Jonathan Firth | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jonathan Stephen Firth (1967-04-06)6 April 1967 (age 58) |
| Alma mater | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Relatives |
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| Awards | 2004 CFT Excellence Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture,Luther |
Jonathan Stephen Firth (born 6 April 1967) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in such British television productions asMiddlemarch,Far from the Madding Crowd, andVictoria & Albert.
Jonathan Firth was born inBrentwood, Essex, England, to David Norman Lewis and Shirley Jean (née Rolles) Firth. His parents were both children of Methodist missionaries inIndia, who worked as teachers inNigeria after their marriage.[1] He is the younger brother of actorColin Firth and voice coachKate Firth. The family moved many times, from Billericay to Brentwood, Essex, and then toSt. Louis, Missouri (USA) for a year when Jonathan was five.[1]
Upon returning to England the family settled inWinchester, Hampshire, where his father became a history lecturer atKing Alfred's College and his mother was a comparative religion lecturer at King Alfred's College, Winchester (now theUniversity of Winchester).[1]
Firth studied atCentral School of Speech and Drama andPeter Symonds College inWinchester. His flatmate at one time was actorRufus Sewell.[2]
After graduation, he toured with theRoyal Shakespeare Company, where he made his debut at the age of twenty-seven asHenry VI (1994).[3]
In addition to his roles in the theatre, Firth has acted in cinematic films and radio dramas,[4] narrated audiobooks, and has also made notable television appearances, such as Linton Heathcliff inEmily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (1992); Fred Vincy inMiddlemarch (1994); Lord Byron inHighlander: The Series (1997); Sergeant Troy inFar from the Madding Crowd, for which he received a nomination for best actor;[3] Lord Arthur Goring inAn Ideal Husband (2000); andPrince Albert inVictoria & Albert (2001). He portrayed Joshua in the 2000 biblical film,In the Beginning.[3][5]
In 2003, he acted in theBBC's dramatised documentaryPompeii: The Last Day.[6] That same year, Firth appeared in the filmLuther, portraying Cardinal Aleander, the papal adviser who sought Luther's excommunication. For his performance, he received the CFT Excellence Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture.[3]
He has also guest-starred inVan der Valk (1991),Inspector Morse (1992);Covington Cross (1992);Cadfael (1994);Agatha Christie's Poirot:Hickory Dickory Dock (1995);Tales from the Crypt (1996);Midsomer Murders The Killings at Badger's Drift (1997);Kangaroo Palace (1998), an Australian drama set in the 1960s;The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (1999);The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (2002);Sparkling Cyanide (2003); andJericho (2005).[5][3][7] He appeared inThe Prince and Me 2: The Royal Wedding (2006),The Prince and Me 3: A Royal Honeymoon (2008) andThe Prince and Me 4: The Elephant Adventure (2010).[3][5]
In 2008, Firth starred as the chef in a short film,The Chef's Letter,[8] played Evan in the radio production of DameDaphne du Maurier'sSeptember Tide,[5] and was also featured in an episode of the American television seriesGhost Whisperer. In 2009, he portrayed Dr. David Fuller in the German filmAlbert Schweitzer [de].[3][5]
In 2016, he appeared as Rex Bishop in the BBC seriesFather Brown episode 4.1 "The Mask of the Demon".
Firth lives inIslington,North London.[citation needed]
