John Light (actor) explained

John Light
Birth Name:John Andrew Light
Birth Date:30 September 1973
Birth Place:Birmingham, England
Education:King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
Occupation:Actor
Alma Mater:London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Years Active:1994–present

John Andrew Light (born 30 September 1973) is an English television, theatre, and film actor. He has received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for his supporting performance in the play Taken at Midnight (2014).

Career

Light appeared as Henry Lennox (with Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe) in the BBC production North and South from the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. He played the title character (the son of Rudyard Kipling) in the original Hampstead Theatre production of David Haig's My Boy Jack (1997).

An early screen role came in Cider with Rosie (1998). He played Lord Edward Fitzgerald in the 1999 serialised adaptation of “Aristocrats” by Stella Tillyard. He portrayed British pilot Robert Newman in the German film Dresden, in which he spoke German; and played Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany in the 2003 film The Lion in Winter alongside Patrick Stewart, Glenn Close and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. He played Satan in two films released in 2005 which were titled and . He also appeared in the title role of the 2009 play .[1]

In 2011, he appeared in an episode of BBC TV series Silk as Alan Bradley, a man accused of rape.

In 2013, he appeared as Chief Inspector Roger Nelson in the BBC TV series WPC 56 (series 1), and he appeared as Hercule Flambeau, nemesis of Father Brown, in the BBC TV series Father Brown, a role he has reprised in a recurring capacity.[2]

Has appeared as Professor Felix Garwood in Lewis (2014 series 8 episode 2, both parts (The Lions of Nemea))[3] and in the pilot episode of the prequel Endeavour.

In 2016, he appeared as Dacourt in the ITV series Maigret episode 1.2 "Maigret's Dead Man".[4]

Light is a prolific stage actor.[5] His theatre performances include the Complete Works Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he starred in Sean Holmes' Julius Caesar as Brutus and in Rupert Goold's The Tempest as Caliban. In 2012, he appeared as the titular character in Thom Pain (based on nothing), a role for which critics praised him.[6]

In 2015, Light starred in the play Taken at Midnight with Penelope Wilton. He received a nomination for an Olivier for Best Supporting Actor in a Play.[7] Soon after he starred as Escamillo in Carmen Disrupted with Sharon Small.[8]

In late 2016 through early 2017, he was in a limited run of Mary Stuart along with Juliet Stevenson and Lia Williams at the Almeida.[9] He continued the role after the play transferred to the West End's Duke of York's Theatre in 2018.[10] [11]

In January 2019, it was announced that John Light would join the cast of Florian Zeller's "The Son." The play ran at the Kiln Theatre from 20 February 2019 through 6 April 2019.[12] He reprised the role in the West End production in autumn 2019 at the Duke of York's Theatre.[13]

He also appeared in Agatha Raisin "The Curious Curate" as Richard Binser (2019) and in Midsomer Murders "Death of the small Coppers" as Luke Fawcett (2018)

Light joined the cast of "Uncle Vanya" at the Theatre Royal Bath for a limited run in summer 2019. The production marked the directorial debut of Rupert Everett.[14] During rehearsals, Everett accidentally injured Light's eye, which later led to Light falling off stage. Light performed using a crutch.[15]

In 2022, Light appeared as a Confederate soldier in Around the World in 80 Days (2021 TV series).

Personal life

In 2005, Light began dating Canadian film and television actress Neve Campbell. They became engaged in December 2005, and married on 5 May 2007 in Malibu, California.[16] Campbell filed for divorce from Light on 30 June 2010 in Los Angeles.[17]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000Five Seconds to Spare Paisley
2001Investigating Sex Peter
2001Band of Brothers Lieutenant Colonel O. Dobie Episode 5 "Crossroads"
2002Purpose John Elias
2003Cambridge SpiesJames AngletonTV miniseries
2003The Lion in WinterGeoffreyTV movie
2004North & SouthHenry LennoxTV miniseries
2005Heights Peter
2005
2005John Reigart/Lucifer
2006Scoop Poker Player
2006Dresden Robert Newman
2007Partition Walter Hankins
2008Four Seasons Simon Maxwell
2011Albert Nobbs Mr. Smythe-Willard
2011SilkAlan Bradley
2011VeraAndrew Franks
2012 Jason Fox
2013JoPierre LambertSeason 1, episode 6
2013WPC 56Chief Inspector Roger Nelson5 episodes
2014LewisFelix Garwood2 episodes
2014AtlantisDiagoras2 episodes
2016MarsPaul Richardson2 episodes
2016MaigretDacourtSeason 1, episode 2
2018Midsomer MurdersLuke FawcettSeason 20, episode 2
2019Agatha RaisinRichard BilsnerSeason 2, episode 3
2021There's Always HopeLukeTV movie
2021Around the World in 80 DaysAmbrose AbernathySeason 1, episode 7
2022Murder in ProvenceDr. Marcel VannierSeason 1, episode 3
2024ShowtrialSeason 2, episode 1
2013-2024Father BrownHercule FlambeauRecurring, 12 episodes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carpenter. Julie. 2009-09-07. A New World - A Life Of Thomas Paine: Globe Theatre. 2022-01-28. Express.co.uk. en.
  2. Web site: Hoffman. Grace. 2022-01-18. Father Brown actor's life and ex-marriage to major Hollywood movie star. 2022-01-28. oxfordshirelive. en.
  3. Web site: 2014-10-14. Inspector Lewis: "Lions of Nemea". 2022-01-28. Criminal Element. en-US.
  4. Web site: 2016-12-26. Maigret's Dead Man, ITV. 2022-01-28. theartsdesk.com. en.
  5. http://www.uktw.co.uk/biog/
    http://www.markhamfroggattandirwin.com/cv/client_john-light_id_100119.htm
  6. https://www.ayoungertheatre.com/review-thom-pain-based-on-nothing-the-print-room-will-eno/
    http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Theatre-Review/thom-pain-based-on-nothing-the-print-room
  7. http://www.trh.co.uk/uncategorized/taken-at-midnight-receives-three-olivier-award-nominations/{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
  8. Web site: Carmen Disruption . 6 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180214202748/https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/carmen-disruption/4-apr-2015-23-may-2015 . 14 February 2018 . live .
  9. Web site: Mary Stuart . 6 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170812060805/https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/mary-stuart/2-dec-2016-21-jan-2017 . 12 August 2017 . live .
  10. Web site: Mary Stuart . 12 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171102045132/https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/mary-stuart . 2 November 2017 . live .
  11. Web site: Tour archive for Mary Stuart (Play). 15th January 2018-28th April 2018 [TOUR] . 12 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170812095834/http://www.uktw.co.uk/Tour/Play/Mary-Stuart/T01964474232/ . 12 August 2017 . live .
  12. https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Full-Cast-Announced-For-Uk-Premiere-Of-Florian-Zellers-THE-SON-20190114, https://officiallondontheatre.com/news/amanda-abbington-to-star-in-florian-zellers-the-son/
  13. Web site: Book Tickets Now for THE SON in the West End.
  14. Web site: New Productions and Further Casting Announced for Theatre Royal Bath's Summer Season 2019 . 21 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190421130747/https://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/New-Productions-And-Further-Casting-Announced-For-Theatre-Royal-Baths-Summer-Season-2019-20190419 . 21 April 2019 . live .
  15. News: Uncle Vanya review — tantalising set, shame about the production. Treneman. Ann.
  16. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20038016,00.html people.com
  17. Web site: Neve Campbell Files Divorce On the Down Low. TMZ. 1 December 2010. 1 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20120311234459/http://www.tmz.com/2010/11/30/neve-campbell-files-secret-divorce-john-light/. 11 March 2012. live.