Dan Stevens is a well-known English actor best known for his portrayals as Matthew Crawley in the television series “Downton Abbey” and David in the horror thriller film “The Guest.” Stevens was born in the United Kingdom in Croydon, London. After trying out for the title role in William Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” while still in school, he developed an interest in drama. Later, while he was a student at Cambridge University, English director Peter Hall discovered him in a production of the same play. Hall then hired him in a production of “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare. His inaugural performance was extremely well received. In the German biographical film Hilde, he made his film debut as an actor. The following year, he rose to prominence after being cast as Matthew Crawley in the American drama series ‘Downton Abbey’. For his outstanding performance, he received a Screen Actors Guild Award. ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ a romantic fantasy film based on the renowned fairytale of the same name, starred him opposite Emma Watson. In addition to acting, he has a passion for literature and is the editor-at-large for the online publication The Junket.
Youth and Early Life
Dan Stevens was born in Croydon, London, on 10 October 1982. His adoptive parents were both teachers. Additionally, he has a younger adopted sibling with whom he grew up in Wales and southeast England.
He was a student at Tonbridge School when he became interested in acting after trying out for the title role in the play “Macbeth.”
In addition, he began summer training at the National Youth Theatre in London at age 15. Later, while he was a student at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, he was discovered by director Peter Hall when he played Macbeth alongside Hall’s daughter Rebecca Hall.
Dan Stevens’s Career
In 2004, Dan Stevens began his professional acting career when he was cast by Peter Hall in his touring production of William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” In the same year, he made his television debut in two episodes of the miniseries “Frankenstein.” It was based on Mary Shelley’s novel of the same name.
In 2006, he appeared in the miniseries The Line of Beauty, which was based on Alan Hollinghurst’s novel of the same name. In the same year, he also portrayed a supporting role in the television adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which was titled Dracula. In 2007, he had a supporting character in the television film Maxwell. In the interim, he continued to appear in plays, including ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (2005), ‘The Romans in Britain (2006), and ‘The Vortex.’ (2008).
In 2009, he made his feature film début with the movie Hilde. From 2010 to 2012, he played a significant role in the period drama series “Downton Abbey.” His performance not only earned him fame but also the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble. (shared with the rest of the cast). After appearing in films such as ‘Vamps’ (2012) and ‘The Fifth Estate’ (2013), he starred in the horror thriller ‘The Guest’ for the first time. (2014). Despite the film’s commercial failure, it received positive reviews.
In 2014, he starred in the films ‘A Walk Among the Tombstones and ‘The Cobbler in leading roles. In 2014, he starred in “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.” His previous film, “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” was a commercial triumph, whereas “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” was a massive financial failure. The film, directed by Shawn Levy, was a commercial success. In 2015, he appeared in the crime suspense film Criminal Activities.
In 2016, he appeared in three films: the drama “The Ticket,” the political drama “Moderate: The Tragic Rise and Fall of a New York Fixer,” and the science fiction black comedy “Colossal.” The 2017 romantic fantasy film “Beauty and the Beast” is without question his most successful work to date.
As the masculine protagonist, he appeared alongside the popular British actress Emma Watson. The film was based on the same-titled folk tale. The film, directed by Bill Condon, was a tremendous financial success. It was the second highest-grossing film of the year and received positive reviews from critics.
The biographical drama film Marshall and the biographical film The Man Who Invented Christmas are among his other recent accomplishments. Since January 2017, he has also starred in the sci-fi psychological horror television series Legion.
Stevens’s Major Opera
Dan Stevens played one of the leading characters in ‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,’ a Shawn Levy-directed American comedy adventure film. The cast also included Ben Stiller, Ben Kingsley, Robin Williams, and Owen Wilson. The film’s production cost $127 million. It was an economic triumph, grossing over $363 million at the box office. It generally received divided reviews.
Dan Stevens’s starring role in the sci-fi horror-thriller television series ‘Legion’ is an additional significant accomplishment in his career. This series is related to the X-Men film franchise. Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Bill Irwin, Jeremie Harris, and Katie Aselton also appear in the series. Since January 2017, the show has been broadcasting. It has received praise from critics and won numerous awards as well.
Stevens’s leading role in the romantic fantasy film “Beauty and the Beast” also contributed to his international fame. The film is directed by Bill Condon and is based on Disney’s 1991 film of the same name, which was an adaptation of the same-titled fairy tale. The film grossed over a billion dollars and was the year’s second-highest-grossing film. It was nominated for two BAFTA awards and two Oscars.
Stevens’s Personal Life
Dan Stevens is married to South African vocalist and singing instructor Susie Hariet. They wed in 2009 and had their first daughter, Willow, the same year. In 2012, they were graced with their second child, a son named Aubrey. In 2016, their third child, a daughter named Eden, was born.
Estimated Net Worth
The net worth of English actor Dan Stevens is $4 million. In October 1982 found Dan Stevens was born in Croydon, London, England. From 2010 to 2012, he portrayed Matthew Crawley on the television series Downton Abbey, one of his most recognizable roles.