Sean Bean
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Shaun Mark Bean (born April 17, 1959 to Brian and Rita Bean) is an English actor from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. As an actor, he adopted the Irish/Scottish spelling "Sean" of his first name. Prior to attending RADA in London, Bean worked for his father's steel business as a welder and considered becoming an artist. He made his acting debut in 1983 at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury, Berkshire, England, as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet.
He is perhaps best known for his role as Boromir in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy, though in the United Kingdom, his portrayal of Richard Sharpe in the television series "Sharpe" (based on the historical novels of the Napoleonic Wars by Bernard Cornwell) has earned him high acclaim. The 14-episode Sharpe television series concluded in 1997, but has established a loyal following with a Sharpe Appreciation Society now in the U.S. and in London [link]. A one-off episode, Sharpe's Challenge was aired in April, 2006.
His popularity in the Sharpe series became an in-joke in many of his later films — he works the word "sharp" into his characters' dialogue whenever possible.
Other notable appearances primarily as villains, include as an Irish terrorist in the 1992 film adaptation of Patriot Games, as Mellors the gamekeeper in the highly controversial 1992 BBC adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, as Alec Trevelyan (MI6's 006), the major villain of the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, a greedy businessman in National Treasure (2004), as Odysseus in the 2004 film Troy, as a megalomaniacal scientist in The Island (2005) and as a sympathetic soul in North Country (2005) , in which Bean proved he could convert his naturally heavy Sheffield accent into that of Minnesota American slang. He was also featured in Moby's music video "We Are All Made of Stars."
Often described as a sex symbol, Bean embarrassingly admits he doesn't mind being the ladies' "bit of rough." The actor is also described as shy and unassuming and prefers reading a good book to attending a high-profile premiere. He has been married and subsequently divorced three times; first to his high-school sweetheart Debra James, then to actress Melanie Hill, with whom he shares daughters Lorna and Molly, and to Sharpe co-star Abigail Cruttenden, mother of his third daughter Evie Natasha. His current romantic interest is student/actress Georgina Sutcliffe.
Trivia
- He has a tattoo on his left shoulder that reads "100% Blade" in reference to his support for, and directorship of, Sheffield United. This tattoo is often digitally removed from films or otherwise disguised if the filmmakers feel it doesn't fit his character. For example, in the Sharpe series of films it was disguised as a large, curved scar. His right shoulder has a tattoo of the Elvish word for nine to commemorate playing a member of the Fellowship in .
- During the filming of The Fellowship of the Ring, he refused to take the helicopters out to remote mountain locations. Instead he chose to take a ski lift into the mountains and then hike the final few miles, all in full costume.
- He was a presenter at the 1995 BAFTA Awards.
- In a scene midway through Sharpe's Honour (1994) (TV), Sharpe and Marquesa Dorada are galloping down a hill on horseback when they suddenly tumble off the horse and land in the middle of a shallow stream. The scene is real; the horse stumbled as it was crossing the stream, sending Bean and co-star Alice Krige down into the water. Director Tom Clegg liked the scene and kept it for the final cut.
- Was not the first choice for the role of Richard Sharpe in the Sharpe series; he stepped in when an accident prevented actor Paul McGann from taking the part.
- Sean Bean was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree from Sheffield Hallam University in England in 1997.
- Has a scar over his eye given to him by Harrison Ford while shooting his death scene in Patriot Games (1992). Ford accidentally hit him with a boat hook. In the Sharpe series, this was emphasised with makeup to add credibility to his character.
- In the United Kingdom Bean supplies the voice for the advertisements of O2, Morrisons supermarkets and the National Blood Service's recent campaign.
- He was featured in a series of television ads for Johnson & Johnson Acuvue contact lenses as well as a promotional ad for the Sci-Fi television network in the United States.
Selected filmography
- The Dark (2006) ... as Sarah’s father James
- Silent Hill (2006) ... as Christopher DaSilva
- (2006) (voice) ... as emperor of Tamriel Martin Septim (Uriel Septim VII's illegitimate son and heir)
- North Country (2005) .... as Kyle
- Flightplan (2005) .... as Captain Rich
- The Island (2005) .... as Dr. Merrick
- Pride (2004) .... as Dark
- National Treasure (2004) .... Ian Howe
- Troy (2004) .... as Odysseus
- (2003) .... as Boromir
- (2002) (uncredited) .... as Boromir (extended edition)
- Equilibrium (2002) .... as Partridge
- (2001) .... as Boromir
- Don't Say a Word (2001) .... as Patrick Koster
- Essex Boys (2000) .... as Jason Locke
- Extremely Dangerous (1999) .... as Neil Byrne
- Bravo Two Zero (1999) .... as Andy McNab
- Ronin (1998) .... as Spence
- Anna Karenina (1997) .... as Vronsky
- When Saturday Comes (1996) .... as Jimmy Muir
- GoldenEye (1995) .... as Alec Trevelyan
- Black Beauty (1994)
- Patriot Games (1992) .... as Sean Miller
- The Field (1990) .... as Tadgh McCabe
- How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989) .... as Larry Frisk
- Caravaggio (1986) .... as Ranuccio
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See also
External links
- [}}}] at NNDB
- [The Compleat Sean Bean]
- [Bean-Box.com]
- * [Mimsey's Bloom 'N Bean Ezine]
- [Full of Beans]
- [link]
- [Corner of Bean]
- [Interview with Sean Bean on Filming the Movie Outlaw in Gloucester]
- [Mighty Bean, Sean Bean] A forum devoted to all things Bean
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