Biography for
Ioan Gruffudd More at IMDb Pro »

Date of Birth

6 October 1973, Cardiff, Wales, UK

Height

5' 11" (1.80 m)

Mini Biography

Welsh Actor Ioan Gruffudd (Pronounced Yo-Ahn Grif-fith) got his start at age 14 in the Welsh Soap Opera, "Pobol y Cwm" (1974) ("People of the Valley").

Next, at 18, he won a spot at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He won his first role a few years later in the TV film, Poldark (1996) (TV).

After playing "Oscar Wilde"'s gay lover in Wilde (1997) and "Officer Lowe" in Titanic (1997), Gruffudd became a leading man in the Hornblower series.

Next he played "Pip" in the big budget BBC production of Great Expectations (1999) (TV).

IMDb Mini Biography By: Denise Riley

Mini Biography

Ioan was born in Cardiff, Wales, UK. His parents, Peter and Gillian Griffiths, were educators.

He has a brother, Alun, who is two years younger and a sister, Siwan, who is 7 years younger.

He attended the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Arts from 1992 to 1995, but was then cast as "Poldark" in the popular British TV series Poldark (1996) (TV).

IMDb Mini Biography By: John Sacksteder

Spouse

Alice Evans

(14 September 2007 - present)

Trivia

Shared a flat in London with old friend and fellow Welsh actor Matthew Rhys.

He played the oboe in the South Glamorgan Youth Orchestra for several years.

He learned Yiddish for his role in the film Solomon and Gaenor (1999).

Had the honor of lighting the National Millennium Beacon for Wales in Cardiff City Centre for the New Year's Eve 2000 celebration.

Won the BBC Radio Cymru Showbusnesan Award for Best Actor (March 28, 2001).

Graduated from London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1995).

An Associate Member of RADA.

Lives in Los Angeles (for 2 years as of July 2004).

First language is Welsh.

His name is pronounced "Yo-wahn Griffith".

Parents were teachers.

Grandparents ran a local amateur drama society in Cardiff.

Was already an accomplished singer and oboist by the age of 13.

Became a professional actor at the age of 13 with his role in the Welsh soap opera "Pobol y Cwm" (1974) ("People of the Valley").

Best friend is Matthew Rhys.

Has a younger brother, Alun and a younger sister, Siwan.

Living with fellow British actress Alice Evans in Los Angeles (July 2005).

Was invited to and accepted into Gorsedd y Beirdd Ynys Prydain (the [Welsh] Bardic Order of Great Britain) at the highest rank in the National Eisteddfod at Meifod in 2003, with the bardic name "Ioan".

In addition to playing Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards in Fantastic Four (2005), he provided the voice of Mr. Miracle/Scott Free for the animated "Justice League" (2001) series. Ironic, given that Mr. Miracle is owned by DC Comics, rival of Marvel Comics, which owns the Fantastic Four, and both characters were created by the late Jack Kirby.

Met his girlfriend, actress Alice Evans, on the set of 102 Dalmatians (2000), although at the time she was romantically involved with Pablo Picasso's grandson, Olivier.

Best friends with Jamie Bamber who played "Archie Kennedy" on "Hornblower" and is currently playing Lee "Apollo" Adama on "Battlestar Galactica" (2004).

Best friend is Matthew Rhys.

Has a younger brother, Alun & a younger sister, Siwan.

Ioan and his fiancée, Alice Evans, are planning their wedding for September, 2007.

Personal Quotes

The arses on the trousers aren't very tight. They're very loose and baggy and I like tight trousers. And the shoes - the shoes have got a bit of a heel, and it's a strange sensation for a man. Especially when you're running. He mimes a mincing trot. "I am mighty Hornblower! Watch me run like a girl!"

[On his Titanic (1997) experience]: Yeah, I was lucky because I didn't have to spend hours in freezing water. There weren't many people my age on set, so Kate (Kate Winslet), Leo (Leonardo DiCaprio) and I hung out together. We would pile into Leo's dressing room, which was full of PlayStations, mini basketball hoops and the like.

[On Horatio Hornblower]: I think people are attracted to the character because he's not a hero in the traditional sense. He's not a natural leader, he's just a young man with a very bright mind. He's compassionate, he hates injustice and he will stand up and fight when he's pushed to the limit.

I'm determined not to lose my name. It's who I am. It has neither aided my progress nor hampered it. It's just who I am. My character. My make-up. My culture and heritage is a very rich one. So what if it's difficult for people to pronounce? We all learned how to say Schwarzenegger.

As long as you understand that you find happiness through family, friends and love, then money is just a nice bonus.

They say the most successful people are the ones who have failed more than they have succeeded.

I was probably doing more to pigeonhole myself as a Welshman and a Welsh actor than anyone else! A lot of the stuff I said in the past sounded defensive - a young man's ideals about who I am and where I'm from. I realize I don't have to force that on people, but just use it as a safety net, to stride out into the world knowing that I have a strong sense of identity. Because we're all landlocked in this nation together and we should be celebrating it.

Being attractive, it's not something I do consciously. It's incredibly flattering that people think I appeal to women. But that was a gift from my parents. My acting, my personality - that's what it's about.

There's a physicality and confidence to Americans; they're very present. That's something I enjoy being around because it rubs off on you. Although an actor friend of mine visited recently and said, "It's no wonder they write such terrible scripts these days, there's no pain! Everything's so nice you can't be bothered."

As a teacher's child, I found that automatic respect for authority wasn't necessarily a good thing. My philosophy was all about pleasing everyone and getting it right, rather than challenging and asking questions. It's only now I'm getting the confidence to do that because, in America, they're not scared as a nation to ask questions and have a really heated debate.

In the past, I have felt slightly pigeon-holed with the success of roles like Hornblower, all ruffled shirts and wonderful costumes. I think Launcelot was the turning point because he's more masculine, more dangerous, which goes hand in hand with me growing older. I want longevity, so I'm always trying to escape the way I'm perceived - you know, Ioan the soft-spoken Welshman.

As an actor, you have to admit you are a show-off. But with so many magazines like Heat, it's diminishing the mystery of going to see somebody on the big screen. The less you know about somebody the better.

I finished filming Fantastic Four (2005) last Christmas and I haven't worked since then and I'm starting to feel a bit angsty and wondering when the next job will come. Of course, you have to have the belief that yes, something will come up but, the reality is, that you just never know. It's that competitive out there.

I admitted a long time ago that I wanted to go to Hollywood because there are more opportunities there, and I wanted to work in movies. Mvies are my first love. And that's why I went. I don't feel any added pressure, because I've already admitted it in the first place. It's a nice feeling having people support you because you are a British actor trying to become an international star.

I wouldn't want to say that one thing is better than the other. As an actor, you have to love every character you've played. I'm proud of what I've done here.

I don't feel the pressure myself. You have to understand that obviously the way you look is influencing the casting. Not to sound vain, but you have to have a third eye looking at yourself objectively, asking why you're being cast in these roles. It would be mad not to realize this. I can't change the way I look, and people seem to think it works for the leading man, and I rather enjoy that.

[When asked about continuing to portray Horatio Hornblower]: I would love to play this character through every stage of his life. I think it would be unique to have an actor playing him from the very early days as a midshipman; through till he's an Admiral. So, I would love to play this character till he perishes.

"Being attractive, it's not something I do consciously. It's incredibly flattering that people think I appeal to women. But that was a gift from my parents. My acting, my personality - that's what it's about."

"I admitted a long time ago that I wanted to go to Hollywood because there are more opportunities there, and I wanted to work in movies - movies are my first love. And that's why I went. I don't feel any added pressure, because I've already admitted it in the first place. It's a nice feeling having people support you because you are a British actor trying to become an international star."

"As an actor, you have to admit you are a show-off. But with so many magazines like Heat, it's diminishing the mystery of going to see somebody on the big screen. The less you know about somebody the better."

Salary

Man and Boy (2002) (TV)

£ 150,000

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