Stephen Moyer
Stephen Moyer (born Stephen John Emery; 11 October 1969)[1] is an English film and television actor and director who is best known as vampire Bill Compton in the HBO series True Blood. He was born in Brentwood, Essex and attended St Martin's, a comprehensive school in Hutton, Essex. His first television role was in 1993 as Philip Masefield in the TV adaptation of the play Conjugal Rites, written by actor/playwright Roger Hall.[2][3]
Stephen Moyer | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Moyer in October 2013 | |
| Born | Stephen John Emery 11 October 1969 Brentwood, Essex, England |
| Occupation | Actor, director |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Partner(s) | Lorien Haynes (2000–2007) |
| Children | 4 |
This was followed by the television film Lord of Misrule, filmed in Fowey, Cornwall, which also featured Richard Wilson, Emily Mortimer and Prunella Scales. In 1997, Moyer made his big-screen debut landing the lead role in the film adaptation of the long-running comic strip Prince Valiant by Hal Foster, working alongside Ron Perlman and Katherine Heigl.[4][5] From 2017 to 2019, he starred as Reed Strucker, the lead role in Fox series The Gifted.
Early life and career
Moyer graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).[6] He became Brentwood Theatre's first patron in October 2007, especially supporting their "Reaching Out, Building On" campaign to help fund the 2008 completion of backstage facilities.[7] After graduating from LAMDA, Moyer worked in theatre for five years. He worked with the National Theatre Wales, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Oxford Stage Company, work which included going on tour and playing Romeo in productions of Romeo and Juliet. He then made the transition to television and film.[8]
On 2 October 2017, Moyer debuted in the lead role of Reed Strucker, a district attorney whose duties include the apprehension of "mutants" with extraordinary powers, in the Fox series The Gifted, loosely based on The X-Men feature film series. The devoted family man doesn't realise, however, just how much his work life and family life are about to intersect. Fox ordered a 10-episode first season.
Personal life
Moyer has a son named Billy, born in 2000, from his first marriage. He also has a daughter from his seven-year relationship with journalist Lorien Haynes.[9]
In August 2009, Moyer became engaged to actress Anna Paquin, who played his character's love interest, Sookie Stackhouse, in the HBO series True Blood. They had been dating since filming the series pilot in 2007.[10] The couple married on 21 August 2010 at a private residence in Malibu, California.[11] Moyer and Paquin have a son and a daughter who are fraternal twins.[12][13][14] The family resides in Venice, Los Angeles.[15]
Moyer has dealt with alcoholism in the past.[16] He has been sober for 14 years and has said that the addiction stemmed from his roots in British theatre, emulating the public images of personal heroes like Peter O’Toole. At a CLARE Foundation dinner he stated, “There's this rush that happens from doing our job, this whirring buzz, and you want to continue that buzz." He now works with CLARE Foundation (a southern California non-profit facility) to help others with rehabilitation and sobriety.[16]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Prince Valiant | Prince Valiant | |
| 1998 | Comic Act | Danny | |
| 2000 | Quills | Prouix, the Architect | |
| 2001 | Trinity | Brach | |
| Men Only | Jason | ||
| 2004 | Deadlines | Alex Randal | |
| 2005 | Undiscovered | Mick Benson | |
| 2007 | 88 Minutes | Guy LaForge | |
| Alternate Endings | Editor | ||
| 2008 | Restraint | Andrew | |
| 2010 | Open House | Josh | |
| 2011 | Priest | Owen Pace | |
| The Caller | John Guidi | ||
| The Double | Brutus | ||
| 2012 | The Barrens[17] | Richard Vineyard | |
| 2013 | Evidence | Detective Reese | |
| Devil's Knot | John Fogleman | ||
| 2015 | Concussion | Ron Hamilton | |
| 2016 | Detour | Vincent | |
| 2017 | The Hatton Garden Job | Marcus Ford | |
| 2018 | Juveniles | Ben | |
| The Parting Glass | — | Director and producer | |
| 2019 | Godzilla: King of the Monsters | Fighter Pilot | Uncredited |
| 2020 | G-Loc | Bran | |
| 2021 | After We Fell | Christian Vance | Completed |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | Conjugal Rites | Philip Masefield | Main role; 13 episodes |
| 1995 | Castles | Martin Franks | 16 episodes |
| 1996 | Lord of Misrule | Olly | Television film |
| Cadfael | Godwin | Episode: "A Morbid Taste for Bones" | |
| 1997 | A Touch of Frost | D.C. Burton | Episode: "Penny for the Guy" |
| The Grand | Stephen Bannerman | Main role (series 1), 8 episodes | |
| 1998 | Ultraviolet | Jack Beresford | Episodes: "Habeas Corpus", "Persona Non Grata" |
| 1999 | Highlander: The Raven | Jeremy Dexter | Episode: "Thick as Thieves" |
| Midsomer Murders | Christopher Wainwright | Episode: "Death in Disguise" | |
| Life Support | Tom Scott | [unknown episodes] | |
| Cold Feet | Nick Marsden | Episode 2.5 | |
| 2000 | The Secret | Marcel Birkstead | Television film |
| Sunburn | Trevor Watts | Episode 2.1 | |
| Peak Practice | Chris Rhodes | Episode: "Hit and Run" | |
| 2001 | Princess of Thieves | Prince Phillip | Television film |
| Men Only | Jason | Television film | |
| Uprising | Simcha "Kazik" Rotem | Television film | |
| 2002 | Menace | Mark | Television film |
| 2003 | Perfect | Mark | Television film |
| Entrusted | David Quatermain | Television film | |
| 2004 | NY-LON | Michael Antonioni | Main role, 7 episodes |
| The Final Quest | Young Danny Duke | Television film | |
| 2005 | Waking the Dead | Steven Hunt | Episodes: "Undertow” Parts 1&2 |
| 2006 | Casualty | Mark Ellis | Episode: "Waste of Space" |
| 2007 | Lilies | Mr Brazendale | Main role; 8 episodes |
| The Starter Wife | Sam | Television miniseries | |
| Empathy | Jimmy Collins | Television film | |
| 2008–14 | True Blood | Bill Compton | Main role |
| 2010 | Phineas and Ferb | Jared | Voice role; episode: "The Curse of Candace" |
| 2011 | Ice | Simon Peterson | Television miniseries |
| 2012 | Jan | Gery | 15 episodes |
| 2013 | The Sound of Music Live! | Georg von Trapp | Live television special |
| 2015 | Killing Jesus | Pontius Pilate | Television film |
| The Bastard Executioner | Milus Corbett | Main role | |
| 2017 | Shots Fired | Officer Calvert Breeland | Main role |
| Safe House | Tom Brook | Main role | |
| 2017–19 | The Gifted | Reed Strucker | Lead role; 29 episodes |
| 2020 | Fortunate Son | Vern Lang | 8 episodes |
Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | True Blood | Satellite Award | Best TV Ensemble | Won |
| 2009 | True Blood | Scream Award | Best Actor in a Horror Movie or TV Show | Won[18] |
| 2009 | True Blood | Teen Choice Award | Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Nominated[19] |
| 2010 | True Blood | Saturn Award | Best Actor in Television | Nominated |
| 2010 | True Blood | Teen Choice Award | Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Nominated |
| 2010 | True Blood | Scream Award | Best Horror Actor | Nominated |
| 2010 | True Blood | Scream Award | Holy Sh*t! Scene of the Year | Won |
| 2010 | True Blood | Satellite Award | Best Actor in a TV Drama Series | Nominated |
| 2011 | True Blood | Saturn Award | Best Actor in Television | Won |
| 2011 | True Blood | Scream Award | Best Horror Actor | Nominated |
References
- "England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916–2005"; retrieved 30 March 2009.
- "Conjugal Rites". Phill.co.uk. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- "Gwen Taylor". Gavin Barker Associates. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- "Prince Valiant: Review". TV Guide. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- "Prince Valiant (1997) by Liz Braun". AllMoviePortal.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- TV Guide (9 October 2008) "True Blood's Stephen Moyer Is Undead Sexy!", TV Guide; retrieved 15 December 2008.
- Harris, Matt. "Star backing from a homegrown hero". Brentwood Gazette. p. 8.
- Fish, Andrew (July 2009). "Interview with the Vampire". Venice. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- Eggenberger, Nicole (25 September 2013). "Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin's Premature Twins Developing Well After "Touch and Go" Birth". Us Weekly. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- "True Blood – A love that never dies". The Independent. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- Chiu, David (22 August 2010). "'True Blood' Co-Stars Get Hitched". WNBC News. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- Michaud, Sarah; Jordan, Julie (11 September 2012). "Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer Welcome Twins". People. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- "It's a Baby Boy and a Girl for Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer!". Life & Style. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
- "Stephen Moyer Reveals Names of Twins with Anna Paquin". People. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
- "Exclusive: Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer Get Married!". Us Weekly. 22 August 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- Rothman, Michael (6 March 2015). "Stephen Moyer Opens Up for 1st Time About Alcohol Addiction". ABC News. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- Sneider, Jeff (15 September 2011). "'True Blood's Stephen Moyer takes on Jersey Devil". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- Miska, Brad (18 October 2009). "TV: Scream 2009 Award Winners Announced". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- "New Teen Choice categories for 'True Blood,' 'Transformers'". HitFix. 8 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
