David Harewood
David Harewood OBE (born 8 December 1965) is a British actor and presenter. He is best known for his roles as CIA Counterterrorism Director David Estes in Homeland (2011–2012), and as J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter and Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman in Supergirl (2015–2021).[1]
David Harewood | |
|---|---|
Harewood in 2015 | |
| Born | 8 December 1965 Small Heath, Birmingham, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, presenter |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse | Kirsty Handy (m. 2013) |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
Harewood was born on 8 December 1965 in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, the son of a couple from Barbados who had moved to England in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His father was a lorry driver, while his mother was a caterer. He has a sister, Sandra, and two brothers, Rodger and Paul. He attended St Benedict's Junior School and Washwood Heath Academy.[2][3] He was a member of the National Youth Theatre. In his youth, he worked at a wine bar in Birmingham city centre.[4][5] At the age of 18, he gained a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[4][6]
Career
Harewood began acting in 1990 and has appeared in The Hawk, Great Moments in Aviation, Harnessing Peacocks, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Blood Diamond, The Merchant of Venice and Strings. He is known for his television appearances on Ballykissangel, The Vice and Fat Friends. He played Don Coleman in Hustle (Series 7 The Fall of Railton FC (2011)).[7] In 1997, he was the first black actor to play Othello at the National Theatre in London.[8][6]
In 2008, he played Major Simon Brooks in The Palace; he also appeared (that December) on Celebrity Mastermind, with specialist subject Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. He appeared in the BBC film adaptation of the Philip Pullman novels The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North, both of which are titles from the Sally Lockhart Mysteries.[7]
In 2009, Harewood appeared in the BBC single drama Mrs Mandela, playing Nelson Mandela. He played Brother Tuck in the third series of Robin Hood.[9] He appeared in the Doctor Who story "The End of Time". He played Martin Luther King Jr. in the premiere of The Mountaintop, written by American playwright Katori Hall, directed by James Dacre, which opened at Theatre503 in London on 9 June 2009.[10][11][12]
Harewood next appeared in two episodes of Chris Ryan's Strike Back as Colonel Tshuma. From June to September 2010, he played Theseus in the premiere of Moira Buffini's play Welcome to Thebes at the National Theatre in London.[13] He played Martin Viner in an episode of New Tricks.[14] He narrated Welcome to Lagos, a BBC documentary about Lagos, Nigeria. He also starred in British independent film The Hot Potato,[15] the film also starred Ray Winstone, Colm Meaney and Jack Huston.[citation needed] He played Frankenstein's monster in the TV live event Frankenstein's Wedding.[7]
From 2011, Harewood starred as David Estes, the director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, in the Showtime series Homeland. After appearing in 24 episodes, his character was killed off in a bomb explosion at the end of season 2.[1] Also in 2011, he voiced Captain Quinton Cole in the video game Battlefield 3.
In May 2012, he presented a Party Election Broadcast for the British Labour Party.[16]
In October 2013, Harewood voiced an interactive video campaign for the British Lung Foundation aiming to ban smoking in cars with children on board in the United Kingdom.[17] In June 2014, he appeared in Tulip Fever.[18]
In October 2015, he appeared as a core cast member on the CBS television series Supergirl as Hank Henshaw. Since his character was revealed (in the episode Human for a Day) to be J'onn J'onzz/Martian Manhunter posing as Henshaw, he portrays J'onn J'onzz with Henshaw's likeness as his human form and has a dual recurring role as the real Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman.
In 2017, Harewood was in London to attend the BT British Urban Film Festival at BT Tower. The following year, for his performance in "Free in Deed", Harewood won Best Actor at the 2018 British Urban Film Festival awards. Harewood was included in the 2019 edition of the Powerlist, ranking the 100 most influential Black Britons.[19] Also in 2019, he played the position of goalkeeper for England in Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2019. Psychosis and Me, a documentary hosted and produced by Harewood received a BAFTA Television Award nominated for Single Documentary.[20]
In October 2021, it was revealed that Harewood will make his feature directorial debut with For Whom The Bell Tolls, a boxing film about the rivalry between Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn.[21]
In November 2021, The Guardian published an article focusing on Harewood and actor Ricardo P Lloyd comparing both of their lives and careers and the struggles black British actors face in the UK. This was part of Black British culture matters, curated by Lenny Henry & Marcus Ryder for The Guardian Saturday Culture Issue No7.[6][22]
Harewood was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to drama[23][24][25] and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to drama and charity.[26]
Personal life
Harewood married his long-term girlfriend Kirsty Handy in February 2013 in Saint James, Barbados. They have two daughters and the family resides in Streatham, London.[27] Harewood is an avid supporter of Birmingham City Football Club.[1][28]
In 2007, Harewood appeared on a BBC Look North programme which marked the bicentenary of the 1807 Slave Trade Act's passage through Parliament. As part of the programme, Harewood visited Harewood House and interviewed David Lascelles, as his ancestors in Barbados had been enslaved by the Earls of Harewood.[29]
In 2007, Harewood donated his bone marrow and as a result saved the life of a patient.[30]
Harewood is a mental health ambassador and has been open about his own struggles, confessing that he used to self-medicate with alcohol to deal with his bipolar-like symptoms, discarding the medication given to him by doctors. He was sectioned under the Mental Health Act,[31] spent time on the Whittington Hospital psychiatric ward, and was prescribed the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine.[32] He subsequently expanded on his experiences, hosting a 2019 BBC documentary titled David Harewood: My Psychosis and Me.[33][34]
Harewood appeared in Soccer Aid 2018 as England's celebrity goalkeeper. He saved two penalties during the penalty shootout, helping England to win the charity match. The event raised more than £5 million for UNICEF, a charity that Harewood supports.
In the 2019 European Parliament election, Harewood pledged his support for Change UK.[35]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Hawk | Sergeant Streete | |
| 1995 | Mad Dogs and Englishmen | Jessop | |
| 1998 | I Wonder Who's Kissing You Now | Moses | |
| 1999 | Between Dreams | Orderly | Short film |
| 2004 | Strings | Erito (voice) | English dub |
| The Merchant of Venice | Prince of Morocco | ||
| 2005 | Separate Lies | Inspector Marshall | |
| 2006 | Blood Diamond | Captain 'Poison' | |
| 2010 | Second Chance | Rob Jenkins | Short film |
| 2011 | The Hot Potato | Harrison | |
| Victim | Mr Ansah | ||
| 2012 | The Man Inside | Eugene Murdoch | |
| The Last Bite | Rook | Short film | |
| 2013 | Third Person | Jake | |
| 2015 | Free in Deed | Abe Wilkins | |
| Spooks: The Greater Good | Warrender | ||
| 2016 | Grimsby | Black Gareth | |
| 2017 | Tulip Fever | Prater | |
| 2018 | Parallel | Mr Parkes | |
| 2022 | Wendell & Wild | Lane Klaxon (voice) | [36] |
Television
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Casualty | Paul Grant | Episode 5.9: "A Will to Die" |
| 1990–1997 | The Bill | Williams / Malcolm Jackson / Ed Parrish / Robbie Coker | Four episodes |
| 1991 | For the Greater Good | David West | TV film |
| Minder | Vinny's Minder | Episode 8.10: "Too Many Crooks" | |
| Murder Most Horrid | Jonathan | Episode 1.5: "Murder at Tea Time" | |
| Pirate Prince | Jean-Baptiste | TV film | |
| 1991–1993 | Spatz | Derek Puley | Three episodes |
| 1993 | Anna Lee: Headcase | Stevie Johnson | TV film |
| Press Gang | Doctor | Episode 5.2: "Friendly Fire" | |
| Medics | Nick | Episode 3.6 | |
| Harnessing Peacocks | Terry | TV film | |
| 1994 | Great Moments in Aviation | Steward | TV film |
| Bermuda Grace | Trevor Watkins | TV film | |
| Capital Lives | Unknown | Episode 1.5: "Fall" | |
| 1995 | Hearts and Minds | Trevor | |
| Game On | Paul Johnson | Episode 1.5: "Big Wednesday" | |
| Agony Again | Daniel | Seven episodes | |
| 1997 | Macbeth on the Estate | Macduff | TV film |
| Kavanagh QC | David Adams | Episode 3.1: "Mute of Malice" | |
| Comedy Premieres: Cold Feet | Police Sergeant | ||
| 1998 | Ballykissangel | Henry | Episode 4.9: "As Stars Look Down" |
| 1999–2001 | Always and Everyone | Mike Gregson | Main cast |
| 1999–2003 | The Vice | Sergeant / D.I. Joe Robinson | Main cast |
| 2001 | An Unsuitable Job for a Woman | D.I. Peterson | Episode 1.4: "Playing God" |
| The Fear | Storyteller | ||
| 2001–2002 | Babyfather | Augustus 'Gus' Pottinger | Main cast |
| 2004 | Silent Witness | Angus Stuart | Episodes 8.3 and 8.4: "Death by Water" |
| 2004–2005 | Fat Friends | Max Robertson | 11 episodes |
| 2006 | New Street Law | D.I. Branston | Two episodes |
| The Ruby in the Smoke | Matthew Bedwell / Reverend Nicholas Bedwell | TV film | |
| 2007 | New Tricks | Martin Viner | Episode 4.3: "Ducking and Diving" |
| The Shadow in the North | Nicholas Bedwell | TV film | |
| 2008 | The Palace | Major Simon Brooks | Main cast; eight episodes |
| The Last Enemy | Patrick Nye | TV mini-series; five episodes | |
| Criminal Justice | Freddie Graham | TV mini-series; three episodes | |
| 2009 | Gunrush | Robbie | TV film |
| Robin Hood | Tuck | 12 episodes | |
| The Fixer | Richard Millar | Episode 2.4 | |
| 2009–2010 | Doctor Who | Joshua Naismith | "The End of Time" |
| 2010 | Mrs Mandela | Nelson Mandela | TV film |
| Strike Back | Colonel Tshuma | Episodes 1.3 and 1.4 | |
| 2011 | Hustle | Don Coleman | Episode 7.5: "The Fall of Railton FC" |
| Frankenstein's Wedding | The Creature | Live-televised stage performance | |
| The Body Farm | Wilkes | Episode 1.3 | |
| 2011–2012 | Homeland | David Estes | 24 episodes |
| 2012 | Treasure Island | Billy Bones | TV mini-series |
| Horizon – Global Weirding | Narrator | TV documentary series | |
| 2013 | The Wrong Mans | Surgeon | TV series |
| By Any Means | Napier | TV series | |
| 2014 | Selfie | Sam Saperstein | 8 episodes |
| 2015–2021 | Supergirl | J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter / Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman | Main role Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television (2019) |
| 2016 | Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands | Scorann | TV series |
| The Night Manager | Joel Steadman | TV series | |
| Will Britain ever have a Black Prime Minister? | Presenter | TV documentary | |
| 2017 | Madiba | Walter Sisulu | Miniseries |
| 2017-2019 | The Flash | J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter | Episodes: "Duet", “Crisis on Infinite Earths Part 3” |
| 2017 | Have I Got News For You | Himself | Guest host |
| 2018 | David Harewood: My Psychosis and Me | Presenter | TV documentary |
| 2019 | The Man in the High Castle | Equiano Hampton | Episodes 4.2 and 4.5 |
| 2020 | Earth's Tropical Islands | Himself / Narrator | TV documentary |
| Arrow | J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 4" | |
| Legends of Tomorrow | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 5" | ||
| 2021 | Terry Pratchett's The Abominable Snow Baby | Narrator | Animated short story[37] |
| 2022 | Ten Percent | Himself | Episode 8 |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Battlefield 3 | Captain Quinton Cole | |
| 2013 | Killzone: Shadow Fall | Sinclair / Vektan Security Agency Director | |
| 2016 | Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | Staff Sergeant Usef Omar |
Radio
David Harewood voiced the character of the American character Thurman Berkley in series one of the BBC radio series Chambers on the 4th May 1996.
Harewood played Patroclus in the 1998 BBC radio trilogy Troy. He also played Henry Tilney in the Northanger Abbey radio adaptation (2005). On 4 May 2012, he hosted a special BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night celebrating the life of Ray Charles,[38] broadcast live from Cheltenham Jazz Festival. The show featured the Guy Barker orchestra, with leader Cynthia Fleming and guest artists Madeline Bell, Gregory Porter, and James Tormé.[citation needed]
Harewood played the Marquis de Carabas in the BBC Radio 4 Radio Play of Neverwhere (2013).[39]
In 2022, Harewood voiced Destruction of the Endless in Act III of Audible's full-cast audibook adaptation of Neil Gaiman's comic, The Sandman.
Awards and nominations
- Order of the British Empire for services to drama (2012)[40]
- Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: Nominated (2012)[40]
- Nashville Film Festival-Best Actor: Winner (2016)[41]
- Independent Spirit Awards-Best Male Lead: Nominated (2017)[40]
- Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actor on a Television Series: Nominated (2019)[42]
- Edinburgh TV Festival-Variety Outstanding Achievement Award: Winner( 2020)[43][44]
Books
- Harewood, David (2021). Maybe I Don't Belong Here. Bluebird. ISBN 9781529064131.[45]
References
- ^ a b c "Birmingham actor David Harewood hits out at being killed off in Homeland". Birmingham Mail. 6 January 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
- ^ Hurst, Ben (1 September 2010). "Hollywood star David Harewood goes back to Washwood Heath School". birminghammail. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Pupils get Shakespeare experience". BBC News. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ a b "David Harewood: Will Britain ever have a black prime minister?". BBC News. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ Laws, Roz (13 November 2016). "Who is actor David Harewood?". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ a b c "David Harewood: 'We're still dealing with perceptions of what Black can be' | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ a b c David Harewood at IMDb
- ^ "Interview: 'Othello' comes into his own at National". The Independent. 16 September 1997. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
- ^ Dowell, Ben (11 March 2009). "BBC commissions Winnie Mandela drama". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
- ^ "The Mountaintop". Theatre503. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- ^ Cavendish, Dominic (22 June 2009). "The Mountaintop at Theatre503". The Daily Telegraph. London, UK. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ "David Harewood: 'It's taken me 30 years to make a living – it's been tough but the making of me'". The Stage. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ Royal National Theatre production of Welcome to Thebes, OfficialLondonTheatre.com. Retrieved 30 Oct 2017.
- ^ New Tricks profile, Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 6 July 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
- ^ David Harewood makes British Labour Party broadcast[permanent dead link], labour.org.uk, 30 April 2012.
- ^ David Harewood profile Archived 11 October 2013 at archive.today, British Lung Foundation. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ "Anna Kendrick To Voice Lead In 'Trolls'; David Harewood Joins 'Tulip Fever' Cast". deadline.com. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ^ Hicks, Amber (23 October 2018). "List of 100 most influential black people includes Meghan Markle for first time". mirror. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- ^ "BAFTA TV 2020: Winners of the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards". BAFTA. 3 June 2020.
- ^ "David Harewood To Make Directing Debut With Boxing Rivalry Drama 'For Whom The Bell Tolls'".
- ^ "The Guardian - Saturday Magazine Issue No.7". The Guardian - Saturday Magazine. 6 November 2021.
- ^ "No. 60009". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2011. p. 16.
- ^ "New Year Honours 2012" (PDF). BBC News.
- ^ David Harewood appointed MBE, Google hostednews. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ "No. 63918". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2022. p. N13.
- ^ Carole Cadwallader (9 December 2012). "David Harewood". The Observer. London. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
- ^ Hurt, Ben (16 December 2009). "Hollywood star David Harewood goes back to Washwood Heath School". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ^ "Actor quizzes Viscount on slavery". BBC News. 23 March 2007. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ Elliott, Jane (16 March 2008). "An act that could save a stranger". BBC News. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- ^ Harewood, David (13 October 2017). "I feel no shame about my mental breakdown: it helped make me who I am | David Harewood". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
- ^ McGrath, Nick (12 June 2018). "Homeland star David Harewood reveals mental health battle before finding fame". mirror. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ "BBC - David Harewood: Psychosis And Me - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
- ^ "BBC iPlayer - David Harewood: Psychosis and Me". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- ^ "Chuka Umunna on Instagram: "Great catching up with my constituent @davidharewood at the BBC this afternoon, and glad to hear he'll be voting Change UK!…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
- ^ King, Jack (14 March 2022). "'Wendell & Wild' Teaser Announces Ving Rhames, David Harewood, and More Joining Voice Cast". Collider. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Terry Pratchett's The Abominable Snow Baby". channel4.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ "BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night".
- ^ Neverwhere, BBC. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ a b c "David Harewood". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ Youngblood, Tony (22 April 2016). "Magallanes, Transpecos and Josephine Top This Year's Nashville Film Fest Awards". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ Girl, Not A. Gossip (29 July 2019). "Saturn Awards Nominations Announced honoring genres in the science fiction, fantasy, horror, action TV and Film #SaturnAwards #NomineeList". RCR News Media. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ Bros, Riker (4 November 2020). "David Harewood to Receive Variety Outstanding Achievement Award With Edinburgh TV Festival". Variety. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ Nick (18 November 2020). "David Harewood Receives Outstanding Achievement Award – Edinburgh TV Festival – Diversify TV". Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ "Maybe I Don't Belong Here" at Pan Macmillan.
External links
- David Harewood at IMDb