Ken Stott | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Stott at the Hobbitcon II convention inBonn, Germany 2014 | |
| Born | Kenneth Campbell Stott 1954 (age 71–72) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Known for |
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| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards |
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Kenneth Campbell Stott is a Scottish stage, television, and film actor who won theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1995 in the playBroken Glass atRoyal National Theatre. He portrayed the dwarfBalin inThe Hobbit film trilogy (2012–2014).
His most notable roles in UK television include the title characterDI John Rebus in thecrime fiction-mystery seriesRebus (2000–2007) and DCI Red Metcalfe inMessiah (2001–2005). He played Edward 'Eddie' McKenna in the Scottish BBC miniseriesTakin' Over The Asylum (1994) co-starring withDavid Tennant, and Ian Garrett in the 2014 BBC TV mini-seriesThe Missing alongsideJames Nesbitt.
Kenneth Campbell Stott[citation needed] was born inEdinburgh, Scotland in 1954.[1] His mother, Antonia (née Sansica), was aSicilian lecturer,[1][2] his father, David Stott, was aScottish teacher and educational administrator.[3][1] Stott was educated atGeorge Heriot's School inLauriston, Edinburgh.[1] For three years in his youth he fronted a pop band,[1] but left to pursue his career in acting.[4]
After attendingMountview Academy of Theatre Arts inLondon, Stott began working in the theatre for theRoyal Shakespeare Company (RSC), but for some years his earnings from acting were minimal and he was forced to support himself by also working as adouble glazing salesman.[4]
Stott's career began in 1974 at theLyric Theatre, Belfast.[1] His early work in theatre included a notable leading role in the dramatisation ofDominic Behan's play about the Northern Ireland troublesThe Folk Singer,[5] where he also played the part of Judas in the first regional production ofJesus Christ Superstar directed by Michael Poynor (1973).[5]
In 1996, he created the leading role inThe Prince's Play, a translation and adaptation byTony Harrison ofVictor Hugo'sLe Roi s'amuse, for the National Theatre, London, 1996.[6] In 1997, he was nominated for theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his role in theYasmina Reza playArt, in which he appeared withAlbert Finney andTom Courtenay atWyndham's Theatre.[7]
In 2008 Stott starred in anotherWest End production of a Reza play, this timeGod of Carnage, alongsideTamsin Greig,Janet McTeer andRalph Fiennes at theGielgud Theatre.[8] He starred in a revival ofArthur Miller'sA View From The Bridge at theDuke of York's Theatre in early 2009, and reprised his role of Michael inGod of Carnage on Broadway (as a replacement forJames Gandolfini) at theBernard B. Jacobs Theatre in New York.[8]
He returned to the Duke of York's Theatre in 2016 to play " Sir" (alongsideReece Shearsmith) inRonald Harwood'sThe Dresser.[8]
Stott appeared inBBC seriesSecret Army (1977),[5]The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare (King Lear, 1982),[5] andDennis Potter'sThe Singing Detective (1986).[5] He also featured in an advert for the BritishCOI's "Drinking And Driving Wrecks Lives" campaign, playing a fireman.[5]
His television roles have included hospital radio DJ Eddie McKenna in BBC Scotland'sTakin' Over The Asylum,[5] the leading character, DCI Red Metcalfe, in the BBC crime drama seriesMessiah (BBC One, 2001–05);[9] DI Chappell inITV police dramaThe Vice (1999–2003);[9] as a drunk who fantasises about finding redemption by joining theSalvation Army inPromoted to Glory (ITV, 2003); asAdolf Hitler inUncle Adolf (ITV, 2005),[9] and as a fictionalChancellor of the Exchequer inRichard Curtis'sThe Girl in the Café (BBC One, 2005).[9] 2006 saw him take over the title character in detective seriesRebus,[1] a television adaptation of theIan Rankin novels which had previously starredJohn Hannah.[9] In 2021, he appeared as Chief Superintendent Bob Toal in the police proceduralCrime.[citation needed]
In 2008 Stott was nominated for a ScottishBAFTA for his performance as comedianTony Hancock inBBC Four'sHancock and Joan.[9] He played the father of cookery writerNigel Slater in the BBC One adaptation of Slater's autobiographical novelToast,[9] oppositeHelena Bonham Carter andFreddie Highmore.[9] In 2015, Stott played Arthur Birling inHelen Edmundson's BBC TV adaptation ofJ. B. Priestley'sAn Inspector Calls.[9]
On the big screen, he has tended to play mostly supporting parts, such as DI McCall inShallow Grave (1994),[5] Ted inFever Pitch (1997),[5] Marius Honorius inKing Arthur (2004), an Israeli arms merchant inCharlie Wilson's War (2007),[9] and Trufflehunter, a badger loyal toPrince Caspian inThe Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008).[9] However, he has had occasional starring roles in the cinema, most notably oppositeBilly Connolly andIain Robertson inThe Debt Collector (1999),[9] andPlunkett and Macleane of the same year.[9] Most recently, he has starred asBalin in the live-action adaptation ofThe Hobbit,[9] and played the role to critical acclaim. Stott played a supporting role as Dexter Mayhew's father inOne Day (2011) starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.[9]
He narrated for the seriesSend in the Dogs, following the work of UK Police Officers and their canine partners.[9]
Stott has a son, David (born 1985), by his first marriage, which ended in divorce. He married his long-time partner, the artist Nina Gehl, in 2016.[4] Stott is a supporter ofHeart of Midlothian Football Club.[10]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Secret Army | Baroja | Series 1 Episode 4: Child’s Play |
| 1982 | King Lear | Curan | TV film |
| 1983 | The Beggar's Opera | Jemmy Twitcher | TV film |
| 1985 | Taggart | Dr. MacNaughten | TV series: 1 episode |
| 1986 | The Singing Detective | Uncle John | TV miniseries: 2 episodes |
| 1988 | London's Burning | Cyril | First episode |
| For Queen and Country | Civil Servant | ||
| 1990 | Your Cheatin' Heart | Fraser Boyle | TV series: 6 episodes |
| 1991 | All Good Things | Lawrence Wilson | TV series: 5 episodes |
| 1993 | Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story | TV | |
| Anna Lee | Bernie Schiller | TV | |
| Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life | Woland the Knifeman | Short film | |
| Being Human | Gasper Diez | ||
| 1994 | Takin' Over the Asylum | Eddie McKenna | TV series: 6 episodes |
| Shallow Grave | DI McCall | ||
| 1996 | Saint-Ex | Prevot | |
| Silent Witness | Sergeant Bob Claire | TV series: 2 episodes | |
| A Mug's Game | McCaffrey | ||
| Rhodes | Barney Barnato | TV miniseries: 5 episodes | |
| 1997 | The Boxer | Ike Weir | |
| Stone, Scissors, Paper | Redfern | TV | |
| Fever Pitch | Ted, the Headmaster | ||
| 1999 | Dockers | Tommy Walton | TV |
| The Debt Collector | Gary Keltie | ||
| Plunkett & Macleane | General Chance | ||
| Vicious Circle | Martin Cahill | TV | |
| 1999–2003 | The Vice | DI Pat Chappel | TV series: 22 episodes Nominated–British Academy Television Award for Best Actor |
| 2000–2007 | Rebus | DI John Rebus | TV series: 14 episodes |
| 2000 | The Miracle Maker | Simon Peter | Voice only |
| 2001 | Messiah | DCI Red Metcalfe | TV miniseries |
| 2002 | Messiah 2: Vengeance is Mine | DCI Red Metcalfe | TV miniseries |
| 2003 | Promoted to Glory | Mike | TV |
| The Key | Billy | TV | |
| I'll Sleep When I'm Dead | Frank Turner | ||
| 2004 | Messiah 3:The Promise | DCI Red Metcalfe | TV miniseries |
| King Arthur | Marius Honorius | ||
| Spivs | Jack | ||
| 2005 | Casanova | Dalfonso | |
| Messiah: The Harrowing | DCI Red Metcalfe | TV miniseries | |
| The Girl in the Café | Chancellor | ||
| The Mighty Celt | Good Joe | ||
| Uncle Adolf | Adolf Hitler | TV | |
| 2007 | Charlie Wilson's War | Zvi Rafiah | |
| 2008 | The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | Trufflehunter | Voice only |
| Hancock and Joan | Tony Hancock | TV Scottish BAFTA for Best Acting Performance in Television Nominated–British Academy Television Award for Best Actor | |
| 2010 | Toast | Alan Slater | TV film |
| 2011 | The Runaway | Joey Pasqualino | |
| One Day | Steven Mayhew | ||
| 2012 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | Balin | |
| 2013 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | ||
| 2014 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | ||
| Man Up | Bert | ||
| The Missing | Ian Garrett | TV series Nominated–British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor[11] | |
| 2015 | An Inspector Calls | Arthur Birling | TV film |
| 2016 | War & Peace | Bazdeev | TV series |
| Café Society | Marty Dorfman | ||
| 100 Streets | Terence | ||
| 2017 | Fortitude | Erling Munk | TV series: Season 2 |
| 2018 | The Mercy | Stanley Best | |
| 2018 | Strike | The Boss | Animated film; voice only |
| 2021 | The Dig | Charles Phillips | |
| 2021-2023 | Crime | Chief Superintendent Bob Toal | TV series |
0 win, 3 nominations
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Vice | 2001 British Academy Television Award for Best Actor | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Hancock and Joan | 2009 British Academy Television Award for Best Actor | Nominated | |
| 2015 | The Missing | 2015 British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | [11] |
2 win, 2 nominations
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Hancock and Joan | 2009 British Academy Scotland Awards for Best Actor in Television | Won | |
| 2015 | The Missing | 2015 British Academy Scotland Awards Best Actor in Television | Won |
1 win, 4 nominations
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Recruiting Officer at the National Theatre | 1992 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Nominated | |
| 1995 | Broken Glass at the National Theatre Lyttelton / Duke of York's | 1995 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Won | |
| 1997 | Art atWyndham's Theatre | Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor | Nominated | [7] |
| 2010 | A View from the Bridge asEddie Carbone at the Duke of York's | 2010 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actor in a Lead Role | Nominated |
0 wins 1 nomination
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Vice | Royal Television Society Award Best Actor | Nominated |
