Nationality British Role English actor Name Charles Edwards | Years active 1993–present Occupation Actor | |
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Born 1 October 1969 (age 54) ( 1969-10-01 ) Haslemere, Surrey, England, UK Education Guildhall School of Music and Drama Known for Downton Abbey, Holy Flying Circus Movies Diana, Holy Flying Circus, Philomena, Batman Begins, An Ideal Husband Similar People Oliver Hirschbiegel, Stephen Frears, Eric Styles, Patricia Rozema, Oliver Parker | ||
TV shows A Young Doctor's Notebook | ||
Downton abbey s charles edwards laura carmichael on this morning
Charles Edwards (born 1 October 1969) is an English actor, the youngest of four brothers in his family. He graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1992.
Contents
- Downton abbey s charles edwards laura carmichael on this morning
- 10 questions with charles edwards
- Theatre
- TV and film
- Partial filmography
- References
10 questions with charles edwards
Theatre
Educated at Winchester College.
His first professional theatre engagement was in Blithe Spirit at age 24. Since then he has appeared in many shows such as The Duchess of Malfi, Hay Fever, Private Lives and The Apple Cart.
Edwards received acclaim for his Broadway debut performance as Richard Hannay in the 2005 play of The 39 Steps, in the first London production in 2006, and in the first US productions in 2007 (Boston) and 2008 (New York City). He is the only actor from the London production to transfer to the US productions. Edwards concluded his run in the play on 6 July 2008.
He has made appearances in a good number of Shakespeare plays, including Peter Hall's production of Twelfth Night at the Royal National Theatre (Cottesloe auditorium) as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe, as well as The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night's Dream playing Oberon to Judi Dench's Titania.
In 2012 Edwards played the lead role of Bertie in the original stage play of The King's Speech on a nationwide tour and also the West End, gaining positive feedback from critics across the board. "Edwards, who has been edging towards stardom for several seasons, has now unequivocally arrived." Michael Billington.
He was shortlisted along with Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller and Bertie Carvel for Best Actor at the Evening Standard Awards in 2011 for Benedick in "Much Ado about Nothing", and at the 2011 Whatsonstage Awards for Andrew Aguecheek in "Twelfth Night".
Later in 2012, he took on the role of Conservative Whip Jack Weatherill in James Graham's political epic This House at the National's Cottelsloe theatre, alongside such stars as Philip Glenister and Phil Daniels.
Edwards starred in a Simon Godwin adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer prize winning play Strange Interlude as "Dear Old Charlie" Charles Marsden, playing at the National's Lyttleton theatre.
In 2014 he co-starred in Michael Blakemore's adaptation of Coward's Blithe Spirit, opposite Dame Angela Lansbury.
In 2015 he stars as Richard II in Simon Godwin's production at Shakespeare's Globe, and as Henry Trebell in Harley Granville Barker's play Waste at the National Theatre.
In March 2017 he starred as Henry Higgins in the Brisbane and Melbourne seasons of Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady", presented by Opera Australia and John Frost and directed by Dame Julie Andrews.
TV and film
His film and television credits include Batman Begins, An Ideal Husband, Monarch of the Glen, Mansfield Park, Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes, The Shell Seekers, Colditz and Midsomer Murders.
In 2002 he played David, also known as King Edward VIII, in the feature-length TV drama Bertie and Elizabeth for ITV.
In 2011 he played Michael Palin in Holy Flying Circus, a dramatisation of the controversy surrounding Monty Python's Life of Brian. The film was nominated for a 2012 BAFTA for Best Single Drama.
In October 2012 he appeared in the third series of the widely acclaimed Downton Abbey as Michael Gregson, a wealthy London editor and publisher who wins the heart of Lady Edith Crawley (portrayed by Laura Carmichael). He returned for the show's fourth season, leaving halfway through. His character mysteriously went missing. During Series 5, it is confirmed that he had died.
He appeared in the 2013 film, Diana, charting the final few years of Diana, Princess of Wales. Edwards played her private secretary Patrick Jephson. The film is directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall) and stars Naomi Watts as Diana. He also made an appearance in BBC series Sherlock, as David Welsborough, on the first episode of the fourth season (aired January the 1st 2017), named The Six Thatchers.