Ben Chaplin

Ben Chaplin Headshot

Actor

Birth Name: Benedict John Greenwood

Birth Date: July 31, 1970

Age: 54 years old

Birth Place: London, England, UK

British actor Ben Chaplin carved out a lengthy career on both sides of the Atlantic thanks to his versatility. Born in Windsor, England, he began studying acting in London as a teen. He made his screen debut in the television movie "Bye Bye Baby" (Channel 4, 1992). A role in the James Ivory-Ismael Merchant film "The Remains of the Day" (1993) upped his profile considerably. He went on to star in the sitcom "Game On" (BBC2, 1995-98), as well as the comedy "The Truth About Cats and Dogs" as the object of affection of both Uma Thurman and Janeane Garofalo.

He joined Jennifer Jason Leigh for a fresh adaptation of Henry James's "Washington Square" (1997) and was cast by filmmaker Terrence Malik in the director's World War II epic "The Thin Red Line" (1998). His run of appearing with strong leading ladies continued with roles opposite Nicole Kidman in "Birthday Girl" (2001), Michelle Yeoh in "The Touch" (2002), and Sandra Bullock in "Murder By Numbers" (2002). He bounced from roles in the historical drama "Stage Beauty" (2004) to appearing with Penelope Cruz and Ralph Fiennes in the modern thriller "Chromophobia" (2005). He starred with Sally Field in "Two Weeks" (2006) as a man going home to see his dying mother for the final time.

He then joined Emily Watson in the family film "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" (2007), based on the popular British children's novel. Director Richard Linklater pulled him back to historical drama for "Me and Orson Welles" (2009), where Chaplin played famed English actor George Coulouris, part of Wells' Mercury Theatre troupe and one of the stars of "Citizen Kane" (1941). He then appeared in Oliver Parker's "Dorian Gray" (2009) remake. He moved into playing father roles with "Ways to Live Forever" (2010), an archetype he would repeat in "Cinderella" (2015). He didn't entirely tone down his career, though, appearing with Colin Farrell and Kiera Knightley in the crime thriller "London Boulevard" (2010).

He worked in television roles as well, starring in "Mad Dogs" (Sky1, 2010-11), as the early retiree who draws his friends into a murder mystery, and also joined the cast for the U.S. retelling, also called "Mad Dogs" (Amazon, 2015-16). He starred in the British miniseries "World Without End" (Channel 4, 2012), based on Ken Follett's best-selling novel, and "The Book of Negroes" (BET, 2015). He reteamed with Emily Watson for the miniseries "Apple Tree Yard" (BBC One, 2017). He earned critical raves for his performance opposite Charlotte Riley as newspaper editor Duncan Allen in "Press" (BBC One, 2018). He didn't step away entirely from films, appearing in "The Legend of Tarzan" (2016) and Oliver Stone's "Snowden" (2016).

He also took a role in Sebastian Schipper's movie "Roads" (2019). He went on to join the cast of Joss Whedon's Victorian sci-fi series "The Nevers" (HBO, 2020- ) playing tough police detective Frank Mundi.

Credits

September 5

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Marvin Bader
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2024
91%

B'Twixt Now and Sunrise

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Poe
Movie
2023

The Touch Base: The Official Nevers Podcast

Guest
Show
2021

The Nevers

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Detective Frank Mundi
Series
2021
48%

The DigStream

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Stuart Piggott
Movie
2021
88%

Roads

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Movie
2019

PressStream

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Duncan Allen
Series
2018
95%

Apple Tree Yard

Actor
Mark Costley
Show
2017

Urban Myths

Actor
Cary Grant
Series
2017

The Children ActStream

Actor
Kevin Henry
Movie
2017
74%

Mad DogsStream

Actor
Joel
Series
2015
67%

The Book of NegroesStream

Actor
Captain John Clarkson
Miniseries
2015
100%

CinderellaStream

Actor
Ella's Father
Movie
2015
84%

Little Boy

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Ben Eagle
Movie
2015

ORF III - Spezial

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Sir Thomas Langley
Show
2014

The Secrets

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Philip
Show
2014

War Book

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Gary
Movie
2014

Moonfleet

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Magistrate Mohune
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2013

The Wipers Times

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Show
2013

Dates

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Stephen
Show
2013

The Wipers Times

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Roberts
Movie
2013

The Return of the Borrowers

Actor
Show
2012

World Without End

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Sir Thomas Langley
Show
2012

World Without End (Part 1)

Actor
Sir Thomas Langley
Show
2012

World Without End (Part 2)

Actor
Sir Thomas Langley
Show
2012

World Without End

Actor
Sir Thomas Langley
Show
2012

Mad Dogs

Actor
Alvo
Show
2011

Twixt

Actor
Edgar Allan Poe
Movie
2011

London Boulevard

Actor
Billy
Movie
2010

Ways to Live Forever

Actor
Father
Movie
2010

Dorian GrayStream

Actor
Basil Hallward
Movie
2009
43%

Me and Orson WellesStream

Actor
George Coulouris
Movie
2008

The Water Horse: Legend of the DeepStream

Actor
Lewis Mowbray
Movie
2007
74%

Two WeeksStream

Actor
Keith Bergman
Movie
2006
19%

Chromophobia

Actor
Movie
2005

Stage Beauty

Actor
George Villiars, Duke of Buckingham
Movie
2004

The Touch

Actor
Eric
Movie
2002

Murder by Numbers

Actor
Sam Kennedy
Movie
2002

Birthday Girl

Actor
John Buckingham
Movie
2001

Lost Souls

Actor
Peter Kelson
Movie
2000

The Thin Red LineStream

Actor
Pvt. Bell
Movie
1998
80%

Washington Square

Actor
Morris Townsend
Movie
1997

The Truth About Cats & DogsStream

Actor
Brian
Movie
1996
85%

The Return of the Borrowers

Actor
Ditchley
Movie
1996

Resort to Murder

Actor
Joshua Penny
Show
1995

Game OnStream

Actor
Series
1995

Feast of July

Actor
Con Wainwright
Movie
1995

The Borrowers

Actor
Show
1992

Soldier, Soldier

Actor
Fusilier Jago
Show
1991

Soldier, Soldier

Guest Star
Fusilier Jago
Show
1991

Minder

Guest Star
Series
1979