Samuel Alexander Joseph West (born 19 June 1966) is an English actor, theatre director, and narrator. He has directed on stage and radio, and worked as an actor in theatre, film, television, and radio. West was nominated for the

BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Best Actor in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognise an actor who has delivered an outstanding supporting performan ...

for his portrayal of Leonard Bast in the

Merchant Ivory A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...

film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...

E. M. Forster Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970) was an English author. He is best known for his novels, particularly '' A Room with a View'' (1908), ''Howards End'' (1910) and '' A Passage to India'' (1924). He also wrote numerous shor ...

's novel ''

Howards End ''Howards End'' is a novel by E. M. Forster, first published in 1910, about social conventions, codes of conduct and relationships in turn-of-the-century England. ''Howards End'' is considered by many to be Forster's masterpiece. The book wa ...

'' (1992), and was later nominated for the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of the title role in ''

Rupert's Land Rupert's Land (), or Prince Rupert's Land (), was a territory in British North America which comprised the Hudson Bay drainage basin. The right to "sole trade and commerce" over Rupert's Land was granted to Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), based a ...

'' (1998). In 2010, he was nominated for the

Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End theatre, West E ...

for his portrayal of

Jeffrey Skilling Jeffrey Keith Skilling (born November 25, 1953) is an American businessman who in 2006 was convicted of federal felony charges relating to the Enron scandal. Skilling, who was CEO of Enron during the company's collapse, was eventually sentence ...

in Lucy Prebble's ''

Enron Enron Corporation was an American Energy development, energy, Commodity, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. It was led by Kenneth Lay and developed in 1985 via a merger between Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth, both re ...

''. He has appeared as reciter with orchestras and performed at the Last Night of the Proms. He has narrated several documentary series, including five for the BBC about the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. West currently stars as Siegfried Farnon in the Channel 5 remake of the veterinary drama series '' All Creatures Great and Small''.

Early life and education

West was born on 19 June 1966 in

Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. It ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, the elder son of the actress

Prunella Scales Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales (''née'' Illingworth; born 22 June 1932) is an English retired actress. She portrayed Sybil Fawlty, the bossy wife of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), in the BBC comedy ''Fawlty Towers'' and Queen Elizabeth ...

and the late actor

Timothy West Timothy Lancaster West (20 October 1934 – 12 November 2024) was an English actor with a long and varied career across theatre, film, and television. He began acting in repertory theatres in the 1950s before making his London stage debut in 19 ...

, and the grandson of the actor

Lockwood West Harry Lockwood West (28 July 1905 – 28 March 1989) was a British actor. He was the father of actor Timothy West and the grandfather of actor Samuel West. Life and career West was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England in 1905, the son of Mild ...

. West was educated at

Alleyn's School Alleyn's School is a 4–18 Mixed-sex education, co-educational, independent, day school and sixth form in Dulwich, London, England. It is a registered charity and was originally part of Edward Alleyn's College of God's Gift charitable foundatio ...

and

Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England, located on a bank of the River Cherwell at Norham Gardens in north Oxford and adjacent to the University Parks. The ...

, where he studied English literature and was president of the Experimental Theatre Club. West originally intended to attend

Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, formerly the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art, was a drama school, and originally a singing school, in London. It was one of the leading drama schools in Britain, and offered comprehen ...

, but chose instead to focus on his career after he was cast as King Caspian in the BBC's 1989 series ''

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader ''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'' is a portal fantasy novel written by British author C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1952. It was the third published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956). Macmillan US p ...

''.

Career

Stage

West made his London stage debut in February 1989 at the

Orange Tree Theatre The Orange Tree Theatre is a 180-seat theatre at 1 Clarence Street, Richmond in south-west London, which was built specifically as a theatre in the round. It is housed within a disused 1867 primary school, built in Victorian Gothic style. Th ...

, playing Michael in Cocteau's ''

Les Parents Terribles ''Les Parents terribles'' is a 1938 French play written by Jean Cocteau. Despite initial problems with censorship, it was revived on the French stage several times after its original production, and in 1948 a film adaptation directed by Cocteau ...

'', of which critic John Thaxter wrote: "He invests the role with a warmth and validity that silences sniggers that could so easily greet a lesser performance of this difficult role, and he lets us share the tumbling emotions of a juvenile torn between romantic first love and filial duty." Since then, West has appeared frequently on stage; he played Valentine in the first production of

Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (; born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech-born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...

's '' Arcadia'' at the National Theatre in 1993, and later spent two seasons with the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...

playing the title roles in ''

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward, Prince of Wales (later known as the Black Prince), and Joan, Countess of Kent. R ...

'' and ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'', both directed by Steven Pimlott. In 2002, West made his stage directorial debut with '' The Lady's Not for Burning'' at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester. He succeeded

Michael Grandage Michael Grandage Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 2 May 1962) is a British theatre director and producer. He is currently artistic director of the Michael Grandage Company. From 2002 to 2012 he was artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse ...

as artistic director of

Sheffield Theatres Sheffield Theatres is a theatre complex in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It comprises four theatres: the Crucible, the Lyceum, the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, and (as of January 2025) the Montgomery Theatre. These theatres make up ...

from 2005 to 2007. During his time as artistic director, West revived the controversial ''

The Romans in Britain ''The Romans in Britain'' is a 1980 stage play by Howard Brenton that comments upon imperialism and the abuse of power. It was the subject of an unsuccessful private prosecution for gross indecency brought by the conservative moral campaigner ...

,'' and also directed ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wil ...

'' as part of the RSC's Complete Works Festival. West left

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

when the theatre closed for refurbishment in 2007, and made his West End directorial debut with the first major revival of ''

Dealer's Choice Dealer's choice is a style of poker where each player may deal a different variant. As the deal passes clockwise around the table, each player occupying the dealer position chooses a variant which is either played just for the current hand ...

'' following its transferral to the

Trafalgar Studios Trafalgar Theatre is a West End theatre in Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square, in the City of Westminster, London. The Grade II listed building was built in 1930 with interiors in the Art Deco style as the Whitehall Theatre; it regularly staged ...

. He also continued his acting career: in 2007 he appeared alongside

Toby Stephens Toby Stephens (born 21 April 1969) is an English actor who has appeared in films in the United Kingdom, United States, and India. He is known for the roles of Bond villain Gustav Graves in the 2002 James Bond film '' Die Another Day'', for whic ...

and

Dervla Kirwan Dervla Kirwan (born 24 October 1971) is an Irish actress. She has received a number of accolades, including two IFTA Awards for her performances in the film '' Ondine'' (2009) and the RTÉ thriller series '' Smother'' (2021–2023) respective ...

in ''

Betrayal Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. Of ...

'' at the

Donmar Warehouse The Donmar Warehouse is a 251-seat, not-for-profit Off-West End theatre in Covent Garden, London, England. It first opened on 18 July 1977. Sam Mendes, Michael Grandage, Josie Rourke and Michael Longhurst have all served as artistic direc ...

. In 2008, West played Harry in the Donmar revival of

T. S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist and playwright.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biography''. New York: Oxford University ...

's ''

Family Reunion A family reunion is an occasion when many members of an extended family congregate. Sometimes reunions are held regularly, for example on the same date of every year. A typical family reunion will assemble for a meal, some recreation and discuss ...

,'' and in 2009 he starred as Jeffrey Skilling in ''

'' by Lucy Prebble. His 2008 production of ''

Waste Waste are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. A by-product, by contrast is a joint product of relatively minor Value (economics), economic value. A wast ...

'' at the

Almeida Theatre The Almeida Theatre is a 325-seat producing house located on Almeida Street off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre opened in 1980, and produces a diverse range of drama. Successful plays are often transferred to West E ...

was chosen by ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'' as one of its "Productions of the Decade". From November 2012 to January 2013, he appeared as Astrov in a production of ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897, and first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre, directed by Konstan ...

'' at the

Vaudeville Theatre The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on the Strand in the City of Westminster. Opening in 1870, the theatre staged mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. The theatre was rebuilt twice, although each new buildin ...

. He played Ivanov and Trigorin in the

Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Mart ...

's Young Chekhov Season from September 2015, alongside

Nina Sosanya Oluwakemi Nina Sosanya (born 6 June 1969) is an English stage, television, film, and radio actress, and narrator. She is most notable for her roles in ''Teachers'', '' W1A'', and '' Last Tango in Halifax''. Early life and education Oluwakemi N ...

Anna Chancellor Anna Theodora Chancellor (born 27 April 1965) is an English actress who has appeared widely on TV, film and in the theatre. She received a nomination for BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Lix Storm in '' The Hour'' (201 ...

, and James McArdle. In 2023, West played Hugh Delavois in Adrian Edmundson and

Nigel Planer Nigel George Planer (born 22 February 1953) is a British actor, writer and musician. His television credits include playing Neil in the sitcom '' The Young Ones'' and Ralph Filthy in the sitcom '' Filthy Rich & Catflap'', as well as narrating th ...

's comedy play ''It’s Headed Straight Towards Us'' at the Park Theatre, Londonopposite

Rufus Hound Rufus Hound (born Robert James Blair Simpson 6 March 1979) is an English actor, comedian and presenter. Early life Hound was born on 6 March 1979 in Essex and moved to Surrey at the age of 7. He was educated at Hoe Bridge School Woking, Fre ...

. In late 2024, West returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company to play Malvolio in Prasanna Puwanarajah's production of ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...

'' opposite

Gwyneth Keyworth Gwyneth Keyworth is a Welsh actress. Early life and education Gwyneth Keyworth was born in Aberystwyth. She began acting in a local Welsh language youth theatre group. In 2008 she appeared in ''Sick Room'', an ensemble production with the ...

, Freema Agyeman and Bally Gill.

Film

West appeared in the film '' Reunion'' (1989) with

Jason Robards Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he gained a reputation as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill. Robards received numerous accola ...

and

Christien Anholt Christien Alexis Anholt (born 25 February 1971) is an English stage, television and film actor best known for portraying Nigel Bailey in the television series '' Relic Hunter''. Early life Anholt was born in London. He is the son of Anthony ...

as an aristocratic boy who befriends the son of a Jewish doctor in 1930s Germany. West played the lower-middle-class clerk Leonard Bast in the

's novel ''

'' (1992), featuring

Emma Thompson Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress and screenwriter. Emma Thompson on screen and stage, Her work spans over four decades of screen and stage, and List of awards and nominations received by Emma Thompson, her accola ...

Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, List of awards and nominations received by Helena Bonham Carter ...

, and

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor. Considered one of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for List of Anthony Hopkins performances, his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins ha ...

. For this role, he was nominated for best supporting actor at the 1993

BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...

Film Awards. West appeared with Thompson again in the film '' Carrington'' (1995). In

voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique used in radio, television, filmmaking, theatre, and other media in which a descriptive or expository voice that is not part of the narrative (i.e., non- ...

, West provided the voice of Pongo in '' 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure'', replacing

Rod Taylor Rodney Sturt Taylor (11 January 1930 – 7 January 2015) was an Australian actor. He appeared in more than 50 feature films, including '' Young Cassidy'' (1965), '' Nobody Runs Forever'' (1968), '' The Train Robbers'' (1973), and '' A Matt ...

. West's film career has continued with roles in films such as

Franco Zeffirelli Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli (; 12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019) was an Italian stage and film director, producer, production designer and politician. He was one of the most significant opera and theatre directors of the post–World War II e ...

's ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The firs ...

'', ''

Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a wikt:cosmopolitan, cosmopolitan and multiculturalism, multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting ...

'', '' Iris'', ''

Van Helsing Professor Abraham Van Helsing () is a fictional character from the 1897 gothic horror novel ''Dracula'' written by Bram Stoker. Van Helsing is a Dutch polymath doctor with a wide range of interests and accomplishments, partly attested by the P ...

'' and '' Darkest Hour''. In 2004, he appeared in the year's highest rated mini-series on German television, ''Die Nibelungen'', which was released in the United States in 2006 as '' Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King''. In 2012, he played

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...

in '' Hyde Park on Hudson''.

Television

West has appeared in many long-running series: ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British Mystery fiction, mystery television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the ''Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series created by Caroline Graham (writer), Caroline Graham. ...

'', '' Waking the Dead'' and ''

Poirot Hercule Poirot (, ) is a fictional Belgian detective created by the English writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is Christie's most famous and longest-running character, appearing in 33 novels, two plays (''Black Coffee (play), Black Coffee'' and '' ...

,'' as well as one-off dramas. He played

Anthony Blunt Anthony Frederick Blunt (26 September 1907 – 26 March 1983), (formerly styled Sir Anthony Blunt from 1956 until November 1979), was a leading British art historian and a Soviet spy. Blunt was a professor of art history at the University ...

in '' Cambridge Spies'', a

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

production about the four British spies, starring alongside

( Philby),

Tom Hollander Thomas Anthony Hollander (; born 25 August 1967) is a British actor. He trained with National Youth Theatre and won the Ian Charleson Award in 1992 for his performance as Witwoud in ''The Way of the World''. He made his Broadway debut in the ...

( Burgess) and Rupert Penry-Jones ( Maclean). He reprised his role as Blunt in "Olding", the premiere episode of the third season of ''

The Crown The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...

'' released in 2019. In 2006, West took the lead role in a

production of '' Random Quest'' adapted from the short story by

John Wyndham John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris (; 10 July 1903 – 11 March 1969) was an English science fiction writer best known for his works published under the pen name John Wyndham, although he also used other combinations of his name ...

and the next year played

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 ...

in '' Margaret Thatcher – The Long Walk to Finchley'', also for the BBC. In 2010 he played Peter Scabius in the televised adaptation of William Boyd's novel '' Any Human Heart'', while in 2011 he starred as Zak Gist in the ITV series '' Eternal Law''. In addition, he appeared in the BBC sitcom '' As Time Goes By'', as Terry in the episode "We'll Always Have Paris" (1994). West played Frank Edwards in the ITV drama ''

Mr Selfridge ''Mr Selfridge'' is a British period drama television series about Harry Gordon Selfridge and his department store, Selfridge & Co, in London, set from 1908 to 1928. It was co-produced by ITV Studios and Masterpiece/ WGBH for broadcast on I ...

,'' and Sir Walter Pole in the 2015

adaptation of '' Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell''. West stars in the Channel Five series (broadcast in September 2020) '' All Creatures Great and Small'' as Siegfried Farnon. A second six-episode series and Christmas special was broadcast in 2021, followed by a third season airing in late 2022.

Radio

West is regularly heard on radio as a reader or reciter and has performed in many radio dramas, including ''Otherkin'' by Laura Wade, ''

Present Laughter ''Present Laughter'' is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1939 but not produced until 1942 because the Second World War began while it was in rehearsal, and the British theatres closed. The title is drawn from a song in Shakespeare's ''Tw ...

'' by

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...

Len Deighton Leonard Cyril Deighton ( ; born 18 February 1929) is a British author. His publications have included cookery books and works on history, but he is best known for his spy novels. After completing his national service in the Royal Air Force, D ...

's ''

Bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft that utilizes air-to-ground weaponry to drop bombs, launch aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploy air-launched cruise missiles. There are two major classifications of bomber: strategic and tactical. Strateg ...

'', ''

Life and Fate Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth, adaptation, respons ...

'' by

Vasily Grossman Vasily Semyonovich Grossman (; 12 December (29 November, Julian calendar) 1905 – 14 September 1964) was a Soviet writer and journalist. Born to a Jewish family in Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire, Grossman trained as a chemical engine ...

Michael Frayn Michael Frayn, FRSL (; born 8 September 1933) is an English playwright and novelist. He is best known as the author of the farce ''Noises Off'' and the dramas ''Copenhagen (play), Copenhagen'' and ''Democracy (play), Democracy''. Frayn's novel ...

's ''

Here Here may refer to: Music * ''Here'' (Adrian Belew album), 1994 * ''Here'' (Alicia Keys album), 2016 * ''Here'' (Cal Tjader album), 1979 * ''Here'' (Edward Sharpe album), 2012 * ''Here'' (Idina Menzel album), 2004 * ''Here'' (Merzbow album), ...

'', '' The Meaning of Zong'' by Giles Terera and ''

The Homecoming ''The Homecoming'' is a two-act play written in 1964 and published in 1965 by Harold Pinter. Its premières in London (1965) and New York (1967) were both directed by Sir Peter Hall. The original Broadway production won the 1967 Tony Award ...

'' as Lenny to

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A List of Nobel laureates in Literature, Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramat ...

's Max. In 2011, he made his radio directing debut with a production of ''

Money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...

'' by

Edward Bulwer-Lytton Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (; 25 May 1803 – 18 January 1873) was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secr ...

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

Personal life

West has appeared alongside his actor parents on several occasions: with his mother

in ''

'' and '' Stiff Upper Lips'', and with his father

on stage in ''

A Number ''A Number'' is a 2002 play by British playwright Caryl Churchill. The story, set in the near future, is structured around the conflict between a father (Salter) and his sons (Bernard 1, Bernard 2, and Michael Black) – two of whom are clones ...

'', ''

Henry IV, Part 1 ''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the Battle of H ...

'' and '' Part 2''. In two films ('' Iris'' in 2001 and the 1996 television film '' Over Here''), Sam and his father played the same character at different ages. In ''

Edward the Seventh ''Edward the Seventh'' is a 1975 British historical drama series, made by ATV in 13 episodes. Based on the biography of King Edward VII by Philip Magnus, it stars Annette Crosbie as Queen Victoria, Timothy West as the elder Edward VII, wit ...

'' (1975), West and his brother Joseph played young sons of the title character, who was played by their father. In 2002, all three family members performed in

Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of ...

's '' The Soldiers Tale'' at the St Magnus Festival on

Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...

, and in 2006 they gave a rehearsed reading of the

play '' Family Voices'' as part of the

Pinter season. West became the patron of Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus in February 2008, having been the narrator for a concert of theirs in February 2002. He is also a patron of London children's charity Scene & Heard, Eastside Educational Trust and Mousetrap Theatre Projects. While at university, West was a member of the Socialist Workers Party, and later briefly the Socialist Alliance. West was an outspoken critic of the

New Labour New Labour is the political philosophy that dominated the history of the British Labour Party from the mid-late 1990s to 2010 under the leadership of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. The term originated in a conference slogan first used by the ...

government of

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader ...

and their involvement in the

Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...

. On 26 March 2011, he spoke at the TUC March for the Alternative. West has written essays on ''

'' for the

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...

series ''Players of Shakespeare'', on ''

'' for Michael Dobson's CUP study ''Performing Shakespeare's Tragedies Today'' and on Shakespeare and Love and Voice and Radio for

. West has also published articles on

Caryl Churchill Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes.

and the

Shipping Forecast The ''Shipping Forecast'' is a BBC Radio broadcast of weather reports and forecasts for the seas around the British Isles. It is produced by the Met Office and broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The for ...

. He frequently writes and speaks in public about arts funding. West has collected stamps since childhood and owns more than 200 Two Shilling Blues. In 2013, West was one of the judges for the

Forward Prizes for Poetry The Forward Prizes for Poetry are major British awards for poetry, presented annually at a public ceremony in London. They were founded in 1992 by William Sieghart with the aim of celebrating excellence in poetry and increasing its audience. The ...

. In December 2014, he appeared on two programmes for ''

Christmas University Challenge ''Christmas University Challenge'' is a British quiz programme which has aired on BBC Two since 19 December 2011. It is a spin-off from ''University Challenge'' that airs daily over the Christmas period, and features teams of noteworthy alumn ...

'', as part of a team of alumni from

. West is an Associate Artist of the

and a trustee and previous Chair of the Campaign for the Arts. He was a member of the council of the British Actors' Union Equity from 1996 to 2000 and 2008–2014. He is a keen birdwatcher, and an Ambassador for the

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...

. In 2007, West began living with playwright Laura Wade, but in 2011 the couple temporarily split up. In 2013, West was cast in a minor role in '' The Riot Club'', the film version of Wade's successful play, ''

Posh Posh is today an informal adjective for "upper class". It may also refer to: Entertainment * ''Posh'' (album), a 1980 album by Patrice Rushen *" Posh!", a 1968 song from the musical ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' * ''Posh'' (2006 TV series), a 2006 ...

,'' and in 2014 the couple had a daughter. In August 2017, the couple had a second daughter. West is a supporter of

AFC Wimbledon AFC Wimbledon is an English professional association football club based in Wimbledon, London, Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton, London. The team competes in , the third tier of the English football league system. The club was founded in ...

. West is a patron of the

Wilfred Owen Wilfred Edward Salter Owen Military Cross, MC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was an English poet and soldier. He was one of the leading poets of the First World War. His war poetry on the horrors of Trench warfare, trenches and Chemi ...

Association which commemorates Owen's life and poetry.

Performances and works

Film

Television

West narrated the

Yorkshire Television ITV Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire Television and commonly referred to as just YTV, is the British television service provided by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV (TV network), ITV network. Until 19 ...

documentary ''The SS in Britain'' for director Julian Hendy in 1999, and considering his role in the ITV drama series ''Mr Selfridge'', he was the voiceover for ''Secrets of Selfridges'' (PBS) in 2014.

Audio drama

Theatre

Acting

* '' The Browning Version'': Taplow (1985) – directed by Clive Perry (

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Birmingham Repertory Theatre, commonly called Birmingham Rep or just The Rep, is a producing theatre based on Centenary Square in Birmingham, England. Founded by Barry Jackson, it is the longest-established of Britain's building-based theatre ...

) * ''

Les Parents terribles ''Les Parents terribles'' is a 1938 French play written by Jean Cocteau. Despite initial problems with censorship, it was revived on the French stage several times after its original production, and in 1948 a film adaptation directed by Cocteau ...

'': Michael (February 1989) – directed by Derek Goldby (

) * '' The Bread-Winner'' (1989) – directed by

Kevin Billington Kevin Billington (12 June 1934 – 13 December 2021) was a British film director, who worked in the theatre, film and television from the 1960s. Biography The son of a factory worker,Fred Hauptfuhre''People'', 13:12, 24 March 1980 and educated ...

, ( Theatre Royal, Windsor and touring) * '' A Life in the Theatre'' (October 1989 – February 1990) – directed by Bill Bryden, (

Theatre Royal Haymarket The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foote ...

, transferred to Strand Theatre) * ''

Hidden Laughter Hidden or The Hidden may refer to: Film and television Film * ''The Hidden'' (1987 film), an American science fiction/horror film * ''Hidden'' (2005 film) or ''Caché'', a French thriller film * ''The Hidden'' (2005 film), a Spanish-British-Ita ...

'': Nigel (June 1990) – directed by

Simon Gray Simon James Holliday Gray (21 October 1936 – 7 August 2008) was an English playwright and memoirist who also had a career as a Academia, university lecturer in English literature at Queen Mary, University of London, for 20 years. While teach ...

(

) * '' The Sea'': Willy Carson (1991) – directed by

Sam Mendes Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was Knight Bachelor, knighted in the 2020 New Year Honours ...

(

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

) * ''

Cain Cain is a biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He is the elder brother of Abel, and the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first couple within the Bible. He was a farmer who gave an offering of his crops to God. How ...

'' (1992) – directed by

Edward Hall Edward Hall ( – ) was an English lawyer and historian, best known for his #Chronicle, ''The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancastre and Yorke''—commonly known as ''Hall's Chronicle''—first published in 1548. He was ...

( Minerva Theatre) * '' Mr. Cinders'' A Musical Comedy: Jim Lancaster (December 1992 – February 1993) – directed by Martin Connor (

King's Head Theatre The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an off-West End venue in London. The original venue was the oldest operating pub theatre in the UK. In 2024, the pub theatre, and the King's Head Theatre now operates from a purpose-b ...

) * '' Arcadia'': Valentine (April–November 1993) – directed by

Trevor Nunn Sir Trevor Robert Nunn (born 14 January 1940) is an English theatre director and lyricist. He has been the artistic director for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and, currently, the Theatre Royal Haymarket. He has dir ...

(

) * ''

The Importance of Being Earnest ''The Importance of Being Earnest, a Trivial Comedy for Serious People'' is a play by Oscar Wilde, the last of his four drawing-room plays, following ''Lady Windermere's Fan'' (1892), ''A Woman of No Importance'' (1893) and ''An Ideal Husban ...

'': Algernon – directed by James Maxwell (

Royal Exchange Theatre The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal Exc ...

) * ''Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV Part 1'' and Part 2: Hal (1996–1997) – directed by Stephen Unwin (director), Stephen Unwin (English Touring Theatre) * ''Journey's End'': Captain Stanhope (January–February 1998) – directed by David Evans-Rees (

) * ''Antony and Cleopatra'': Octavius Caesar (1998) – directed by Sean Mathias (

) * ''

'': Richard II (2000) – directed by Steven Pimlott, (Royal Shakespeare Company, RSC) * ''

'': Hamlet (2001) – directed by Steven Pimlott, (Royal Shakespeare Company, RSC) * ''The Master and Margarita'': The Master (2004) – directed by Steven Pimlott (

) * ''Doctor Faustus (play), Doctor Faustus'': Faustus (2004) – directed by Steven Pimlott, Martin Duncan and Edward Kemp (playwright), Edward Kemp, ( Minerva Theatre) * ''Much Ado About Nothing'': Benedick (2005) – directed by Josie Rourke (Crucible Theatre) * ''The Exonerated (play), The Exonerated'': Kerry Max Cook (2006) – directed by Bob Balaban (Riverside Studios) * ''

'': B1/B2/Michael Black (2006) – directed by Jonathan Munby, (Studio Theatre (Sheffield) and Minerva Theatre) * ''

'': Robert (2007) – directed by Roger Michell (

) * ''Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?'': Guy (2008) – directed by James McDonald, (The Public Theater, Public Theater, New York) * ''The Family Reunion'': Harry (2008) – directed by Jeremy Herrin (

) * ''ENRON (play), ENRON'': Jeffrey Skilling (2009) – directed by Rupert Goold, ( Minerva Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Noël Coward Theatre) * ''

'' (revival): B1/B2/Michael Black (2010) – directed by Jonathan Munby, (Menier Chocolate Factory) * ''Kreutzer vs. Kreutzer'': Man (2010) – directed by Sarah Giles, (Australian Chamber Orchestra – on tour and at the Sydney Opera House) * ''

'' (revival): B1/B2/Michael Black (2011) – directed by Jonathan Munby, (Fugard Theatre, Cape Town) * ''

'': Astrov (2012) – directed by Lindsay Posner (

) * ''Young Chekhov'': Ivanov in Ivanov (play), Ivanov and Trigorin in The Seagull (2015) – directed by Jonathan Kent (director), Jonathan Kent (

) * ''Julius Caesar (play), Julius Caesar'': Brutus (2017) – directed by Robert Hastie, (Crucible Theatre) * ''Ella Hickson, The Writer'', directed by Blanche McIntyre, at the

, London (April 2018) * ''It’s Headed Straight Towards Us:'' Hugh Delavois (2023), directed by Rachel Kavanaugh (Park Theatre, London, Park Theatre) * ''

'': Malvolio (December 2024 – January 2025), directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah, (Royal Shakespeare Company, RSC)

Directing

*'' The Lady's Not for Burning'' (2002), Minerva Theatre *''Les Liaisons dangereuses, Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' (2003), Bristol Old Vic *''Così fan tutte, Cosi Fan Tutte'' (2003), English National Opera at Barbican Arts Centre, Barbican Theatre *''Three Women and a Piano Tuner'' (2004), Minerva Theatre and Hampstead Theatre (2005) *''Insignificance (play), Insignificance'' (2005), Lyceum Theatre (Sheffield) *''

'' (2006), Crucible Theatre *''The Clean House'' (2006), Studio Theatre (Sheffield) *''

'' (2007), Crucible Theatre and Swan Theatre (Stratford) *''

'' (2007), Menier Chocolate Factory and

*''

'' (2008),

*''Close the Coalhouse Door'' (2012), Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northern Stage *''April De Angelis, After Electra'' (2015), Theatre Royal, Plymouth and Tricycle Theatre *''The Watsons'' (2018 Minerva Theatre, Chichester)

Radio

Directing

* ''

'' (2011), BBC Radio 3 *
Close the Coalhouse Door
' (2012), BBC Radio 4

Audiobooks, reciting and work with musicians

West has recorded over one hundred audiobooks, among which are the Shakespeare plays ''All's Well That Ends Well'', ''Coriolanus'', ''Henry V (play), Henry V'', ''The Merchant of Venice'', ''A Midsummer Night's Dream,'' ''Much Ado About Nothing'', ''

'' and ''Macbeth'' (directed by Steven Berkoff), the complete ''Inspector Morse'' novels by Colin Dexter, the ''Wind on Fire'' trilogy by William Nicholson (writer), William Nicholson (''The Wind Singer'', ''Slaves of the Mastery'' and ''Firesong''), the Arthur trilogy by Kevin Crossley-Holland (''The Seeing Stone'', ''At the Crossing Places'' and'' King of the Middle March''), five books by Sebastian Faulks (''Charlotte Gray (novel), Charlotte Gray'', ''Birdsong (novel), Birdsong'', ''The Girl at the Lion d'Or'', ''Human Traces'' and ''A Possible Life''), four by Michael Ridpath (''Trading Reality'', ''Final Venture'', ''Free to Trade'', and ''The Marketmaker''), two by George Orwell (''Nineteen Eighty-Four'' and ''Homage to Catalonia''), two by Mary Wesley (''An Imaginative Experience'' and ''Part of the Furniture''), two by Robert Goddard (novelist), Robert Goddard (''Closed Circle'' and ''In Pale Battalions'') and several compilations of poetry ''(Realms of Gold: Letters and Poems of John Keats'', ''Bright Star'', ''The Collected Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, Shelley'', ''Seven Ages'', ''Great Narrative Poems of the Romantic Age'' and ''A Shropshire Lad)''. Also ''Goethe's Faust, Faust'', ''

'', ''Doctor Who: The Vengeance of Morbius'', ''Empire of the Sun (novel), Empire of the Sun'', ''Brighton Rock (novel), Brighton Rock'', ''Fair Stood the Wind for France'', ''Fluke (novel), Fluke'', ''Great Speeches in History'', ''How Proust Can Change Your Life'', ''Lady Windermere's Fan'', ''Peter and Wendy, Peter Pan'', ''The Alchemist (novel), The Alchemist'', ''The Day of the Triffids'', ''The Hairy Hands'', ''The Lives of Christopher Chant'', ''The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous'', ''The Queen's Man'', ''The Solitaire Mystery'', ''The Swimming Pool Library'', ''The Two Destinies'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Way I Found Her'', ''The Way to Dusty Death'', ''The Woodlanders'', ''Under the Net'', ''Wuthering Heights'' and Philip Pullman's ''Grimm Tales for Young and Old''. In June 2012, West recorded an English narration of ''The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My'' by Tove Jansson for an interactive audiobook developed by Spinfy and published by Sort of Books. In May 2015, West's reading of ''Brighton Rock (novel), Brighton Rock'' was chosen as one of "The 20 best audiobooks of all time" by Carole Mansur of the ''Daily Telegraph''. As a reciter West has worked with all the major British orchestras, as well as the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Works include Stravinsky's ''Oedipus Rex'' and ''The Soldier's Tale'', Prokofiev's ''Eugene Onegin'', Beethoven's ''Egmont (Beethoven), Egmont'', Schoenburg's ''Ode To Napoleon'', Strauss' ''Enoch Arden (Strauss), Enoch Arden'', Saint-Saëns' ''Carnival of the Animals'', Bernstein's ''Symphony No. 3 (Bernstein), Kaddish'', Walton's ''Façade (poems), Façade'' and ''Henry V'', ''Night Mail'' and ''The Way to the Sea'' by Britten and Auden, the world premieres of ''Concrete'' by Judith Weir at the Barbican and Howard Goodall's ''Jason and the Argonauts'' at the Royal Albert Hall and the UK premiere of Jonathan Harvey (composer), Jonathan Harvey's final piece ''Weltethos'' at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham. In 2007 West made his New York recital debut in the first performance of ''Little Red Violin'' by Anne Dudley and Steven Isserlis. In November 2010, West performed a new English translation of Edvard Grieg, Grieg's complete incidental music to Henrik Ibsen, Ibsen's play ''Peer Gynt'' with the Southampton Philharmonic Choir at Southampton Guildhall. He has performed at the Proms six times, including the suite version of ''Henry V'' at the 2002 Last Night of the Proms. He has also appeared with the Nash Ensemble, the Raphael Ensemble, The Hebrides Ensemble, Ensemble 360 and the Lindsay String Quartet, Lindsay, Dante and Endellion Quartets at the Wigmore Hall, London. Recordings include Prokofief's ''Eugene Onegin'' with Sinfonia 21 and Edward Downes, ''Salad Days (musical), Salad Days'' and Walton's ''Henry V'' with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Slatkin. As a choral singer, West has participated in three Choir of London tours to Palestine (region), Palestine: in May 2006, when he also gave poetry readings as part of the concert programme; in April 2007 when he directed ''The Magic Flute''. and in September 2013 (see below). In 2013, the centenary year of Benjamin Britten, West narrated the Britten/W. H. Auden, Auden film score ''Night Mail'' with the Nash Ensemble at the Wigmore Hall and later added ''Coal Face, God's Chillun, The Peace of Britain, The Way to the Sea'' and ''The King's Stamp'' with the Aurora Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth and Fairfield Halls. In June he played God in Britten's ''Noye's Fludde'' in Harrogate. In July he appeared in a Proms Plus broadcast discussing Britten's setting of poetry. In September he toured Palestine with the Choir of London as staff director of a new opera based on Britten's ''Hymn to St Cecilia'' and sang in Britten's ''Saint Nicolas (Britten), St Nicolas''. In October, he narrated the concert world premiere of ''Britten in America'' for the Hallé orchestra, which was released on CD together with West's recordings of speeches to Britten's incidental music for Auden and Christopher Isherwood, Isherwood's play ''The Ascent of F6'' (the disc, ''Britten to America'', was later nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium). He also toured a program of Britten cabaret songs and Auden poems across the UK with Ruthie Culver and the UtterJazz Quartet. In June 2013 he appeared in the video for ''Handyman Blues'' by Billy Bragg, directed by Johnny Vegas. On 14 July 2017, one month after the Grenfell Tower fire, BBC's ''Newshour'' programme invited West to read out an excerpt from a letter written by an anonymous firefighter giving a personal account of the fire scene and his inner thoughts on duty that night. In 2020, West appeared on the album ''From The Ground Up'': an ensemble led by Hugo Ticciati improvised over Henry Purcell chaconne bass lines while West read William Shakespeare, Shakespeare and rapper Soul Inscribed, Baba Israel improvised. The album won the 2020 Gramophone Classical Music Awards, Gramophone Award for Best Concept Album.

Awards and nominations

As actor *1993 – Nominated BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for ''

'' *1999 – Nominated Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Genie Award for Best Actor for ''

'' *2001 – Won London Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, London Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Shakespearean Performance for ''

'' *2001 – Won Whatsonstage Whatsonstage, Theatregoers' Choice Award Best Actor for ''

'' *2008 – Nominated Whatsonstage Whatsonstage, Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Ensemble Performance for ''

'' *2009 – Nominated TMA Awards, TMA Award for Best Performance in a Play for ''ENRON (play), ENRON'' *2009 – Nominated Evening Standard Award Best Actor for ''ENRON (play), ENRON'' *2010 – Nominated Whatsonstage Whatsonstage, Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actor for ''ENRON (play), ENRON'' *2010 – Nominated Laurence Olivier Award, Olivier Award Best Actor for ''ENRON (play), ENRON'' As reader *1999 – Won Talkie award for ''Charlotte Gray (novel), Charlotte Gray'' by Sebastian Faulks *2000 – Won Audie award for ''Realms of Gold: Letters and Poems of John Keats'' *2001 – Won Spoken Word award (Silver) for ''The Seeing Stone'' by Kevin Crossley-Holland *2001 – Won Spoken Word award (Gold) for ''Birdsong (novel), Birdsong'' by Sebastian Faulks Samuel West has received nine AudioFile (magazine), AudioFile Earphones Awards for his narration: ''The Day of the Triffids'' by

(1996), ''Peter and Wendy, Peter Pan'' by J.M.Barrie (1997), ''Charlotte Gray (novel), Charlotte Gray'' by Sebastian Faulks (1999), ''The Way I Found Her'' by Rose Tremain (2000), ''The Swimming Pool Library'' by Alan Hollinghurst (2007), ''Goethe's Faust, Faust'' by Goethe (2011), ''A Shropshire Lad'' by A. E. Housman (2011), ''A Possible Life'' by Sebastian Faulks (2012) and Philip Pullman's ''Grimm Tales for Young and Old'' (2013) As director *2004 – Nominated Laurence Olivier Award, Olivier Award for Best Opera Revival for ''Così fan tutte, Cosi Fan Tutte'' *2008 – Nominated Laurence Olivier Award, Olivier Award for Best Revival for ''

'' *2009 – Nominated Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Director for ''

'' and ''

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:West, Samuel 1966 births Living people 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors Actors educated at Alleyn's School Actors from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Alumni of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford British philatelists Critics' Circle Theatre Award winners English male child actors English male film actors English male radio actors English male stage actors English male television actors English male voice actors English republicans English socialists English theatre directors Fellows of King's College London Male actors from London People from Hammersmith Royal Shakespeare Company members Socialist Workers Party (UK) members