Ben Daniels
Ben Daniels (born 10 June 1964) is a British actor. A graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), he has taken on roles in numerous productions. On television he has appeared in, among other shows, The Lost Language of Cranes (1991), Conspiracy (2001), Cutting It (2002–2005), Ian Fleming: Bondmaker (2005), The Virgin Queen (2005) and The State Within (2006). On the silver screen, Daniels has appeared mostly in supporting roles, including parts in The Bridge (1992), Beautiful Thing (1996), I Want You (1998), Madeline (1998) and Doom (2005). An exception was the 1997 independent film Passion in the Desert, based on a short story by novelist Honoré de Balzac.
Daniels was born on 10 June 1964 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.[6] His father was an engineer at Rolls-Royce and later a grocer, while his mother owned a children's clothes shop. He has recalled: "I was quite a shy child, but quite disruptive as well. "I was very sneaky and underhanded."
Daniels was educated at Manor Park School, a state comprehensive school in Nuneaton, near Coventry, in Warwickshire (since closed). According to Daniels, drama lessons at O-levels gave him a voice, and when he attended sixth form studies at Stratford College between 1980 and 1982, doing A-levels in theatre studies and English literature, he attended Royal Shakespeare Company performances. A fellow student recalled that Daniels, whom he knew as Dave, "was very serious about his work, and struck me as incredibly intelligent... you got the sense his mind was working; the cogs were ticking over". Daniels subsequently trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) for three years.
Daniels has had most success with theatre work. He was nominated for Best Actor at the Evening Standard Awards for 900 Oneonta (1994), for Best Actor in the M.E.N. Theatre Awards for Martin Yesterday (1998), and for Best Supporting Actor in the 15th Laurence Olivier Awards for Never the Sinner (1991). He eventually won the latter award at the 25th Laurence Olivier Awards (2001), as well as the Best Supporting Actor award at the 2001 Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Theatre Awards, for his performance in the Arthur Miller play All My Sons. Other theatre credits include Tales From Hollywood (2001), Three Sisters (2003), Iphigenia at Aulis (2004), The God of Hell (2005), The Wild Duck (2005–2006) and Thérèse Raquin (2006). In 2008 Daniels made his Broadway début with American actress Laura Linney in a revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons), for which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play.
Known For







Credits
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Argylle 2024Bartender★ 6
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Santiago★ 7.4
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Antoc Merrick (archive footage) (uncredited)★ 6.9
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Círdan★ 7.3
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Benediction 2021Dr. Rivers★ 6.2
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Foundation 2021Bel Riose★ 7.8
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Jupiter's Legacy 2021Walter Sampson / Brainwave★ 7
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Captive State 2019Daniel★ 5.6
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Pontius Pilate★ 7.1
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The Exception 2017Col Sigurd von Ilsemann★ 6.9
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General Merrick★ 7.5
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The Crown 2016Lord Snowdon★ 8.2
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The Exorcist 2016Father Marcus Brennan★ 7.3
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Flesh and Bone 2015Paul★ 6.8
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★ NR
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Luna 2014Grant★ 6.6
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Jamaica Inn 2014Francis Davey★ 6.6
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Locke 2014Gareth (voice)★ 6.9
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The Wipers Times 2013Lieutenant Colonel Howfield★ 6.3
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Fumm★ 5.9
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House of Cards 2013Adam Galloway★ 8
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The Paradise 2012Tom Weston★ 7.3
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The Hollow Crown 2012Buckingham★ 7.3
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Women in Love 2011Will Brangwen★ 6.6
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John Thain★ 5.6
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Moving On 2009John Murphy★ 7.1
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Law & Order: UK 2009James Steel★ 6.9
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Merlin 2008Tristan★ 7.8
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The Passion 2008Caiaphas★ 5.4
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★ 8.3
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Saki★ 4.4
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The State Within 2006Nicholas Brocklehurst★ 7.5
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The Virgin Queen 2006Francis Walsingham★ 6.3
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Doom 2005Goat★ 5.2
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Ian Fleming★ NR
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Alfred Crackenthorpe★ 7.7
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Real Men 2003DI Matthew Fenton★ 9
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Spooks 2002Oleg Korsakov★ 7.7
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Fogbound 2002Leo★ NR
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Cutting It 2002Finn Bevan★ 6.7
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Conspiracy 2001Josef Bühler★ 7.3
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Married/Unmarried 2001Danny★ 3
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Britannic 2000Townsend★ 6.8
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Fanny & Elvis 1999Andrew★ 6.2
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Aristocrats 1999Lord Kildare★ 6
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Madeline 1998Leopold the Tutor★ 6.2
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I Want You 1998Bob★ 5.6
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Augustin Robert★ 5.8
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David 1997Jonatan★ 6.5
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Beautiful Thing 1996Tony★ 7.3
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Silent Witness 1996★ 7.6
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Truth or Dare 1996Ben★ 4.5
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★ NR
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Outside Edge 1994★ 8
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A Touch of Frost 1992Roger Massie★ 7.5
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Robin Bradley★ 6.2
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The Bridge 1992Rogers★ 4.5
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Soldier Soldier 1991Capt Andy Wright★ 6.6
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Drop the Dead Donkey 1990★ 7
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The Simpsons 1989Irish Priest (voice)★ 8
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Capital City 1989★ 6
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The Paradise Club 1989DC Webster★ 5.8
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Wall of Tyranny 1988Striemer★ 7
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Hans Castorp★ NR
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Wish You Were Here 1987Maisie Mathews★ 6.5
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The Fourth Protocol 1987Boy in Photo (uncredited)★ 6.3
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Casualty 1986Graham Marda★ 6.1
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Tony Awards 1956Self - Nominee★ 5.1