Rupert Simeon Graves (born 30 June 1963) is an English
film,
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication Media (communication), medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of Transmission (telecommunications), television tra ...
, and
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...
actor. He is known for his roles in ''
A Room with a View'', ''
Maurice'', ''
The Madness of King George'' and ''
The Forsyte Saga''. From 2010 to 2017 he starred as
DI Lestrade in the
BBC television series ''
Sherlock''.
Early life
Graves was born in
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare, also known simply as Weston, is a seaside town in North Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. It includes the suburbs of Mead Vale, Milton, Oldmi ...
in
Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
, locator_map =
, coordinates =
, region = South West England
, established_date = Ancient
, established_by =
, preceded_by =
, origin =
, lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset
, lor ...
, England, to Mary Lousilla (''
née'' Roberts) Graves, a travel co-ordinator, and Richard Harding Graves, a music teacher and musician.
Education
Graves was educated at
Wyvern Community School, a state comprehensive school in his home town of Weston-super-Mare, which he left at the age of 15. The school has since closed and re-opened as the
Hans Price Academy
The Hans Price Academy, formerly known as Wyvern Community School, is a coeducational secondary school located on the Bournville estate in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England. The school (which previously had specialist Sports College status) ...
.
Career
Graves's first job after leaving school was as a
circus clown. He has appeared in more than 25 films and more than 35 television productions. He has also appeared on stage.
He first came to prominence in
costume-drama adaptations of
E. M. Forster's novels ''
A Room with a View'' (1985) and ''
Maurice'' (1987), before appearing in films including ''
A Handful of Dust'' (1988), the Oscar nominated ''
The Madness of King George'' (1994), ''
Different for Girls'' (1996), and ''
Intimate Relations'' (1996).
His role in ''Intimate Relations'' won him the Best Actor award at the 1996
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival (WFF; french: le Festival des Films du Monde) was one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF (although the Toronto Interna ...
. He was also acclaimed for his portrayal of Young Jolyon Forsyte in the television
miniseries ''
The Forsyte Saga'' (2002).
Personal life
In 1987, in his hometown of
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare, also known simply as Weston, is a seaside town in North Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. It includes the suburbs of Mead Vale, Milton, Oldmi ...
, Graves met Yvonne, a
stained glass artist (later a trained gardener) in a café. They lived together in
Stoke Newington, London, and he helped her raise her two daughters, who were 10 and 14 years old when the relationship began. The couple were together for 13 years.
In September 2000, shortly after Graves's relationship with Yvonne ended, he met Australian-born
production co-ordinator Suzanne Lewis at the opening-night party for ''
The Caretaker'', a play he was appearing in with
Michael Gambon. They are married and have five children together.
Filmography
Film
Television
Theatre
In addition to his screen work, Graves has won acclaim for his stage acting, including roles in
Broadway productions, in New York City, of the plays ''
Closer'' (2000) and ''
The Elephant Man'' (2002).
His notable London theatre credits include his performance as Presley Stray in the original production of
Philip Ridley's ''
The Pitchfork Disney'' (1991) at the
Bush Theatre, west London, which won him Best Actor at the 1991 Charrington London Fringe Awards; in
Martin Sherman's ''
A Madhouse in Goa'' (1989) opposite Vanessa Redgrave; and as Eddie in the
Peter Hall Company's production of
David Rabe's ''
Hurlyburly'' (1997–98) at the
Old Vic and
Queen's Theatre, for which he was nominated for the 1998
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.
and primary archive sources.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Graves, Rupert
Living people
1963 births
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
English male film actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English male voice actors
People from Weston-super-Mare
Male actors from Somerset
Theatre World Award winners