Jeremy Northam

Northam was born on 1 December 1961, in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.^[1] His father was John Northam, a professor of literature and theatre.^[2] Northam studied English at Bedford College, London (B.A. English, 1984) and acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.^[3] and is an alumnus of the Royal Holloway, University of London.^[4]

Northam made his screen debut on television in the series American Playhouse, as Mr. Benson in the episode "Suspicion".^[5] He followed with appearances in ITV's Wish Me Luck (1987) and Piece of Cake (1988).^[5]

Northam performed at the Royal National Theatre – he replaced both Ian Charleson and Daniel Day-Lewis in the role of Hamlet (1989), when they had to withdraw, and won the 1990 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Play for his performance in The Voysey Inheritance.^[3]

He has appeared frequently in British films such as Carrington (1995),^[3] Emma (1996),^[3] The Winslow Boy (1999),^[3] An Ideal Husband (1999),^[3] Enigma (2001),^[3] and as Welsh actor and singer Ivor Novello in Gosford Park (2001).^[2] He made his American film debut in The Net (1995).^[3]

In 2002, he starred in the film Cypher. That same year, he portrayed singer Dean Martin in the CBS film Martin and Lewis and golfer Walter Hagen in Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius in 2004. In 2007 and 2008, he portrayed Thomas More on the Showtime series, The Tudors.^[6]

He played John Brodie Innes in the 2009 film Creation,^[1] based on the life of Charles Darwin. In the 2015 film The Man Who Knew Infinity,^[1] he portrayed the philosopher Bertrand Russell. He played British Prime Minister Anthony Eden in the 2016 Netflix drama series The Crown.^[7]

His audiobook work includes The Silver Chair (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 6) by C. S. Lewis,^[8] The Real Thing and Other Short Stories and The Aspern Papers, both written by Henry James.^[8] In 2007 he recorded "The Great Poets" by Gerard Manley Hopkins,^[8] In 2009, he recorded Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene,^[8] in 2010, Dark Matter, a ghost story by Michelle Paver,^[8] In 2010, Down and Out in Paris and London and in 2012, The Road to Wigan Pier, both by George Orwell.^[8]

In the Gosford Park soundtrack, Northam sings the Ivor Novello songs "And Her Mother Came Too",^[9] "What a Duke Should Be",^[9] "Why Isn't It You",^[9] "I Can Give You the Starlight",^[9] and "The Land of Might Have Been",^[9] accompanied by his brother Christopher on piano.^[9]

Northam married Canadian film/television make-up artist Liz Moro in April 2005; they later divorced.^{[citation needed]}

• Edward Voysey, The Voysey Inheritance, National Theatre Company, Cottesloe Theatre, London, 1989.^[3]
• School for Scandal, Bristol Old Vic, 1990.^[13]
• Osric, then later title role, Hamlet, National Theatre Company, Olivier Theatre, London, 1989.^[3]
• The Three Sisters, Sondheim Theatre, 1990–1991.^[13]
• The Way of the World, Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith), 1992.^[13]
• Philip, The Gift of the Gorgon, Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), The Pit (theatre), London, 1992.^[13]
• Elomire, La Bête, Really Useful Theatre Company, 1993.^[13]
• Berowne, Love's Labour's Lost, RSC, Barbican Theatre, London, 1994.^[13]
• Mr. Horner, The Country Wife, RSC, Pit Theatre, 1994.^[13]
• Obstetrician, Certain Young Men, Almeida Theatre, London, 1999.^[13]
• Old Times, Donmar Warehouse Theatre, London, 2004.
• Richard Greatham, Hay Fever, Noël Coward Theatre, London, 2012.^[13]

• BFI Staff (2023). "Jeremy Northam". BFI.org.uk. London, England: British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2023.

• Jeremy Northam at IMDb
• Jeremy Northam at the BFI's Screenonline