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René Zagger | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1973-06-01)1 June 1973 (age 51) |
| Alma mater | Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1989–present |
René Zagger (born 1 June 1973) is anEnglish actor, known for playing PCNick Klein inThe Bill from 1999 to 2004, and as the voice of Emet-Selch inFinal Fantasy XIV from theStormblood expansion onward. He has also made several guest appearances inCasualty,Doctors andWycliffe.
Zagger was born inLeytonstone,London. His father is ofRussian-Polish ancestry and his mother is ofSpanish-Portuguese ancestry. Zagger was raised a practisingJew by his parents but now considers himself to be more traditionalist.[1] While attending Davenant Foundation School his interest in acting began affecting his attendance, so the headmaster suggested that he move to an acting school. He left his school and enrolled atItalia Conti Academy of Performing Arts.[2]
Zagger's first professional acting role was portraying a youngMarti Pellow in theWet Wet Wet music videoI Remember. Other roles soon followed; from 1990 to 1991, Zagger played Mike Bentley in the children's TV dramaGrange Hill, and later in 1991 he played the role of "Razors" in theGranada Television seriesUp the Garden Path. He also had several guest roles inMinder,Casualty,Wycliffe,Dangerous Lady andThe Bill.[2]
In 1999, Zagger auditioned for the role ofDale Smith inThe Bill, but the role went to his best friendAlex Walkinshaw and the character of PC Nick Klein was created for him.[2] Zagger remained in the role for five years. Zagger left the series and took the role of Antipholus of Syracuse in theStafford festival's production ofShakespeare'sThe Comedy of Errors.[2]
In 2006 Rene starred in theDream Team mini-seriesDream Team 80's as striker Johnny Fletcher, who was the father to Harchester legendKarl Fletcher.
In 2006, Zagger filmed the historical drama,O Jerusalem, andvampire-horror filmNight Junkies with Giles Alderson andKatia Winter.O Jerusalem was shown inFrance on 18 October 2006 andNight Junkies was released in December.
In 2006, he appeared in theBBC seriesRobin Hood in the episode "A Thing or Two About Loyalty" as Lambert.
In 2007 Zagger played the Israeli nuclear technicianMordechai Vanunu, who leaked the existence of the Israeli secret Nuclear Weapons plant atDimona in 1986 and was subsequently kidnapped byMossad in theBBCNuclear Secrets episode "Vanunu and the Bomb".
In June 2007, he appeared inDoctor Who in the episode "Utopia" as Padra.
In July 2007, Zagger appeared as Herod in the second series ofBBC/HBO TV series,Rome.
The autumn of 2008 saw Zagger guest star in two majorBBC1 crime series; he played an alcoholic ex-armyTottenham Hotspur supporter inNew Tricks, and an Australian, Danny, inSilent Witness.
In January 2008, he made an appearance as Colt Winchester (Colin from Winchester) in the 5th episode of series three ofMIHigh called "Dark Star".
In January 2010, he made an appearance as Farris Andreou in the second episode in the second series ofLaw and Order UK called "Hidden".
In June 2011, he made an appearance in the TVsitcom,My Family.
From November 2011 to April 2012, he starred inComedy of Errors alongside Lenny Henry at the National Theatre in Southbank, London.
In June 2012, he made an appearance, alongsideLuke Goss, as Cesar in the feature filmInterview with a Hitman, directed byPerry Bhandal.
In March 2013, he performed in the stage playHope, written and directed byScot Williams and co-starred withSamantha Womack andMark Womack. The play ran at theRoyal Court Theatre, Liverpool. In 2014, he joined the cast of the new musicalMade in Dagenham, originating the role of Stan.
Beginning in 2018, he performed voice work for the MMORPGFinal Fantasy XIV as Solus zos Galvus, eventually known as the antagonist Emet-Selch in the video game'sShadowbringers expansion, as well as its follow upEndwalker.
He appeared inEmmerdale in 2019 as Casino Mob boss Terry, later appearing in theBBC soap operaDoctors asRoss Dempster in May 2022.[3]