Mostly recognized for his role in Doctor Who from 2010 to 2012, Arthur Darvill is an English actor and musician. He started his career on stage where he received several Best Newcomer nominations for making a grand entrance into the industry. He later took his career to television and has continued to make great strides as an actor.
Aside from Doctor Who where he played the Eleventh Doctor’s companion, Rory Williams, Darvill is also known for his performances in Legends of Tomorrow (2016-2018 & 2021) and Broadchurch (2013-2017). His performance as Curley in the West End Revival of Oklahoma! on Broadway earned him the Lawrence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Read through the following facts to learn more about the English actor.
1. Arthur Darvill’s Parents Are Both Entertainers
English actor Arthur Darvill was born on June 17, 1982, to an actress, Ellie, and a Hammond organist, Nigel. His mother, Ellie was already acting when Darvill was born and she did live acting with masks and puppets. Ellie was a member of Cannon Hill Theater at the Midlands Arts Centre and used the medium to tour the world. She played the puppeteer and lent her voice to the Why Bird in Playdays. Darvill’s father, Nigel, on the other hand, worked with different artists and music groups like Edwin Starr, Ruby Turner, and Fine Young Cannibals, playing the Hammond organ. It’s absolutely safe to say Arthur Darvill got his talent in the performing arts from both parents who also groomed him to be a performer from an early age.
2. Arthur Darvill Used To Be A Music Band Member
Granted, Arthur Darvill is better known as a talented actor but he is also a musician and composer. The English performer plays the guitar and keyboards. As a teenager, he formed an indie band known as Edmund and has written some songs for Bush Theater. Darvill may not have a studio album under his belt yet but he has built an impressive resume composing music for theater productions. He has also done some radio and voice projects. In all, he has made the most of his unique voice in many ways. The bulk of his musical works can be found in film projects.
3. He Was Born On The Same Day As His Broadchurch Co-star, Jodie Whittaker
Arthur Darvill and his Broadchurch co-star, Jodie Whittaker are birthday mates. Both thespians were born on June 17, 1982. Interestingly, they are both English actors born in the United Kingdom but while Whittaker was born in Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire, Darvill was born in Birmingham. Aside from playing Beth Latimer in Broadchurch, Jodie Whittaker is also known for her role as the thirteenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who (2017–2022).
4. His Career Picked Up From The Theater
Arthur Darvill is a Royal Academy of Dramatic Art alum trained in stage combat. The Birmingham-born actor was just 10 years old when he became a member of Stage2 Youth Theatre Company and stayed with the company from 1991 to 2000. After leaving Stage2 Youth Theatre Company, he formed his own theater company named Fuego’s Men and they performed in the Midlands. Arthur Darvill made his professional stage debut in Edmund White’s Terre Haute. His stellar performance in the Vaudeville Theatre’s production of Swimming with Sharks in 2007 got him a nod for the London Newcomer Award.
5. Arthur Darvill Made His Screen Debut In 2008
After exploring his forte on stage, Darvill made his television debut with a role in ITV’s He Kills Copper in 2008. He followed it up with a role on the BBC serial, Little Dorrit. However, his career experienced a major boost when he started playing Rory Williams. Rory is a companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the popular science fiction film series, Doctor Who, and appearing in such an iconic project dropped the spotlight on him. After Doctor Who, he was cast in another popular drama, Broadchurch. He has continued his works in theaters as seen in the musical Oklahoma! in which he has been performing in the role of Curly McLain at the Young Vic and Wyndham’s Theatre since 2022.
6. He Loves To Cook
Probably not what anybody would imagine the actor to indulge in, but Arthur Darville has many hobbies and cooking is one of them. The English actor enjoys cooking as much as he loves to attend concerts at the theater. Another interesting hobby of his is taxidermy. While there is no detailed story about how he began collecting taxidermy, it is assumed he has a fine collection somewhere.
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