Sean Bean

Sean Bean, born Shaun Mark Bean on April 17, 1959, is a British actor. He debuted professionally in Romeo and Juliet at The Watermill Theatre after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1983. Bean gained fame for his portrayal of Richard Sharpe in the ITV series Sharpe from 1993 to 1997, maintaining his Yorkshire accent. His film credits include Patriot Games (1992), GoldenEye (1995), Ronin (1998), The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003), and The Martian (2015). On television, he starred in Accused, Broken, Game of Thrones, and Henry VIII. Bean has lent his voice to video games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and appeared in films such as Wolfwalkers and Mummies. He has been the main voiceover for O2 adverts since 2002, and in 2022, won the British Academy Television Award for Leading Actor in Time, a BBC One drama.

Key films: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’, ‘Caravaggio

Early Life

Shaun Mark Bean was born on 17 April 1959 in Handsworth, a suburb of Sheffield, to Rita and Brian K. Bean. He grew up with a younger sister, Lorraine.

Despite his family's relative wealth from his father's fabrication company, they chose to stay in their council estate to remain close to loved ones. As a child, Bean's leg was injured during an argument, leaving him with a scar and preventing his dream of becoming a professional footballer. He attended local schools before leaving Brook Comprehensive School in 1975 with O levels in Art and English. After various jobs, he studied welding at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology while working at his father's firm. His interest in art led him to enroll in a drama course at Rotherham College, and eventually, he earned a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in January 1981.

Career

Bean graduated from RADA in 1983, debuting professionally as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury later that year. He began his career with stage and screen roles, gaining national exposure in a Barbican non-alcoholic lager advert. In 1984, he starred in David and Jonathan at the Redgrave Theatre in Farnham. From 1986 to 1988, he was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company, featuring in productions like Romeo and Juliet, The Fair Maid of the West, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His film debut came in Derek Jarman's Caravaggio (1986) opposite Tilda Swinton, followed by War Requiem (1988). In 1989, his portrayal of Dominic O'Brien in The Fifteen Streets earned him a dedicated fan base.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bean established himself as a prominent actor on British television. In 1990, he starred in Jim Sheridan's adaptation of The Field and portrayed journalist Anton in Windprints, tackling apartheid issues in South Africa. His BBC productions include Clarissa (1991) and Lady Chatterley (1993). In 1996, he realized his childhood dream of playing for Sheffield United in the film When Saturday Comes, receiving praise for his performance. Bean also appeared in a memorable Sky Sports commercial in August 1997 and narrated La Coupe de la Gloire, the official film of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, showcasing his continued involvement in football-related projects.

Bean's critical successes in Caravaggio and Lady Chatterley established him as a rising star, but it was his portrayal of Richard Sharpe in the ITV series Sharpe that cemented his fame. Based on Bernard Cornwell's novels, the series followed Sharpe's journey from Sergeant to Lieutenant Colonel during the Napoleonic Wars.

Bean wasn't the initial choice for Sharpe; Paul McGann's injury led to Bean's replacement. The series aired from 1993 to 1997, with filming in Ukraine and Portugal. Additional episodes, Sharpe's Challenge (2006) and Sharpe's Peril (2008), were later released on DVD. Transitioning to Hollywood, Bean's first notable role was as an Irish terrorist in Patriot Games (1992), where an accident during filming left him with a permanent scar. His rugged appearance often cast him as a villain, with Patriot Games marking the start of several such roles.

In GoldenEye (1995), Bean portrayed James Bond's adversary Alec Trevelyan (MI6's 006). His diverse roles included the weak-stomached Spence in Ronin (1998), a menacing kidnapper/jewel thief in Don't Say a Word (2001), and villainous treasure hunter Ian Howe in National Treasure. He also played a malevolent scientist in The Island (2005). In Far North, he depicted a Russian mercenary entangled in a complex relationship with an Inuit woman and her daughter.

Bean's standout role was as Boromir in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. While his major screen time is in The Fellowship of the Ring, he also appears in flashbacks in The Two Towers and The Return of the King, as well as in a scene from the extended edition of The Two Towers. Although rumors suggested Bean was considered for Aragorn, neither he nor Jackson confirmed this. Bean's fear of flying in helicopters posed challenges during filming in New Zealand, leading him to hike in full costume for miles after vowing not to fly to locations again.

Bean's versatility shone in various roles, offering ample scope for his acting prowess. In Extremely Dangerous (1999), he skillfully balanced between villainy and heroism. He portrayed a repentant Grammaton cleric in Equilibrium (2002), a quirky alien cowboy in The Big Empty (2003), and a cunning Odysseus in Troy (2004). He also made appearances alongside Hollywood stars in Moby's music video "We Are All Made of Stars" (2002) and returned to the stage in London for Macbeth in the same year. The production, extended due to popular demand, ran until March 2003.

Bean has lent his voice to various projects, primarily in the British advertising industry. He has appeared in television adverts for brands like O2, Morrisons, and Barnardos, as well as for Acuvue and the Sci-Fi Channel in the United States. Additionally, he provides voiceovers for the National Blood Service's campaigns on television and radio. Bean has also appeared in a TV ad for Yorkshire Tea, a popular British tea brand. In the realm of video games, he voiced Martin Septim in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. His distinctive voice has been featured in the intro and outro segments of the BBC Formula 1 racing coverage for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Bean's career continued with diverse projects. He completed a pilot for US television titled Faceless and appeared in Outlaw, an independent British production, as well as the remake of The Hitcher (2007), where he showcased his American accent once again. In 2009, he portrayed the malevolent John Dawson in the Red Riding trilogy and Zeus in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010). That same year, he starred in Cash as Pyke Kubic, exploring the impact of money in a tough economy, and played the villain's twin brother, Reese. Bean's standout role came in the first season of Game of Thrones (2011), where he portrayed Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark. His performance earned critical acclaim, with reviewers praising his portrayal as a man hoping for better amidst chaos. HBO heavily promoted Bean as the show's leading figure and a key factor in its success, alongside Peter Dinklage.

In August 2012, Bean portrayed cross-dressing teacher Simon in the opening episode of the second season of the UK television series Accused, earning him a Royal Television Society best actor award. He starred in Soldiers of Fortune and the 2012 film Cleanskin, where he played a secret service agent tasked with pursuing a terrorist cell. Additionally, he appeared in Tarsem Singh's Snow White film, Mirror Mirror, and reprised his role as Christopher Da Silva in the Silent Hill film sequel Silent Hill: Revelation. Bean also co-starred in the ABC drama series Missing, which premiered in early 2012.

Bean took on the lead role in the espionage series Legends as Martin Odum, an FBI agent adopting multiple false identities for undercover missions. Despite a strong fan campaign with #DontKillSeanBean, referencing his past characters' deaths, the show was cancelled after its second season. The campaign included a Funny or Die video highlighting Bean's expectation of a grisly demise, reflecting his on-screen fate.

From 2015 to 2017, Bean headlined the ITV Encore series The Frankenstein Chronicles and appeared in notable films like Jupiter Ascending, Pixels, and The Martian. In 2017, his role as Father Michael Kerrigan in the BBC series Broken earned him a BAFTA for Best Actor. In 2019, Bean portrayed a troubled veteran in World on Fire, drawing inspiration from his late grandfather. He reunited with his Lord of the Rings castmates on Josh Gad's Reunited Apart series in May 2020. In 2021, he starred in the BBC prison drama Time alongside Stephen Graham, and in the drama Marriage with Nicola Walker in 2022, receiving mixed reviews.

Public image

Personality

Bean is often lauded for his "down to earth" demeanor and has proudly retained his Yorkshire accent. He embraces his rugged image, stating he doesn't mind being seen as a "bit of rough" by women, though he disputes the label of being a loner. Describing himself as quiet, he's known to be a man of few words, sometimes perceived as shy. Despite his reserved nature, he's a dedicated worker, admitting to being a bit of a workaholic. In his downtime, he enjoys reading, listening to music, and playing the piano. He's also skilled in gardening, welding, and sketching. Bean's popularity in Yorkshire was evidenced by his ranking as the second greatest Yorkshireman in a 2018 poll, just behind Michael Palin.

Acting style

Bean's acting style is marked by an instinctive approach, despite his formal training. This intuitive method is believed to enhance his portrayal of characters' complexities. He acknowledges the initial challenge of grasping a character's essence at the start of filming but has developed the ability to seamlessly transition in and out of character once understood. This skill, observed by colleagues like Sean Astin, allows him to effortlessly shift from his quiet demeanor off-screen to embodying characters like Boromir in The Lord of the Rings. Directors such as Mike Figgis and Wolfgang Petersen have praised Bean's talent, describing working with him as a "beautiful thing.

Deaths of characters

Bean's characters often meet their demise on screen, a trend that has sparked fascination in various fandoms and internet circles, particularly within The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and James Bond communities, evolving into an internet meme. In September 2019, Bean disclosed that he had been rejecting roles where his character would die post-Game of Thrones, aiming to avoid predictability in his performances. He holds a fondness for Boromir's death in The Fellowship of the Ring, finding it heroic, triumphant, and poignant, citing it as his favorite on-screen demise.

Personal life

Bean has had a tumultuous marital history, being married five times and divorced four times. His first marriage to Debra James ended in 1988 after seven years. He then wed Melanie Hill in 1990, with whom he had two daughters, before divorcing in 1997. His third marriage to Abigail Cruttenden lasted from 1997 to 2000. Following this, he married Georgina Sutcliffe in 2008, but their relationship was plagued by allegations of abuse and ended in divorce in 2010. His most recent marriage was to Ashley Moore in 2017. Despite his marital ups and downs, Bean is a father to three children and a grandfather to four grandchildren.

Bean's loyalty to Sheffield United, his hometown football club, is unwavering, evident from his tattoo proudly declaring him a "100% Blade". He played a significant role in the club's history, from opening their Hall of Fame to serving on the board of directors from 2002 to 2007. Despite stepping down to resume his role as a regular supporter, his dedication remains strong. However, his tenure wasn't without controversy, as he clashed with former manager Neil Warnock, vehemently denying allegations of misconduct. Beyond football, Bean also supports Yorkshire County Cricket Club and has contributed to the promotion of a book celebrating Sheffield United's legacy.

Bean bears a Tengwar tattoo of the number nine on his shoulder, a nod to his role in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. It symbolizes his character's place among the original nine companions of the Fellowship of the Ring. Seven other actors from the Fellowship share this tattoo. John Rhys-Davies arranged for his stunt double to receive the tattoo in his stead. Additionally, Bean aligns himself with the British left and voiced support for Jeremy Corbyn and "old Labour." He admires Tony Benn and holds Christian beliefs. Outside of his acting career, Bean enjoys gardening during his leisure time.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984	Winter Flight	Hooker
1986	Caravaggio	Ranuccio
1988	Stormy Monday	Brendan
1989	How to Get Ahead in Advertising	Larry Frisk
1989	The Fifteen Streets	Dominic O'Brien
1989	War Requiem	German Soldier
1990	The Field	Tadhg McCabe
1990	Windprints	Anton
1992	Patriot Games	Sean Miller
1994	Black Beauty	Farmer Grey
1994	Shopping	Venning
1995	GoldenEye	Alec Trevelyan / Janus
1996	When Saturday Comes	Jimmy Muir
1997	Anna Karenina	Vronsky
1998	Airborn	Dave Toombs
1998	Ronin	Spence
1999	Bravo Two Zero	Andy McNab
2000	Essex Boys	Jason Locke
2001	Don't Say a Word	Patrick Koster
2001	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring	Boromir
2002	Equilibrium	Errol Partridge
2002	The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers	Boromir	Extended edition only
2002	Tom and Thomas	Paul Shepherd
2003	The Big Empty	Cowboy
2003	The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King	Boromir
2004	National Treasure	Ian Howe
2004	Troy	Odysseus
2005	The Dark	James
2005	Flightplan	Captain Marcus Rich
2005	The Island	Dr. Merrick
2005	North Country	Kyle Dodge
2006	Silent Hill	Chris Da Silva
2007	Far North	Loki
2007	The Hitcher	John Ryder
2007	Outlaw	Danny Bryant
2010	Black Death	Ulric
2010	Cash	Pyke Kubic / Reese Kubic
2010	Death Race 2	Markus Kane	Direct-to-DVD
2010	Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief	Zeus
2011	Age of Heroes	Jones
2012	Cleanskin	Ewan
2012	Mirror Mirror	The King, Snow White's father
2012	Silent Hill: Revelation	Christopher Da Silva / Harry Mason
2012	Soldiers of Fortune	Dimidov
2014	Wicked Blood	Frank Stinson
2015	Any Day	Vian
2015	Jupiter Ascending	Stinger Apini
2015	Pixels	Corporal Hill
2015	The Martian	Mitch Henderson
2015	The Snow Queen 2: The Snow King	Arrog	Voice
2016	Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV	King Regis	Voice
2016	The Young Messiah	Severus
2017	Dark River	Richard Bell
2017	Drone	Neil
2017	The Unconquered	Narrator	Voice; short film
2018	Taniel	Narrator	Voice; short film
2020	Possessor	John Parse
2020	Wolfwalkers	Bill Goodfellowe	Voice
2023	Knights of the Zodiac	Alman Kiddo (Mitsumasa Kido)	Lead role
2023	Mummies	Pharaoh	Voice
2025	Rogue Trooper		Voice; post-production

Awards and honours

In Sheffield, Bean has been recognized with numerous accolades, including an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University in 1997 and a Doctor of Letters in English Literature from the University of Sheffield in July 2007. He was also chosen as one of the inaugural members of Sheffield Legends, akin to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and has a plaque dedicated to him in front of Sheffield Town Hall. Reflecting on these honors, Bean remarked, "I did get a doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University about 11 or 12 years ago, so now I'm a double doctor. But this was wonderful, especially from my home city."