He’s one of TV’s most reliable ensemble actors, and appeared in pretty much every UK TV show worth its salt, from The Night Manager to Doctor Who
Russell Tovey has quietly become one of British TV’s most in demand actors.
Having become a familiar face in the likes of Gavin and Stacey, where he plays a member of Gavin and Smithy’s rambunctious friend group, and Sherlock, where he appears as the mentally disturbed Henry Knight in the critically acclaimed Hound of the Baskerville episode, he’s gone onto pick up lead roles in both television and film.
Viewers will no doubt recognise him from his performance as the werewolf George Sands in the smash hit supernatural comedy Being Human, as well as his performance as Steve in the instant cult-classic sitcom Him and Her.
As he’s set to star in The Land Between the War and the Sea, we take a look at his life.
Start on the stage
Like many young actors, it was the stage that offered Russell his first foray into the world of performance, with the Essex-born star joining a local stage school as a child. His talent was clearly appreciated, as at just 13 he was cast in the CBBC show Mud, although it only ran for one year.
The future star would go on to appear in a number of small productions and TV show, including episodes of Holby City and Agatha Christie’s Poirot, before landing his first big break: playing Rudge in the Tony Award winning play The History Boys, before going on to star in the film version too.
Since then he’s gone on to become one of TV’s most reliable ensemble actors, and appeared in pretty much every UK TV show worth its salt, from The Night Manager, to Doctor Who, to Sherlock.
Becoming an LGBTQ+ inspiration
Russell has been open about his journey as a gay man, becoming a role model within the LGBTQ+ community.
He said he realised he was gay at 15, although he didn’t tell his family for another three years, having found himself secretly in love with an older male actor, a crush he desperately tried to hide from his colleagues.
He has spoken about how an older female co-star noticed his feelings and took him aside for a conversation that would change his life. She gently suggested that he “might be gay” and reassured him that it would be perfectly fine if he was.
Russell has appeared in several shows which explore issues in the LGBTQ+ community, including Juice and Looking, as well as becoming a patron for the Albert Kennedy Trust, which helps LGBT youth struggling with homeless.
Speaking on his partnership with the charity, he said he was proud to help with such an important issue: “I am honoured to be associated with them and if just by being there, I can make any difference at all, then that difference is the most important thing.”
A turbulent love life
Russell found love with rugby coach Steve Brockman in 2016, with the pair announcing they were engaged two years later.
However, the couple’s relationship seemingly hit the rocks, with fans noticing the pair had unfollowed each other on Instagram after Russell posted a photograph of him and his dog on a beach with the caption: “It’s just you and me, kid.”
The pair did appear to patch things up the following year, and their relationship has remained the subject of speculation ever since.
Russell has spoken in the past about the emotional complexity of that first break-up, even admitting he sold his engagement ring and handed the money to his brother during a family trip to Disney World.
“We were together, then we broke up, now we’re back together… Is it like Snakes and Ladders?” he joked at the time.
Man of many talents
Outside of acting, Russell has shown a real eye for art, and has made a name for himself in the world of collection.
The actor’s love of the artistic began when his parents bought him a Tracey Emin print for his 21st birthday, with that work sparking an obsession that has grown into a serious collection of more than 300 works, including pieces by Wolfgang Tillmans, Jamian Juliano Villani, Shannon Ebner, Amoako Boafo, and many others.
His interest in art extends beyond collecting. He co-hosts the Talk Art podcast with Robert Diament, where they speak with leading artists, curators, and critics, and has co-written a book based on the series.
Russell has curated exhibitions, organised contemporary art auctions for Sotheby’s, and served on the Turner Prize jury too. He has also shown an interest in the world of politics, becoming a member of the Green Party last year.
New role
Russell plays Barclay in the upcoming BBC and Disney collaboration The War Between the Land and the Sea.
The first episode of the new Russell T Davis sci-fi miniseries, which sees the emergence of an ancient aquatic species threaten global war, airs this Sunday (7th December).
Speaking about the role, Russell said: “I wanted Barclay to feel like a lost boy at the beginning, and I really wanted to go on a journey with him.”
