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Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport in White Famous S01 E03.jpg
Jack Davenport in White Famous in 2017
Born
Jack Arthur Davenport

(1973-03-01) March 1, 1973 (age 52)
Citizenship United Kingdom
United States
Education British American Drama Academy
Occupation Actor
Years active 1996–present
Spouse(s)
(m. 2000)
Children 1
Parents
Relatives
  • Jonathan Aitken (uncle)
  • Penelope, Lady Aitken (grandmother)
  • Sir William Aitken (grandfather)
  • The 1st Baron Rugby (great-grandfather)

Jack Arthur Davenport (born March 1, 1973) is an English actor. He is famous for playing James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. He also starred in popular TV shows like This Life and Coupling. You might also know him from Hollywood films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley and Kingsman: The Secret Service.

On television, Jack Davenport has been in many well-known shows. These include FlashForward, Smash, and The Morning Show. He also had a main role in the 2013 British drama series Breathless.

Early Life and Education

Jack Davenport was born in Wimbledon, London, England. His father, Nigel Davenport, was an actor, and his mother, Maria Aitken, was an actress. When he was very young, he lived in Ibiza, Spain, for seven years.

His parents separated when he was seven years old. After this, he went to a boarding school called Dragon School in Oxford. Later, he attended Cheltenham College, another boarding school in Cheltenham. He then studied acting at the British American Drama Academy in London.

Before going to university, Jack took a year off. During this time, he worked at a theater in Wales called Theatr Clwyd. He had small parts in a play called Hamlet. The next year, he went to the University of East Anglia (UEA). There, he studied film and English literature. He thought about working behind the camera in movies, but he also tried acting again.

Acting Career Highlights

After finishing university, Jack's mother told him to write to the famous comedian John Cleese. She hoped he could get a job on the set of Cleese's new movie, Fierce Creatures. This would help him learn about filmmaking. Instead, John Cleese sent Jack's letter to the casting team. This led to Jack's very first role in a movie, playing a trainee zookeeper!

After that, Jack found an agent who helped him get an audition for a TV show called This Life. He got the part of Miles Stewart, and his acting career took off.

Famous Roles in Movies

Jack Davenport has starred in many successful movies. One of his most famous roles is James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. He appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest, and At World's End.

He also acted in the movie The Talented Mr. Ripley. In 2009, he was in the film The Boat That Rocked, which was about a pirate radio station. Later, he played a role in the spy movie Kingsman: The Secret Service in 2014.

Television Appearances

Besides movies, Jack Davenport is well-known for his work on television. He played Steve Taylor in the popular British comedy series Coupling from 2000 to 2004. He also starred in the science fiction show Ultraviolet.

In 2008, he was cast in the American TV show FlashForward. He played a physicist named Lloyd Simcoe. The show was about what happens when everyone in the world sees a glimpse of the future.

From 2012 to 2013, Jack was a main actor in the musical drama series Smash. He played Derek Wills, a theater director. The show was about people trying to create a Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe.

Jack Davenport 1
Davenport in 2007

Voice Acting and Other Work

Jack Davenport has also done voice-overs. He has narrated audiobooks, including The Thirty-Nine Steps. You might also recognize his voice from the British MasterCard advertisements.

In 2011, he appeared in the music video for "Called Out in the Dark" by the band Snow Patrol. In 2018, Jack made his debut on Broadway, which is the highest level of theater in the United States. He played the Earl of Warwick in a play called Saint Joan.

Personal Life

Jack Davenport is married to actress Michelle Gomez. They have one child together. In February 2023, Michelle Gomez shared that she, Jack, and their son had become American citizens.

Filmography

Movies

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Fierce Creatures Student Zoo Keeper
The Moth Robert Bradley TV film
1998 Macbeth Malcolm TV film
Tale of the Mummy Detective Bartone
The Wisdom of Crocodiles Sergeant Roche
1999 The Cookie Thief A Man Short film
The Talented Mr. Ripley Peter Smith-Kingsley
2000 The Wyvern Mystery Harry Fairfield TV film
Offending Angels Rory
2001 Gypsy Woman Leon
The Bunker LCpl. Ebert
Subterrain Businessman
Not Afraid, Not Afraid Michael
Look Stanley Short film
2002 The Real Jane Austen Henry Austen TV documentary film
2003 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Commodore James Norrington
Eroica Prince Lobkowitz TV film
The Welsh Great Escape Narrator TV film
2004 The Boy Who Would Be King Narrator TV documentary film
Terrible Kisses Man Short film
2005 The Wedding Date Edward Fletcher-Wooten
A Higher Agency John Short film
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest James Norrington Teen Choice Award for Choice Rumble
2007 This Life + 10 Miles Stewart TV film
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Admiral James Norrington
2009 That Deadwood Feeling Jack
The Boat That Rocked Twatt
2011 The Key Man Bobby
Mother's Milk Patrick Melrose
2013 Haven't We Met Before? Man Short film
2014 Death Knight Love Story Zeliek
Kingsman: The Secret Service James Spencer / Lancelot
Sea of Fire Marty Kesowich TV film
2016 Guernica Vasyl
Americana Calib
A United Kingdom Alistair Canning
Untitled Sarah Silverman Project Blake TV film
Prototype Edward Conway TV film
2017 The Tank Will Sacks
The Wilde Wedding Rory Darling
The Stolen Joshua McCullen
Doomsday Warren TV film
2021 Dagger Will Short film, voice role

Television Shows

Year Title Role Notes
1996-1997 This Life Miles Stewart Series regular
1998 Ultraviolet Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield Series regular
1999 Boiling Point Narrator Mini-series
1999 Omnibus Narrator Episode: "Our Julie"
2000-2004 Coupling Steve Taylor Series regular
2001 Scribbling Narrator Episode: "Part Two"
2002 Dickens Charley Dickens 2 episodes
2004 Agatha Christie's Marple Superintendent Harper Episode: "The Body in the Library"
2005-2007 The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant Lieutenant Ralph Clarke Mini-series
2008 Swingtown Bruce Miller Series regular
2009-2010 FlashForward Lloyd Simcoe Series regular
2012-2013 Smash Derek Wills Series regular
2013 Breathless Otto Powell Series regular
2014 The Good Wife Frank Asher 1 episode
2015 Life in Squares Older David Garnett 1 episode
2016 The Mindy Project Leland Breakfast Episode: "Leland Breakfast Is the Miracle Worker"
2017 White Famous Peter King Series regular
2018 Next of Kin Guy Harcourt Mini-series
Deception Alistair Black 3 episodes
2019 Why Women Kill Karl Grove Series regular
2019 The Morning Show Jason Craig Series regular
2021 Why Women Kill The Narrator Series regular
2022 Ten Percent Jonathan Nightingale Series regular
2023 Accused John
Dr. Death Nils Headley 6 episodes, Season 2

Theater Plays

Year Play Role Venue Notes
1991 Hamlet Lou Scunt Theatr Clwyd, Mold, Flintshire
1999 The Tempest John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith Various with Holders Season Barbados
2001 The Servant Tony Lyric Theatre, London
2002 Lady Windermere's Fan Lord Darlington Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
2003 How to Lose Friends & Alienate People Toby Young Soho Theatre, London
2006 Enemies Yakov Bardin Almeida Theatre, London
2024 The Human Body George Blythe The Donmar Warehouse, London

Radio Work

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2002 Laurence Olivier Awards Most Promising Performer The Servant Nominated
2006 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Rumble (with Orlando Bloom) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Won

See also

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