Ben Daniels

Ben Daniels is an eminent English actor. He was born on June 10, 1964, n Nuneaton, Warwickshire in England, UK. His father initially works as an Engineer in Roll-Royce Motors and later worked as a grocer, while his mother is running a kids clothing shop. He studied at Manor Park School in Nuneaton. He took drama lessons at the GCE Ordinary Level, which gave him a voice. Later, he studied the sixth form at the Stratford College during the early 80’s and did a GCE Advanced Level in English Literature and Theater. Ben participated in the performances of the British theater company called Royal Shakespeare Company. He is also a product of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) for 3-years.

In his early career, he played as Justin Hayward, the lead vocalist of the English rock band called, The Moody Blues, in two of their music videos entitled, Your Wildest Dreams and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere. In the year 1992, he played as the co-pilot on BBC One’s Casualty, in an episode entitled Cascade. Later, he was seen on several British television shows including The Lost Language of Cranes, David, Cutting It and The State Within. He was notable for his role as Nicholas Brocklehurst in the latter’s show because of the unpredicted same-sex kissing scene between his character and another character. In the year 2008, he acted in semi-autobiographical novel, Lark Rise to Candleford.

Ben has done real-life characters as well including Dr. Josef Buhler, a German State Secretary, in BBC/HBO’s television film, Conspiracy in the year 2001. He was also seen as Ian Fleming, an English writer, in Ian Fleming: Bondmaker in the year 2005 and as the principal secretary to England’s Queen Elizabeth I in The Virgin Queen. In 2007, he was seen as Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) in "Who Killed Mrs De Ropp". He even made a guest performance in several British drama series such as the military drama series, "Soldier Soldier" and the television detective series, "A Touch of Frost in 1992"; Outside Edge in 1994 and the spy drama series, Spooks in 2005.

Ben became more popular among the American audiences after portraying the role of Tony, a neo-hippie in the British gay film, "Beautiful Thing" in 1996. He played as Augustin Robert, a French Officer, in Lavinia Currier’s Passion in the Desert in 1998. Ben was almost got bitten by a leopard while filming and stayed with some Bedouins in the Wadi Rum so he can have some feel in the place that would help him in his acting. Ben was starred in the independent film, The Bridge in 1992; the English crime films, "I Want You and Madeline" in the year 1998; and the sci-fi action film, Doom in 2005. He was offered to appear in the American historical fiction war film, The Patriot and the American survival thriller film, Vertical Limit, which were both released in the year 2000, however, he turned them down and stated that the films weren't for him.

Besides acting in the silver screen, it is also his passion to do stage performance. He was seen in the play, All’s Well That Ends Well and the pastoral comedy play, As You Like It. Ben played as Mercutio in the television adaptation of the classic, Romeo and Juliet in 1994. His theater works includes the absurdist play, Waiting for Godot and 900 Oneonta, from where he received a nomination at the Evening Standard Awards for Best Actor. Ben has done Martin Yesterday in 1998 and earned another nomination for Best Actor at the Manchester Evening News Theater Awards and a lot more. In the year 2006, Ben made a performance in Émile Zola’s Thérèse Raquin, where his performance was called ‘riveting’ by a critic.

Ben earned the Best Supporting Award at the Choice Theater Awards by Whatsonstage.com. He also received the 25th Laurence Olivier Awards for his brilliant performance in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons in the year 2001. In 1991, Ben got a nomination on Laurence Olivier Awards for his performance as Richard Loeb, a murderer in the Never the Sinner play. He fulfilled his lifelong dream when he was debuted in the Broadway as Vicomte de Valmont in the historical drama, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, from where he also earned a nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play at the Tony Awards.

Ben is an openly gay, who reside in South London, together with actor Ian Gelder. The two met during the production of a play entitled Entertaining Mr Sloane in 1993. He was certain about his sexuality ever since his teenage years, but he was not able to talk about it with his parents since they do not have a very close relationship. He comes out when he turned 24 during an all-star benefits performance of Bent, a play by Martin Sherman. Besides being an actor, he likes to paint and practice Ashtanga Yoga. This 2015, he will be seen in the upcoming American drama TV miniseries, Flesh and Bone on Starz channel.