Jamie Parker

Biography

Although Parker was born in Middlesbrough, Cleveland, on 14 August 1979, he was brought up with his family in Darlington. He attended Loretto School before training in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) from which he graduated in 2002. Parker originated the role of Scripps in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys. He was involved in The History Boys from the play’s first reading, initially reading the part of Rudge before taking on the role of Scripps in the original London stage production as well as in the Broadway, Sydney, Wellington and Hong Kong productions and radio and film versions of the play. Parker put his musical talents to use in The History Boys, playing piano and singing in several scenes. His other National Theatre credits include a 2008 revival of The Revenger's Tragedy.

In 2008 he appeared as Werner von Haeften in the film of the historical thriller Valkyrie. He can also be seen in the BBC/HBO production of Parade's End.

In 2011 he appeared at Chichester in Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead with fellow History Boy Samuel Barnett—the production subsequently moved to London for a West End engagement. In the autumn of 2012 he appeared as Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. In the first part of 2013 he appeared in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Proof and in Candida at the Theatre Royal, Bath. He played the role of Mike Connor in High Society at The Old Vic in London. He also sang several numbers in the Late Night Sinatra concert given by the John Wilson Orchestra during the 2015 BBC Proms season at London's Royal Albert Hall.

In 2015, he appeared alongside his fellow History Boys co-stars in the film adaptation of Alan Bennet's The Lady in the Van. He had a cameo as an estate agent.

He originated the role of Harry Potter in the original West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre, London. On 9 April 2017 Parker won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the play. He is set to reprise his performance on Broadway at the Lyric Theatre in 2018.

Shakespeare

In 2009 he played Oliver in As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe.

He returned in 2010 to play Prince Hal in both Henry IV Part 1 and Henry IV Part 2. His musical talents were further exhibited (briefly) when he played a wooden recorder in an early tavern scene.

During the spring of 2012 he toured the UK in the Globe production of Henry V, a production which subsequently played at Shakespeare's Globe on London's Southbank during the summer of 2012 thereby completing his traversal of the Prince Hal story arc in Shakespeare's history plays at the Globe. Parker was also featured in two of the six episodes of the BBC Four's production Shakespeare Uncovered (2012). Each episode explored and revealed the extraordinary world and works of William Shakespeare and the still-potent impact they have today. The series combined interviews with actors, directors and scholars, along with visits to key locations, clips from some of the most celebrated film and television adaptations, and illustrative excerpts from the plays staged specially for the series at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.

He played Hamlet in BBC Radio 4's production of Hamlet, directed by Marc Beeby. It was first broadcast in March 2014.

Personal life

He married actress Deborah Crowe, in 2007, with whom he has a son, William.