Mark Holden (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark Holden
Born	Mark Adrian Cortis (1962-09-21) 21 September 1962 (age 62) Plymouth, England
Nationality	British-Nigerian-Canadian
Occupation	Actor, voice actor, producer
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Patsy McKay ​ ​ (m. 2008)​
Children	4

Mark Adrian Holden-Aikhomu (born Cortis; 21 September 1962) is an actor from Britain and Canada. He has Nigerian roots. Mark works in movies, TV shows, plays, and provides voices for characters. He has worked in Canada, the UK, Europe, and South Africa.

He is well known for playing John Lynn in the TV show Deep State. He also played James Morse in the London stage show Pretty Woman: The Musical. Recently, you can hear his voice as Doctor Paradox in the 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077. He also voices Nikolas in the game Dying Light 2: Stay Human.

About Mark's Early Life

Mark Holden was born in Plymouth, England, on September 21, 1962. His father was Augustus Aikhomu, a former leader of Nigeria. His mother was Shirley Anne Holden. Mark went to Burrington Secondary Modern School from 1974 to 1979.

His mother helped him discover acting. She often took him to see live plays and movies. When he was about 10 or 11, he started acting in a local theater group. He also competed in running and high jump events at an athletics club.

Mark's Acting Career

Mark started his acting career in his late 20s. In 1992, he played Villac Umu in The Royal Hunt of the Sun at the Citadel Theatre in Canada. Over the next three years, he acted in six more plays there. These included La Bête, Wait Until Dark, and Macbeth.

Movies and TV Shows

Mark has been in many films. Some of his movie roles include parts in World War Z, Bang Bang You're Dead, and Final Destination. In 2013, he played William Rios in Captain Phillips, which starred Tom Hanks.

His TV work includes shows like Riviera, Stargate SG-1, 24: Live Another Day, and The X-Files. From 2018 to 2019, he played John Lynn in the TV show Deep State.

In 2014, Mark wrote and produced a short film called The Double Deal. He also starred in it as Matthew Calder. This film won international awards. You can watch it on YouTube.

Before Acting

Before becoming an actor, Mark was a police officer. He worked for the Metropolitan Police Service in London, UK, from 1981 to 1987. Then, he joined the Edmonton Police Service in Canada from 1987 to 1996.

While being a police officer, Mark was also a professional bobsledder. He raced in two-man and four-man bobsleds. He was part of the Great Britain Bobsleigh Team from 1985 to 1987. He competed in World Cup races and the 1986 European Bobsleigh Championships. He also competed for the Canadian Bobsleigh Team in 1990-1991.

Mark continued policing while taking acting classes. He performed in plays and eventually moved to Vancouver, Canada. There, he started working in the film and TV industry.

Mark's Personal Life

Mark moved to Canada in 1987. He has two daughters from an earlier marriage and five grandchildren. In 2003, he came back to the United Kingdom to continue his acting career. He met Patsy McKay in 2005 and decided to stay in London. They got married three years later and have twin boys.

Adventures and Charity Work

In 2004, Mark climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for a charity called Voluntary Services Overseas. He reached Gilman's Point at sunrise and then made it to the very top, Uhuru Peak, later that morning.

In 2009, Mark and his wife Patsy hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. They did this for the charity World Vision. A special moment was waiting at the Sun Gate to see the ancient city of Machu Picchu appear as the mist cleared.

Mark's Work in Film, TV, and Games

Film (selected)

Television (selected)

Theatre (selected)

Video games (selected)

Awards and Nominations