Charlie Hunnam | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hunnam in 2024 | |
| Born | Charles Matthew Hunnam (1980-04-10)10 April 1980 (age 45) Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Alma mater | Cumbria College of Art and Design |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Spouse | |
| Partner | Morgana McNelis(2005–present) |
Charles Matthew Hunnam (/ˈhʌnəm/; born 10 April 1980) is an English actor. He portrayedJax Teller in theFX drama seriesSons of Anarchy (2008–2014), for which he was twice nominated for theCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor.
Hunnam has been featured as the lead in numerous films, includingGreen Street (2005),Nicholas Nickleby (2002),Pacific Rim (2013),Triple Frontier (2019). He has also portrayedPercy Fawcett inThe Lost City of Z (2016) andArthur Pendragon inKing Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017).
His notable television projects include theChannel 4 dramaQueer as Folk (1999–2000), theFox seriesUndeclared (2001–2002) and theApple TV+ seriesShantaram (2022). In 2025, he portrayed thetitular character inMonster: The Ed Gein Story, the third season of theNetflixtrue crimeanthology seriesMonster.
Charles Matthew Hunnam was born inNewcastle upon Tyne on 10 April 1980,[1] the son of Jane Bell, a ballet dancer and business owner, and William Hunnam. One of his grandmothers was a portrait artist.[2] He has said that his mother "did a very good job" of being a single parent.[3][4][5][6] He has an older brother named William and two younger half brothers on his mother's side named Oliver and Christian.[7][non-primary source needed][8]
At age 12, when his mother remarried, the family moved toMelmerby inCumbria. He attendedQueen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith, from which he was later expelled. During his adolescence, he playedrugby and fought with his classmates.[9][10][11] After that, instead of going to university, he decided to go to theCumbria College of Art and Design inCarlisle (now part of theUniversity of Cumbria) to study performing arts. He graduated with a dual degree infilm theory andfilm history with a side inperforming arts. He planned to write and direct his own films.[12][13]
Hunnam was discovered at the age of 17 in a branch ofJD Sports onChristmas Eve, while playing around with his brother during a trip to buy shoes. A production manager for the Newcastle-based teen dramaByker Groveapproached Hunnam and he was later cast in his first role as Jason for three episodes of the show. He also had a brief modelling career where he did a photo shoot forKangol Caps and then decided modelling was not for him.[14][2][13][15] Hunnam's first major role came at age 18 when he was cast byRussell T Davies as 15-year-old schoolboy Nathan Maloney in Davies'Channel 4 dramaQueer as Folk.[16] He followed this up with his role as Daz in the filmWhatever Happened to Harold Smith? (1999) and then moved to the United States. Hunnam was heavily considered byGeorge Lucas for the role ofAnakin Skywalker inStar Wars: Attack of the Clones, but following an awkward in-person interview with George Lucas and producers, ultimatelyHayden Christensen was cast in the role instead.[17][18]
His career expanded to include a recurring role as Gregor Ryder in theWB seriesYoung Americans. He then appeared in the short-livedFox seriesUndeclared as a British drama student called Lloyd Haythe. Despite critical acclaim, the series was cancelled after one season. Hunnam then appeared on the large screen inAbandon (2002),Nicholas Nickleby (2002), andCold Mountain (2003). Hunnam stated he did not wish to simply take any role offered to him, saying, "I have 60 years to make the money, but the choices I make in the next five years are really going to define my career."
This decision resulted in his return to the UK to take the lead role of Pete Dunham in the filmGreen Street (2005); however, his attempt at delivering aCockney accent resulted in his inclusion in many critics' "worst accents in movie history" lists.[19] Hunnam said his role as Patric, a member of "The Fishes" inChildren of Men (2006), was the final part in his "trilogy of mad men": "I played the psycho inCold Mountain, my character inGreen Street Hooligans is fairly psychotic and now I've got this role."[20]
From 2008 to 2014, Hunnam starred inSons of AnarchyasJackson "Jax" Teller leader ofSAMCRO, a prominentmotorcycle club set in the fictional town of Charming, California. Hunnam was cast afterKurt Sutter, the creator of the show, saw him inGreen Street Hooligans.[21] His portrayal as Jax Teller has led Hunnam to receive aCritics' Choice Television Award nomination, twoEWwy Award nominations for Best Lead Actor in a Drama series, and aPAAFTJ Award nomination for Best Cast in a Drama Series.[22]
In 2011, Hunnam played the role of Gavin Nichols in the philosophical drama/thrillerThe Ledge byMatthew Chapman.[23] In 2012, he starred as the title character in the indie comedy3,2,1... Frankie Go Boom alongside hisSons of Anarchy co-starRon Perlman.[24] Hunnam said he considered the day he filmed scenes with Perlman the best and funniest day of filming he's had in his career.[25] He also appeared as Jay, an ex-boxer, inStefan Ruzowitzky's crime dramaDeadfall (2012).[26][27]
Hunnam starred as Raleigh Becket inGuillermo del Toro's sci-fi filmPacific Rim,[28] which opened in July 2013 and grossed $411 million worldwide. It was announced on 2 September 2013 that Hunnam would play the lead role of Christian Grey in thefilm adaptation ofE. L. James' novelFifty Shades of Grey.[29] However, on 12 October 2013,Universal Pictures announced that Hunnam had withdrawn from the film due to conflicts with the schedule of his seriesSons of Anarchy.[30]
On 2 June 2014, Hunnam was awarded aHuading Award for Best Global Emerging Actor, for his role as Raleigh inPacific Rim due to the film performing well in Asian markets.[31] Hunnam reunited with del Toro in the horror filmCrimson Peak,[32] alongsideMia Wasikowska,Tom Hiddleston, andJessica Chastain. The film began shooting in February 2014 and was released on 16 October 2015.[33]
Hunnam starred as geographerPercy Fawcett inJames Gray's adaptation of authorDavid Grann's 2009 book,The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Gray dubbed his adventure dramaThe Lost City of Z, which was filmed from August to October 2015. The film had its world premiere 15 October 2016 as the closing night selection at theNew York Film Festival. It was released in the United States on 14 April 2017.[34][35][36][37] Hunnam played the eponymous title role inGuy Ritchie's action-adventure filmKing Arthur: Legend of the Sword, which was filmed between March and July 2015. It was released in May 2017.[38] He next starred inGuy Ritchie's 2019 filmThe Gentlemen alongsideMatthew McConaughey.
Hunnam portrayed Charlie Waldo in the 2022 mystery/thrillerLast Looks which also featuredMel Gibson. His first television series forApple TV+,Shantaram, premiered 14 October 2022. Hunnam led the cast of characters as Dale Conti/Lindsay "Linbaba" Ford. The series was based onGregory David Roberts' 2003 autobiographical novel.
On 9 February 2023,Deadline Hollywood reported that Hunnam joinedZack Snyder'sNetflix projectRebel Moon. The project reunited Hunnam withKing Arthur: Legend of the Sword co-starDjimon Hounsou. Theepicspace opera,Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire had a limited theatrical release on 15 December 2023. On 21 December 2023, the film was released worldwide via Netflix's streaming service.Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver was released worldwide 14 April 2024 on Netflix.
In May 2024, Hunnam was cast in the lead role of Leo, "a brilliant master thief", for Amazon Prime Video'sadaptation of the comic series byEd Brubaker andSean Phillips,Criminal.[39]
In October 2025, Hunnam portrayed convicted murderer and grave robberEd Gein inMonster: The Ed Gein Story, the third season of the biographical crime drama anthology seriesMonster, created byRyan Murphy andIan Brennan forNetflix.[40] Hunnam also served as an executive producer for the season.[41]
Hunnam met actress Katharine Towne, daughter of actressJulie Payne and filmmakerRobert Towne, in 1999 when they both auditioned for roles onDawson's Creek.[42][43] After dating for three weeks, they married inLas Vegas; they divorced in 2002.[16] He dated modelSophie Dahl, actress Stella Parker and film producer Georgina Townsley.[44] He has been in a relationship with artist Morgana McNelis since 2005.[45][46][47][48]
In 2016, he began training inBrazilian jiu-jitsu underRigan Machado,[49] and received hisblue belt in October 2018.[50]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? | Daz |
| 2002 | Abandon | Embry Larkin |
| Nicholas Nickleby | Nicholas Nickleby | |
| 2003 | Cold Mountain | Bosie |
| 2005 | Green Street | Pete Dunham |
| 2006 | Children of Men | Patric |
| 2011 | The Ledge | Gavin Nichols |
| 2012 | 3,2,1... Frankie Go Boom | Frankie |
| Deadfall | Jay Mills | |
| 2013 | Pacific Rim | Raleigh Becket |
| 2015 | Crimson Peak | Alan McMichael |
| 2016 | The Lost City of Z | Percy Fawcett |
| 2017 | King Arthur: Legend of the Sword | King Arthur |
| 2018 | Papillon | Henri Charrière |
| 2019 | A Million Little Pieces | Bob Frey Jr. |
| Triple Frontier | William 'Ironhead' Miller | |
| True History of the Kelly Gang | Sergeant O'Neill | |
| Jungleland | Stanley Kaminski | |
| The Gentlemen | Raymond Smith | |
| 2022 | Last Looks | Charlie Waldo |
| 2023 | Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire | Kai |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Byker Grove | Jason Chuckle | 3 episodes |
| 1999 | My Wonderful Life | Wes | 7 episodes |
| 1999–2000 | Queer as Folk | Nathan Maloney | 10 episodes |
| 1999 | Microsoap | Brad | Episode: "2.6" |
| 2000 | Young Americans | Gregor Ryder | 3 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | Undeclared | Lloyd Haythe | Main role; 17 episodes |
| 2008–2014 | Sons of Anarchy | Jax Teller | Main role; 92 episodes |
| 2022 | Shantaram | Lin Ford | Main role |
| 2025 | Monster: The Ed Gein Story | Ed Gein | Main role; also executive producer[51] |
| TBA | Criminal | Leo | Main role[39] |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | National Board of Review | Best Acting by an Ensemble | Nicholas Nickleby | Won |
| 2013 | Huading Awards | Huading Award for Best Global Emerging Actor | Pacific Rim | Won |
| 2017 | CinemaCon Award | Male Star of the Year | King Arthur: Legend of the Sword | Won |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | EWwy Award | EWwy Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series | Sons of Anarchy | Nominated | [52] |
| Critics' Choice Television Award | Best Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |||
| 2013 | Pan-American Association of Film & Television Journalists | Best Cast in a Drama Series | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | EWwy Award | EWwy Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | [53] | |
| 2015 | People's Choice Awards[54] | Favorite Cable TV Actor | Nominated | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |||
| Critics' Choice Television Award | Nominated |
Created by:Kurt Sutter | |
| Sons of Anarchy | |
| Mayans M.C. | |
| Characters | |
| Music | |
