Jump to content

Stewart Wright

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stewart Wright
Born
Stewart Alec Weatherley Wright

(1974-01-12) 12 January 1974 (age 50)
Alma materRoyal Central School of Speech and Drama
OccupationActor
Years active1996–present
SpouseCelia Wright
Children2

Stewart Wright [1] (born 12 January 1974) is an English film, television and stage actor.

Wright started appearing on screen in 1997, after graduating from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. His breakthrough came in 1999 playing the role of Nick Levick in award-winning BBC mockumentary series People Like Us.  Among his television credits are Black Books, Smack the Pony, Rescue Me, Wild West, Doc Martin, Bonkers, Love and Marriage and I Want My Wife Back. His film work includes Bridget Jones's Diary, Ali G Indahouse, A Good Year, Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? and Bollywood film, Jungle Cry.

Early life

[edit]

Wright was born in 1974 in Hammersmith, London, the son of two doctors. He attended Wellington College, Berkshire in the early 1990s where his passion for rugby led to his captaining the Wellington College 1st XV, going on to captain Martin Corry for Surrey Rugby Football Union Under 18s. Wright went on to complete a BA in Acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama graduating in 1996. Wright relocated to Bristol in 2005, where he now lives with his family. After his work sadly began to dry up due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the entertainment industry, Wright now works as a delivery driver for Deliveroo in order to provide for his family. [2]

Career

[edit]

Film and Television

Wright has played a wide variety of roles in film and TV for over twenty years, since his debut in Fierce Creatures, starring John Cleese and Jamie Lee Curtis.

His breakthrough came playing Nick Levick in the award-winning mockumentary series People Like Us in 1999. Since then he has starred in other acclaimed comedies including Black Books, Smack The Pony and Bridget Jones's Diary. He played the lead role of Eddie Chisolm alongside Sally Phillips in the BBC comedy drama Rescue Me, written by David Nicholls (writer), and starred opposite Dawn French and Catherine Tate in BBC sitcom Wild West. For two series, he was Martin Clunes' foil, PC Mark Mylow, in the worldwide hit Doc Martin. In October 2019 his character was brought back for a one-off special. He went on to star in Love & Marriage, alongside Ashley Jensen, Alison Steadman and Celia Imrie. He has acted in a number of television dramas such as Armadillo, The Nightmare Worlds of H. G. Wells and Dirty Filthy Love, working alongside Michael Sheen, Shirley Henderson, Ray Winstone and Stephen Rea. In 2019 he worked with Steve McQueen (director) playing Mr Bains in the ‘Education’ episode of the critically acclaimed and multi award-winning series Small Axe (miniseries) for BBC/Amazon.[3][4][5][6]

Wright's film work includes British comedy classics Bridget Jones's Diary & Ali G Indahouse, as well as reuniting with Martin Clunes to star as Uncle Henry in the improvised comedy Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? He plays a central role in Bollywood film Jungle Cry which premiered at Cannes in 2019. The film tells the real-life story of a group of Indian street kids who surprised the world in 2007 when they came to the UK and won the junior Rugby World Cup. He plays Paul Walsh, the man who inspired the team to play.[7][8] Wright has gone on to become an Ambassador for Walsh's charity, the Jungle Crows Foundation.[9][10][11][12]

Theatre

In 2001 Wright became recognised as a stage actor after playing Frank Lubey in the Royal National Theatre production of All My Sons, directed by the Olivier Award-winning Howard Davies (director). Since then he has maintained a theatre career alongside his screen work, playing roles varying from the Prince of Wales in The Madness of George III at the Leeds Playhouse (2003) to Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Bristol Old Vic (2003) and Angus in Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s Neville’s Island (2005).

In 2010 he was in Tom Morris' production of Swallows & Amazons, playing “the seven-year-old Roger to hilarious comic effect.” [13][14][15][16] Originally at the Bristol Old Vic, it then transferred to the West End. Wright's roles since have included Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, at the Rose Theatre Kingston (2018)[17][18] and the pantomime dame at the Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith) (2014).[19][20] His performance of Frank in The Memory of Water at the Nottingham Playhouse was lauded by Michael Billington of The Guardian, who called it ‘beautifully played’.[21]

Other Projects

Wright has co-written and performed in two six part radio series. His first commission for BBC Radio 4 was Strangers on Trains (2008) in which he played 28 characters. This was later repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra. He went on to write Earls Of The Court with Perrier Award winner Will Adamsdale, which aired on Radio 4 in 2010. A hit with listeners, the pair played two Australians lost in London. The final episode was ‘Pick of the Week’ in the Radio Times. These characters were developed into a short film, Knights Of The Realm which won Best comedy/dramedy short at the LA Film Festival and Best Dramedy at the LA Shorts Fest.

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Wright wrote and co-created three shows in association with Tobacco Factory Theatres. 'BS3 Santa' (2020) was described as "street theatre meets travelling Santa’s grotto" and toured a mini Christmas show to people's doorsteps in Bristol. Proving to be incredibly popular, 'BS3 Santa' returns in 2021 in a different form, touring the show to entire Bristol streets rather than individual homes. In August 2021, Date Night in association with Tobacco Factory Theatres toured to people's doorsteps in Bristol, described as "a travelling, pop-up comedy performance for your doorstep, driveway or garden".

In October 2021, Wright started a podcast with two friends whom he worked alongside in the theatre industry, Adam Peck and Tom Wainwright. Of Spice and Men[22] celebrates the joy of friendship, with the three men using the ritual of chatting over an Indian meal to navigate the perils of midlife, offering each other camaraderie, counsel, fun and a sprinkling of conflict to spice things up along the way.

Filmography

[edit]
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1997 Fierce Creatures Octopus Security Guard
2001 Bridget Jones's Diary Stage Manager The film was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best British Film, the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and the Satellite Award for Best Film – Musical or Comedy.
2001 High Heels and Low Lifes Officer
2001 Dog Eat Dog Eastwood
2002 Ali G Indahouse Cameraman
2004 If Only Mike
2005 The Best Man Harry
2006 A Good Year Broker #1
2007 World of Wrestling Mr. Kendo Short film
2008 Incendiary Charlie
2014 Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? Uncle Henry
2016 Hit and Run George Short film
2017 Knights of the Realm Lloydy Won Best comedy/dramedy short at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and Best Dramedy at the LA Shorts Awards
2019 Jungle Cry Paul Walsh
Television
Year Title Role Other notes
1997 Alexei Sayle's Merry-Go-Round Various Series 1, Episode 4
1997 Chalk Policeman # 1 Episode: "The Star Pupil"
1999 People Like Us Nick Levick Episode: “The Estate Agent”

Rose D'Or Light Entertainment Festival, Winner, Silver Rose Comedy 2000. Royal Television Society, Winner, Best Situation Comedy/Comedy Drama 2000. Nominated Best Comedy BAFTA awards 2000

2000 The Vicar of Dibley Local TV newsreader Episode: "Summer"

Winner; National Television Awards 1998, Royal Television Society 1998, TV Quick Awards 2005, Rose d’Or Light Entertainment Festival 2007

My Hero Cricketer Episode: "Thermoman's Greatest Challenge"
Doctors Dave Darwin Episode: "Mum's The Word"
Smack the Pony Groom Series 2, Episode 4

In 1999 and 2000, the first two series of Smack the Pony won the Emmy Award for the 'Best Popular Arts Show', and all three series were nominated for Bafta awards.

Black Books Second Customer Episode: “Manny’s First Day”

Black Books won the BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy in 2001 and 2005, and won a Bronze Rose at the Festival Rose d'Or of Montreux in 2001. It also received nominations for British Comedy Awards and the Irish Film and Television Awards

I Saw You Mistaken date Granada series
2001 So What Now? Terry
Murder in Mind Steve Episode: "Neighbors"
World of Pub Various Characters Episodes: "Caine", "Sixties", "Drink", "Queen"
Armadillo Marius Van Meer 3 part drama
Coupling Harry Episode “Dressed”   

Winner Best TV Comedy, British Comedy Awards 2003, Winner, Silver Rose, Rose D'Or Light Entertainment Festival 2001

2002 Rescue Me Eddie Chisholm Lead role
Celeb Matthew Episode: "The Assassin"
2003 Ready When You Are, Mr McGill Geoff 1st AD Television film
2004 Wild West PC Alan Lead role

Nominated for a Primetime Emmy

Dirty Filthy Love Rhodri Television film

Won Best Single Drama at the RTS Awards 2005

Doc Martin PC Mark Mylow Series 1 and 2

Winner, Best TV Comedy Drama, British Comedy Awards 2004

2006 Spooks Thames Barrier Guide Series 5, Episode 10
2007 Bonkers John Lewis Lead role
2008 Love Soup Jeff Episode: "The Menaced Assassin"
Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story Malcolm Television film
2013 Love and Marriage Kevin Paradise Lead role; ITV series
2014 The Nightmare Worlds of H. G. Wells Clarence Clint Television film - Sky Arts
2016 Marley's Ghosts Sergeant Hatfield Series 2, Episode 1
I Want My Wife Back Curtis (Murray's Boss) Lead role; BBC series
2017 Doctor Who Alan Episode "The Lie of the Land" (S10 E08)
2019 Casualty Len Hartman Series 33, Episode 21
2019 Doc Martin Sergeant Mark Mylow Series 9, Episode 4
2020 Doctors Keith Gilmartin Episode 78
2020 Small Axe Mr Baines Episode: "Education"
2023 Midsomer Murders Shawn Dawlish Series 23, Episode 4

Stage

[edit]
Year Title Role Venue
1998 The Magistrate Constable Harris Savoy Theatre / Chichester Festival Theatre
Jackie Bobby Kennedy Queen's Theatre
An Audience with the Queen Jimmy Riverside Studios
1999 Love and The Art of War Professor Baldwin King's Head Theatre
2001 All My Sons Frank Lubey Royal National Theatre
2003 The Madness of George III The Prince of Wales Leeds Playhouse
A Midsummer Night's Dream Nick Bottom Bristol Old Vic
2005 Neville's Island Angus Birmingham Repertory Theatre
2007 Earls of the Court Lloydy Edinburgh Fringe
2008 The Nothing Show One man show Jacksons Lane
2009 Muscle Dan Bristol Old Vic / Hull Truck Theatre
2010 Misconception Noel Assembly Rooms
2011 Swallows and Amazons Roger Walker Bristol Old Vic / Vaudeville Theatre
2012 Wild Oats John Dory Bristol Old Vic
2012 Does My Society Look Big In This? Various Bristol Old Vic
2014 World Cup Final 1966 Jimmy Greaves Bristol Old Vic
2014 Dick Whittington And His Cat Dame Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith)
2017 The Railway Children Perks Exeter Northcott
2018 Much Ado About Nothing Dogberry Rose Theatre Kingston
2019 The Memory of Water Frank Nottingham Playhouse

Radio

[edit]
Year Title Role Other notes
2000 Love and the Art of War Professor Baldwin BBC Radio 4 production
2009 Strangers on Trains 28 characters BBC Radio 4 production
2010 Earls of the Court Lloydy BBC Radio 4 production
2013 Strangers on Trains 28 characters BBC Radio 4 Extra - repeat
2018 Tracks Tim BBC Radio Drama
2018 Nights At The Circus Colonel Kearney BBC Radio Drama

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.; at ancestry.com
  2. ^ Cork, Tristan (15 August 2021). "Bristol Cool List 2021: The city's 60 coolest people right now". BristolLive. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  3. ^ Clark, Ashley (11 November 2020). "In 'Small Axe,' Steve McQueen Explores Britain's Caribbean Heritage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  4. ^ Midgley, Carol. "Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing review — comic babble and the odd catch in the throat". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  5. ^ Murray, Robin (13 December 2020). "Bristol actor takes Deliveroo job as Covid killed off acting work". BristolLive. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  6. ^ Victoria Segal; Edward Porter; Andrew Male; Patricia Nicol. "TV and radio picks of the week: Small Axe: Education; The Happy Prince and more". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  7. ^ Arts Correspondent, David Sanderson (17 May 2019). "Amazing tale of scrumdog world-beaters hits Cannes". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 6 October 2019. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ "'Indians have a problem of over-commitment': Prashant Shah". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Jungle Crows Ambassador". Jungle Crows. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Bristol Bears". Jungle Crows. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Bears announce partnership with Kolkata Jungle Crows". Bristol Bears. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Bristol Bears and Jungle Crows team up for rugby with a cause". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  13. ^ Spencer, Charles (21 December 2011). "Swallows and Amazons, Vaudeville Theatre, review". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  14. ^ "Swallows and Amazons, Vaudeville - review". Evening Standard. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  15. ^ Kellaway, Kate (8 January 2012). "Swallows and Amazons – review". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Theatre review: Swallows and Amazons at Vaudeville Theatre". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Review: Much Ado About Nothing at Rose Theatre Kingston". Surrey. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  18. ^ "Interview with actor Stewart Wright – soon to play Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing at The Rose Theatre Kingston". 5 Things To Do Today. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  19. ^ Culbertson, Alix (24 October 2014). "TV's Stewart Wright is Lyric Theatre's Christmas dame". getwestlondon. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  20. ^ "Dick Whittington and his Cat, Lyric - theatre review: 'Wacky". Evening Standard. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  21. ^ Billington, Michael (8 May 2019). "The Memory of Water review – bickering sisters stir up family ghosts". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  22. ^ Men, Of Spice and. "Of Spice and Men - Episode 1 Safety blankets and two front teeth". Google Podcasts. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
[edit]