Biography
Who is Rufus Sewell?
Early life and education
Rufus Sewell was born on October 29, 1967, in Twickenham, United Kingdom. His mother, Jo, is a Welsh artist and a classically trained pianist. His father, William John Frederick Sewell, was an animator who worked on the Beatles' Yellow Submarine film. His father was born in Australia to British parents and passed away when Rufus was ten years old.
The actor grew up in Twickenham with his mother and brother. He attended Orleans Park School, which is a state comprehensive school, before leaving in 1984. He then studied at West Thames College. Later, he attended the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London to further his training.
Acting career highlights
Rufus found early success on the London stage, originating the role of Septimus Hodge in the 1993 production of Arcadia. He also appeared in the film Dirty Weekend during that same year. Throughout the 1990s, he appeared in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet and took on lead roles in Middlemarch and Cold Comfort Farm on television.
In film, he played Count Adhemar in A Knight's Tale in 2001 and Thomas Clarkson in Amazing Grace in 2006. He has also been seen in movies such as The Holiday, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Judy, The Father, and Old. He played the character Jan in the 2006 play Rock 'n' Roll, which earned him a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.
Voice work and other talents
Beyond acting on screen and stage, Rufus has worked as a translator and a voice actor. He spent time between 2006 and 2009 reading the Doctor Syn stories by Russell Thorndike for BBC Radio. He has also provided narration for several James Bond audiobooks by Ian Fleming published by Penguin Books.
In 2013, he performed in the radio drama Darkside, which was based on the Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon. He played the role of Ethics Man in this production. His versatility allows him to move between Shakespearean comedy and modern dramatic roles.
Family and personal life
Rufus Sewell has been married three times. His first marriage was to Australian journalist Yasmin Abdallah in 1999, though they divorced in 2000. He married Amy Gardner in 2004 and they have a son together before divorcing in 2006. He also has a daughter with Ami Komai.
In July 2024, he married the American actress Vivian Benitez. His father was an animator who worked on the Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds segment of the Yellow Submarine film. His upbringing in Twickenham was described by the actor as being a mix of being poor and being artistic.
Birthday and age
Rufus Sewell was born on October 29, 1967, which makes Rufus 58 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Rufus shares the date with 38 other famous people.
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