Biography
A classically trained English actor, Hugh Bonneville spent years honing his craft on stage, including a stint with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Starting in 1990, he became a fixture on the British small screen. International audiences were charmed by his supporting turns in "Notting Hill" (1999) and "Mansfield Park" (1999), but he most impressed critics for his unforgettable turn as the young John Bayley opposite Kate Winslet in the acclaimed "Iris" (2001), which earned him a Best Supporting Actor BAFTA nomination. While continuing his steady presence on British television, he earned more international attention for his supporting turns as a publisher in "Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairy Tale" (Hallmark Channel, 2003), famed diarist Samuel Pepys in "Stage Beauty" (2004), Mr. Bennet in "Lost in Austen" (ITV, 2008) and Pontius Pilate in "Ben Hur" (ABC, 2010). He once again struck critical and commercial gold with his starring role as Robert, Earl of Grantham, in the beloved "Downton Abbey" (ITV, 2010-16), which saw him playing husband to Elizabeth McGovern. Immensely charismatic and talented, Hugh Bonneville displayed an amazing range, able to dazzle in comedy and drama as well as period and contemporary pieces.
