Mark Strong

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Birthday:

5 August 1963, London, England, UK

Birth Name:

Marco Giuseppe Salussolia

Height:

188 cm

British actor Mark Strong, who played Jim Prideaux in the 2011 remake of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), is often cast as cold, calculating villains. But before he became a famous actor, he intended to pursue a career in law.Strong was born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia in London, England, to an Austrian mother and an Italian father. His father left the family not long after he was born, and his mother worked as an au pair to raise the boy on her own. Strong's mother had his name legally changed when he was young in order to help him better assimilate with his peers.Strong attended Wymondham College in Norfolk, and studied at the university level in Munich with the intent of becoming a lawyer. After a year, he returned to London to study English and Drama at Royal Holloway. He went on to further master his craft of at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Although Americans are most familiar with Strong's roles as Sinestro in Green Lantern (2011), mob boss Frank D'Amico in Kick-Ass (2010), and Lord Blackthorn in Sherlock Holmes (2009), British audiences know him from his long history as a television actor. He also starred in as numerous British stage productions, including plays at the Royal National Theatre and the RSC. His most prominent television parts include Prime Suspect 3 (1993) and Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness (2003) as Inspector Larry Hall, and starring roles in the BBC Two dramas Our Friends in the North (1996) and The Long Firm (2004), the latter of which netted Strong a BAFTA nomination. He also played Mr. Knightley in the 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen's classic tale Emma (1996).Strong resides in London with his wife Liza Marshall, with whom he has two sons, the younger of which is the godson of his longtime friend Daniel Craig. Show less «

On Stardust (2007) director Matthew Vaughn ... From "Good Omens: The Making of Stardust" on Stardust DVD: What I love about Matthew is his t...Show more »

On Stardust (2007) director Matthew Vaughn ... From "Good Omens: The Making of Stardust" on Stardust DVD: What I love about Matthew is his taste. He won't look at the monitor and let something pass unless he thinks it's right and, as an actor, that's what you want from a director. You want them to be your mate behind the camera. Show less «

On his character Prince Septimus in Stardust (2007) ... From "Good Omens: The Making of Stardust" on Stardust DVD ... (Contains spoiler for ...Show more »

On his character Prince Septimus in Stardust (2007) ... From "Good Omens: The Making of Stardust" on Stardust DVD ... (Contains spoiler for movie): I was able to do pretty much most of my fighting scenes in this movie. The difficulty obviously is, it's one thing being able to do fighting, but it's another thing doing it with your eyes closed while you're slumped over and you can't see your opponent.(when he was used as a Zombie by the Witch Lamia): In a film, the more effort you put in, the more fantastic it looks. Show less «

[on Green Lantern (2011)]: I had to imbue in Sinestro an evil feeling, so the audience could take that journey into what might be in store f...Show more »

[on Green Lantern (2011)]: I had to imbue in Sinestro an evil feeling, so the audience could take that journey into what might be in store for them. That's why Sinestro had to have a presence and a potential to be a badass. Show less «

I'm not convinced that this business runs on talent, otherwise why would there be so much crap on the box?

(On his character in Our Friends in the North (1996)) There's a kind of simpleness about him but that doesn't mean he's stupid," Strong says...Show more »

(On his character in Our Friends in the North (1996)) There's a kind of simpleness about him but that doesn't mean he's stupid," Strong says fondly, "and a kind of hardness but that doesn't mean he's not vulnerable. He's just someone who's working his bollocks off to do something and get somewhere despite all the limitations holding him in." Show less «

When I decided to crop what was left of my hair, I thought 'It's all over, I'm never going to work again: it's basket weaving me for me from...Show more »

When I decided to crop what was left of my hair, I thought 'It's all over, I'm never going to work again: it's basket weaving me for me from now on.' But what actually happens is your casting changes: you suddenly start to get a lot of villains and coppers and soldiers and even the odd sensitive vicar - you become institutionalised. Show less «

(On working with Christopher Eccleston in Our Friends in the North (1996)) He didn't speak to me for the whole year we were filming. At firs...Show more »

(On working with Christopher Eccleston in Our Friends in the North (1996)) He didn't speak to me for the whole year we were filming. At first I thought it was to do with the characters - because there was supposed to be tension between us, but then I realised - he just didn't like me. Show less «

(On his immigrant parents) They came to England in search of the Swinging Sixties, but they didn't find them.

(On his character in Our Friends in the North (1996)) I didn't think he was a bastard. I was really trying to play somebody whose life is co...Show more »

(On his character in Our Friends in the North (1996)) I didn't think he was a bastard. I was really trying to play somebody whose life is constantly getting knocked back. At the beginning he's spoilt rotten by his mum and dad. He wants to be a rock and roller - he's got the amps, the guitar and the pub and everyone's proud of him and patting him on the back - but then everything goes horribly wrong. His girlfriend gets pregnant and he has to stop his apprenticeship, and then he gets laid off from his factory because they're busting sanctions, and then the flat starts getting damp and his marriage isn't quite what he thought it was going to be ... Show less «

(On Our Friends in the North (1996) I think Nicky was the writer's political side, Geordie was his sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll side, and...Show more »

(On Our Friends in the North (1996) I think Nicky was the writer's political side, Geordie was his sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll side, and Tosker was his Newcastle side. Show less «

(On being recognised) It took a while. I never made the Bobby Charlton, but I wasn't far short of it. I remember walking across Waterloo Bri...Show more »

(On being recognised) It took a while. I never made the Bobby Charlton, but I wasn't far short of it. I remember walking across Waterloo Bridge to the National Theatre once and my hair sort of flew up like this [he demonstrates with an anguished wave of the hand above his head], and I just thought 'This is pathetic'. I'd even started to get a bad neck because I'd got really good at knowing where the wind was coming from. Show less «

It's great. You don't have to play lovers anymore: Ferdinands and Sebastians at the RSC, swanning around and spouting poetry. It was a great...Show more »

It's great. You don't have to play lovers anymore: Ferdinands and Sebastians at the RSC, swanning around and spouting poetry. It was a great day for me when my hair fell out. Show less «