Actors - Rufus Sewell

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	Actors - Rufus Sewell

:For other people and things named "Rufus", see Rufus (disambiguation) :For other people and things named "Sewell", see Sewell (disambiguation)

Rufus Frederick Sewell (born October 29, 1967) is an English actor.

In film, he has had lead roles in The Woodlanders
, The Honest Courtesan, Dark City, A Knight's Tale, and Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence
. On television, he became well known for his role as the hero, Will Ladislaw, in the BBC adaptation of George Eliot's Middlemarch. In 2003, he appeared in the lead role in a miniseries about the life of King Charles II of England. On stage, he originated the role of Septimus Hodge in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, and was nominated for an Olivier Award.

Early life

Sewell was born in Twickenham in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London, the son of an Australian animator and Welsh artist. Father Bill worked on the Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds animation for The Beatles. His parents split up when Sewell was five and his mother supported her two sons by working different jobs. Bill Sewell died when Rufus was 10 and by his own admission, Sewell was a difficult teenager.

Sewell attended Orleans Park School, from which he graduated in 1984. It was clear from his eccentricities at the school that he would be temperamentally well suited for playing the lead role in several period dramas. He later enrolled with distinction at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. After graduating, he was set up with an agent by Dame Judi Dench who had directed him in a play while at Central.

Career

1993 turned out to be his breakthrough year when he starred in both the BBC adaptation of Middlemarch and Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. He continues to be a triple-threat, working continually in film, television and the theater. Although best known for his work in costume dramas, Sewell prefers 'cravat-less' roles in modern pieces. His most recent venture in this genre was playing the part of Petruchio in the BBC's 2005 version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew as part of the Shakespeare Re-Told season. In this modern retelling of the story the action moves from 17th Century Padua, Italy to the glamorous social circles of 21st Century London. This production marks the fourth time that Sewell has acted in a Shakespeare play since becoming a professional actor: he previously portrayed Hotspur in Henry IV, Part 1 in 1995, Fortinbras in Hamlet in 1996 and Macbeth in Macbeth in 1999.

Sewell has recently finished filming Amazing Grace
, a film based on the story of William Wilberforce's political fight to abolish slavery in Britain. He portrays Wilberforce's co-campaigner Thomas Clarkson and undoubtedly had to wear a cravat. His next projects as known are Nancy Meyers' romantic comedy The Holiday and Tom Stoppard's new play Rock 'n' Roll at the Royal Court Theatre from June '06.

Private Life

Rufus Sewell lives in London. He has a son, William 'Billy' (born March 18 2002) with former partner Amy Gardner. When not working, he enjoys photography and is a fan of Leica equipment. Says Sewell: "My favourite things are just wandering from place to place, going to cafes, taking photographs. My favourite day is a happy accident".

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Rufus Sewell ]

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