Hans Matheson
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- For the Swedish soccer player, see Hans Mattisson.
Hans Matheson (born August 7, 1975 in Stornoway, Scotland) is a Scottish-born actor who made his feature film debut as Johnny Silver in Jez Butterworth's critically acclaimed directorial debut, Mojo. Prior to Mojo, Matheson appeared in various plays and television series.
He followed his role in Mojo with Stella Does Tricks, playing a male prostitute hooked on drugs. Then came the classic literary character Marius, in Bille August's film version of Les Misérables. Matheson then took up his guitar for the role of Luke Shand, a youthful rocker helping to invigorate an old band in the sleeper hit Still Crazy. Matheson contributed the song "Live For Today" to the film's Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack.
Matheson continued with a starring role in the acclaimed independent British hit Tube Tales, which led to his first commercialized film, Bodywork, starring with the talented cast of Beth Winslet, Charlotte Coleman, and Clive Russell. Despite its lack of blockbuster success, Matheson quickly became recognized as an extraordinary gifted actor. Handpicking his roles carefully, Matheson continued his intriguing film choices with the modern literary classic Canone Inverso, as Jeno Varga. He learned how to play the violin to portray Vargo, and continues playing violin and fiddle to this day.
Following Canone, he took on the rigid role of Mordred in the American TV film The Mists of Avalon, based upon the famed literary fantasy series, alongside such talent as Julianna Margulies, Anjelica Huston, and Joan Allen.
Matheson proceeded in his career with a Danish film based upon another modern classic – I Am Dina. Despite the film's mixed reviews, Matheson once again stood out; he then landed the role of a lifetime as Yurii Zhivago, in Giacomo Campiotti's adaptation of Boris Pasternak's classic novel, Doctor Zhivago.
Matheson continued his career starring in independent films, such as 2002's controversial, religious themed war film Deathwatch and the docu-film Comfortably Numb. Comfortably Numb, a docu-film centered around the lives of drug patients, was a successful experiment in incorporating together onscreen actors and real-life drug addicts.
In 2006, Matheson co-starred with actress Demi Moore in the film Half Light.
Hans Matheson spends his time writing music, poetry, and travelling. He has toured with several Irish folk festivals, and appeared on his father's debut album, playing instruments and singing. He also continues to work on stage between filming.
Hans portrayed the Earl of Essex in a lavish BBC production about Queen Elizabeth I of England called The Virgin Queen, broadcast in the US in 2005 and the UK in 2006.
Matheson is currently portraying Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in the second season of the ongoing Showtime series The Tudors.
