b "Derbyn Ioan i'r Orsedd [Ioan received into the Gorsedd]" (in Welsh). BBC Wales. 4 August 2003. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) "Biography for Ioan Gruffudd". Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Retrieved 15 May 2008. - ^ "Mr Peter Griffiths". University of Glamorgan. 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008. [dead link]
- ^ a b Karen Price (18 September 2007). "Ioan's wedding pictures published". Western Mail (reproduced on icWales.co.uk).
- ^ a b "Ioan Gruffudd biography". BBC Wales. Retrieved 14 May 2008.
- ^ Moring, Mark (20 February 2007). "A Fantastic Role". Christianity Today. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
- ^ a b Eloise Parker (12 March 2007). "Ioan's a celluloid superhero!". icWales.co.uk.
- ^ a b c Liz Hoggard (2 July 2005). "Ioan Gruffudd: Enter the dragon". The Independent. London.
- ^ a b "Ioan Gruffudd CV". Hamilton Hodell Talent Management. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
- ^ a b "The Gruffudd saga". GMTV. 16 January 2004.
- ^ Ioan Gruffudd at IMDb. Retrieved on 14 May 2008.
- ^ a b "Ioan Gruffudd: Trivia". Filmspot.com. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
- ^ In a July 2005 newspaper interview, Gruffudd said: "I hadn't been going to chapel. A guy stopped me in the street and asked if I would like to go to church. I thought it was a sign. ... I knew it wasn't right but I didn't feel that it was so wrong, so other-worldly – that's how convincing the whole thing was. In the end, my mum had to come up to London to sort my head out.": Liz Hoggard (2 July 2005). "Ioan Gruffudd: Enter the dragon". The Independent. London.
- ^ James Collard (2 June 2007). "Prince of Wales: Famed for standout roles in period dramas, actor Ioan Gruffudd has a similar taste for timeless classics in his own wardrobe department". The Times. London.
- ^ Gina Petonito (1999–2007). "Biography". Ioancentral [fan site]. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
- ^ "Ioan Gruffudd – Gruffudd plans Hornblower movie". Contactmusic.com. 20 February 2007.
- ^ "London Live Earth line-up revealed". NME. 5 July 2007.
- ^ "Gruffudd made honorary druid". BBC News. 20 June 2003.
- ^ "Eisteddfod hapus! [Happy Eisteddfod!]". MediaMonkey, Mediaguardian.co.uk. London. 30 July 2008.
- ^ According to the Hamilton Hodell Talent Management website, Gruffudd was involved in an "untitled Nick Ward play" written and directed by Nick Ward and performed at the Royal National Studios: see "Ioan Gruffudd CV". Hamilton Hodell Talent Management. Retrieved 2008-05-15. The website Doollee.com indicates that Nick Ward developed his play Trouble Sleeping at the National Theatre Studio in London, and that it was staged in 1995 in the Warehouse Theatre in Croydon: see "Nick Ward". Doollee.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-02. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ^ Ian Shuttleworth (July 1996). "The Decameron. Gate Theatre, London W11. Opened 23 July 1996". Financial Times (reproduced on Ian Shuttleworth's homepage). "Nick Ward". Doollee.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-02. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ^ Mary Margaret (2007-09-15). "Fantastic Four Star Ioan Gruffudd gets married". People.
- ^ Alexis Chiu (20 April 2009). "Fantastic Four's Ioan Gruffudd and wife are expecting". People.
- ^ "Fantastic! Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans's joy at birth of 'unbelievably beautiful' daughter, Ella Betsi". Daily Mail. London. 2009-09-10.
- ^ According to Gruffudd: "There's a physicality and confidence to Americans; they're very present. That's something I enjoy being around because it rubs off on you. Although an actor friend of mine visited recently and said, 'It's no wonder they write such terrible scripts these days, there's no pain! Everything's so nice you can't be bothered.'": Liz Hoggard (2005-07-02). "Ioan Gruffudd: Enter the dragon". The Independent. London.
References
- Hoggard, Liz (2005-07-02). "Ioan Gruffudd: Enter the dragon". The Independent. London.
- "Ioan Gruffudd biography". BBC Wales. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
External links
- Ioan Gruffudd at IMDb
- Ioan Gruffudd at the TCM Movie Database
- Ioan Gruffudd at AllMovie