Mark Holden (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Holden
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| Born |
Mark Adrian Cortis
21 September 1962 Plymouth, England
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| 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 Mark Cortis on September 21, 1962, is a talented actor from Britain and Canada. He has Nigerian family roots. Mark is known for his work in movies, television shows, and theatre. He also lends his voice to characters in video games.
He has performed in many places, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and South Africa. You might know him as John Lynn, a CIA agent in the TV series Deep State. He also played James Morse in the original London show of Pretty Woman: The Musical in the West End. More recently, you can hear his voice as Doctor Paradox in the 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077 and as Nikolas in Dying Light 2: Stay Human.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Mark Holden was born in Plymouth, England, on September 21, 1962. His father was Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu, who was once the Vice President of Nigeria. His mother, Shirley Anne Holden, loved taking him to plays and movies. This helped him discover his passion for acting.
When he was about 10 or 11 years old, Mark started acting with a local amateur theatre group. Besides acting, he was also a good athlete. He competed in sprint races and the high jump at the City of Plymouth Athletics Club.
Mark Holden's Acting Career
Mark Holden began his acting journey in his late twenties. His first big role was in 1992 as Villac Umu in The Royal Hunt of the Sun at the Citadel Theatre in Canada. He performed in six more plays there over the next three years, including Macbeth and The Cherry Orchard.
Movies and Film Roles
Mark has appeared in several well-known films. These include World War Z, Bang Bang You're Dead, and The Infiltrator. In 2013, he played William Rios in the true-story drama Captain Phillips, which starred Tom Hanks.
In 2014, Mark also wrote and produced his own short film called The Double Deal. He starred in it as the main character, Matthew Calder. This film won several international awards.
Television Appearances
Mark Holden has a long list of TV credits. He has been in popular shows like Stargate SG-1, The X-Files, Casualty, and Doctors. From 2018 to 2019, he had a major role as John Lynn, a CIA handler, in the TV drama series Deep State. He also appeared in Riviera and 24: Live Another Day. More recently, he was in A Discovery of Witches in 2021 and His Dark Materials in 2022. In 2024, he played Captain Magnusson in a series of TV movies called Love on the Danube.
Voice Acting in Video Games
Mark Holden is also a voice actor for video games. He has lent his voice to characters in games like Crysis (2007) and Battlefield 1 (2016). In 2020, he voiced Doctor Paradox in the popular game Cyberpunk 2077. He also voiced Nikolas in Dying Light 2: Stay Human in 2022 and The Old Man in RoboCop: Rogue City in 2023.
Life Before Acting
Before becoming a full-time actor, Mark Holden had a very different career. He was a police officer in two different countries. He served with the Metropolitan Police Service in London, UK, from 1981 to 1987. Then, he joined the Edmonton Police Service in Alberta, Canada, from 1987 to 1996.
While working as a police officer, Mark was also an international bobsledder. He competed in two-man and four-man bobsled events. He was part of the Great Britain Bobsleigh Team from 1985 to 1987, competing in World Cup races and the European Bobsleigh Championships. He also competed with the Canadian Bobsleigh Team in 1990-1991.
Mark continued his police work while taking acting classes and performing in plays. Eventually, he earned his Canadian Equity card, which allowed him to work professionally as an actor. He then moved to Vancouver, Canada, to focus on his film and television career.
Personal Life and Adventures
Mark Holden moved to Canada in 1987. He has two daughters from a previous marriage and five grandchildren. In 2003, he returned to the United Kingdom to further his acting career. He met Patsy McKay in 2005, and they got married three years later. They have twin boys together.
Mark is also an adventurer who supports charities. In 2004, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa to raise money for Voluntary Services Overseas. He successfully reached the summit, Uhuru Peak.
In 2009, Mark and his wife Patsy hiked the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru. They did this for the charity World Vision. A memorable part of their trip was watching the mist clear at the Sun Gate to reveal the ancient city of Machu Picchu.
Awards and Recognition
Mark Holden's short film, The Double Deal, which he wrote and produced, has won several awards:
- In 2014, it received an Award of Excellence at the International Film Festival of Spirituality, Religion and Visionary.
- In 2015, it earned a Special Mention at the I Filmmaker International Film Festival and won Best Short Film at the San Diego Black Film Festival.
- In 2016, it won another Award of Excellence at the Canada International Film Festival.
He was also nominated as a producer for other short films, Phalure Inc. and Huey & Louis, at the San Diego Black Film Festival and San Francisco Black Film Festival in 2016.
