- Toby Stephens
Infobox Actor
name = Toby Stephens
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birthdate = birth date and age|1969|4|21|df=y
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location = London,England
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occupation =actor
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spouse = Anna-Louise PlowmanToby Stephens (born
21 April ,1969 ) is an English stage, television andfilm actor , best known for playing supervillainGustav Graves in theJames Bond film "Die Another Day " (2002) and Edward Fairfax Rochester in the BBC television adaptation of "Jane Eyre" (2006).Biography
Stephens, the son of actors
Maggie Smith andRobert Stephens , was born inLondon, England . He was educated atAldro andSeaford College and trained at theLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). He began his film career with the role of Othello in 1992's "Orlando". He has since made regular appearances on television (including in "The Camomile Lawn ") and on stage.He has gained acclaim as a stage actor of distinction, notably playing the title role in a
Royal Shakespeare Company production of "Coriolanus" shortly after graduation from LAMDA; that same season he played Claudio in "Measure for Measure " for the RSC. He also playedStanley Kowalski in a West End production ofTennessee Williams ' "A Streetcar Named Desire", and "Hamlet " in 2004. He has appeared on Broadway in "Ring Round the Moon". He played the lead in the film "Photographing Fairies " and played Orsino inTrevor Nunn 's film of "Twelfth Night ". In 2002 he took on the role for which he is most widely known, that ofGustav Graves in theJames Bond movie "Die Another Day ".In 2005 he played the role of a British army captain in the Indian film, "", portraying events in the
Indian rebellion of 1857 . The following year he returned to India to play a renegadeBritish East India Company officer in "Sharpe's Challenge ".In autumn 2006 he starred as Edward Rochester in the BBC television adaptation of "Jane Eyre" (broadcast in the United States on PBS in early 2007) and "The Wild West" in February 2007 for the BBC in which he played
General George Armstrong Custer inCuster's Last Stand .On
31 May 2007 "The Guardian " announced that Toby Stephens and his wife of six years, New Zealand actressAnna-Louise Plowman , had their first child, a son named Eli Alistair. [Mark Lawson, "Prodigal Son", "The Guardian,"May 31 ,2007 , Online edition. [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/theatre/drama/story/0,,2091828,00.html] ] The lateSimon Gray , the renowned British playwright (who penned "Japes", a stage play, and "Missing Dates", a radio drama, both of which starred Stephens), was reportedly Eli's godfather. [Janice Turner, "Simon Gray Has Lung Cancer But Won't Stop Smoking," "The Times,"April 24 ,2008 , Online edition. [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3801820.ece] ]During the summer of 2007, Stephens played the role of Jerry in a revival of
Harold Pinter 's "Betrayal" under the direction ofRoger Michell . Most recently, Stephens starred as Horner inJonathan Kent 's revival ofWilliam Wycherley 's "The Country Wife ". The play was the inaugural production of The Theatre Royal Haymarket Company, which in addition to Stephens includes the actorsEileen Atkins ,Patricia Hodge ,David Haig andRuthie Henshall . Various members of the Company are expected to star in upcoming productions at theHaymarket Theatre with various artistic directors. The formation of the Company is considered by many London theatre critics to be a bold move forWest End theatre . [David Benedict, "Theatre Royal Haymarket Gambles", "Variety,"July 23 ,2007 , online edition. [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117968953.html?categoryid=2244&cs=1&query=royal+gamble+haymarket] ]In February 2008,
Fox Broadcasting Company gave the go-ahead to cast Stephens as the lead in a potential one hour,prime time U.S. television show, "Inseparable", to be produced byShaun Cassidy . Billed as a modernJekyll and Hyde story, the show was to feature a partially paralyzed forensic psychologist whose other personality is a charming criminal. Stephens' casting was highly unusual, because Fox had not yet approved a script nor purchased a pilot for the show. However, in mid-May 2008,The Hollywood Reporter announced that " [b] y the time the network picked up the pilot . . . [the producers'] hold on Stephens had expired . . . ." [Nellie Andreeva, "Busy Pre-upfront Weekend", "The Hollywood Reporter ",May 10 ,2008 , updatedMay 11 ,2008 , Online edition. [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i5e732e045deaaba38a97b3781febda02] ] ["Pilot Buzz", "zap2it",May 12 ,2008 . [http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-fox200909schedulebuzz,0,3485063.story] ]In April 2008, Stephens' agent announced that Stephens will, at some future date, play the role of "Crawford" in a new three-part
ITV television drama entitled "Wired," to be directed by Kenny Glenaan. Early details suggest it will concern various characters caught up in a fictional Internet banking scam. Filming was reported to begin in March 2008 ["Sita's Secret Story", "Northwest Vision Media". [http://www.northwestvision.co.uk/page/sitas-secret-story] ] in or near Manchester and Liverpool, England, although another report in mid-May 2008 stated that producers had "just started" filming. ["New ITV Thriller Begins Shooting in the North West", "How-Do",May 16 ,2008 . [http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-broadcasting/new-itv-thriller-begins-shooting-in-the-north-west-200805162600/] ]In May 2008, Stephens performed the role of
James Bond in aBBC Radio 4 production ofIan Fleming 's "Dr. No", as part of the centenary celebration of Fleming's birth. The production is reportedly the first radio dramatization of the novel. Stephens continues to prolifically narrate audiobooks and perform in radio dramas; between November 2007 and May 2008, he will have given 5 such performances.Also in May 2008, Stock-pot Productions announced that Stephens will have the lead role in a feature-length film entitled "Fly Me", co-starring
Tim McInnerny . [Stock-pot Productions Limited, Blog,May 27 ,2008 . [http://www.stockpotproductions.co.uk/] ] Stock-pot was also the producer of "One Day", a short 2006 film shown at international film festivals, in which Stephens played a small part as the boss of McInnerny's character.In June 2008, the "
Daily Mirror " reported that Stephens has been tapped to play King John in Season 3 of theBBC series "Robin Hood". ["Toby Stephens to play King John in new Robin Hood series," "Daily Mirror ",June 26 ,2008 . [http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/2008/06/26/toby-stephens-to-play-king-john-in-new-robin-hood-series-89520-20621217] /]Filmography
Radio and CD audio drama
Notes
Awards
* 1994—Ian Charleson Award (best classical actor under 30): "Coriolanus"
* 1994—Sir John Gielgud Award (best actor): "Coriolanus"
* 1999—Theatre World Award (debut performance on Broadway): "Ring Round the Moon"Interviews and articles
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1D7103AF937A15757C0A96F958260 "The New York Times" - It's Not Romantic or Oedipal: It's Just the Family Business]
24 April 1999
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010204/ai_n14365214 "The Independent" - 1 Minute in the Mind of Toby Stephens]4 February 2001 )
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010207/ai_n14365902 "The Independent" - Theatre Debut - Toby Stephens] (7 February 2001 )
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4153/is_20021115/ai_n12031447 "The Evening Standard" - Toby's Second Act] (15 November 2002 )
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article832762.ece "The Times" - My Cultural Life] (23 November 2002 )
* [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/12/15/1039656293448.html "The Sunday Telegraph" - Villain with a Past] (16 December 2002 )
* [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/10/19/PK5509.DTL "San Francisco Chronicle" - Traitor? It's No Easy Gig] (19 October 2003 )
* [http://www.rsc.org.uk/hamlet/current/actors.html "Stephens on Hamlet, Essay for RSC Website"] (2004 )
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article1071018.ece "The Times" - Interview: Toby Stephens] (4 July 2004 )
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20041205/ai_n12764189 "The Independent on Sunday" - This Cultural Life] (5 December 2004 )
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20050813/ai_n14885367 "The Independent" - How do I look?] (13 August 2005 )
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/03/16/btvposh16.xml "The Telegraph" - The Perils of Being Posh on TV] (16 March 2006 )
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060318/ai_n16219172 "The Independent" - Toby Stephens] (18 March 2006 )
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article621605.ece "The Times" - Every Woman Has Her Own Idea of Mr. Rochester] (29 August 2006 )
* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/theatre/drama/story/0,,2091828,00.html "The Guardian" - Prodigal Son] (31 May 2007 )
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article2372374.ece "The Times" - Mr. Rochester Takes His Bow] (3 September 2007 )
* [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/article-23414737-details/Restoring+his+humour/article.do "The Evening Standard" - Restoring His Humour] (2 October 2007 )
* [http://www.angelmagazine.co.uk/Editorial.aspx?brand=ANGOnline&category=ANGInterviews&story=SPED23+Sep+2007+17%3A02%3A27%3A847&page=2405 "Angel & North" - Charming Chameleon] (2007 )
* [http://www.sfx.co.uk/page/sfx?entry=exclusive_meet_the_new_james "SFX" - Meet the New James Bond] (20 May 2008 )External links
* [http://www.rsc.org.uk/learning/hamletandmacbeth/keyidea/hamletkeyidea.htm RSC Hamlet website] Includes clips of Toby Stephens and the cast rehearsing the 2004 production of Hamlet.
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* [http://unitedagents.co.uk/film/toby-stephens/ Toby Stephens agent's page]
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