Ioan Gruffudd Biography

Ioan Gruffudd (born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor.

Having trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he started off in Welsh language film 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). He is also known in the UK for his role as Horatio Hornblower in Hornblower, the British made-for-TV films (1998-2003) based on C. S. Forester's novels. In June 2012, Gruffudd filmed the fantasy adventure movie Mariah Mundi and the Midas Box throughout the south-west of England, playing the role of Charles Mundi. The movie is scheduled for release in 2013.

Gruffudd's other 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 anti-slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace (2006). He played Tony Blair in W. (2008). He played the role of Andrew Martin in the US thriller television series Ringer until the show's cancellation in 2012.

Family, early life and education

Gruffudd was born on 6 October 1973 in Llwydcoed, near Aberdare, Cynon Valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. Gruffudd's parents, Peter and Gillian (ne James) Gruffudd, were both teachers. His father was headmaster at two Welsh comprehensive schools in South Wales, first at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari then later at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen. He has two siblings: a brother, Alun, who is two years younger, and a sister, Siwan, who is seven years younger than he is. Gruffudd was raised in a Protestant non-conformist household.

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'."

During his childhood, his family moved to Cardiff. Gruffudd attended Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdar (Ynyslwyd) (now located in Cwmdare), Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd (in Whitchurch, Cardiff) and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (in Llandaff).

He was an accomplished oboist in his teens, achieving a Grade 8 level in the ABRSM music examinations and playing in the South Glamorgan Youth Orchestra for several years, but gave it up once acting took up most of his time. He won prizes for his high baritone singing while at school, including one at the National Eisteddfod. 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."

Gruffudd's parents are committed Christians, and in his early 20s, he was a member of the London Church of Christ, but his mother later came to London to "sort [his] head out". In June 2007, he said that he "wouldn't describe myself as a deeply religious man".

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 language 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. In 1992, aged 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 (Jrgen) 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.

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 the role of 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."

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.

His television 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 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 (2004-06).

In 2008, he appeared in the Julia Roberts-Ryan Reynolds film, Fireflies in the Garden. In 2008, he also appeared in The Secret of Moonacre. In 2009, he starred alongside Josh Brolin in W., a biopic about the life of U.S. President George W Bush, in which Gruffudd played Tony Blair. In 2011, he played the financier of a cave dive in Sanctum.

Apart from television and film work, he starred in the music video of Westlife's version of "Uptown Girl" (2001) alongside Claudia Schiffer, and on 7 July 2007 he was a presenter at the UK leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium, London.

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".

In July 2008 he featured in a promotional trailer in Welsh for BBC Wales, alongside fellow Welshmen Matthew Rhys and Gethin Jones, publicising BBC coverage of the 2008 National Eisteddfod of Wales in Cardiff.

Personal life

Gruffudd lives with his wife, actress Alice Evans, in Los Angeles, California. The couple met during the production of 102 Dalmatians, and married on 14 September 2007 in Mexico. 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. On 20 April 2009, Gruffudd and his wife announced they were expecting their first child together. Later that year, the couple welcomed daughter Ella Betsi Janet. On 13 September 2013, they welcomed their second daughter, Elsie Marigold.

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." According to Gruffudd: </ref>}} Gruffudd also holds a Dual citizenship for the UK and the United States.

Selected work

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
'	2002	Dan Blakeley
This Girl's Life	2003	Daniel
King Arthur	2004	Lancelot
Fantastic Four	2005	Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic	Nominated"?MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team (with Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis)
'	2006	Richard McAllister
Amazing Grace	2006	William Wilberforce
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer	2007	Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic	Nominated"?Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Dance Nominated"?Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple (with Jessica Alba)
Stories USA	2007	Simon
Agent Crush	2008	Agent Crush	Voice role
The Meant to Be's	2008	The Man
Fireflies in the Garden	2008	Addison
'	2008	Sir Benjamin
W.	2008	Tony Blair
The Kid	2010	teacher
Horrible Bosses	2011	Wetwork Expert	Cameo
Sanctum	2011	Carl Hurley
Foster	2011	Alec	Also titled as Angel In The House
Mariah Mundi and the Midas Box	2013	Charles Mundi

Television

Title	Year	Role	Notes
Austin	1986	Dafydd
Pobol y Cwm	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
'	2002	Phillip Bosinney
Hornblower: Loyalty	2003	Commander Horatio Hornblower
Hornblower: Duty	2003	Commander Horatio Hornblower
Century City	2004	Lukas Gold
Justice League Unlimited	2005	Mister Miracle	Voice Role
Ben 10: Alien Force	2010	Devin Levin	Voice Role
Batman: The Brave and the Bold	2010	Armor/Red Ryan	Voice Role
Ringer	2011-2012	Andrew Martin
Night of the Hurricane	2011	Narrator
The British	2012	Narrator
Monday Mornings	2013	Dr. Stewart Delaney	Guest Role
Castle	2013	Erik Vaughn	Season 5, Episode 21 - The Squab and the Quail
Necessary Roughness	2013	Nolan Powers	Guest Role
Glee	2013	Paolo San Pablo	Guest Role

Theatre

Title	Year	Location	Role
Hedda Gabler	1995		George (Jrgen) Tesman
Trouble Sleeping	1995	National Theatre Studio, London	Unknown
The Decameron	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