"The Hobbit has been in my life since I was about 7 years old. It was one of the first books I managed to read from cover to cover, on my own. [...] When I was preparing for the role of Throin, I spent time reading many of Tolkien's other works, hunting down anything which would help me to imagine what it might be like to live as this 'very important Dwarf' (Tolkien's words, not mine), and I listened to an old BBC radio recording of Tolkien reading his works."
QUICK BIO
BIOGRAPHY
Richard Armitage was born on August 22 which marks the anniversary of Richard III demise at Bosworth, and that is where he got his name from.
Armitage attended Huncote Community Primary School in his younger years.
At the age of 17, he joined a circus in Budapest for six weeks to gain his Equity Card.
Brockington College was where Richard Armitage studied music; playing the cello in school and local orchestras as well as learning how to play the flute.
He expanded his education to dance and acting at Pattison College in Coventy. He gained A’s in music and English.
Armitage attended Huncote Community Primary School in his younger years.
At the age of 17, he joined a circus in Budapest for six weeks to gain his Equity Card.
Brockington College was where Richard Armitage studied music; playing the cello in school and local orchestras as well as learning how to play the flute.
He expanded his education to dance and acting at Pattison College in Coventy. He gained A’s in music and English.
Armitage has performed in various productions such as The Real Thing, Six Degrees of Separation and Death of a Salesman. His musical theatre includes 42nd Street, Annie Get Your Gun and Cats. It was when Armitage was 21 that he realized the path he was taking in musical theatre wasn’t for him. He felt he needed to do something a bit more truthful. Musical theatre to him was a bit too theatrical and all about standing on stage and showing off. Armitage was looking for something else, hence why he went to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
Completing LAMDA three years later, he returned to the stage as a supporting player with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production MacBeth and The Duchess of Malfi.
It was an independent film entitled Frozen that gave Armitage his first substantial role in movies, and for television it was North and South.
His film credits include Cleopatra (1999), Cold Feet (2003) and Between the Sheets (2003). Alongside minor roles in This Year’s Love (1999), Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Armitage was in 37 episodes of Robin Hood (2006 – 2009) and in 3 seasons of the cult espionage Spooks (2008 – 2010).
Completing LAMDA three years later, he returned to the stage as a supporting player with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production MacBeth and The Duchess of Malfi.
It was an independent film entitled Frozen that gave Armitage his first substantial role in movies, and for television it was North and South.
His film credits include Cleopatra (1999), Cold Feet (2003) and Between the Sheets (2003). Alongside minor roles in This Year’s Love (1999), Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Armitage was in 37 episodes of Robin Hood (2006 – 2009) and in 3 seasons of the cult espionage Spooks (2008 – 2010).
Richard Armitage read The Hobbit as he was growing up, it was one of those books that got him excited about literature and made him want to become an actor.
The first time he was on stage he played an Elf in a version of The Hobbit.
Like many of us, Armitage is a dedicated fan of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and has watched the films over and over again, he secretly wished he was in those films.
First scene he was in with McKellen, he tried his hardest to stay into character but in the back of his mind he was thinking ‘That’s Gandalf!’
Armitage used an essence of what he saw in Sir Peter Jackson in his character Thorin. In the way that Peter shows and commands great loyalty. It’s that quality – to inspire and be inspired by loyalty – forms an important aspect of Richard’s portrayal of Thorin
The first time he was on stage he played an Elf in a version of The Hobbit.
Like many of us, Armitage is a dedicated fan of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and has watched the films over and over again, he secretly wished he was in those films.
First scene he was in with McKellen, he tried his hardest to stay into character but in the back of his mind he was thinking ‘That’s Gandalf!’
Armitage used an essence of what he saw in Sir Peter Jackson in his character Thorin. In the way that Peter shows and commands great loyalty. It’s that quality – to inspire and be inspired by loyalty – forms an important aspect of Richard’s portrayal of Thorin
In recent times, Richard Armitage has performed a lot of voice work, such as reading poetry for various radio programmes. He has recorded a total of ten audio books. Six were based on BBC’s Robin Hood, Bernard Cornwells The Lords of the North and three Georgette Heyer novels for Naxos AudioBooks.
The day he auditioned for The Hobbit, he was suffering with an injury sustained filming a stunt in Spooks. He had taken so many painkillers that he hobbled into the room, sat on his hands and the whole meeting passed in a bit of a blur. He believes, over anything else, he was able to show his ability to convey pain
Armitage has a fascination for Tolkiens Dwarves, and believes you could make an entire film just about their history.
Richard Armitage describes himself as a method actor.
He was hoping to star in a drama based on Richard III. "I believe it is a great story, a socio-political thriller, a love story and a dynastic tragedy", he said. He thinks the story has the potential to be told as a twenty-episode miniseries. A script has been in development since 2010 and "a lot of people... are interested [in producing it], but there is no one that will step on the gas." Recently Armitage stated that he is still interested in the project, though he has reservations that he might be too tall and too old to play Richard III.
The day he auditioned for The Hobbit, he was suffering with an injury sustained filming a stunt in Spooks. He had taken so many painkillers that he hobbled into the room, sat on his hands and the whole meeting passed in a bit of a blur. He believes, over anything else, he was able to show his ability to convey pain
Armitage has a fascination for Tolkiens Dwarves, and believes you could make an entire film just about their history.
Richard Armitage describes himself as a method actor.
He was hoping to star in a drama based on Richard III. "I believe it is a great story, a socio-political thriller, a love story and a dynastic tragedy", he said. He thinks the story has the potential to be told as a twenty-episode miniseries. A script has been in development since 2010 and "a lot of people... are interested [in producing it], but there is no one that will step on the gas." Recently Armitage stated that he is still interested in the project, though he has reservations that he might be too tall and too old to play Richard III.
AWARDS
YEAR
|
WORK
|
AWARD
|
CATEGORY
|
RESULT
|
2009
2013 2014 |
Spooks
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug |
TV Quick Awards, UK
Monte-Carlo TV Festival SFX Award Empire Awards |
Best Actor
Outstanding Actor - Drama Series Best Actor Best Supporting Actor |
Nominated
Nominated 2nd Place Nominated |
MOST NOTABLE MILESTONES
2002
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
Starred in the Charm Offensive production of Use Me As Your Cardigan.
Appeared in his first major television role as John Standring in the BBC drama, Sparkhouse. First leading role in BBC’s adaption of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South (Textile Mill Owner, John Thornton) Starred in the BBC’s Shakespeare Told Series, MacBeth as Peter MacDuff Appeared in one episode of Inspector Lynley Mysteries called In Divine Proportion as Phillip Turner, a gambling addict Starred in the BBC Series, Robin Hood as Guy Gisborne Starred in a two part Christmas special of The Vicar of Dibley as Harry Kennedy. Reprised his role as Harry in The Vicar of Dibley for Red Nose Day On the 8th April, Armitage starred in George Gentley, a detective drama with Martin Shaw and Lee Ingleby. He played biker Ricky Deeming On the 9th March, Armitage in the BBC Four production of Miss Marie Lloyd – Queen of the Music Hall, playing Marie Lloyds first husband, Percy Courtenay On the 27th October, Armitage joined the team of Spooks for series 7, as the character Lucas North On the 20th March, Armitage appeared in the BBC drama Moving On as John Mulligan Starred as former S.A.S. trooper John Porter in Strike Back for Sky 1 Sir Peter Jackson confirmed Armitage to play Thorin in The Hobbit commencing in October Armitage did some voice work for BBC Radio 4 in Clarissa: A History of a Young Lady. He voiced the character Robert Lovelace. Skyl and Cinemax commissioned a second series of Strike Back called Strike Back: Project Dawn. But due to Armitage’s already made commitments in The Hobbit, he only makes guest appearances Armitage, was cast as Nazi spy Heinz Kruger in Captain America: The First Avenger, opposite co-star Hugo Weaving It was announced that Armitage had been cast in Black Sky from New Line Cinema. His character is Gary Morris, a school teacher with two teenage sons. Shooting took place July through September. |
RICHARD ARMITAGE PORTRAYS:
THORIN OAKENSHIELD
The Hobbit Trilogy
The Hobbit Trilogy