Linus Roache
Born
Linus William Roache

(1964-02-01) 1 February 1964 (age 59)
Manchester, England
Alma materRoyal Central School of Speech and Drama
OccupationActor
Years active1973–1976, 1985–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2002)​
Parent(s)William Roache
Anna Cropper
RelativesJames Roache (half-brother)

Linus William Roache (born 1 February 1964) is a British actor. He is known for playing Executive ADA Michael Cutter in the NBC dramas Law & Order (2008–2010) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2011–2012). More recently, Roache played Ecbert, King of Wessex in Vikings from 2014 to 2017.

He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for playing Robert F. Kennedy in RFK (2002) and won a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor (TV) for his role as Ralph Wigram in The Gathering Storm (2002). His film appearances include Priest (1994), The Wings of the Dove (1997), Pandaemonium (2000), The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), Batman Begins (2005), Non-Stop (2014) and Mandy (2018). In 2018 and 2020 he had a recurring role in the final two seasons of Homeland. In 2023 he played the role of Senator Wesley Smith in Showtime's Fellow Travelers.

Early life

Roache was born in Manchester, England, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper.[1] Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa School in Chichester, West Sussex,[2] and at Rydal School in Colwyn Bay in north Wales.[2] He studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama.[3] He married actress Rosalind Bennett in Malvern Hills, Worcestershire, in 2002.[2]

Career

In 1975 Roache appeared in Coronation Street playing Peter Barlow, the son of his father's character Ken Barlow.[4] Roache is also a past member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.[4]

In the 1990s Roache began a career in films while remaining active in television and on stage. In 1994 he took a leading role in Antonia Bird's Priest. In 1997, he starred opposite Helena Bonham Carter in the film The Wings of the Dove.[4] In 2001, he won the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor, for his performance as Samuel Taylor Coleridge in the Julien Temple directed movie Pandaemonium alongside Samantha Morton.[5]

In 2005, he played Thomas Wayne, father of Batman, in Batman Begins.[4] On television he played Executive Assistant District Attorney Michael Cutter in two American series, Law & Order (2008–2010) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2011–2012).[6]

In June 2010 it was announced that he would return to play Laurence Cunningham alongside his father William Roache in Coronation Street. In July 2010 he was cast in the HBO pilot The Miraculous Year.[7]

In April 2011 Roache was cast as the lead in the ITV miniseries Titanic, airing in March and April 2012 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ship.[8]

In February 2014 Roache debuted in season two of the TV series Vikings as Ecbert, King of Wessex.[9]

He starred in seasons seven and eight of the TV series Homeland as David Wellington in 2017-2019.[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1985 No Surrender Ulster Boy
1986 Link Unknown Uncredited
1994 Priest Father Greg Pilkington
1997 The Wings of the Dove Merton Densher
1999 Venice Project Count Jacko/Count Giaccomo
Siam Sunset Perry
2000 Best Denis Law
Pandaemonium Samuel Taylor Coleridge Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor[5]
2002 Hart's War Capt. Peter A. Ross
2003 Beyond Borders Henry Bauford
Blind Flight John McCarthy Nominated—BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actor in a Scottish Film
2004 The Forgotten Mr. Shineer, A Friendly Man
The Chronicles of Riddick Purifier
2005 12 and Holding Mr. Carges
Batman Begins Dr. Thomas Wayne
2006 A Through M The Voice of the Party
Find Me Guilty Sean Kierney
The Namesake Mr. Lawson
2007 Broken Thread Ram
2008 Before the Rains Henry Moores
Yonkers Joe Teddy
2009 Out Here in the Fields: The Field on Beach Lane Narrator
2012 $upercapitalist Mark Patterson
2013 Innocence Miles Warner
2014 Non-Stop Captain David McMillan
2016 ID2: Shadwell Army Vinnie
Barry Bill Baughman
2017 Division 19 Charles Lynden
2018 Mandy Jeremiah Sand
2019 The Last Full Measure Whit Peters
2019 A Call to Spy Maurice Buckmaster
2022 My Policeman[11] Older Tom Burgess[11]
The Apology Jack Kingsley
TBA The Dresden Sun[12] Malik Post-production[12]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1973–1975 Coronation Street Peter Barlow Recurring role
1976 The Onedin Line Boy Episode "Quarantine"
1990 Omnibus Vincent van Gogh Episode: "Van Gogh"
1994 Seaforth Bob Longman 9 episodes
1998 Shot Through the Heart Vlado Selimovic Television film
2002 RFK Robert F. Kennedy Television film
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
2002 The Gathering Storm Ralph Wigram Television film
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
2006–2007 Kidnapped Andy Archer 13 episodes
2006 The Ten Commandments Aaron 2 episodes
2008–2010 Law & Order Executive ADA Michael Cutter 63 episodes
2010 Coronation Street Lawrence Cunningham 4 episodes
2011–2012 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Bureau Chief ADA Michael Cutter 4 episodes
2012 Titanic Hugh, Earl of Manton 4 episodes
2012 The Making of a Lady Lord Walderhurst Television film
2014–2017 Vikings Ecbert of Wessex 26 episodes
2014 The Blacklist The Kingmaker Episode: "The Kingmaker"
2017 Bancroft Tim Fraser 2 episodes
2017–2020 Homeland David Wellington 23 episodes
2019 Summer of Rockets Richard Shaw MP 6 episodes
2023 Fellow Travelers Senator Wesley Smith [13]

Selected theatre

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1996 Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films Best Actor Priest Nominated [14]
2001 Evening Standard British Film Awards Best Actor Pandaemonium Won [5]
2003 60th Golden Globe Awards Best Performance in a Miniseries or Television Film RFK Nominated [14]
7th Golden Satellite Awards Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film The Gathering Storm Won [14]
2004 BAFTA Awards, Scotland Best Actor in a Scottish Film Blind Flight Nominated [14]
2018 Fright Meter Awards Best Supporting Actor Mandy Nominated [14]
2019 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Nominated [14]
CinEuphoria Awards Best Supporting Actor - International Won [14]

References

  1. ^ "Linus Roache Biography (1964–)". filmreference.com.
  2. ^ a b c "The Apology Cast – Ages, Partners, Characters". upcomingseason.com. 28 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Central School of Speech and Drama High Profile Alumni". cssd.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "Linus Roache Law & Order Star & Fantastic British Actor". champions-speakers.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Evening Standard British Film Awards 1990-2001". standard.co.uk. 10 April 2012.
  6. ^ "Error - washingtonpost.com". washingtonpost.com. 4 November 2012. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  7. ^ Eng, Joyce (19 July 2010). "Pushing Daisies and Law & Order Alums Join The Miraculous Year". TVGuide.com. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  8. ^ Love, Ryan (6 April 2011). "Linus Roache leads ITV 'Titanic' cast". Digital Spy Television. Hearst UK. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  9. ^ Roots, Kimberly (11 June 2013). "Vikings Adds Law & Order Vet to Season 2 Cast". tvline.com.
  10. ^ "David Wellington Played by Linus Roache". sho.com. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Harry Styles' Male Lover in 'My Policeman' Film Has Been Cast". www.out.com. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  12. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (22 February 2022). "Cyberpunk Pic 'The Dresden Sun' Adds Linus Roache". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  13. ^ Porter, Rick (19 July 2022). "Showtime's 'Fellow Travelers' Adds Trio to Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "Linus Roache Awards". imdb.com (index source only). Retrieved 21 January 2023.

External links

Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, Limited Series or Television Film
Authority control databases
Categories