Sean Harris (born 1 June 1966)[1] is an English actor. He played Ian Curtis in 24 Hour Party People (2002), Micheletto Corella in The Borgias (2011–2013), Fifield in Prometheus (2012), Solomon Lane in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) and Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018), Philip in Possum (2018), William Gascoigne in The King (2019) and Henry Peter Teague / Peter Morley in The Stranger (2022).

Sean Harris
Harris in 2014 portraying MacDuff on the set of Macbeth
Born (1966-06-01) 1 June 1966 (age 58)[1]
EducationDrama Centre London
OccupationActor
Years active1994–present

Harris won a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for his role in the miniseries Southcliffe (2013) and received three consecutive nominations for the BIFA for Best Supporting Actor.

Early life and education

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Harris was born on 1 June 1966[1][2] in Bethnal Green[1] and grew up in Lowestoft, Suffolk.[3] He attended Denes High School, now the Ormiston Denes Academy, in Lowestoft.[4]

At 23, he moved to London to train at the Drama Centre London from 1989 to 1992.[5]

Career

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Stage

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Harris was a member of the Glasgow Citizens Theatre, where he performed in stage productions such as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet directed by Giles Havergal[6][7] and as Carino in Don Juan directed by Robert David MacDonald.[8] He also appeared as Lysander in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Matthew Lloyd at the Haymarket Theatre (Leicester)[9] and as Johnny in a Nottingham Playhouse production of Angels Rave On, directed by Jonathan Church.[10][11]

Television

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Harris' television credits include serial killer Ian Brady, on ITV1's television mini-series, See No Evil: The Moors Murders (2006),[11] the 2007 television films Wedding Belles,[11] Channel 4's drama series Cape Wrath [12](Meadowlands in the United States) as Gordon Ormond and the BBC series Ashes to Ashes as Arthur Layton.[11]

In 2009, he played corrupt Detective Inspector Bob Craven in Channel 4's critically acclaimed Red Riding trilogy,[11] and as photographer Anton Blair in Dean Cavanagh's comedy series, Svengali.[13]

In the BBC TV drama Five Daughters (2010), Harris portrayed Brian Tobin, co-founder of the drug treatment facility, The Iceni Project, based in Suffolk. In preparing to play Tobin, Harris followed the real Brian Tobin around during pre-production.[14]

From 2011 to 2013, Harris appeared as the assassin Micheletto in The Borgias, a series created by Neil Jordan. In 2013, he starred as Stephen Morton in the Channel 4 drama Southcliffe,[15] for which Harris won a BAFTA award for Best Actor in 2014.[2][16][17] He also played Joss Merlyn in the poorly received BBC adaptation of Jamaica Inn, which became a subject of controversy and made national news over its mumbling cast and other sound problems.[18][19]

He appears as the disfigured former soldier turned terrorist mastermind Jacob Pearce in the 2024 French/British action thriller series Paris Has Fallen.[20]

Film

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Harris played the main cast role of Thomas the Disciple, and later Thomas the Apostle in the 1999 biblical, historical, drama television film Jesus.[11] His notable roles include that of Joy Division's lead singer Ian Curtis in Michael Winterbottom's 2002 film 24 Hour Party People[11] and as Steven in the film short True Love (Once Removed), directed by Kevin Thomas.[11] The film won Best Short Film at both the Palm Springs and Houston Film Festivals, was selected for the several international festivals, and also qualified for an Oscar nomination in 2004.[21]

Harris also played Nick Sidney in the 2005 mockumentary Brothers of the Head, directed by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe.[11]

In 2007, he appeared in his first feature film lead role as Eddie in Saxon, directed by Greg Loftin.[11] In 2009, he played Stretch in Harry Brown, directed by Daniel Barber.[11]

In 2010, Harris appeared in another film short, Native Son, written and directed by Scottish director Scott Graham.[11] It premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.[22]

In 2012, he played Fifield in Ridley Scott's Prometheus.[2]

In 2014, Harris played Mick Santino in Deliver Us from Evil (2014), directed by Scott Derrickson and based upon the 2001 novel "Beware the Night" by Ralph Sarchie and Lisa Collier Cool. He was cast by Derrickson for the film, without an interview, based upon the director had seen the actor's performance in Harry Brown.[23] That same year, he appeared as Gene Womack in Guy Myhill's The Goob. Myhill previously directed Harris in two film shorts, Two Halftimes to Hell (1997) and The Fabulous Bilsons (2001). Harris finished the year with his performances as Captain Sandy Browning in '71, directed by Yann Demange, for which he earned a 2014 British Independent Film Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor,[24] and he starred as Campbell in Serena (2014), directed by Susanne Bier.[11]

In 2015, Harris appeared as Solomon Lane in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, and as Macduff in Justin Kurzel's Macbeth earning another BIFA nomination.[25] In 2016, he starred in the crime drama Trespass Against Us, in a cast that included Michael Fassbender, Brendan Gleeson, and Rory Kinnear.[26] His performance in the film merited a third BIFA nomination in a row.[27]

Harris filmed Possum in 2016, a film by Matthew Holness, in which he plays the main character.[28][29] He reprised his role as Lane in the sequel Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018).[30]

In 2021, Harris portrayed Darren McGrady, the Royal Head Chef, in the film Spencer, and a frail, aged King Arthur in the film The Green Knight.[31]

Music videos

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Harris made a cameo appearance as a clown in a music video for the Norwich band the Black Sharks' debut album titled Lose Control, directed by Myhill (evidently filmed at the same time as The Fabulous Bilsons).

In 2007, he appeared in a video for Mark Ronson's "Stop Me".[32]

In 2012, Harris appeared in London-based music group Barbarossa's video short, Battles, directed by Montserrat Lombard.[33]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Two Half-Times to Hell Tom Short film
Wet Work Sean Short film
2001 The Discovery of Heaven Bart Bork
The Bilsons Perry Short film
2002 True Love (Once Removed) Steven Short film
Tom & Thomas Kevin
24 Hour Party People Ian Curtis
Pay Day Andy Short film
2003 Nicotine Yellow Diggie Short film
2004 Trauma Roland
Creep Craig, the "Creep"
The Hare Bourne Short film
2005 Asylum Nick
Frozen Hurricane Frank
Brothers of the Head Nick Sidney
Isolation Jamie
2007 Outlaw Simon Hillier
Saxon Eddie
2009 Harry Brown Stretch
2010 Native Son John Short film
Brighton Rock Hale
2011 A Lonely Place to Die Mr Kidd
2012 Prometheus Fifield
2014 Deliver Us from Evil Santino
'71 Captain Sandy Browning
Serena Campbell
2015 The Goob Gene Womack
Paradise Lost?[34] Satan Short film
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Solomon Lane
Macbeth Macduff
2016 Trespass Against Us Gordon Bennett
2018 Mission: Impossible – Fallout Solomon Lane
Possum Philip
2019 The King William Gascoigne
2020 The Banishing[35] Harry Reed
2021 The Green Knight King Arthur
Spencer Chef Darren McGrady
2022 The Stranger Henry Teague
TBA Wizards! TBA

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 Minder Dean Episode: "Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley"
1994
1997
2002
The Bill Matthew Grogan
Russell Hines
Stuart Kennedy
3 episodes
1995 Signs and Wonders Carl Maynard Television film
The Vet Neil Fairbrother Episode: "Home Truths"
1996 A Mug's Game Con
1998 Kavanagh QC Mark Holmes Episode: "Care in the Community"
1999 Jesus Thomas Television film
Hot House Cheddar Television film
2000 Casualty Tim Vanner Episode: "Starting Over"
2001 The Hunt Clem Mackie Television film
2002 Judge John Deed Gerry Hewitt Episode: "Political Expediency"
2003 The Vice Miles Wilson Episode: "Control"
Strange Robin Thomas Episode: "Asmoth"
2006 See No Evil: The Moors Murders Ian Brady Television film
2007 Wedding Belles Adrian Collins Television film
Ashes to Ashes Arthur Layton 2 episodes
Cape Wrath Gordon Ormond 3 episodes
2009 Red Riding Sgt/DSupt Bob Craven Limited series
3 episodes
Law & Order: UK Roland Kirk Episode: "Community Service"
Waking the Dead Radovan Sredinic 2 episodes
2010 Five Daughters Brian Tobin 3 episodes
2011–2013 The Borgias Micheletto Corella 27 episodes
2013 Southcliffe Stephen Morton 4 episodes
2014 Jamaica Inn Joss Merlyn 3 episodes[36]
2023 The Gold Gordon Parry 6 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Year Awards Category Work Result ref
2003 Chlotrudis Awards Best Supporting Actor 24 Hour Party People Nominated [37]
2011 Austin Fantastic Fest Horror Jury Prize - Best Actor – Feature A Lonely Place to Die Won [37]
2014 60th British Academy Television Awards BAFTA Award for Best Leading Actor Southcliffe Won [16][17]
17th British Independent Film Awards BIFA for Best Supporting Actor '71 Nominated [37][24]
2015 18th British Independent Film Awards Macbeth Nominated [37][25]
2016 19th British Independent Film Awards Trespass Against Us Nominated [37][27]
National Film Awards UK Best Supporting Actor Macbeth Nominated [37]
2017 Trespass Against Us Nominated [37]
2018 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Best Actor Possum Won [37]
2022 AACTA Awards Best Supporting Actor The Stranger Won [37][38]
2023 AACTA Awards Best Supporting Actor (International) Nominated [37]
Film Critics Circle of Australia Best Supporting Actor Won [39]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Sean Harris: Movies & Biography". Times of India. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Sean Harris: A rare interview with British acting's secret weapon". Independent.co.uk. 18 October 2014.
  3. ^ Mottram, James (18 October 2014). "Sean Harris: A rare interview with British acting's secret weapon". Independent. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  4. ^ Jones, Laura. "BAFTA thank you to Lowestoft teacher". Lowestoft Journal. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  5. ^ "The Borgias Cast". Showtime.
  6. ^ "Production News: Romeo and Juliet". The Stage. 7 October 1993. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Romeo and Juliet". Scottish Theatre Archive. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Play Reviews: Don Carino". The Stage. 23 December 1993. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Theatre Reviews: A Midsummer Night's Dream". The Stage. 7 March 1996. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Theatre Review: Angels Rave On". The Stage. 2 April 1998. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Sean Harris". clients.troikatalent.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Sean Harris". BIFA. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  13. ^ " Live at the Foundry – Svengali". Retrieved 19 October 2014 – via Vimeo.
  14. ^ "Five Daughters' dramatic account of the Suffolk murders". bbc.co.uk. 20 April 2010.
  15. ^ Robinson, John (2013) "Southcliffe: the most harrowing drama on TV", The Guardian, 26 July 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013
  16. ^ a b "Sean Harris wins Leading Actor Bafta". bbc.co.uk. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  17. ^ a b "BAFTA Television 2014 – Best Leading Actor - Sean Harris". BAFTA. 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  18. ^ "BBC blames mumbling Jamaica Inn cast". Telegraph Online. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  19. ^ "BBC's Jamaica Inn drama loses quarter of audience after sound quality issues". The Guardian. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Paris Has Fallen: Everything we know about new spy show's premiere". The Economic Times. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Bandits Productions Kevin Thomas Films". Bandits Productions. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  22. ^ "Semainedelacritique Cannes Native Son World Premiere, 2010". Archived from the original on 2 May 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  23. ^ Dickson, Evan (July 2014). "[Interview] Scott Derrickson". Bloody Disgusting, 1 July 2014.
  24. ^ a b "BIFA 2014 Winners & Nominations". BIFA. 16 February 2014.
  25. ^ a b "Nominations Announced or MOËT British Independent Film Awards 2015". BIFA. 3 November 2015.
  26. ^ Sandwell, Ian. "Lionsgate Acquires Trespass Against Us". Screen Daily. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  27. ^ a b "BIFA 2016 Winners & Nominations". BIFA. 25 March 2019.
  28. ^ "Possum Sounds Like Classic Horr at its Finest". 3 November 2016.
  29. ^ "Sean Harris to lead fyzz facility horror-'possom'".
  30. ^ "Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie mark the end of filming on Mission: Impossible – Fallout". flickeringmyth.com. 29 March 2018.
  31. ^ "The Green Knight Cast: Where You've Seen The Actors Before". cinemablend.com. 30 July 2021..
  32. ^ "Mark Ronson – "Stop Me"". dailymotion.com. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  33. ^ "Battles". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  34. ^ "Paradise Lost?(Part II)". YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  35. ^ "The Banishing". WestEnd Films. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  36. ^ "First Look images and further casting announced for upcoming BBC Drama The Gold". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  37. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Sean Harris Awards". IMDB (Index source only). Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  38. ^ "Winners Announced for the 2022 AACTA Awards". aacta.org. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  39. ^ Kelly, Vivienne (28 February 2023). "Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards: Winners Revealed". Variety Australia. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
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