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Henry Ian Cusick

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Henry Ian Cusick
Cusick in 2007
Born (1967-04-17) 17 April 1967 (age 59)
EducationRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland
OccupationActor
Years active1993–present
Spouse
Annie Cusick Wood
​
(m. 2006)​
Children3

Henry Ian Cusick (born 17 April 1967[1]) is a Peruvian-Scottish[2] actor of television, film, and theatre and a television director best known as Desmond Hume in Lost, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. He also starred as Jesus in The Gospel of John, Stephen Finch on Scandal, Marcus Kane on The 100, Dr. Jonas Lear in The Passage,[3] and Russell "Russ" Taylor on MacGyver.

Early life

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Cusick was born in Trujillo, Peru, to a Peruvian mother, Esperanza Chávez, and a Scottish father, Henry Joseph Cusick.[2] At the age of two, he moved with his family to Madrid, Spain, before they later relocated to Trinidad and Tobago, where they lived for ten years.[1] During this time, Cusick attended Presentation College, San Fernando. He moved to Scotland with his family at the age of fourteen.[2][4]

Cusick studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. Following his studies, he became involved with the Strathclyde Theatre Group, an amateur theatre company, where he appeared in a number of productions.[5] He went on to begin his professional acting career at the Citizens' Theatre in Glasgow, where his first role was as an understudy in the Christmas pantomime, portraying a polar bear.[6] Cusick is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Career

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Cusick began his career as a classical theatre actor, establishing himself through performances in a wide range of stage productions. His early leading roles included Dorian Gray in The Picture of Dorian Gray alongside Rupert Everett, Hamlet in The Marovitz Hamlet, and Horner in The Country Wife.

His performances as Torquato Tasso in the 1994 Edinburgh International Festival production of Torquato Tasso, and as Creon in the Citizens' Theatre production of Oedipus, earned him a commendation at the 1995 Ian Charleson Awards for outstanding performance by a young actor in a classical theatre role.[7]

Cusick transitioned to screen acting with recurring roles in television series including Casualty and The Book Group. In 2003, he portrayed Jesus Christ in the film The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John.[4]

In 2005, Cusick was cast as Desmond Hume in the ABC series Lost. Before joining the series, he appeared as Theo Stoller in the fifth season of 24. Initially introduced as a recurring guest star during the second season, Cusick became a member of the main cast from seasons three through six. His performance earned him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.[8]

Cusick has credited his casting in Lost to a meeting with executive producer Carlton Cuse, whom he met while staying with his friend, actor Brian Cox. Cuse had been looking for either a Scottish or Irish character, which contributed to Cusick being considered for the role.[8]

Following Lost, Cusick appeared in the 2007 film Hitman and starred in Dead Like Me: Life After Death, a continuation of the television series Dead Like Me. He later appeared as Erik Weber in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portrayed Stephen Finch in the ABC drama series Scandal, and played Trent Marsh in Body of Proof.

From 2014 to 2020, Cusick portrayed Marcus Kane in the science fiction drama series The 100.[9]

Alongside his acting career, Cusick has worked as a director. His short film dress, filmed in Kailua, Hawaii, received awards at the Hawaii International Film Festival and the Peace on Earth Film Festival.[10] He later directed the short film Salvador.

In 2017, Cusick partnered with technology start-up JamBios to promote its memory-sharing platform. He provided the voice of Monty, a digital biographer, and recorded more than 200 questions designed to encourage users to record and preserve personal memories.[11]

Personal life

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Cusick is married to Annie Cusick Wood. The couple have three sons[12] and reside in Hawaii.[1]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 The Contract Short film
2002 Possession Toby Byng Uncredited
2003 The Gospel of John Jesus Christ
2006 Half Light Brian
9/Tenths William
After the Rain Adrian Short film
2007 Hitman Udre Belicoff
2009 Dead like Me: Life After Death Cameron Kane Direct-to-video release
2013 Not Another Happy Ending Willie Scott
2014 The Girl On The Train Danny Hart
Frank vs. God David Frank
Dress Ben Granger
10.0 Earthquake Jack
2015 Pali Road Tim Young
Just Let Go Christopher "Chris" Williams
2016 Visible Guy Short film
Everglades Scott
2017 Rememory Lawton
2018 Chimera Strain Quint
Hae Hawai'i Short film
2022 The Wind & the Reckoning McCabe
2023 Jamojaya Michael
2024 Getting Lost Himself
2025 Fugitive from Asteron Feran
2025 Salvador Salvador Short film
2026 Los Vampires Luis de Ossorio

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Taggart Ian Gowrie Episode "Fatal Inheritance"
1997 Richard II Henry Green TV adaptation of William Shakespeare's play
2001 Murder Rooms: The White Knight Stratagem Sgt. Michael Clark
2001–02 Casualty Jason Recurring role; 9 episodes
2002 The Dinosaur Hunters Gideon Mantell
2002–03 Two Thousand Acres of Sky Dr. Ewan Talbot Recurring role; 9 episodes
2003 Happiness Phillip Episode "A Nice Person"
Adventure Inc. Gavin Merrill Episode "Echoes of the Past"
The Book Group Miles Longmuir Recurring role; 6 episodes
Carla Matt Television film
2004 Perfect Romance Peter Campbell Television film
Midsomer Murders Gareth Heldman Episode "The Fisher King"
2005 Waking the Dead Jeremy Allen Episode "Towers of Silence: Part 2"
2005–10 Lost Desmond Hume Guest (Season 2)
Main cast (Seasons 3–6): 77 episodes
Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television
2006 24 Theo Stoller Episodes "Day 5: 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m." and "Day 5: 8:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m."
2009 Nova Charles Darwin Episode: "Darwin's Darkest Hour"[13]
2010 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit[14] Erik Weber Episodes: "Locum" and "Bullseye"
2012, 2015 Scandal Stephen Finch Main role (season 1); 6 episodes
Guest role (season 4), Episode: "No More Blood"
2012 Fringe[15] Agent Simon Foster Episode: Season 4, Episode 19 "Letters of Transit"
The Mentalist Tommy Volker Episodes: "If It Bleeds, It Leads", "Days of Wine and Roses", "Little Red Corvette"
2013 Hawaii Five-0 Ernesto, terrorist group leader Episode: "We Need Each Another"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Dr. Jimmy Episode: "Last Woman Standing"
Body of Proof Dr. Trent Marsh Episodes: "Eye for an Eye", "Daddy Issues"
2014–19 The 100 Marcus Kane Main role (Seasons 1-6): 80 episodes
Also directed two episodes
2016 Rush Hour Thomas Episode: "Pilot"
2017 Inhumans Dr. Evan Declan Recurring role; 6 episodes
2019 The Passage Dr. Jonas Lear Main role
2020–21 MacGyver Russell "Russ" Taylor Main role
2022–23 Big Sky Avery McCallister Recurring role; 13 episodes
2022–present The Wingfeather Saga Artham Wingfeather/ Peet the Sockman (voice) Recurring role; 9 episodes
2023–24 NCIS: Hawaiʻi OSP Supervisory Special Agent John Swift Recurring role; 5 episodes
2024 9-1-1: Lone Star Enzo De La Costa 2 episodes
2025 Butterfly Nick Barnes Episode: "Seoul"
2026 Twenty Twenty Six Vincente Guajardo

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2008 Lost: Via Domus Desmond Hume (voice)

Theatre

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Title Role Venue Notes Ref.
The Soldiers Stolzius Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Edinburgh International Festival (preview)
Torquato Tasso Torquato Tasso Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Commendation, Ian Charleson Awards
Oedipus Rex Creon / Messenger Glasgow Citizens Theatre Commendation, Ian Charleson Awards
The Picture of Dorian Gray Dorian Gray Glasgow Citizens Theatre
The Country Wife Horner Glasgow Citizens Theatre
The Marowitz Hamlet Hamlet Glasgow Citizens Theatre
The Birthday Party McCann Glasgow Citizens Theatre
The Dying Gaul Jeffrey Glasgow Citizens Theatre
The LA Plays Nick Almeida Theatre, London
The Home Show Pieces Glasgow Citizens Theatre
Othello Cassio Royal Shakespeare Company
A Midsummer Night's Dream Demetrius Royal Shakespeare Company
Antony and Cleopatra Pompey Royal Shakespeare Company
Richard II Henry Green Royal National Theatre
The Machine Wreckers Arthur Royal National Theatre
Antony and Cleopatra Dolabella Royal National Theatre
Les Liaisons Dangereuses Le Vicomte de Valmont Liverpool Playhouse
Angels in America Louis Ironson 7:84 Theatre Company
Don Juan Don Juan Theatre Babel By Molière
Macbeth Ross / Witch Glasgow Citizens Theatre

References

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  1. 1 2 3 Patrick Espejo (8 April 2007). "Peruano encontrado en 'Lost'". El Comercio (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 McIver, Brian (7 February 2014). "Scots actor Henry Ian Cusick tells why he had to move stateside for work because of lack of opportunities at home". The Daily Record. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  3. ↑ "ABC picks up 'Charlie's Angels,' 'Good Christian Belles' and ten more - From Inside the Box - Zap2it". Zap2it. 13 May 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  4. 1 2 Cite error: The named reference Jesus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ↑ "Strathclyde Theatre Group". University of Strathclyde. Archived from the original on 3 February 2010.
  6. ↑ Damian Thompson. "Henry Ian Cusick on Gospel of John". Jewish Theatre. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2008.
  7. ↑ Fowler, Rebecca. "Ribands in the cap of youth". Sunday Times. 12 March 1995.
  8. 1 2 William Keck (24 August 2006). "Cusick carries lone Emmy torch for 'Lost' cast". USA Today. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  9. ↑ Hale, Mike (18 March 2014). "Criminals, All Young, Let Loose Upon Earth: CW's 'The 100' Puts Teenagers in a Post-Apocalyptic World". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "Dress – A new film coming soon from DIRECTOR Henry Ian Cusick". Cusickgallery.net: Henry Ian Cusick. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  11. ↑ "Actor Henry Ian Cusick on His Newest Project". 26 September 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  12. ↑ "Henry Ian Cusick And His Wife Annie Cusick Wood Are Parents To 3 Sons". snapchatnowgg.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com.
  13. ↑ "Darwin's Darkest Hour". Nova. 6 October 2009. PBS.
  14. ↑ William Keck (6 July 2010). "Keck's Exclusives: Law & Order: SVU Signs Lost Alum". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  15. ↑ Michael Ausiello (10 February 2012). "Fringe Exclusive: Lost's Henry Ian Cusick Cast as [Spoiler] – But in Which Universe?". tvline.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
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