Biography
British actor Richard Armitage was a television star in his native country, playing complicated men of action on series like "Spooks" (BBC One/Three, 2001-2011) and "Strike Back" "(Sky 1/Cinemax, 2010- ) before leaping to international attention in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" (2012-2014) film trilogy. Like Hugh Jackman before him, Armitage began his career in musical theater before finding fame on British television, playing dark, dashing …
Career Milestones
| At 17, joined theater group The Second Generation at a circus in Budapest to gain his Equity Card | ||
| Pursued acting while attending Pattison College in Coventry, England | ||
| Studied music at at Brockington College in Enderby, England; played cello and flute | ||
1999 | Made screen acting debut with a one-line role in "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" | |
2002 | Landed first substantive television role in "Sparkhouse" (BBC), a modern take on Wuthering Heights | |
2002 | Played recurring role of British operative Lucas North on popular BBC One espionage series "Spooks" ("MI-5") | |
2006 | Cast as Guy of Gisborne on BBC One series "Robin Hood" | |
2010 | Starred on military action series "Strike Back" (Sky 1); aired on Cinemax in U.S. | |
2011 | Made Hollywood feature debut as Nazi spy Heinz Kruger in "Captain America: The First Avenger" | |
2012 | Co-starred as Thorin Oakenshield, leader of a company of 13 dwarves in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien and directed by Peter Jackson | |