Arthur Darvill | |
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.jpg) Arthur Darvill in 2022 | |
| Born | Thomas Arthur Darvill (1982-06-17)17 June 1982 (age 43) Birmingham,West Midlands, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, composer |
| Years active |
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| Spouse | |
Thomas Arthur Darvill (born 17 June 1982) is an English actor, composer and musician.[1] He is known for portrayingRory Williams, acompanion of theEleventh Doctor in the television seriesDoctor Who (2010–2012), as well asRip Hunter inLegends of Tomorrow (2016–2018, 2021) and Rev. Paul Coates inBroadchurch (2013–2017).[2] From 2013 to 2014, he appeared in the lead role in the theatre musicalOnce in theWest End and onBroadway. He played Curly in the West End revival ofOklahoma!, for which he won theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Arthur Thomas Darvill was born inBirmingham on 17 June 1982. His mother, Ellie, is an actress; during his early childhood, she worked with masks, puppets and live acting as a member of Cannon Hill Theatre at theMidlands Arts Centre, and toured the world. She is also known as the puppeteer and voice behind Why Bird fromPlaydays. His father, Nigel, played theHammond organ for artists includingEdwin Starr,Ruby Turner,Fine Young Cannibals, andUB40.[3] Darvill attendedBromsgrove School inWorcestershire from 1993 to 2000.[1]
Darvill joined Stage2 Youth Theatre Company at the age of 10.[3] He was a member from 1991 to 2000, and had an early job onCITV in 2000, presenting the continuity links between the shows; during this time he was billed as Tom Darvill.[4] He left in 2001, founded his own theatre company (called Fuego's Men), and performed in the Midlands.[citation needed] At the age of 21, Darvill moved toLondon with four friends from youth theatre, each having secured a place at adrama school. They moved into a house inWhite City together. Darvill trained in acting at theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art, and is trained instage combat.[3][5]
Darvill made his professional stage debut playing condemned criminal Harrison inEdmund White'sTerre Haute, which ran at theAssembly Rooms during theEdinburgh Festival Fringe. His performance was praised byNicholas de Jongh of theEvening Standard andSusannah Clapp ofThe Observer.[6][7] Darvill appeared inTerre Haute's transfer toTrafalgar Studios in 2007.[8] His performance gained him a Best Newcomer nomination at the 2007Evening Standard Theatre Awards.[9]
Darvill played Rob in the 2007 monologueStacy, in a performanceThe Times described as "compelling".[10] Later that year, he appeared in theVaudeville Theatre's production ofSwimming with Sharks withChristian Slater,Helen Baxendale andMatt Smith (which gained him a London Newcomer Award nomination).[11]
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In 2008, Darvill made his television acting debut in theITV crime dramaHe Kills Coppers. The same year, he played Edward "Tip" Dorrit in the BBC serialLittle Dorrit.[12] Darvill began playingRory Williams,companion to theEleventh Doctor, in thefifth series of theBBC's science fiction showDoctor Who (reuniting with hisSwimming with Sharks co-star Matt Smith). He became a regular character in thesixth series, and confirmed that he would be appearing in theseventh series;[13] before he and his co-starKaren Gillan (on-screen wifeAmy Pond) left in the fifth episode.[14]
Darvill had a minor role as a stable groom inRidley Scott'sRobin Hood, and playedMick Gallagher inSex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (both 2010). In the summer of 2011, he played Mephistopheles "an agent of the Devil in human form" inDoctor Faustus atShakespeare's Globe Theatre in London,[3][5] a production which was subsequently issued as a DVD. After his departure fromDoctor Who he was cast in the dramaBroadchurch as vicar Paul Coates, alongsideDavid Tennant andOlivia Colman.[15]
On 19 April 2013, he took over the lead male role of Guy from the musicalOnce, on Broadway, New York, opposite new co-starJoanna Christie. The two performers also made an appearance on the 2013Tony Awards to perform a number and to present the award for best scenery.[16][17][18] Darvill continued the role in the West End production from 17 March 2014 until 10 May 2014.[19]
In March 2015, Darvill was cast as the time-travellerRip Hunter in the seriesLegends of Tomorrow.[20] He was written out of the show in 2018, by the end of the third season.[21] However, he returned in 2021 for the show's one hundredth episode. In 2019, Darvill took on the role of Oscar Lindquist in the West End revival ofSweet Charity.
In 2022, Darvill played the lead male role of Curly McLain in the musicalOklahoma! at theYoung Vic.[22] In 2023, he continued the role in the West End production.[23]
Darvill is also a musician and a composer; he has written songs and music for theBush Theatre,[citation needed] and composed the score forChe Walker's 2008 playThe Frontline atShakespeare's Globe.[3] In June 2009, the musicalBeen So Long, based onChé Walker's 1998 play, opened at theYoung Vic and in September 2013 another collaboration,The Lightning Child, opened at the Globe. Darvill had worked with Walker for a number of years since they had first met at RADA, developing the songs and music for the show. The musical was performed at theLatitude Festival in July and had a run at theTraverse Theatre in August. Darvill received a Judge's Discretionary Award from MTM for his music.[24][25] In 2010, Darvill helped promote the solo album ofFyfe Dangerfield, playing with him on sessions forGraham Norton's show and onXfm.[3]
Darvill has undertaken a number of radio and voice projects, includingDoctor Whoaudiobooks. In December 2011, he playedKeith Moon forBBC Radio 4'sBurning Both Ends. In 2012, he voiced Gulliver in Radio 4'sGulliver's Travels and Sam in the short filmPenguin.[26]
He collaborated with playwrightSam Holcroft on a musical adaptation ofRoald Dahl'sFantastic Mr. Fox which premiered at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton, in November 2016.
In 2018, Darvill started the new musical collectivePaperlands with Ines De Clercq. The collective performed atSt Pancras Old Church on 22 November 2018.[27] They took some time to record in a studio in December of that year.[28]
In 2020, Darvill appeared on the concept album forVikki Stone and Katie Mulgrew's musical#ZoologicalSociety.[29][30] Despite the concert being cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the album featuring Darvill was released digitally on 27 March 2020.
On 13 June 2020, it was confirmed that Darvill would reprise his role as Rory Williams withBig Finish Productions, in a multi-box set series entitledThe Lone Centurion, chronicling the character's time between the episodes "The Pandorica Opens" and "The Big Bang".[31]
Darvill plays the guitar and keyboards, and formed an indie band called Edmund in his teenage years; it was named afterEdmund Pevensie, his favourite character inThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.[3] He enjoys cooking and attending the theatre and concerts. He also collectstaxidermy.[3] He is close friends with hisDoctor Who former co-starsKaren Gillan andMatt Smith.[32]
Alongside other British celebrities, Darvill designed and signed his own card for the UK-based charityThomas Coram Foundation for Children. The cards were auctioned off oneBay during May 2014.[33] Darvill isnon-religious.[34]
In 2015, Darvill married Inès De Clercq.[35] They currently do not have any children.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Intangible | Billy | Short film |
| 2010 | Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll | Mick Gallagher | |
| Robin Hood | Groom | ||
| Pelican Blood | Cameron | ||
| 2013 | Crazy for You | Charlie | Short film |
| 2014 | Penguin | Sam (voice) | |
| Captcha | Mel | ||
| 2018 | In Wonderland | Michael | |
| Bertie | Tom | ||
| Shut Up and Dig | Ben | ||
| 2021 | People You May Know | Adam | |
| 2024 | And Mrs | Dylan |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Sooty | Tom | |
| 2008 | He Kills Coppers | PC Wallis | TV film |
| Little Dorrit | Edward "Tip" Dorrit | 7 episodes | |
| 2010–2012 | Doctor Who | Rory Williams | 27 episodes: |
| 2012 | Pond Life | 5 mini-episodes | |
| The Paradise | Bradley Burroughs | Episode: "#1.5" | |
| 2013–2017 | Broadchurch | Reverend Paul Coates | 23 episodes |
| 2013 | The White Queen | Henry Stafford | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Danny and the Human Zoo | Jonesy | TV film |
| 2016–2018, 2021 | Legends of Tomorrow | Rip Hunter | 35 episodes: |
| 2019 | Sticky | Dr. Boot | Episode: "Where Eagles Fap" |
| World on Fire | Vernon Hunter | 3 episodes | |
| 2020 | Unprecedented | Danny | Segment: "Romantic Distancing" |
| 2022 | Grace | Kit Bishop / Jecks | Episode: "Not Dead Enough" |
| The Sandman | Richard Madoc | Episode: "Calliope" | |
| 2023 | Three Little Birds | Ernest Wantage | 5 episodes |
| 2025 | A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story | Victor Mishcon | |
| 2025 | The Sandman | Richard Madoc | Episode: "A Tale of Graceful Ends" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour Krelborn | Midlands Arts Centre[38] |
| 2006 | Terre Haute | Harrison | Wildman Room, Assembly Rooms Trafalgar Studios |
| 2007 | Stacy | Rob | Arcola Theatre |
| Swimming with Sharks | Rex | Vaudeville Theatre | |
| 2010 | Marine Parade | Christopher | Old Market, Hove, East Sussex |
| 2011 | Doctor Faustus | Mephistopheles | Shakespeare's Globe |
| 2012 | Our Boys | Parry | Duchess Theatre |
| 2013–2014 | Once | Guy | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Phoenix Theatre |
| 2014–2015 | Treasure Island | Long John Silver | Royal National Theatre National Theatre Live |
| 2017 | Honeymoon in Vegas | Jack Singer | London Palladium |
| 2018 | Genesis Inc. | Miles / Abraham | Hampstead Theatre |
| 2019 | Sweet Charity | Oscar | Donmar Warehouse |
| The Antipodes | Dave | Royal National Theatre | |
| 2021 | Rare Earth Mettle | Henry Finn | Royal Court Theatre |
| 2022–2023 | Oklahoma! | Curly McLain | Young Vic Wyndham's Theatre |
| 2023 | Once | Guy | Shanghai Culture Square Shenzhen Grand Theatre Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center[39] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Doctor Who: The Gunpowder Plot | Rory Williams | Also likeness |
| 2021 | The Magnificent Trufflepigs | Adam |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dark Shadows: Speak No Evil | Tad Collins | Big Finish Productions |
| Road Trip | Doctor Jared Jones | ||
| Skarlet | Jake Lawton | Audible | |
| 2013 | Dark Shadows: Beneath the Veil | Alfie Chapman | |
| 2014 | Frankenstein | Victor Frankenstein | Big Finish Productions |
| 2018 | Torchwood: Believe | Frank Layton | |
| 2020 | Time Lord Victorious: Echoes of Extinction | Cooke | |
| The Sandman | William Shakespeare | Audible | |
| 2021–2022 | The Lone Centurion | Rory Williams | Big Finish Productions |
| Eliza: A Robot Story[40] | Him | Crowd Network | |
| 2023 | Good Material | Andy | Penguin Audio |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The Tales of Max Carrados | Max Carrados | BBC Radio 4 |
| Burning Both Ends: When Oliver Reed Met Keith Moon | Keith Moon | ||
| 2012 | Jonathan Swift: Gulliver's Travels | Gulliver | |
| 2017 | Into the Water | Mark | |
| 2018 | Billy Ruffian | Maitland | |
| Hi Spec | Ben | ||
| Seven Songs for Simon Dixelius | Simon Dixelius |
I play a sexually challenged panda. Of course.
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