Tobias Menzies

Tobias Menzies

Menzies at the Outlander premiere in New York
Born (1974-03-07) 7 March 1974
London, England, U.K.
Education
Alma mater Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation Actor
Years active 1998–present

Tobias Menzies (born 7 March 1974) is an English stage, television and film actor. While working in theatre, he starred in television shows such as Rome (2005–2007) where he played Brutus and Game of Thrones (2013-present) where he plays Edmure Tully. He is also known for his dual role as Frank Randall and Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall in Outlander (2014–present), for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination.

Early years

Menzies was born in North London, England, the son of a teacher and a BBC producer.[1]

Menzies attended the Perry Court Rudolf Steiner School in Canterbury, Kent, where he was trained in the Steiner System, which includes movement, singing and musical instrumentation. Next he attended the Frensham Heights School near Farnham in Surrey at the same time as Hattie Morahan and Jim Sturgess. He went on to attend Deborah Moody's Year Out Drama Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1993–94. He studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, from which he graduated in 1998 with a BA in Acting degree.[2]

Career

Menzies worked with the Spontaneity Shop, a British improv comedy company. He began his TV and film career in some of British television's most popular series, including Foyle's War, Midsomer Murders and Casualty. He also appeared in A Very Social Secretary directed by Jon Jones, which launched UK Channel 4's spin-off station, More4.

He is best known to international audiences for his starring role as Marcus Junius Brutus, Julius Caesar's friend and later co-assassin, in the award-winning HBO/BBC epic series Rome (2005–07).[3]

Menzies had a major role in The Low Down with Aidan Gillen, and was featured in the 2006 reboot of the James Bond film franchise, Casino Royale, as M's aide, Villiers.

He has worked extensively on the stage, with credits including the young teacher Irwin in Alan Bennett's The History Boys (which Nicholas Hytner directed at the Royal National Theatre), and Michael Blakemore's West End production of Three Sisters for which he was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award. Of his role in The History Boys, one reviewer wrote:

There is a remarkable performance, too, from Tobias Menzies as the slick supply-teacher historian, who believes academic success is merely a matter of tricks and spin. But Menzies also discovers a surprisingly attractive vulnerability in the character I missed the first time around.
— Charles Spencer, The Telegraph

Menzies played the title role in Rupert Goold's production of Hamlet, at the Royal Theatre, Northampton to an appreciative critical reception:

One of Shakespeare's greatest innovations was to dramatise people's thought processes: the articulation of the mind's search for meaning and identity. This is where Menzies' performance is most thrilling. He shows how language strives to express the self and to pin down the truth. Who am I? What do I think and feel? Menzies' delivery of the "To be or not to be..." speech burns with intelligence. This is one of the finest and most exciting Hamlets I’ve seen. Observe his face: it seems to mature, grow softer, more observant and expressive, and his death becomes a fulfilment as well as a failure
— John Peter, The Sunday Times

The Independent noted that Menzies, "enjoying his antic disposition ... plays the fool dazzlingly: a stage natural.... He gives it everything, even the fight."

In April 2007 Menzies appeared as William Elliot in ITV's production of Jane Austen's classic, Persuasion, and also played Peter Trifimov in The Cherry Orchard with Joanna Lumley (at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield). The Yorkshire Post said, "The one who burns the brightest is Tobias Menzies as the idealistic perpetual student Trofimov. His performance is breathtaking."

He appeared as Derrick Sington in Channel 4's dramatisation of The Relief of Belsen broadcast 15 October 2007 and then he filmed Forget Me Not, a Quicksilver Films production, in which he starred alongside Genevieve O'Reilly.[4]

He also was the Home Secretary in the long-running television drama Spooks, since December 2009.

Menzies plays Edmure Tully, the heir to House Tully of Riverrun in HBO's Game of Thrones.[5]

In 2012, he appeared in the political satire series The Thick of It during series 4 as Simon Weir, as part of the Goolding Inquiry.

In 2014, Menzies played Maggie Gyllenhaal's bodyguard, Nathaniel Bloom, in the TV mini-series The Honourable Woman.[6] The same year, Menzies also began co-starring in the Starz period TV series, Outlander as two characters: Frank Randall, a 20th-century historian, and Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall, his brutal 18th-century ancestor.[7][8][9] In 2016 Menzies was cast to play a lead role in AMC's anthology series The Terror to be broadcast in 2017.[10]

Filmography

Radio

Year Title Role Notes
2010 A Nice Little Holiday Tony Richardson BBC Radio 4
2011 Now All Roads Lead to France Narrator BBC Radio 4
2012 John Charrington's Wedding Narrator BBC Radio 4 Extra
2013 Plays inspired by James Lees-Milne diaries:
Sometimes into the Arms of God
The Unending Battle
What England Owes 		James Lees-Milne BBC Radio 4
2013 Serious Money Zak Zackerman BBC Radio 3
2014 As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning Narrator BBC Radio 4
2015 Landmarks Narrator BBC Radio 4
2015 Fifteen Minutes Andy Warhol BBC Radio 4
2016 Trapped Narrator BBC Radio 3
2016 Comment Is Free Ben BBC Radio 4

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1998 The Audition short film
2000 The Low Down John
2002 The Knowledge David short film
2004 Piccadilly Jim Reg
2004 Finding Neverland Theatre Patron
2005 Pierrepoint Lt. Llewelyn Titled Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman in the US
2006 Casino Royale Villiers M's assistant
2007 Atonement Naval Officer
2009 Jackboots on Whitehall Captain English (voice) Spoof war film using puppets.
2010 The Duel Von Koren adaptation of an 1891 novella by Anton Chekhov, The Duel
2010 Forget Me Not Will
2011 The Door Man with the Wings of a Swan short film
2011 Hysteria Mr. Squyers
2012 Nora Richard short film
2014 The Birthday Gift David short film
2014 Black Sea Lewis
2014 Off the Page: Groove Is in the Heart Mark short film
London Film Festival 2015 official selection
2016 Una Mark
2016 The Velvet Abstract Narrator short film
2016 Underworld: Blood Wars Marius

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1998-2000 Casualty Frank Gallagher 11 episodes
2000 Longitude Halleys Secretary
2000 Summer in the Suburbs School Psychologist
2000 Midsomer Murders Jack Dorset
2002 The Escapist Policeman
2002 I Saw You Vince
2002 Ultimate Force Box 500 3 episodes
2002 Foyle's War Stanley Ellis
2005 A Very Social Secretary Keith
2005–2007 Rome Marcus Junius Brutus Main cast, 17 episodes
2007 Persuasion William Elliot
2007 The Relief of Belsen Derrick Sington
2008 Fairy Tales Aidee
2008 Bonekickers Scott Wilson
2009 Kingdom David Morston
2009 Pulling Stephan
2009 Spooks Andrew Lawrence 2 episodes
2010 The Deep Raymond 5 episodes
2010 Any Human Heart Ian Fleming 2 episodes
2011 The Shadow Line Ross McGovern 5 episodes
2012 Eternal Law Richard Pembroke Main cast, 6 episodes
2012 Simon Schama's Shakespeare Henry V miniseries
2012 Secret State Charles Flyte 1 episode
2012 The Thick of It Simon Weir 1 episode
2012 Getting On Dr. Tom Kersley 3 episodes
2013 Black Mirror Liam Monroe Episode "The Waldo Moment"
2013 Doctor Who Lieutenant Stepashin Episode: "Cold War"
2013 Up All Night Narrator (voice) TV Series documentary, episode The Nightclub Toilet
2013 Imagine Narrator (voice) TV Series documentary, episode Edmund De Waal: Make Pots or Die
2013-present Game of Thrones Edmure Tully 8 episodes
2014 Silent Witness Greg Walker
2014 Puppy Love Alexander 1 episode
2014 The Honourable Woman Nathaniel Bloom miniseries, 3 episodes
2014–present Outlander Frank Randall/Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall Main cast, 20 episodes
2015 Catastrophe Dr Kenneth Harries 3 episodes
2016 The Night Manager Geoffrey Dromgoole miniseries, 5 episodes
2016 The Circuit Sasha
2017 The Terror James Fitzjames miniseries, main cast

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
1999 The Colonel Bird Deaf Actor Directed by Rupert Goold for The Gate Theatre, London[11]
2000 Light Directed by Simon McBurney for the Complicite theatre company
2000 The Way of the World Witwoud Directed by Matthew Lloyd at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
2001 Platonov Sergei Voynitzev Directed by Jonathan Kent at the Almeida
2002 Arcadia Valentine Coverly Directed by Rupert Goold at the Royal Theatre, Northampton and at the Salisbury Playhouse
2003 Three Sisters Tusenbach Directed by Michael Blakemore at the Playhouse Theatre, London. Filmed by BBC Four and aired in 2004
2003 Serjeant Musgrave's Dance Hurst Directed by Sean Holmes. Oxford Stage Company
2005 Hamlet Hamlet Directed by Rupert Goold at the Royal Theatre, Northampton
2005 The History Boys Irwin Directed by Nicholas Hytner. Touring cast and Royal National Theatre, London
2006 As You Desire Me Directed by Jonathan Kent at the Playhouse Theatre, London[12]
2007 The Cherry Orchard Peter Trofimov Directed by Jonathan Miller at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2007 Cloud Nine Harry Bagley/Martin Directed by Thea Sharrock at the Almeida Theatre, London
2009 King Lear Edgar Directed by Rupert Goold at the Young Vic Theatre, London and at the Liverpool Playhouse
2011 The Children's Hour Dr Joseph Cardin Directed by Ian Rickson at the Comedy Theatre, London (currently known as Harold Pinter Theatre)[13]
2011 Decade Scott Forbes Directed by Rupert Goold for Headlong, London[14]
2012 The Recruiting Officer Captain Plume Directed by Josie Rourke at the Donmar Warehouse, London[15]
2013 Rough Cuts: Searched Directed by Carrie Cracknell at the Royal Court Theatre, London[16]
2013 The Hush Directed by Matthew Herbert at the Shed for the Royal National Theatre, London[17][18]
2015 The Fever Man Directed by Robert Icke at the Almeida (performances at the May Fair Hotel), London[19]
2015 The Iliad Live reading directed by Rupert Goold and Robert Icke at the Almeida, London[20]
2016 Uncle Vanya Dr. Michael Astrov Directed by Robert Icke at the Almeida, London[21]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2003 Ian Charleson Awards Commendation for the best classical stage performance in Britain by actor under age 30 Three Sisters Nominated[22][23]
2015 Saturn Awards Best Actor on Television Outlander Nominated[24]
2016 Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Outlander Nominated
2016 Satellite Awards Best Television Ensemble Outlander Won

References

  1. ↑ Roberts, Alison (16 February 2011). "The man who kisses Keira, nightly". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "Student & Graduate Profiles". RADA. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  3. ↑ Friedlander, Noam (16 June 2007). "No place like Rome: Tobias Menzies tells Noam Friedlander why he hails the return of the BBC's lavish and lusty Roman series". Telegraph. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  4. ↑ Quinn, Anthony (6 May 2011). "Forget Me Not (15)". Independent. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "'Game of Thrones': Red Wedding actor breaks silence on surprise return". ew.com. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  6. ↑ Debnath, Neela (11 July 2013). "Q&A interview with 'Game of Thrones' star Tobias Menzies". Independent. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  7. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (8 August 2013). "'Game of Thrones' Alum Nabs Dual Role in Starz's 'Outlander' (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  8. ↑ Abrams, Natalie (8 August 2013). "Game of Thrones' Tobias Menzies Joins Ron Moore's Outlander". TV Guide. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  9. ↑ Merriam, Allie (1 August 2014). "Outlander Star Tobias Menzies Promises Plenty of Bodice-Ripping" (Video interview). PopSugar. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  10. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (9 September 2016). "'The Terror': Tobias Menzies To Star In AMC Anthology Series From Scott Free". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2016-09-10.
  11. ↑ Taylor, Paul (12 April 1999). "Theatre: It's a mad world, my masters". The Independent. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  12. ↑ Gilbey, Ryan (27 July 2007). "The three stages of Kristin". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  13. ↑ Wilson, Benji (16 April 2011). "In a taxi with... actor Tobias Menzies". Daily Mail. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  14. ↑ Fricker, Karen (9 September 2011). "Review: 'Decade'". Variety. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "Theatre review: The Recruiting Officer". 23 February 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Rough Cuts: Searched". Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  17. ↑ "Theatre review: The Hush". 26 July 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  18. ↑ Collins, Katie (16 July 2013). "Matthew Herbert's The Hush: seducing theatre audiences with sound". Wired.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  19. ↑ "Theatre review: The Fever". 23 January 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  20. ↑ "The Almeida announces huge casting for 'The Iliad'". 13 August 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  21. ↑ "Uncle Vanya Cast Announcement". 10 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  22. ↑ Nicol, Patricia (4 April 2004). "Do put your daughter on the stage". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  23. ↑ Paddock, Terri (29 March 2004). "Dillon Wins Ian Charleson Award for Master Builder". WhatsOnStage. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  24. ↑ "The 41st Annual Saturn Awards Nominations 2015". 3 March 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
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