Ronan David Jackson Vibert (23 February 1964 – 22 December 2022) was an English actor who was known for his appearances in films and on British and American television.

Ronan Vibert
Born
Ronan David Jackson Vibert

(1964-02-23)23 February 1964
Died22 December 2022(2022-12-22) (aged 58)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1987–2019
SpouseJess Grand[1]

Early life

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He was born in Cambridge, on 23 February 1964,[2] the son of Dilys (née Jackson) and David Vibert, both artists.[3] He lived in Penarth, South Wales, until he was 18, then attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1985.[4]

Career

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Vibert had a long career in theatre, radio, television and film.

Vibert appeared in episodes of Lovejoy, Chandler & Co, Between the Lines and the BBC's The Buccaneers, in ITV's Cadfael, Inspector Lewis and in Van der Valk. He appeared in Jeeves and Wooster as Wilmot, Lord Pershore ('Motty').[5][6]

Stage credits included plays at the Bush Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, The Gate, Manchester Royal Exchange, Bristol Old Vic, The Barbican for the RSC, The Almeida and The Savoy West End. In 1996, Vibert appeared at the National Theatre for the third time, as Prince Andre in Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. He played Maximilien Robespierre in the BBC's adaptation of The Scarlet Pimpernel with Richard E. Grant.[7][8]

Vibert appeared in the Midsomer Murders episode "Death in Chorus". He also appeared in episodes of Waking The Dead and The Mrs Bradley Mysteries.[9][10]

He also appeared in such TV series as Rome, ITV's Poirot, The Borgias, Emmy award winning miniseries Hatfields and McCoys with Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton, Penny Dreadful, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, NCIS LA, Phillip K Dick's Electric Dreams and Carnival Row.[11][12]

Among his many films are Shadow of the Vampire with John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe, The Cat's Meow directed by Peter Bogdanovich, the Oscar-winning The Pianist directed by Roman Polanski, Tomb Raider 2, Tristan and Isolde, The Snowman with Michael Fassbender and Saving Mr Banks with Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, portraying the publisher Diarmuid Russell.[11] He also appeared in The Grass Arena with Mark Rylance.[13]

Illness and death

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Vibert died at a Florida hospital on 22 December 2022, aged 58, following a brief illness.[14][15][16]

Filmography

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Film and television

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 On the Black Hill Jim Watkins
1989 Traffik Lee
1990 Birds of a Feather Martin Episode: "Love on the
1991 Van der Valk Martin Lepweg Episode: "Dangerous Games"
1992 Jeeves and Wooster Wilmot, Lord Pershore ('Motty') "Bertie Sets Sail"
1993 Lovejoy Lindsey Parry Davies "Second Fiddle"
1995 Cadfael Le Gaucher Episode: "The Virgin in the Ice"
The Buccaneers Lord Richard Marabel
1996 Tales from the Crypt Episode: "Horror in the Night"
1998 Tale of the Mummy Young
Big Women Bull
1999 Gimme Gimme Gimme Vince Episode: "I Do, I Do, I Do"
Highlander: The Raven Sir Trevor Benton "The Frame"
1999–2000 The Scarlet Pimpernel Maximilien Robespierre
2000 The Mrs Bradley Mysteries Douglas Episode: "Laurels Are Poison"
Shadow of the Vampire Muller
2001 The Cat's Meow Joseph Willicombe
2002 Shearing Stewart short film
2002 The Pianist Janina's Husband
2002 The Princess and the Pea Laird
2003 Keen Eddie Craig Booth "The Amazing Larry Dunn"
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life MI6 Agent Calloway
2004 London Joseph Conrad
Gladiatress Caesar
2005 Hex Mephistopheles
Waking The Dead Dr Jonathan Lynch "Subterraneans"
2006 Ultimate Force Griffin "Violent Solutions"
2006 Midsomer Murders Giles Armitage "Death in Chorus"
2007 Taggart James Forsyth Episode: "Users and Losers"
Rome Lepidus Episode: "Philippi"
2008 The Sarah Jane Adventures Professor Skinner The Last Sontaran
2009 The Bill Curtis Jensen
Lewis Simon Monkford "The Quality of Mercy"
2010 The Last Seven Isaac
Agatha Christie's Poirot Captain Dacres "Three Act Tragedy"
1066 Sweyn
2011 The Borgias Giovanni Sforza
The Man Who Crossed Hitler Walther Stennes
2012 Hatfields & McCoys Perry Cline
2013 Saving Mr. Banks Diarmuid Russell
2013 New Tricks Ray Barlow "Roots"
2014 Dracula Untold Simion "The Wise"
2015 Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell The Duke of Wellington
2015 Penny Dreadful Sir Geoffrey Hawkes Episodes: "The Nightcomers", "Little Scorpion"
2015 The Coroner Gavin Drake Series 1 Episode 3 "That's The Way To Do It"
2017 The Snowman DCI Gunnar Hagen

Radio

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Year Play Role Notes
2008 A Dance to the Music of Time Peter Templer BBC Radio 4

References

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  1. ^ Hayward, Anthony (8 January 2023). "Ronan Vibert obituary". The Guardian.
  2. ^ "VIBERT, Ronan". Bfi. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  3. ^ Ronan Vibert Biography ((?)-)
  4. ^ Fabrique. "Ronan Vibert — RADA". www.rada.ac.uk. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Ronan Vibert". Archived from the original on 15 March 2019.
  6. ^ "Ronan Vibert". IMDb.
  7. ^ "Ronan Vibert". Archived from the original on 15 March 2019.
  8. ^ "Ronan Vibert". IMDb.
  9. ^ "Ronan Vibert". Archived from the original on 15 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Ronan Vibert". IMDb.
  11. ^ a b "Ronan Vibert Dies: Actor In 'Saving Mr. Banks' And 'The Snowman' Was 58". September 2019.
  12. ^ "Ronan Vibert". IMDb.
  13. ^ "Ronan Vibert". IMDb.
  14. ^ Gajewski, Ryan. "Ronan Vibert, 'Saving Mr. Banks' and 'The Borgias' Actor, Dies at 58". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Ronan Vibert: Stars' tributes after death of actor, 58". BBC News Wales. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Ronan Vibert obituary". the Guardian. 8 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
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