Michael Jibson (born 16 December 1980) is an English actor, director, writer and voice over artist. He was the winner of the 2018 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, for his role of King George III in Hamilton. He was nominated for the 2003 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, for Our House.

Michael Jibson
Born (1980-12-16) 16 December 1980 (age 43)
Alma materGuildford School of Acting (BA Hons, 2002)
Occupation(s)Actor, director, writer
Years active1995–present
Spouse
(m. 2008)
Children1
RelativesPaul Jibson (brother)

His many film appearances include roles in Flyboys (2006), The Bank Job (2008), Panic Button (2011), Les Misérables (2012), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017). His television work includes Quiz (2020), Four Lives, No Return, The Essex Serpent, The Crown (all 2022), Bodies and The Reckoning (2023).

Early life

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Jibson was born in Kingston upon Hull,[1] and was raised in Hessle, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, and attended Hessle High School.[2] His father, Tim Jibson, is a radio director, his mother Evelyn is a retired receptionist. His brother, Paul Jibson is an actor/director and producer.[2]

He made his West End debut at the age of 14 in as a member of Fagin's Gang in Oliver! at the London Palladium, directed by Sam Mendes. He went on to join the National Youth Music Theatre, of which he is now a patron. He later trained at the Guildford School of Acting, where he obtained a BA Hons (Musical Theatre) degree in 2002.[3]

Career

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Theatre

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In 2003, when Jibson was 22, he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical,[3] for his performance as Joe Casey in the Madness/Tim Firth musical Our House, directed by Matthew Warchus.[4][5]

Other theatre work includes Brighton Rock at the Almeida Theatre, playing the lead role of Pinkie Brown, directed by Michael Attenborough in 2004.[6] He played various roles in the Royal Shakespeare Company's adaptation of The Canterbury Tales. He played the role of Charles Lindbergh in Take Flight at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2007.[7][8] (nominated for a Theatregoer's Choice award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical). He played the dual roles of Puck and Philostrate in A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Jonathan Munby at Shakespeare's Globe in 2008,[9] where he also appeared as the Painter in Timon of Athens directed by Lucy Bailey. He played Dromio of Syracuse in Roxana Silbert's production of A Comedy of Errors at the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre in 2010.[10]

He returned to the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2011, where he played Addison Mizner in the European premiere of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Road Show, directed by John Doyle.[11] He played Jimmy in Roots at the Donmar Warehouse in 2013, directed by James Macdonald.[12]

He played the role of King George III in the original London cast of Hamilton, winning the 2018 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical.[4]

In 2023, it was announced that Jibson would play Victor Creel in the original West End cast of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, directed by Stephen Daldry, a play based on the hit Netflix series Stranger Things.

Film

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Jibson's film work includes Flyboys (2006), The Bank Job (2008),[1] Lecture 21 (also titled Lesson 21) (2008), Red Mist (2009), Devils Bridge, Cemetery Junction, Panic Button, the factory foreman in the film version of Les Misérables,[1] A Viking Saga: The Darkest Day,[1] Hammer of the Gods, The Fifth Estate, Good People, The Riot Club, Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017),[1] Hunter Killer (2018),[1] 1917 (2019), To Olivia (2021) and Last Night in Soho (2021) .[1]

In 2014, Jibson co-wrote the independent film The Lighthouse, based the tragic story of the Smalls Lighthouse in 1801, starring as Thomas Howell opposite Welsh actor Mark Lewis Jones.[13]

Television

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Jibson's television work includes Phamer McCoy in the 2012 Primetime Emmy Awards winning 2012 US miniseries Hatfields & McCoys,[1] directed by Kevin Reynolds and starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton, BBC Four film Burton & Taylor, alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Dominic West; The Thirteenth Tale starring Vanessa Redgrave and Olivia Colman – both for the BBC, Tubby and Enid, directed by Victoria Wood for the BBC, Father Brown for the BBC and Galavant for ABC.[1]

In 2015, Jibson received rave reviews for portraying the English military officer Myles Standish in Saints & Strangers, a US TV movie for the National Geographic Channel and Sony Pictures. The Hollywood Reporter reviewer wrote: "The mini's MVP, however, is Michael Jibson as the Pilgrims' iconic military adviser, Myles Standish. His commanding performance strikes just the right balance between the mythical and the credible, as if he somehow instilled an animatronic Disneyland automaton with a stirringly virile essence".[14] Saints & Strangers chronicled the real story of the Pilgrims, including their harrowing voyage from England to America aboard the Mayflower and settling in Plymouth, Massachusetts.[1]

In 2020, Jibson played Tecwen Whittock in James Graham's television series Quiz, directed by Stephen Frears.[1]

In 2021, Jibson portrayed the infamous Rudolf II in the second season of Sky One's television drama A Discovery of Witches.[1] Jibson played DS Stuart Reeves in the 2020 miniseries Honour which was based on the real life murder of Banaz Mahmod.[1] After that, 2021 saw him portray Cary Hemings in season 2 of Sky One's political thriller Cobra.[1]

In 2022, Jibson played DC Paul Slaymaker in Four Lives for the BBC.[1] It received positive reviews and Hugo Rifkind in The Times wrote, "All of the cast were strong, but Michael Jibson deserves particular credit as a hopelessly obstructive family liaison officer. The human embodiment of computer says 'no'."[15] The same year, Jibson also played Matthew Evansford in the Apple TV+ mini series The Essex Serpent, starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston, which was directed by Clio Barnard.[1]

In 2023, Jibson played Bill Cotton in the BBC miniseries The Reckoning, starring Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile.[1] Also in 2023 Jibson played DCI Barber in the hit Netflix limited series Bodies, starring Stephen Graham.[1]

Personal life

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Jibson is married to fellow actor Caroline Sheen,[2] cousin of actor Michael Sheen.[2] The couple have one daughter, Flora, born in 2012.[2]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2006 Flyboys Lyle Porter
2008 The Bank Job Eddie Burton
Lecture 21 Musician
Red Mist Steve
2010 Devils Bridge Adam
Cemetery Junction Cliff
2011 Panic Button Dave
2012 Les Misérables Foreman
2013 Hammer of the Gods Grim
The Fifth Estate Irritated Reporter
The Physician Stratford Monk
2014 Good People Mike Calloway
The Riot Club Michael
2016 The Lighthouse Thomas Howell Also writer and associate producer
2017 Beauty and the Beast Tavern Keeper
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi Jober Tavson
2018 Hunter Killer Reed
2019 1917 Lieutenant Hutton
2021 To Olivia Pete Perkins
Last Night in Soho Male Detective

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Station Jim Telegraph Boy TV film
2005 Casualty PC Gavin Burrows Episode: "Animals"
2012 Hatfields & McCoys Phamer McCoy 2 episodes
2013 Burton and Taylor Mike TV film
The Thirteenth Tale Charlie Angelfield TV film
2014 That Day We Sang Man with gramophone TV film
2015 Galavant Joustmaster Episode: "Joust Friends"
Father Brown Martin Wheeler Episode: "The Paradise of Thieves"
DCI Banks Lewis Hargreaves 2 episodes
The Last Kingdom Osric Episode: #1.8
Saints & Strangers Myles Standish 2-part miniseries
2017 The Alienist Dr. Fuller Episode: "The Boy on the Bridge"
2018 Trauma DS Carl Harris Episode: #1.1
2020 Quiz Tecwen Whittock All 3 episodes
Isolation Stories Adrian Episode: "Ron & Russell"
Honour DS Stuart Reeves 2-part TV series[16]
2021 A Discovery of Witches Emperor Rudolf II Episode: #2.7
COBRA Cary Hemmings 2 episodes
2022 Four Lives DC Paul Slaymaker All 3 episodes
No Return Martin Powell All 4 episodes
The Essex Serpent Matthew Evansford All 6 episodes
The Crown Steve Hewlett 2 episodes[17]
2023 The Reckoning Bill Cotton All 3 episodes[18]
Bodies DCI Jack Barber 7 episodes
2024 The Mallorca Files Ned Episode: "All That Glisters"

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Michael Jibson Credits". tvguide.com. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e Marshall, Lucy (5 January 2022). "BBC Four Lives Michael Jibson – Hull upbringing, Eastenders brother and Hollywood wife". hulldailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b "GSA Alumni- Michael Jibson". gsauk.org. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  4. ^ a b "GSA graduate wins prestigious Olivier award". surrey.ac.uk. 30 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023.
  5. ^ Loveridge, Lizzie. "review. 'Our House'" curtainup.com, 5 November 2002
  6. ^ Nathan, John (4 August 2004). "Casting Announced for New West End Musical 'Brighton Rock'". Playbill.
  7. ^ Nathan, John. "Take Flight Takes Off at London's Menier Chocolate Factory July 13" Playbill, 13 July 2007
  8. ^ Gardner, Lyn. "Review. Take Flight" The Guardian, 28 July 2007
  9. ^ Fisher, Philip. A Midsummer Night's Dream britishtheatreguide.info, 2008
  10. ^ Chadderton, David. The Comedy of Errors britishtheatreguide.info, 2010
  11. ^ Shenton, Mark. "Sondheim's 'Road Show' Opens at London's Menier Chocolate Factory July 6" Playbill, 6 July 2011
  12. ^ "Full casting announced for Donmar's Roots'" whatsonstage.com, 12 August 2013
  13. ^ "The Lighthouse Cast, Crew and Reviews". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  14. ^ Uhlich, Keith. " 'Saints & Strangers': TV Review" The Hollywood Reporter, 18 November 2015
  15. ^ Rifkind, Hugo (7 January 2022). "The Tourist review — amnesia? Organised crime? It's as if everything was bunged in". Retrieved 7 January 2022 – via thetimes.co.uk.
  16. ^ "Meet the cast of Honour". Radio Times.
  17. ^ Bamigboye, Baz (3 November 2022). "Prasanna Puwanarajah, Who Plays Martin Bashir On 'The Crown', Says Parts Like That "Just Don't Really Exist For Asian Actors"".
  18. ^ "The Reckoning – Episode 1 of 4".
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