Stephen Campbell Moore

Career

Moore was born in London as Stephen Moore Thorpe. He was educated at Berkhamsted School in Hertfordshire (appearing locally in the Pendley Open Air Shakespeare Festival) and trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, alongside Orlando Bloom, where he was awarded the Gold Medal in his final year. He made his screen debut in Stephen Fry's Bright Young Things. He is primarily a screen actor. On stage he has performed with the RSC and the Royal National Theatre.

Campbell Moore created the role of Irwin in the original West End stage production of Alan Bennett's play The History Boys, and also played the character in the Broadway, Sydney, Wellington and Hong Kong productions and in the film version of the play. Alan Bennett, participating in a question and answer session with the play's director, Nicholas Hytner, said: "I think, of the three teachers, Stephen Campbell Moore, who plays Irwin, has the hardest job because he doesn't have the audience's sympathy until two thirds of the way through the second act. Both Hector and Mrs Lintott have the audience on their side whereas he – who is teaching and getting results, which, in the ordinary way, parents would approve of – is not thought to be sympathetic until he reveals himself as quite vulnerable. That came as a surprise to me when I saw it rehearsed. In a sense, it takes the actors to show you what you've written". Reviewing the play for The Guardian in May 2004, Michael Billington wrote: "Stephen Campbell Moore makes Irwin both meretricious in his methods, yet effective in his results".

In 2004, he starred as Lord Darlington alongside Scarlett Johansson in A Good Woman, based on Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde, shot on location in Italy. In the same year, Campbell Moore played the part of Hugh Stanbury in Andrew Davies’ BBC adaptation of Anthony Trollope's novel He Knew He Was Right.

In 2005, Campbell Moore starred as Edward VIII alongside Joely Richardson as Wallis Simpson in the British television drama Wallis and Edward.

In 2008 Campbell Moore starred in one episode of the television series Lark Rise to Candleford as headteacher Mr James Delafield, co-starring alongside Julia Sawalha, and had a regular role in the BBC series Ashes to Ashes.

In 2009 worked on the ABC miniseries Ben-Hur. He appears in the 2011 film Season of the Witch.

In 2012, he starred as Titus alongside Anne-Marie Duff as title role Berenice by Jean Racine at the Donmar Warehouse in London.

Campbell Moore played the role of Viscount Hugh Trimingham in the BBC’s 2015 adaptation of L. P. Hartley’s novel The Go-Between. Also in 2015, he played the role of Maurice Wilkins in Anna Ziegler’s play Photograph 51, with Michael Billington writing, "The play is also anything but a one-person show. Stephen Campbell Moore catches perfectly the obduracy and awkwardness of Maurice Wilkins, forever tugging at his slightly too-long sleeves".

Recognition and awards

Campbell Moore was nominated for a 2006 Drama Desk Award for his work on the Broadway production of The History Boys.

Personal life

Moore is married to actress Claire Foy. They met while working together on the film Season of the Witch. They have one child, a daughter born in March 2015.