Dan Stevens

Dan Stevens
Dan Stevens in 2013
Born	Daniel Jonathan Stevens 10 October 1982 Croydon, London, England
Alma mater	Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2004–present
Spouse(s)	Susie Hariet (m. 2009)
Children	2

Daniel Jonathan "Dan" Stevens^[1] (born 10 October 1982)^[2] is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Matthew Crawley in the British period drama television series Downton Abbey.

Early life

Stevens was born in Croydon, London.^[3] He was adopted at birth, by parents who were both teachers, and grew up in Wales and Southeast England.^[4][5] He has a younger brother who was also adopted.^[5] After a rebellious youth,^[6] Stevens boarded on a scholarship at Tonbridge School, an independent school in Kent. There he became interested in drama after auditioning for the title role in Macbeth with his teacher, novelist Jonathan Smith.^[7][8] From the age of 15, he spent his summers training and performing with the National Youth Theatre in London.^[9]

Stevens studied English Literature at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.^[5][6] While at Cambridge, he was a member of the Footlights with Stefan Golaszewski, Tim Key, and Mark Watson,^[10] and was also active in the Marlowe Society. He was first spotted by director Peter Hall at a Marlowe Society production of Macbeth, in which he played the title character alongside Hall's daughter.^[11][12][13]

Career

In 2004, Stevens began his professional acting career when Peter Hall cast him as Orlando in his touring production of Shakespeare's As You Like It. The tour took the production to the Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames, the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City, the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, and the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. His debut performance earned him glowing reviews from prominent critics in England and the United States,^{[14][15][16][17]} as well as a commendation at the 2004 Ian Charleson Awards.^[18]

In 2006, Stevens starred as Nick Guest in the BBC adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst's Booker Prize-winning novel The Line of Beauty.^[19] Later that year he played Simon Bliss in Hay Fever by Noël Coward at London's Haymarket Theatre, alongside Peter Bowles and Dame Judi Dench; the director was Peter Hall. He also performed as Lord Holmwood in an adaptation of Dracula for the BBC, and as Basil Brookes in the BBC Emmy-award-winning film, Maxwell. That same year, he was named one of Screen International's 2006 Stars Of Tomorrow.^[20]

In 2008, Stevens appeared in the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, Sense & Sensibility, playing Edward Ferrars, and the West End revival of Noël Coward's The Vortex. In January 2009 he appeared on New Year's Day in Agatha Christie's Marple: Nemesis on ITV1 in Britain.^[21] In June 2009 he returned to the West End, playing Septimus Hodge in an acclaimed revival of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia at the Duke of York's Theatre.^[22]

In 2010, Stevens got his biggest break^[23] when he was cast as Matthew Crawley in the ITV series Downton Abbey, created and written by Oscar-winning^[24] screenwriter Julian Fellowes.^[25] The series went on to be a global sensation,^[26] and has been nominated for several Emmy, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards since its debut. The central love story of Matthew Crawley and his distant cousin, Lady Mary Crawley, played by Michelle Dockery, was enormously popular.^[27] Stevens left the series after finishing the third season and the Christmas Special in 2012.^[28] His exit caused a huge uproar with fans, who notably took to Twitter and other social media sites to express their anger at the character's death.^[29]

In November 2011, Stevens guest-hosted an episode of Have I Got News for You. In March 2012 he completed shooting Vamps, the latest film from Amy Heckerling, and Summer in February, an Edwardian romance film set in an artist colony.^[30]

In 2012, Stevens moved with his family to New York City. He made his Broadway debut that year opposite Jessica Chastain and David Strathairn in The Heiress.^[31]

In 2014, Stevens starred in the independent film The Guest, winning critical acclaim for his portrayal of a recently discharged military veteran who goes on a killing spree to protect a former comrade's younger brother.^[32][33][34] He earned a Saturn Award for Best Actor nomination for his performance. Also in 2014, he appeared in the magic realism comedy-drama film The Cobbler, and in the dark action film A Walk Among the Tombstones. He played a simulacrum of Sir Lancelot in the 2014 comedy film Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.^{[35][36][37][38]}

On 4 March 2015 it was announced that Stevens will play the Beast, opposite Emma Watson as Belle, in Disney's live-action remake adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.^[39]

Other work

Stevens has narrated over 30 audiobooks, including Casino Royale, Wolf Hall, and War Horse. In 2014, he was nominated for two Audie Awards, in the Classic category and Solo Narration (Male) category for Frankenstein.^[40]

Outside acting, Stevens maintains an interest in writing and literature and is editor-at-large for The Junket, an online quarterly which he co-founded in 2011 with some friends.^[41][42] He was a member of the judging panel for the 2012 Man Booker Prize for Fiction,^[25][43] and was a regular columnist for the Sunday Telegraph.^[44]

A cricket enthusiast, he made his "debut" for the Authors XI team in 2012^[45] and also contributed to the book The Authors XI: A Season of English Cricket from Hackney to Hambledon,^[46] which was shortlisted for the 2014 The Cricket Society and M.C.C. Book of the Year Award.^[47]

Personal life

In 2009 Stevens married South African jazz singer and singing teacher Susie Hariet. They met in 2006, when appearing at different theatres in Sheffield.^[3] They have a daughter named Willow (born 2009) and a son named Aubrey (born 2012).^[48][49] Actress Rebecca Hall is godmother to his daughter Willow.^[50]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2006	Dracula	Lord Arthur Holmwood	Television film
2007	Maxwell	Basil Brookes	Television film
2009	Hilde	David Cameron
2009	Turn of the Screw, TheThe Turn of the Screw	Dr. Fisher	Television film
2011	North London Book of the Dead, TheThe North London Book of the Dead	Speaker	Short film
2011	Babysitting	Spencer	Short film
2012	Vamps	Joey
2012	Shallow	Richard Dove	Short film
2013	Summer in February	Gilbert Evans	Also an executive producer
2013	Fifth Estate, TheThe Fifth Estate	Ian Katz
2014	Guest, TheThe Guest	David Collins	Nominee - Saturn Award for Best Actor[51]
2014	Walk Among the Tombstones, AA Walk Among the Tombstones	Kenny Kristo
2014	Cobbler, TheThe Cobbler	Emiliano
2014	Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb	Sir Lancelot
2015	Criminal Activities	Noah
2016	Ticket, TheThe Ticket	James	Premieres at 2016 Tribeca Film Festival[52]
2016	Oppenheimer Strategies		In post-production
2016	Colossal		In post-production
2017	Beauty and the Beast	The Beast	In post-production
2017	Permission	Will	In post-production

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	Frankenstein	Henry Clerval	Miniseries
2006	Line of Beauty, TheThe Line of Beauty	Nick Guest	Miniseries; 3 episodes
2007	Agatha Christie's Marple	Michael Faber	Episode: "Nemesis"
2008	Sense and Sensibility	Edward Ferrars	Miniseries; 3 episodes
2010–12	Downton Abbey	Matthew Crawley	Main cast (series 1–3); 25 episodes Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2013	Tomorrow People, TheThe Tomorrow People	TIM (voice)	Uncredited; 3 episodes
2014	Once Upon a Time: Wicked Is Coming	Narrator	TV special
2015	SuperMansion	Bunsen (voice)	TV series; 1 episode
2016	Legion	David Charles Haller / Legion	TV series; main cast

Web

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2014	High Maintenance	Colin	Episode: "Rachel"

Other works

Stage

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	As You Like It	Orlando	The Rose Theatre, Kingston Nominated – Ian Charleson Award[5]
2005	You Never Can Tell		Theatre Royal, Bath
2005	Waiting for Godot		Theatre Royal, Bath
2005	Private Lives		Theatre Royal, Bath
2005	Much Ado About Nothing[53]	Claudio	Theatre Royal, Bath
2006	Romans in Britain, TheThe Romans in Britain[54]	Marban / Maitland	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2006	Hay Fever[55]	Simon Bliss	Theatre Royal, Haymarket
2008	Vortex, TheThe Vortex[56]	Nicky Lancaster	Apollo Theatre, London
2009	Every Good Boy Deserves Favour[57]	The Doctor	National Theatre, London
2009	Arcadia[58]	Septimus Hodge	Duke of York's Theatre, London
2010	Late at Night	David	The Old Vic, London
2012	Heiress, TheThe Heiress[59]	Morris Townsend	Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway

Audiobooks - Narrator

Year	Title	Notes
2007	Dragon's Eye, TheThe Dragon's Eye[60]
2007	Die with Me[61]
2007	Strike Back[62]
2008	Day[63]
2008	Outcast, TheThe Outcast[64]
2009	Dragon Diary: Dragonology Chronicles, Vol. 2, TheThe Dragon Diary: Dragonology Chronicles, Vol. 2[65]
2009	Angel's Game, TheThe Angel's Game[66]
2009	Week in December, AA Week in December[67]
2009	Wolf Hall[68]
2010	War Horse[69]
2010	Blueeyedboy[70]
2010	Prince of Mist, TheThe Prince of Mist[71]
2010	Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud[72]
2010	Fall of Giants[73]
2010	Young Sherlock Holmes: Red Leech[74]
2011	My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You[75]
2011	Midnight Palace, TheThe Midnight Palace[76]
2011	History of a Pleasure Seeker, TheThe History of a Pleasure Seeker[77]
2011	Invisible Ones, TheThe Invisible Ones[78]
2012	Time Keeper, TheThe Time Keeper[79]
2013	Letters from Everest: A First-Hand Account of the Epic First Ascent[80]
2013	Going Solo[81]
2013	Boy[82]
2013	Frankenstein[83]	Nominated for two 2014 Audie Awards,[84] Classic & Solo Narration – Male
2014	Letters to a Young Poet[85]
2014	Murder on the Orient Express[86]
2014	And Then There Were None[87]
2014	Heroes' Welcome, TheThe Heroes' Welcome[88]
2014	Scorpia Rising[89]
2014	Snakehead[90]
2014	Crocodile Tears[91]
2014	Casino Royale[92]
2014	The Iliad[93]
2014	The Odyssey[94]	Nominated for a 2015 Audie Award,[95] Classic

Radio

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2006	Question of Attribution, AA Question of Attribution[96]	Phillips	BBC Radio 4
2008	Tennis Court, TheThe Tennis Court[97]	Sam Greenwood	BBC Radio 4
2008	Dickens Confidential (series 2)[98]	Charles Dickens	BBC Radio 4
2008	Anthem for Doomed Youth[99]	Narrator	BBC Armistice exhibition
2008	Josephine Hart Poetry Hour, TheThe Josephine Hart Poetry Hour (episode 1)	Narrator	BBC Radio 4
2008–09	Orley Farm[100]	Peregrine Orm	BBC Radio 4
2009	Lady of the Camellias, TheThe Lady of the Camellias[101]	Duval	BBC Radio 4
2009	Guilty Until Proven Innocent[102]	Jake	BBC Radio 4
2009	Music Room, TheThe Music Room[103]	Narrator	BBC Radio 4
2010	Custom of the Country, TheThe Custom of the Country[104]	Ralph Marvell	BBC Radio 4
2010	The Secret Pilgrim (episode 1)[105]	Ben Cavendish	BBC Radio 4
2010	Coral Thief, TheThe Coral Thief[106]	Narrator	BBC Radio 4
2010	Story of the Siren – E.M. Forster Short Stories, TheThe Story of the Siren – E.M. Forster Short Stories[107]	Narrator	BBC Radio 4
2011	Thousand Kisses, AA Thousand Kisses[108]	Catullus	BBC Radio 3
2011	Widowers' Houses[109]	Harry Trench	BBC Radio 3
2011	Portrait of Winston[110]	Graham Sutherland	BBC Radio 4
2011	King James Bible[111]	Narrator	BBC Radio 4
2011	Short History of Vampires – Dracula's Guest, AA Short History of Vampires – Dracula's Guest[112]	Bram Stoker	BBC Radio 7
2011	Words & Music – Money[113]	Narrator	BBC Radio 3
2011	Together – Face It[114]	Narrator	BBC Radio 4
2011	Spying Game Series – The Living Daylights, TheThe Spying Game Series – The Living Daylights[115]	Narrator	BBC Radio 4
2011	Something Understood[116]	Reader	BBC Radio 4
2012	Old Ways, TheThe Old Ways[117]	Reader	BBC Radio 4

References

1. "Dan Stevens profile". UK Cinema Release Dates.
2. "Dan Stevens @ Talented British Actors". Archived from the original on 2009-05-22.
3. "He does prefer redheads! Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens on why his wife is his only leading lady". Daily Mail. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
4. Ginia Bellafante (1 January 2013). "Dan Stevens Interview - Downtown Abbey's Dan Stevens". Town & Country Magazine.
5. "I'm not really posh, says 'Downton Abbey' actor Dan Stevens". The Daily Telegraph. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
6. Gannon, Louise (3 September 2011). "'I spent most of my early years totally rebelling against anything I could': Dan Stevens on how he went from rebellious youth to Downton Abbey's heir apparent". Daily Mail. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
7. "The best teachers will always bowl you over". The Guardian. 19 June 2011.
8. "Dan Stevens: My Best Teacher". Times Educational Supplement. 23 September 2011.
9. Hardy, Rebecca (23 December 2011). "Abbey Christmas! Will Downton's Matthew get Mary? That'd be telling". Daily Mail.
10. "Footlights Alumni 2000-2009". Footlights.
11. "Macbeth". Marlowe Society. 2002.
12. "Rebecca Hall takes the lead". The Daily Telegraph. 29 October 2011.
13. "Dan Stevens Interview: How Being 'Downton Abbey's Hero Has Changed His Life". Huffington Post. 4 November 2011.
14. Charles Spencer (7 December 2004). "New dreams blossom in Hall’s Indian summer". The Telegraph.
15. Ben Brantley (28 January 2005). "The Listings: DAN STEVENS". New York Times.
16. Joel Hirschhorn (8 February 2005). "Review: ‘As You Like It’". Variety.
17. Diane Haithman (25 February 2005). "Taking the fast lane to success". Los Angeles Times.
18. "Ian Charleson award-winners". The Sunday Times. 22 May 2005. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
19. "Close-up: Dan Stevens". The Independent. 24 February 2008.
20. "Screen, BFI London Film Festival team for Stars of Tomorrow".
21. Miss Marple: Nemesis at the Internet Movie Database
22. Bosanquet, Theo. "Critics Hail Stoppard's Arcadia". Review Round-up. Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
23. "Dan Stevens Interview: How Being Downton Abbey's Hero Has Changed His Life". Huffington Post. 11 April 2011.
24. "Oscars.org - Julian Fellowes winning the Oscar for Gosford Park".
25. Brown, Mark (13 December 2011). "Downton Abbey actor named as Booker judge". The Guardian (London). p. 7.
26. "The Downton Abbey 'phenomenon'". BBC News. 9 September 2012.
27. "SPOILER ALERT: Will Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley finally get together?". Mail Online. 1 December 2011.
28. "'Downton Abbey' Season 4: Dan Stevens Officially Not Returning". Huffington Post. 26 December 2012.
29. "'‘Downton Abbey’ team tries to reassure fans after criticism over death of Dan Stevens’ Matthew Crawley". NY Daily News. 19 February 2013.
30. Jury, Louise (9 March 2012). "Abbey vs Abba as heart-throbs play love rivals". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
31. "Dan Stevens: Why I left Downton Abbey". The Telegraph. 26 December 2012.
32. "A Dangerous Visitor Makes Himself at Home". The New York Times. 16 September 2014.
33. "Review: In The Guest, Dan Stevens Goes From Downton Abbey to Dirty, Deranged Harry". Time. 16 September 2014.
34. "Review Dan Stevens gives 'The Guest' its psychotic, thrilling charm". Los Angeles Times. 15 September 2014.
35. Jeff Sneider (7 March 2014). "Picturehouse Acquires Adam Wingard's ‘The Guest’ Starring Dan Stevens". The Wrap.
36. "Watch: Liam Neeson and Dan Stevens Will ‘Walk Among the Tombstones’ in September". BBC America. 30 May 2014.
37. Kevin Jagernauth (6 January 2014). "First Look:Adam Sandler Isn't Farting In Thomas McCarthy's 'The Cobbler'". The Playlist.
38. Mike Fleming Jr. "‘Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens Joins ‘Night At The Museum 3’ As Lancelot - Deadline". Deadline.
39. Borys Kit (4 March 2015). "Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' Casting Dan Stevens as the Beast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
40. "Dan Stevens, Jake Gyllenhaal score Audie nominations". USA Today. 18 February 2014.
41. "Dan Stevens takes the helm at literary magazine". The Daily Telegraph. 1 February 2013.
42. "That's bound to shake up the literature critics: Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens joins 2012 Booker judging panel". Daily Mail. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
43. "Dan Stevens".
44. "A Dan for All Seasons". Wall Street Journal. 15 October 2012.
45. "Dan Stevens goes to bat for poetry". The Daily Telegraph. 9 July 2012.
46. The Authors XI: A Season of English Cricket from Hackney to Hambledon. A & C Black. 2013. ISBN 9781408840467.
47. "The Cricket Society and M.C.C. Book Of The Year Award 2014". The Cricket Society.
48. "Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens's joy over extra passenger". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
49. "Sunday Telegraph September column & Sunday Times interview". 9 September 2012.
50. "Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens goes to Hollywood". The Times. 6 September 2014.
51. "The Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Films".
52. The Editors (2 March 2016). "Tribeca 2016 Announces Lineups for Competition Programs (US Narrative, International Narrative, World Documentary) & Viewpoints". Tribeca.
53. "A pair of British classics". 8 July 2005.
54. "Brenton’s Romans in Britain Faces Fresh Protests". 8 February 2006.
55. "Flu Fells Dench, Hay Fever Cancels Four Previews". 6 April 2006.
56. "Divas ‘Dancical’ Honours Piaf, Garland & Dietrich". 4 April 2008.
57. "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour".
58. What's on stage, ed. (8 June 2009). "Critics Hail Stoppard's Arcadia".
59. "DOWNTON ABBEY Star Dan Stevens to Join Jessica Chastain & David Strathairn in THE HEIRESS on Broadway - October 2012!".
60. "Audible.com - The Dragon's Eye".
61. "Audible.com - Die With Me".
62. "Audible.com - Strike Back".
63. "Audible.com - Day".
64. "Audible.com - The Outcast".
65. "Audible.com - The Dragon Diary".
66. "Audible.com - The Angel's Game".
67. "Audible.com - A Week in December".
68. "Audible.com - Wolf Hall".
69. "Audible.com - War Horse".
70. "Audible.com - Blueeyedboy".
71. "Audible.com - The Prince of Mist".
72. "Audible.com - Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud".
73. "Audible.com - Fall of Giants".
74. "Audible.com - Young Sherlock Holmes: Red Leech".
75. "Audible.com - My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You".
76. "Audible.com - The Midnight Palace".
77. "Audible.com - The History of a Pleasure Seeker".
78. "Audible.com - The Invisible Ones".
79. "Audible.com - The Time Keeper".
80. "Audible.com - Letters from Everest: A First-Hand Account of the Epic First Ascent".
81. "Audible.com - Going Solo".
82. "Audible.com - Boy".
83. "Audible.com - Frankenstein".
84. "Finalists Announced for 19th Annual Audie Awards". Library Journal. 18 February 2014.
85. "Audible.com - Letter to a Young Poet".
86. "Audible.com - Murder on the Orient Express".
87. "Audible.com - And Then There Were None".
88. "Audible.com - The Heroes' Welcome".
89. "Audible.com - Scorpia Rising".
90. "Audible.com - Snakehead".
91. "Audible.com - Crocodile Tears".
92. "Audible.com - Casino Royale".
93. "Audible.com - The Iliad".
94. "Audible.com - The Odyssey".
95. "2015 Audie Award Nominees". Library Journal. 11 February 2015.
96. "spiffy jellybean".
97. "BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Drama, The Tennis Court". Bbc.co.uk. 2010-04-24. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
98. "BBC Radio 4 Extra - Dickens Confidential, Series 2, Gangs of London". BBC.
99. "BBC - The One Show - One Passions Blog: WW1 Armistice exhibition. Also: Click here for actor Dan Stevens reading Anthem for Doomed Youth".
100. "BBC Radio 4 - Classic Serial, Orley Farm, Episode 1". Bbc.co.uk. 2009-01-03. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
101. "BBC Radio 4 - 15 Minute Drama, The Lady of the Camellias, Episode 1". Bbc.co.uk. 2009-02-02. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
102. "BBC Radio 4 - Afternoon Drama, Guilty Until Proved Innocent". BBC.
103. "BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week, William Fiennes - The Music Room". BBC.
104. "BBC Radio 4 - Classic Serial, Edith Wharton - The Custom of the Country, Episode 1". Bbc.co.uk. 2013-09-03. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
105. "BBC Radio 4 - Classic Serial, The Complete Smiley - The Secret Pilgrim, Episode 1". Bbc.co.uk. 2010-06-19. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
106. "BBC Radio 4 - Book at Bedtime, Rebecca Stott - The Coral Thief". BBC.
107. "BBC Radio 4 - Afternoon Reading, EM Forster Short Stories, The Story of the Siren". BBC.
108. "BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, A Thousand Kisses". BBC.
109. "BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, Widowers' Houses". BBC.
110. BBC Radio 4 - Afternoon Drama, Portrait of Winston
111. "BBC Radio 4 - King James Bible, Readings, Episode 6". BBC.
112. "BBC Radio 4 Extra - A Short History of Vampires, Dracula's Guest". BBC.
113. "BBC Radio 3 - Words and Music, Money". BBC.
114. "BBC Radio 4 - Afternoon Reading, Face It, Together". BBC.
115. "BBC Radio 4 Extra - The Spying Game, The Living Daylights". BBC.
116. "BBC Radio 4 - Something Understood, Dawn". BBC.
117. "BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week, The Old Ways". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2014-04-22.

External links

• Dan Stevens at the Internet Movie Database