Al Weaver

Early life

Weaver was born in 1981, Bolton, England. He studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Career

Weaver's first paid theatre role was in Trevor Nunn's 2004 production of Hamlet, at the Old Vic theatre in London. Weaver played the Prince of Denmark on Monday evenings and at all matinees, whilst Ben Whishaw took on the role for evening performances, from Tuesday to Saturday.

British politician Michael Portillo lauded Weaver's interpretation of Hamlet in The New Statesman: "He [Weaver] gave meaning to the poetry, refusing to be rushed in the soliloquies or intimidated by them, varying volume and pace well. Frame by frame, he made credible Hamlet's progression from self-indulgence to nobility, so we could just about believe Fortinbras's remark that 'he was likely, had he been put on,/To have proved most royally'."

Weaver has appeared in minor roles in films such as Colour Me Kubrick (2005) (uncredited), The Merchant of Venice (2004), Marie Antoinette (2006), and Unmade Beds (2009); he also played "The Kid" in Doom, and an uncredited Gulf War soldier in Armistice (2014).

His television credits include D.C. Billy Slaven in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (episodes In Pursuit of a Proper Sinner and A Cry for Justice) and National Antiquities Museum employee Andy Galbraith in Sherlock episode The Blind Banker.

His theatre credits include Meshak in the Royal National Theatre's 2006-07 production of Helen Edmundson's Coram Boy.

Weaver plays fledgling Anglican curate Leonard Finch in the TV series Grantchester (since 2014), assisting the Vicar of Grantchester, James Norton's Sidney Chambers. In 2016 Weaver was voted 64th sexiest male in popular Bhutanese magazine Yeewong, due to his role in Grantchester, gaining more votes than his co-star James Norton who was in 72nd place.

Radio credits include Bach: The Great Passion, a 2017 biographical radio play by the English writer James Runcie.