Paul Bettany is an award-winning English actor born May 27, 1971, in London, England. Bettany has had an impressive career in theater, film, and television. The actor has enjoyed relative success in his acting career, which has spanned over three decades.
Although his professional career began in 1992, Bettany received international recognition after joining Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s cast as Vision and voicing J.A.R.V.I.S. Since then, he has reprised the role in the subsequent spin-off, WandaVision. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about WandaVision‘s Paul Bettany.
1. The Movies You Know Paul Bettany From
Paul Bettany has appeared in over 40 films, not counting his work on stage and television. However, today’s movie audiences will remember his role as Silas, an Opus Dei follower, in the 2006 mystery thriller The Da Vinci Code. For the uninitiated, Paul Bettany has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since its first movie, Iron Man (2008).
Bettany was the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S and reprised the role in all Iron Man and Avengers movies, as well as in Captain America: Civil War. Bettany appeared as Vision for the first time in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). On television, Bettany has played Vision in WandaVision (2021) and the anthology series What If…?
2. Paul Bettany’s Parents Had Careers In Acting
For what’s worth, Paul Bettany’s acting talents may have been passed down from his parents. His father, Thane Bettany, was an English actor, dancer, and drama teacher. His father appeared in a 1980 Doctor Who episode, “State of Decay,“ as Tarak. Bettany’s mother, Anne Bettany, was a stage singer, manager, and theater teacher. Although Bettany does not directly credit them for his acting passion, being around the theater probably helped.
3. Paul Bettany’s Life Before Becoming An Actor
Paul Bettany lost his eight-year-old brother when he was 16 years old. This marked a turning point in his life as the actor dropped out of school and moved out of the house. To survive in the streets of London, Bettany became a street performer. He later worked in an older people’s home. With enough money saved, Bettany enrolled at Drama Centre London at 19.
4. Paul Bettany’s First Experiences Of Acting
Bettany’s three-year course at Drama Centre London ended in 1993. In that same year, he made his theater debut with J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls. The play was held at Aldwych Theatre, with Bettany playing Eric Birling. The character is Sheila Birling’s youngest brother, known for his drinking habits and estrangement from his family. By 1994, Bettany made his television debut in an episode of the British TV series Wycliffe as Ian Greaves.
5. Paul Bettany’s Film Debut
Paul Bettany’s film debut came five years after his career began. Bettany plays a minor role as Captain in Sean Mathias’ British-Japanese drama Bent. Although not a commercial success, Bent had an above-average review by critics. Not one to easily give up, Bettany soon starred as Philip in 1998 The Land Girls.
6. Paul Bettany’s Breakout Roles
Paul Bettany finally got his career breakthrough with the title role of Young Gangster in Paul McGuigan’s British crime drama Gangster No. 1. The next year, Bettany consolidated his growing popularity by playing a proud writer, ring announcer, and gambling addict, Geoffrey Chaucer in A Knight’s Tale (2001). The movie starred Heath Ledger, earning $117.5 million at the Box Office. In the same 2001, Bettany starred in another Box Office hit, A Beautiful Mind. Bettany played Charles Herman, with the movie earning $316.8 million on a $58 million budget.
7. Other Movies Paul Bettany Was In
Besides his breakthrough roles and famed MCU roles, Paul Bettany has starred in several other movies. The actor played the lead role in the 2004 romantic comedy Wimbledon alongside Kirsten Dunst. He was T. Ray Owens in The Secret Life of Bees (2008), Dustfinger in Inkheart (2008), and John Acheson in The Tourist (2010). He also played Max Waters in Transcendence (2014), Jock Strapp in Mortdecai (2015), and Dryden Vos in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).
8. Paul Bettany Has Starred in Several Hollywood A-list Actors
Starring in several critical and commercial hit movies has seen Paul Bettany starred alongside many Hollywood heavyweight actors. In this film debut, Bent, Bettany starred with Clive Owen, Ian McKellen, and Jude Law. He acted with Heath Ledger in A Knight’s Tale while appearing with Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, and Judd Hirsch in A Beautiful Mind. Some other top names he has worked with include Anthony Hopkins, Jon Favreau, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, and not forgetting his fellow MCU actors.
9. Paul Bettany Has Dated Career Co-workers
Paul Bettany first met actress Emily Mortimer while on the set of the TV serial Coming Home in 1998. The two dated for a while before calling it quits. Bettany met his wife, Jennifer Connelly, during the filming of A Beautiful Mind. However, while it was their official meeting, Bettany admits to having a crush on her after watching her performance in the 1986 Labyrinth movie.
On the set of A Beautiful Mind, they bonded as friends only since they both were dating other people at the time. Bettany married Jennifer Connelly on January 1, 2003, in Scotland, and the marriage has produced two children, with Bettany being a step-father to Connelly’s son from her relationship with photographer David Dugan.
10. The Nominations & Awards Paul Bettany Has Received
In his three-decade career, Bettany has received numerous nominations from both top and miscellaneous awards. He has been nominated at the British Academy Film Awards, Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, Critics’ Choice Television Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and SAG Awards. Paul Bettany has also been nominated at the Primetime Emmy, Saturn, and Teen Choice Awards.
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