Biographies
Sean Bean....Richard Sharpe
Shaun Mark Bean was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England on April 17, 1959. His parents are Brian and Rita Bean; he has a younger sister, Lorraine.
Sean’s first marriage was in April 1981 to hairdresser Debra James, Sean also has three daughters, Lorna (born September 1987) and Molly (born August 1991) from his second marriage, to actress Melanie Hill, and Evie Natasha (born November 1998) from his third marriage to actress Abigail Cruttenden, who played Jane Sharpe in the “Sharpe” television series. Georgina Sutcliffe became Sean’s fourth wife on February 19, 2008.
As a young man, he took an acting class at Rotherham College and found his calling, performing in such shows as "Cabaret" and "The Owl and the Pussycat".
He later joined the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company where he acted in repertory (including playing Romeo to Niamh Cusack’s Juliet). He made his feature debut in Derek Jarman’s film "Caravaggio" (1986) and reunited with the director on "War Requiem" (1988). Bean had his first notable film role as an Irishman who becomes involved with shady characters in the moody, jazz-influenced "Stormy Monday" (1988), directed by Mike Figgis. He shone as Richard Harris” repressed son in "The Field" (1990) and proved an effective romantic lead in both the period drama "Clarissa" (BBC, 1991) and "Lady Chatterley" (BBC, 1992).
Sean became an established star with his signature role of Napoleonic-era soldier Richard Sharpe in the beloved “Sharpe” television series between 1993 and 1997. In films Bean became the actor most sought after to play villains following his believable turn as an IRA gunman in "Patriot Games" (1992). Among the more memorable figures in his rogues” gallery are Alec Trevelyan, Agent 006, in the James Bond film "Golden Eye"(1995), and a wife-beating ex-con in "Essex Boys" (2000).
The actor also has a heroic and romantic side. He was handsome and dashing as Vronsky in the 1997 remake of "Anna Karenina" and was praised for his work as real-life British soldier Andy McNab who led a secret mission during the Persian Gulf War in the British TV drama "Bravo Two Zero" (1999). Sean also reached a wider audience playing the proud but fallible warrior Boromir in the "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001).
In 2002, Sean returned to the stage after a 13 year absence to play Macbeth at the Albery Theatre in London. Responding to popular demand, the limited-run production was extended until March 2003.
Bean returned to epic-style filmmaking when he played the legendary Greek hero Odysseus in "Troy" (2004), the big screen adaptation of Homer’s tale of the Trojan War, followed by a turn as Nicolas Cage’s villainous rival in the popular adventure film "National Treasure" (2004). Sean showed a rarely seen warmer side in the drama "North Country" (2005), playing the protective and sympathetic husband of a female miner (Frances McDormand).
Sean’s more recent projects include UK indie film “Outlaw”, a remake of the cult film “The Hitcher”, and Asif Kapadia's “Far North”, filmed in Norway.
This autumn Sean is starring with Philip Winchester in the new NBC series “Crusoe” as James Crusoe. He is currently filming the role of John Dawson in a new drama trilogy for UK”s Channel 4 based on the books in David Peace’s series of novels, “The Red Riding Quartet”.
After a break of several years, Sean returned to the role of Richard Sharpe in “Sharpe’s Challenge”, which aired in April 2006, and “Sharpe’s Peril” which airs on ITV in November 2008.
Daragh O’Malley…Patrick Harper
Daragh was born in Limerick, Ireland on 25th May 1954. His father was a prominent Irish politician and his mother was an eminent psychiatrist. Throughout his schooldays, Daragh was always involved in drama, and when he left school he joined the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After drama school, he worked in theatre before his first TV role as Pat Grogan in ATV's Crossroads.
From those early days Daragh has gone on to appear in more than 100 television productions and films. He is best known as the actor who plays the ever faithful but fearsome Patrick Harper in the hugely popular “Sharpe” TV series with Sean Bean. In addition to his role as Harper, Daragh has been busy writing, directing and appearing in various film roles on TV and films.
Beatrice Rosen… Marie-Angelique Bonnet
Beatrice Rosen (also known as Béatrice Rosen / Béatrice Rosenblatt) is a French-born actress. She is best known for her role as Faith in the second season of the American TV series “Cuts”.
She played a role in the eighth season of the WB series “Charmed” as innocent Maya Holmes, and Piper Hallowell’s first new identity. She also portrayed Gabrielle la Claire, daughter of the French ambassador in the 2004 film “Chasing Liberty”, and Natascha in “The Dark Knight”.
Velibor Topic… Col Dragomirov
Velibor Topic was born in 1970, in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. The Bosnian actor specializes in playing characters on the wrong side of the law. He’s appeared in films and television in the UK, USA, Croatia, and Bosnia. His film roles include Almaric in “Kingdom of Heaven” (2005). Topic has performed everything from Japanese theatre to Greek tragedy. In the UK he is known for his roles in several TV series, including a war criminal in “Prime Suspect”, a trafficker of illegal immigrants in “The Bill” and a suspected serial killer in “Silent Witness”.
Deepak Jethi...Daffadar Kapoor
Indian actor, dancer, and comedian. Has acted in a number of Indian movies and tv shows, including “Ishq Qay Mat” and “Ektharaja”.
David Henry...Viscount Sedgefield
Actor and singer, David Henry has worked in the theatre, films, and television. Among his films and TV shows are “The Killing Fields”, “Evita”, “Cry Freedom”, “Russia House’, “Midsomer Murders”, and “Waking the Dead”.
Jonathan Moore… Rev Watkin
Jonathan Moore has had a prominent career as an actor working at the highest levels of theatre, film and television for over twenty years.
Leading roles in the theatre have included those with the Royal Shakespeare Co, at the Royal Court, the Chichester Festival, the Royal Exchange, the Donmar, London, as well as in London’s West End performing roles in plays ranging from edgy contemporary work (several of which were written by him) to Shaw and Shakespeare. On screen he has co-starred opposite Michael Caine, Gabriel Byrne, Dame Diana Rigg, and David Suchet (among many others).Moore also starred in "2Graves" at the Edinburgh Festival, the play was transferred to the London West End.
He recently completed filming "Criminal Justice" with Ben Whishaw, Pete Postlethwaite and Bill Patterson for BBC Drama, and a leading role in the new British movie “S.N.U.B”., directed by Jonathan Glendening, on location in England.
David Robb…Major Tredinnick
David Robb was born August 23, 1947, in London, England. He was raised in Edinburgh and educated at the Royal High School.
Robb has starred in various British movies and television shows. He is well known for playing Germanicus in the famous 1976 BBC production of “I, Claudius”, and as Robin Grant, one of the principal characters in Thames Television's 1981 series “The Flame Trees of Thika”. He had a recurring role as an evil Immortal named Kalas in the fantasy television series “Highlander: The Series.” Additional TV and film rolls range from “Headless”,” Straithblair” ,”Warship”, “Proof”, “The Bill”, “Swing Kids” and “Hellbound”.
He has also performed as a voice actor for several “Star Wars” video games. He plays Sirius Black in the Video Game “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”
Since 2004 he and his wife, the actress and activist Briony McRoberts, have run in the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money for leukaemia research.
Raza Jaffrey…Lance Naik Sing
Raza Jaffrey (born 1975) is a British actor, most notable for playing the character of Zafar Younis in the television spy drama “Spooks” and also playing the lead character Akaash in the stage production “Bombay Dreams”. His father is Pakistani and his mother is British.
Raza went to Manchester University to study English and Drama, before taking up acting at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Rasa’s career really took off when in 2002 he starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Bombay Dreams”, alongside Preeya Kalidas. In 2006, he created the dance-show spectacular “Red”, which premiered in Nelson Mandela Theatre at Johannesburg Civic Theatre.
Caroline Carver... Mrs. Tredinnick
Caroline Carver was born in Manchester, England in 1976. She has appeared in several films and TV shows in the UK, including “A Rather English Marriage”, “Murder Rooms: The Kingdom of Bones”, “My First Wedding”, “The Aryan Couple”, “Jonathan Creek” “Rosemary & Thyme”, and “Spooks” (“MI-5”). She wrote the short film “You Me and Captain Longbridge” which won the Gold Award at WorldFest Houston in 2008
Luke Ward-Wilkinson…Ensign Percival Beauciere
Luke Ward-Wilkinson was born in 1992 in England. Luke trained at the Royal Ballet School and has performed in Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House.
He played the young Simon Doonan in the 2008 BBC TV series “Beautiful People”. The comedy series was based on the best selling childhood memoirs of Doonan, who is a best-selling author and Creative Director of Barney’s department store in New York. He also played Evan Trevanion in the ITV drama “Wild at Heart” (2006-2008). Luke was also in The Secret Of Eel Island (Five) from 2005-2007
Chucky Venn (Chucky Venice)…Deever
Chucky Venn was born and raised in West London, to Nigerian parents. His big break came when he auditioned for the role of Curtis Alexander on Sky Ones football soap “Dream Team”. He also landed a featured role in BBC ‘s “Holby City” as well as ITV”s “The Bill”. Venn also appeared in prime time ITVs “Footballers Wives”. Current films include the “Bourne Ultimatum”, and “Batman The Dark Knight.”
Steve Speirs...Sgt. Wormwood
He was born February 22, 1965 in Troedyrhiw, a Village in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. He studied drama at Loughborough University. Speirs has played Sloan in “Eragon”, CCMEA Andy Fellows in “Making Waves” and had a small part in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.” He was also Captain Tarples in “Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace.”
Nandana Sen…Maharini Padmini
Nandana Sen was born in 1967 in Calcutta, India. Her father is Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen and mother is Bengali writer Nabanita Dev Sen. Nandana trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in the US and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in the UK.
Nandana was first seen in Indian screens as Rani Mukherji's jealous teenage sister in “Black”. She made her US film debut as Duri in the film “The War Within”.
Her recent work includes Ketan Mehta’s historical romance “Rang Rasiya”, the L.A. romantic comedy “It’s a Mismatch” and the South African period drama “The World Unseen”.
Ryan Pope...Quilter
Ryan Pope was born in Lancashire, England in 1973. He graduated from Dartington College of Arts (Totney, Devon), and then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is best known to English television viewers for his role as Psycho Paul in the odd sitcom 'Ideal'. His TV appearances also include “The Bill”, and “Dalziel & Pascoe”.
Jonathan Coyne...Private Croop
British actor, has appeared in many films and TV shows. He is currently filming “Nutcracker: The Untold Story”. He has also appeared in “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life”, “Silent Witness”, “The Bill” and “EastEnders”.
Michael Cochrane…Simmerson
Michael Cochrane is a British actor who specializes in playing upper-class characters, sometimes with a suaveness that hides their villainy.
He has had many television and radio roles including Oliver Sterling in the Radio 4 soap opera “The Archers”, “The Pallisers” (1974), “Wings”, “The Citadel” (1983), “Goodbye Mr. Chips” (1984), Sir Henry Simmerson in the “Sharpe” series and “No Job for a Lady”. He has twice appeared in the BBC science fiction series “Doctor Who”, first as Charles Cranleigh in the serial “Black Orchid” (1982) and later as Redvers Fenn-Cooper in the “Ghost Light” (1989)
Amit Behl…Barabbas Hakeswill
Amit Behl trained at the Living Theatre Academy of Dramatic Arts (New Delhi).He made his debut with the first soap in Indian television, “Shanti”, and went on to act in 50 serials in all possible genres within a career span of 14 years.
Amit’s present projects in India include “Astitva-Ek Pehchaan” for DD 1, “Chhoona Hai Aasmaan” for STAR One and his new show on UTV Bindaas titled “Champ”, which will be aired shortly. Apart from these serials he has just finished shooting for Chandraprakash Dwivedi's “Upanishad Ganga”. He is also playing an important role in Kabir Sadanand's film “Tum Milo To Sahi”.
On his future plans, the actor said he would now concentrate more on international projects apart from his present assignments in India.
Rajeesh Khatter …Subedar Pillai
Rajeesh Khatter is a Bollywood and Television actor. His films and television roles include a film by Sagar Ballery director of Bheja Fry, a film with Fardeen Khan directed by Puneet and a film with Himesh Reshamiya. Rajeesh describes himself in “…three P's Patience, Persuasive, Persistence”.
Pascal Langdale…Major Joubert
A singer, dancer, choreographer, and actor, Pascal Langdale trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His work in the theatre, television and films include “The Phantom of the Opera”, “Wire in the Blood”, “Dalziel and Pascoe”, and “The Bill”.
Ulhas Tayade – Chitu
Ulhas Tayade has an MBA in Marketing (1998) from the Indira Institute of Management in Pune, India. He is best known for his TV role as the villainous Sainath, in Alpha Marathi’s serial “Duniyadaari”. He has also appeared in "The Curse of King Tut’s Tomb" (2006) in the role of Saad.
*Actor’s biographical details from IMDB, Wikipedia, Yahoo Movies, RadioTimes, Indian Times, IANS, Mahalo, Sharpe Appreciation Society, The Compleat Sean Bean, and other sources.
Continue to check back often as we add more Sharpe Actors to our Biography Pages Soon!
Recent work in series TV in the UK includes "Silent Witness", “Waking the Dead” and “Wire in the Blood”. After a break of several years, Daragh returned to the role of Patrick Harper in “Sharpe’s Challenge”, which aired in April 2006, and “Sharpe’s Peril” which will air on ITV in November 2008.
