Hugh Dancy

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Birthday:

19 June 1975, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, UK

Height:

178 cm

Talented British actor Hugh Dancy is one of the UK's most up-and-coming talents.Hugh Michael Horace Dancy was born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, to Sarah Ann (Birley), who works in academic publishing, and Jonathan Peter Dancy, a philosophy professor and writer. He has a brother, Jack (b. 1977), and a sister, Kate (b. 1980). He was raised in Newcastle-under-Lyme. He got started with roles in the series Trial & Retribution (1997), Dangerfield (1995), Kavanagh QC (1995) and Granada's popular series, Cold Feet (1997), and his theater appearances include Sam Mendes's David Copperfield (2000) and BBC's Madame Bovary (2000). He also portrayed "D'Artagnan" in the series, Young Blades (2001). Dancy's appearance in Ridley Scott's war drama, Black Hawk Down (2001), as "Medic Kurt Schmid" was followed with starring roles in Tempo (2003) with Melanie Griffith and Rachael Leigh Cook and The Sleeping Dictionary (2003). He played Prince Charmont opposite Anne Hathaway in Ella Enchanted (2004), and Sir Galahad in King Arthur (2004). He has since become well known for his roles as the Earl of Essex in the mini-series Elizabeth I (2005) and Will Graham on the show Hannibal (2013).Dancy married American actress Claire Danes in 2009. The couple has one child. Show less «

Acting is not very good for relationships - but very good for when they are over.

My dad is an academic but there was never any question of me following on that route. I'm thick.

[on filming Blood and Chocolate (2007)] If you have a wolf jumping off of a six-foot platform and basically onto your head, that takes a bit...Show more »

[on filming Blood and Chocolate (2007)] If you have a wolf jumping off of a six-foot platform and basically onto your head, that takes a bit of getting used to. Show less «

There's no one actor in particular that I want to model my career after, except for the people who have been able to keep their career varie...Show more »

There's no one actor in particular that I want to model my career after, except for the people who have been able to keep their career varied and who choose things that interest them. That opportunity is all I really want. Show less «

[on being sent to the school theater as a punishment] It is true, I was at boarding school and had been misbehaving and I was sent to study ...Show more »

[on being sent to the school theater as a punishment] It is true, I was at boarding school and had been misbehaving and I was sent to study drama, to the theater at my school. I was sent under duress and never left, I loved it. To begin with I was just helping out with the sets, painting the walls, nailing things into the floor and doing odd jobs. I was sent there to keep out of trouble, but I never thought about acting before that at all. Then I discovered I liked the people doing drama far more than most of the other people at my school. I spent so much time there that eventually someone asked me to be in a play, it had nothing whatsoever to do with my acting ability. I found out that I loved acting and I am very glad it happened. Show less «

[A character's sexuality isn't] a factor in whether I'll do a role or not. If something like this comes up and it's a great character, I'll ...Show more »

[A character's sexuality isn't] a factor in whether I'll do a role or not. If something like this comes up and it's a great character, I'll want to do it. Basically, I'll ask myself, what are the reasons I shouldn't do this? And when you look around and you realize you can't really find any, then you have to do it. Show less «

[on his shopping temptations] Mine are books. I will go into a book shop... that's the only shop I really like to browse in to kill time and...Show more »

[on his shopping temptations] Mine are books. I will go into a book shop... that's the only shop I really like to browse in to kill time and will come away with too many. Show less «

I think 'chemistry' is an overused phrase. It's hard to define, and it usually just involves good writing and good acting. I've certainly wo...Show more »

I think 'chemistry' is an overused phrase. It's hard to define, and it usually just involves good writing and good acting. I've certainly worked with people that I didn't feel any personal chemistry with whatsoever but that worked out very well onscreen. And there are plenty of stories of people falling in love on movie sets and then producing absolutely abysmal films. Show less «

There's a tipping point where three or four guys or women are in a particularly visible series at one moment, and it's like, 'Oh, my God, th...Show more »

There's a tipping point where three or four guys or women are in a particularly visible series at one moment, and it's like, 'Oh, my God, the Brits are invading,' but we've always been around. You can hypothesize as to why people hire us or why they don't, but I haven't heard of any theory that holds water. Show less «

I don't have any aspirations to be a leading man in the Hollywood sense. You have to be very specifically ambitious to be bankable in that w...Show more »

I don't have any aspirations to be a leading man in the Hollywood sense. You have to be very specifically ambitious to be bankable in that way; to have a studio sign off on you, which is an entirely different thing from being good. You have to do the type of work to signal to people in Hollywood that you want to be 'that guy' and I've realized I just don't want to be 'that guy'. [Although he wouldn't turn down a lucrative superhero franchise] I love those films! Show less «

Actually I'm not someone who sits around being content. I like a bit of anxiety in my life. I don't like feeling complacent and I'm capable ...Show more »

Actually I'm not someone who sits around being content. I like a bit of anxiety in my life. I don't like feeling complacent and I'm capable of being a bit doom-laden. Living in this moment in America, it's hard not to feel like you are potentially at the edge of a complete precipice. I suppose part of my brain is vulnerable to apocalyptic thinking: 'Oh God, climate change, economic collapse, class warfare', but then the other 99 per cent of the time I'm just going about my business and I don't see the world that way at all. I think I'm as contented as I could be given who I am. Show less «

[on being asked if he would like to go behind the camera] I've never had the urge. There's a strange expectation now that you should, but ch...Show more »

[on being asked if he would like to go behind the camera] I've never had the urge. There's a strange expectation now that you should, but choosing to produce or direct doesn't suddenly give you control of your career. I could sit there and write a great script but it doesn't mean anybody's going to make it. And I don't need to be stinking rich. Show less «

I don't think I'm any more insecure than the next person. I try not to let myself become too neurotic. To some extent, paranoia in this indu...Show more »

I don't think I'm any more insecure than the next person. I try not to let myself become too neurotic. To some extent, paranoia in this industry is just a realistic outlook, it comes with the territory, but I try not to drive myself totally insane. Show less «

[on chemistry] Yes, it's easier to act with somebody you respond to and get on with and if you like the way they think. But it's not enough ...Show more »

[on chemistry] Yes, it's easier to act with somebody you respond to and get on with and if you like the way they think. But it's not enough to make it all work. Show less «

[on his greatest fears] Snakes, destitution.

[on his parents' reaction about his desire to become an actor] I know my parents love me and have a healthy appreciation for my intellect, b...Show more »

[on his parents' reaction about his desire to become an actor] I know my parents love me and have a healthy appreciation for my intellect, but I'm not under any illusions they thought I'd be an academic, put it that way! They were supportive, but I think when they saw my work to begin with, they were horrified and thought it wouldn't last. Frankly, from what I remember of that work, they were justified [laughs]. Show less «

[on being compared to a young Leonardo DiCaprio by Shooting Dogs (2005) director Michael Caton-Jones] I'll take that! Well, I mean, at least...Show more »

[on being compared to a young Leonardo DiCaprio by Shooting Dogs (2005) director Michael Caton-Jones] I'll take that! Well, I mean, at least he knows what he's talking about, and he's a great director, so if he says something like that, then thank you very much. Leo's a brilliant actor, so it's very flattering, but you can't really take these comparisons too seriously. I'm still trying to figure out what I can do well and what I can't. Show less «

[on being compared to Hugh Grant over and over] We're English and we have the same first name. It's as simple as that. One person said it an...Show more »

[on being compared to Hugh Grant over and over] We're English and we have the same first name. It's as simple as that. One person said it and journalists keep perpetuating it. Show less «

Like everybody else I got so hooked on the first series of Homeland (2011). So I did say to Claire 'Look, stop telling me about it'. Terribl...Show more »

Like everybody else I got so hooked on the first series of Homeland (2011). So I did say to Claire 'Look, stop telling me about it'. Terrible policy for a marriage... 'Please don't tell me what you did today' is not a good line... so we gave up on that. Now I read the scripts as they come out. Show less «

[on Claire Danes] She tries to be very honest, without artifice, in what she does. And it is hard to do that and be interesting and create s...Show more »

[on Claire Danes] She tries to be very honest, without artifice, in what she does. And it is hard to do that and be interesting and create something big. I know from experience, and watching her now on set, that she is fantastic to work with, generous without trying to be generous. Show less «

All I ever wanted in life was to be content, and I'm really happy now. I have a wonderful son and a wife who is an amazing mother. I'm so lu...Show more »

All I ever wanted in life was to be content, and I'm really happy now. I have a wonderful son and a wife who is an amazing mother. I'm so lucky. Show less «

[on watching his own work] You never stop being a little self-conscious. Or at least I don't. And I don't do it religiously; sometimes the m...Show more »

[on watching his own work] You never stop being a little self-conscious. Or at least I don't. And I don't do it religiously; sometimes the moment passes - I think there's still some episodes of Hannibal (2013) I haven't watched, because, you were there. But most of Hannibal, and The Path (2016), I really wanted to watch, because in each case there are such specific tones that you're going for, and I felt like the opportunity for failure was quite high because, with anything that's aiming for a particular pitch, you can step off that fine line quite easily in any direction. Show less «

[on living in New York] It is one of the best cities in the world. I love the speed it moves at. I defy anyone not to love New York unless y...Show more »

[on living in New York] It is one of the best cities in the world. I love the speed it moves at. I defy anyone not to love New York unless you really want the quiet life. Also, I can get back to London, so it doesn't put me out of reach of my family. I could've ended up almost anywhere in the world but I'm here because of my private life. Show less «

[on being asked if he would work with Claire Danes again] Hypothetically speaking, absolutely. She's a great actress. We'd love to but you h...Show more »

[on being asked if he would work with Claire Danes again] Hypothetically speaking, absolutely. She's a great actress. We'd love to but you have to be extra picky. Show less «

I was told I'd always be cast in posh parts.

[on being asked about his thoughts on the persistence of the Hollywood Closet] It still seems to overwhelm people's sense of the rest of you...Show more »

[on being asked about his thoughts on the persistence of the Hollywood Closet] It still seems to overwhelm people's sense of the rest of your identity. If an actor is gay, then they are a "gay actor". It's not like being a blond actor or a very short actor - those things can be dealt with in people's imaginations. And there is this strange cultural obsession, this eagerness to unmask people. Show less «

[on dealing with rumors as an actor] You could spend your whole life just trying to clear up other people's perceptions of you, but it would...Show more »

[on dealing with rumors as an actor] You could spend your whole life just trying to clear up other people's perceptions of you, but it would be a great big waste of time. I just can't bring myself to care very much. It's a kind of self-preservation: you cannot hope to control what other people think or say about you. Show less «

There are so many scripts where they don't allow the male lead any kind of flaw, which renders it very boring.

[on Hannibal (2013) passionate fan base] I'm being glib because 99% of the time really, the response - I mean just in terms of people's enth...Show more »

[on Hannibal (2013) passionate fan base] I'm being glib because 99% of the time really, the response - I mean just in terms of people's enthusiasm, but also in terms of the actual work that people made - the art that people made in their own creative response to the show, was really incredible. Not something I've ever experienced before. And I found it to be thrilling and very, very rewarding. And I think we were all very cognizant of that all the way through. You know, you always worry a little bit when you see somebody that's got a tattoo of something you're involved in - you think, 'Really? Really?' [laughs]. But look, it will always be dear and important to me so I'm glad that it was shared. Show less «

I used to reassure myself by counting up the money I could have made from movies I turned down that I knew I shouldn't have done, sort of im...Show more »

I used to reassure myself by counting up the money I could have made from movies I turned down that I knew I shouldn't have done, sort of imagining some alternative universe version of myself who was richer but less satisfied. Show less «

[on a talent he wishes he had] Ability to create music.

[2007] There was never any pressure [to get a 'proper' job] and I was always into the arts. I went to boarding school and, at 13, I was sent...Show more »

[2007] There was never any pressure [to get a 'proper' job] and I was always into the arts. I went to boarding school and, at 13, I was sent to theatre studies as a punishment for smoking and drinking. That formed my decision to become an actor. But I did go to uni first. Show less «

[on his idea of perfect happiness] Being with my extended family in France.

[on the fact that English actors are regarded as better at doing American accents than vice versa] Well, I have certainly heard some bad Ame...Show more »

[on the fact that English actors are regarded as better at doing American accents than vice versa] Well, I have certainly heard some bad American accents from British actors and some great English accents from American actors, so I don't really think that's true. That said, I think because a lot of the movies and TV that we're exposed to in England are American, we grow up with that noise in our heads, but you could approach that lazily as well. There is a sort of relaxing of the mouth that results in a strange pseudo-American, pseudo East-Anglican drawl. That said, I do think it's easier going in the other direction [moving from an English accent to an American accent]. It's a lot easier to soften up your consonants than tighten them. There's also less tonal range. You tend to be... not monotonous, but more like a straight line. Show less «

I've done my fair share of comedies. But you ride the waves of things that are coming to you as long as they're interesting. It's not like, ...Show more »

I've done my fair share of comedies. But you ride the waves of things that are coming to you as long as they're interesting. It's not like, 'At last I'm being taken seriously!' - I don't have that feeling. It's just, 'Oh, you think I can do that? I'll try that.' I've got the usual roster of anxieties and insecurities, but it's not like I have to be desperately taken seriously. Show less «

[on his main insecurity as an actor] It's like a fear that I have not done enough, not thought hard enough about something to do justice to ...Show more »

[on his main insecurity as an actor] It's like a fear that I have not done enough, not thought hard enough about something to do justice to it, and when the thing is complete it will be apparent. I used to feel more that way - that's a quintessential actor's feeling - but I still feel the challenge of wanting to do justice to richly thought-out material. Show less «

[on some channels' refusal to air Hannibal (2013) due to the show's graphic violence] You know, it's a free world. And in some ways it's lik...Show more »

[on some channels' refusal to air Hannibal (2013) due to the show's graphic violence] You know, it's a free world. And in some ways it's like a badge of honor. I actually think that the one thing we don't do is desensitize violence. And actually another thing - we don't casually or predominantly inflict violence, in particular sexual violence, on women. Our show is equal opportunity. So, sure, don't watch. But for me, there are other culprits more worthy of censure. Show less «

[on his Hannibal (2013) co-star Mads Mikkelsen] I worked with Mads first about 10 years ago in King Arthur (2004) which was a very different...Show more »

[on his Hannibal (2013) co-star Mads Mikkelsen] I worked with Mads first about 10 years ago in King Arthur (2004) which was a very different kettle of fish, mostly spent on horses killing people painted blue. We were in Dublin for 6 months and my memory is patchy, but the one thing I definitely took away was that I'd want to work with him again with fewer horses and more acting. I've followed his career since and for me, he's one of the best screen actors working anywhere. So the chance to sit opposite him and knock Bryan's [Fuller] dialogue back and forth was incredible. He came onto the show after me and I was basically checking my emails every five minutes hoping it would work out. Show less «

[on something he wouldn't change about himself] My uncertainty, probably. I was working on a job quite a few years ago now and suddenly was ...Show more »

[on something he wouldn't change about himself] My uncertainty, probably. I was working on a job quite a few years ago now and suddenly was quite daunted - it was something I'd wanted for a long time and found myself there, looked around the other cast members, and they were all pretty substantial people - I was speaking to my father and running through that litany of anxiety, and he said basically, 'Isn't that exactly what you want?' and clouds parted in a way: 'Yes, I want that kind of challenge.' Show less «

[on his favorite motto] "There is a time and a place for everything."

[2017] [on being asked if he's still interested in reprising his Hannibal (2013) role] I'm totally game for that! I think if we were able to...Show more »

[2017] [on being asked if he's still interested in reprising his Hannibal (2013) role] I'm totally game for that! I think if we were able to come back and make a fourth chapter, whatever that would look like and whether that would be another 13 episodes or a mini-series, or whatever, it would possibly benefit from everybody having stepped away from the show. Any show that goes on for three years, and into the fourth year, particularly when you've got somebody as uncompromising as Bryan [Fuller], there are battles that are fought along the way and trenches that people get into. If we could come back fresh, with enthusiasm from every party involved - from myself I know, and Bryan, and I'm sure Mads [Mikkelsen] would be interested - then what could be wrong with that? I'd love it! Keep that hope alive. Show less «

[2015] [on Hannibal (2013) cancellation and the impact the show had on him] It's meant an enormous amount to me - on every level. It's been ...Show more »

[2015] [on Hannibal (2013) cancellation and the impact the show had on him] It's meant an enormous amount to me - on every level. It's been challenging, and an incredible collaboration, because of Bryan's [Fuller] generosity in that respect - and Mads [Mikkelsen], who I love, is a wonderful actor and an incredible partner in that respect. It feels very bittersweet - we don't know what the future of the show is, or if there is a future for the show, but I don't expect to have an experience of this nature for a long time, if ever again. That's no bad thing, it's just because it's been so profound. Show less «

I'm not drawn intrinsically to dark material at all. I've done my fair share of light comedies, which I also love. I think there's a good ex...Show more »

I'm not drawn intrinsically to dark material at all. I've done my fair share of light comedies, which I also love. I think there's a good example of every kind of story: horror, comedy, farce - you name it, and basically I want to be in all of them - the good ones. How you assess that, that's a little bit more complicated. But I mean, it gets to the point you want to have a break, maybe from murdering people, but I've got there yet. Show less «

One of the features of working for Hulu is that we'll never know about the size of the audience. In that respect, Hannibal (2013) prepared m...Show more »

One of the features of working for Hulu is that we'll never know about the size of the audience. In that respect, Hannibal (2013) prepared me quite well. It taught me that success can take on a different meaning - it's about critical response and branding. Show less «

I'm not the kind of actor that goes home and has to wrestle with my demons if I've been playing a troubled guy during the day.

I have absolutely no passion for modeling. Christopher [Bailey, the creative director of Burberry] is one of my dear friends, and I don't wa...Show more »

I have absolutely no passion for modeling. Christopher [Bailey, the creative director of Burberry] is one of my dear friends, and I don't want to be casually dismissive of the entire industry at all. That whole experience confronted my expectations of fashion a little bit. I was surrounded by people - Mario Testino, Kate Moss - who were at the top of their profession, and who I found to be charming and genuinely creative. Not superficial. Not bitchy. Not any of those easy stereotypes. But the actual act of sitting in front of a camera, while fun for a day, would not sustain me. Show less «

I could bore you to tears about a lot of fairly arcane subjects, like the reign of Elizabeth I, or the history of Rwanda, or the day-to-day ...Show more »

I could bore you to tears about a lot of fairly arcane subjects, like the reign of Elizabeth I, or the history of Rwanda, or the day-to-day conditions of an officer in the First World War. But you have to be careful. Sometimes you can overestimate how much people really care. Show less «

I'm not "the grass is greener", but if I'm doing one thing, I'll always fantasize about doing the opposite. So if I'm in a play, I'll dream ...Show more »

I'm not "the grass is greener", but if I'm doing one thing, I'll always fantasize about doing the opposite. So if I'm in a play, I'll dream about doing a film. That sort of thing. If I'm in London, I'll wish I could go to New York. If I'm anywhere else in the world, I'll wish I was in London. Show less «