Chris Larkin
Chris Larkin | |
---|---|
Born | Christopher Stephens 19 June 1967 London, England |
Occupation | Actor |
Spouse | Suki Stephens |
Children | 2 |
Parent(s) | Sir Robert Stephens Dame Maggie Smith |
Relatives | Toby Stephens (brother) |
Chris Larkin (born Christopher Stephens on 19 June 1967) is an English actor.
Early life
Born Christopher Stephens in London, Larkin is the elder son of actors Dame Maggie Smith and Sir Robert Stephens, his younger brother is actor Toby Stephens. Larkin revealed in an interview that he chose his stage name in order to distance himself from his famous parents, not wanting "to trade on the family connection", and selecting Larkin in honour of his favourite poet Philip Larkin.[1]
Career
Larkin trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). He is best known for playing Hermann Göring in the film Hitler: The Rise of Evil, but also played Charles Darwin for the PBS series Evolution and the abolitionist William Wilberforce in the radio production of Grace Victorious. Larkin also played Capt. Howard of the Marines in Peter Weir's Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World alongside Paul Bettany and Russell Crowe, and appeared in Valkyrie with Tom Cruise playing Sgt. Helm. Other film credits are Angels and Insects, Franco Zeffirelli's Jane Eyre and Tea with Mussolini, and Heroes and Villains directed by Selwyn Roberts.
Larkin played Cambridge in three series of John Sullivan's Roger Roger for BBC1 and George Marsden in Charles Sturridge's critically acclaimed Shackleton for Channel Four. Larkin also appeared in the 2007 episode of Doctor Who "The Shakespeare Code" and the 2012 low-budget horror film The Facility[2] (originally titled Guinea Pigs) directed by Ian Clark.[3]
In 2013 he starred in the television revival of Yes, Prime Minister as Bernard Woolley,[4] reprising the role he had played in the Gielgud Theatre in London's West End.
Other theatre credits include: Edgar in The Lady from Dubuque starring his mother, Maggie Smith, and directed by Anthony Page; Jopari in Nicholas Hytner's groundbreaking production of His Dark Materials at The National Theatre; The Whisky Taster by James Graham at the Bush Theatre, London; and the nationwide tour of Noises Off, directed by Lindsay Posner.
Partial filmography
- Angels & Insects (1995) – Robin Whitefield
- Jane Eyre (1996) – Frederick Lynn
- Tea with Mussolini (1999) – Major Gibson
- Command Approved (2000) – First Officer
- Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003) – Hermann Göring
- Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) – Capt. Howard, Royal Marines
- Heroes and Villains (2006) – RRW
- Valkyrie (2008) – Sergeant Helm
- The Facility (2012) – Dr. Mansell
- The Program (2015) – John Wilcockson
- Churchill's Secret (2016) - Rab Butler
- Black Sails (2017) – Captain Berringer
References
- ^ "Dame Maggie Smith's son changed name to lose family connection". Daily Express. 10 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 November 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ The Facility at IMDb
- ^ "Trailer: New Found Footage Film, "Guinea Pigs"". Sound On Sight. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ^ "Yes, Prime Minister - Production Details". Retrieved 4 February 2013.
External links
- Chris Larkin at IMDb