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Ioan Gruffudd (pronounced ) (born October 6, 1973 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales) is a Welsh actor. His parents, Peter and Gillian Gruffudd, were teachers. He has two siblings – a brother, Alun, who is two years younger, and a sister, Siwan, who is seven years younger than he is.
Gruffudd started his acting career at the age of 12 in a Welsh television film named "Austin" and then later moved onto the Welsh language soap opera Pobol y Cwm (People of the Valley). At the age of 18, he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He won his first major English language role a few years later in the 1996 TV remake of Poldark.
After playing Oscar Wilde's gay lover in Wilde in 1997, he took his first international role as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the blockbuster film Titanic. He later got his best-known role as Horatio Hornblower in the A&E production of the C.S. Forester novels. Next, he played Pip in the BBC production of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. He has also starred in 102 Dalmatians, ITV's adaptation of The Forsyte Saga, Black Hawk Down, King Arthur and most recently Fantastic Four.
He was invited and accepted into Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain (the Welsh Bardic Order of Great Britain) at the highest rank in the National Eisteddfod at Meifod in 2003, with the bardic name Ioan.
Gruffudd is currently living with his English fiancée, Alice Evans, in Los Angeles, California. They met during the production of 102 Dalmatians.
Selected filmography
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Fantastic Four 2 | Reed Richards |
| 2006 | Amazing Grace | William Wilberforce |
| 2006 | ''The TV Set | Richard McAllister |
| 2005 | ''Fantastic Four | Reed Richards |
| 2004 | King Arthur | Lancelot |
| 2004 | Century City (TV series) | Lukas Gold |
| 2003 | ''This Girl's Life | Daniel |
| 2003 | Hornblower: Duty (TV series) | Commander Horatio Hornblower |
| 2003 | Hornblower: Loyalty (TV series) | Commander Horatio Hornblower |
| 2002 | The Forsyte Saga (TV) | Phillip Bosinney |
| 2002 | The Gathering | Dan Blakeley |
| 2002 | Shooters | Freddy Guns |
| 2001 | Black Hawk Down | Lt. John Beales |
| 2001 | Hornblower: Retribution (TV series) | 3rd Lt. Horatio Hornblower |
| 2001 | Hornblower: Mutiny (TV series) | 3rd Lt. Horatio Hornblower |
| 2001 | Happy Now | Sgt Max Bracchi |
| 2001 | Very Annie Mary | Hob |
| 2001 | Another Life | Freddy Bywaters |
| 2000 | 102 Dalmatians | Kevin Shepherd |
| 2000 | The Miracle Maker (TV) | Jesus (voice) |
| 1999 | Solomon & Gaenor | Solomon Levinsky |
| 1999 | Great Expectations (TV) | Pip |
| 1999 | Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters (TV series) | Lt. Horatio Hornblower |
| 1999 | Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil (TV series) | Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower |
| 1999 | Warriors (TV) | Lt. John Feeley |
| 1998 | Hornblower: The Examination For Lieutenant (TV series) | Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower |
| 1998 | Hornblower: The Even Chance (TV series) | Midshipman Horatio Hornblower |
| 1997 | Titanic | 5th Officer Harold Lowe |
| 1997 | Wilde | John Gray |
| 1996 | Poldark (TV) | Jeremy Poldark |
| 1986 | Austin (TV) | Dafydd |
| 1974 | Pobol y Cwm (TV series) | Gareth Wyn Harries (1987–1994) |
Quotes
"My girlfriend, Alice, and I moved out to Los Angeles in January . We just rented a house there for a year. I want to work there, I've always had that ambition, and I've got to be there if I want this to work."
"It was quite something for an unknown actor to get the lead. So I will always be grateful to Hornblower."
"When I saw a billboard on Sunset Strip I parked the car, ran out, took a picture of it, then emailed it to all my friends."
"The change is that suddenly everybody wants to meet me. That's happened overnight just because I'm in a big film - and it hasn't even come out yet. You have to enjoy and exploit that. I'm happy to do that because I know it's a game. Once you start believing it's real, you're lost."
"I enjoy playing golf, reading and going to the movies. I like to escape. I'll go to movies on my own and watch two in a row, sometimes. I like to go off in, sort of, dreamland."
"It's incredible, and I'm so appreciative of the lifestyle that I have. It's really fun to be able to work at doing my hobby, and be able to earn money doing it."
"As a Welshman, I grew up in a culture of singing and performing with music, and I think it was through this performing that I got my confidence as an actor."
"I’m homesick for Wales, but I don’t miss London as a place. I miss my friends. I enjoy being in Los Angeles because it’s the easiest place in the world to drive, and it’s a real pleasure to do that in my black Jag XK8. I’ve gone all out."
"I think real success is measured more by your personal situation, as in having a family etc."
External links
- Ioan Online - Fan-based online media promotions for Ioan Gruffudd
1973 births | Living people | Welsh actors | Welsh film actors | Welsh television actors | Welsh voice actors | British actors | Soap opera actors | Fantastic Four actors
Ioan Gruffudd | Ioan Gruffudd | Ioan Gruffudd | Ioan Gruffudd | ヨアン・グリフィズ | Ioan Gruffudd | Ioan Gruffudd
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