Jeremy Irvine
Irvine in August 2011
Born
Jeremy William Fredric Smith

(1990-06-18) 18 June 1990
Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, England
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
OccupationActor
Years active2009–present

Jeremy William Fredric Smith (born 18 June 1990), known professionally as Jeremy Irvine, is an English actor who made his film debut in the epic war film War Horse (2011). In 2012, he portrayed Philip "Pip" Pirrip in the film adaptation of Great Expectations.

Irvine earned a reputation as a Method actor after he went for two months without food, losing around 13kg and performed his torture scene stunts in The Railway Man (2013).[1] He has since starred in The Woman in Black: Angel of Death (2015), and portrayed Daniel Grigori in the direct-to-video film adaptation of the young adult novel Fallen (2016), as well as young Sam in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). In 2019, he starred as John Randolph Bentley in the USA Network television series Treadstone.[2]

Early life

Irvine was born Jeremy William Fredric Smith[3][4] on 18 June 1990 in Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, where he was raised.[5][6] His mother, Bridget Smith, is a Liberal Democrat councillor on (and latterly leader of) the South Cambridgeshire District Council, and his father, Chris Smith, is an engineer.[7]

He has two younger brothers, one of whom portrayed a younger version of Irvine's Pip in Great Expectations. All three boys have diabetes.[8] Irvine's stage surname was his grandfather's first name.[9] His great-grandfather, Sir Ralph Lilley Turner, wrote the quotation used as the inscription on London's Gurkha Memorial.

Irvine started acting at age 16. He says his drama teacher inspired him to pursue acting: "I never fitted in, which led me to acting. I was looking for something different."[10] He played Romeo along with other main roles in plays whilst attending Bedford Modern School,[4][11][12][13] followed by a run with the National Youth Theatre.[14]

After completing a one-year foundation course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), which he attended with Sam Claflin,[15][16] Irvine spent two years posting his CV through letterboxes to get acting work.[17] He almost gave up acting for good just before he got his big break in War Horse. In an interview with CBS News while promoting Great Expectations, he described this as the lowest point of his life and revealed that he considered taking a different career path: "I'd kind of hit rock bottom and really did think this was stupid and I just wasted three or four years of my life. My dad wanted me to get a job being a welder. At the company he was at, he was an engineer. I was very very close to doing that."[18]

Career

Irvine at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

Irvine worked in his local supermarket and also did web design prior to gaining success as an actor. He played Luke in the television series Life Bites[12][19] and appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2010 production of Dunsinane.[20][21] He was quoted in Interview Magazine, saying: "My friends all took the mick out of me for Dunsinane saying, 'You're gonna be the tree'. Indeed, in my first scene, I was waving two branches."[22]

In June 2010, he was cast in the lead role of the 2011 Steven Spielberg film War Horse.[23] The film was an adaption of Michael Morpurgo's novel, also entitled War Horse.[24] Spielberg revealed that he had been looking for an unknown actor for War Horse, stating: "I looked at hundreds of actors and newcomers for Albert – mainly newcomers – and nobody had the heart, the spirit or the communication skills that Jeremy had."[25] Irvine was asked to read a section of the War Horse script on camera to check his West Country accent.[26] In an attempt to prepare himself for the role of Albert, Irvine took up weight training and gained approximately 14 pounds of muscle. He also underwent two months of intensive horse riding.[27] He spent so much time recreating the Battle of Somme scene in the film that he ended up contracting trench foot.[28] For his work in the film, he was nominated for the London Film Critics' Choice Award for Young British Performer Of The Year and the Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer.[29]

In April 2011, Variety reported that Irvine had been cast as Pip in a 2012 film adaptation of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.[30][31] In October 2011, The Hollywood Reporter announced that he was set to play the young Eric Lomax in the film production of The Railway Man.[32] He then starred in the independent film Now Is Good, alongside Dakota Fanning.[5][33] In February 2013 Variety stated that he had been cast in a film based on the novel The World Made Straight. Also in 2013, he was cast as Daniel Grigori in the film Fallen, based on the young adult series of the same name.[34]

On 12 August 2014, Deadline reported that Irvine had been cast as Percy Bysshe Shelley in Mary Shelley's Monster. The film has been described as "a story of youth that transcends time, a gothic romance, a love triangle that involves a dark passenger."[35] In November 2015, he starred in Don Broco's music video for the song "Nerve". Irvine attended the same school, Bedford Modern, as the band's members.[36] The following month, Irvine joined the cast of the feature film remake of Billionaire Boys Club.[37]

In 2018, Irvine portrayed the younger version of Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan) in the sequel to Mamma Mia!, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.[38] In July 2017, Irvine confirmed via his Instagram that he had joined the cast of The Last Full Measure alongside Tommy Hatto and Zach Roerig.[39]

In 2019, he starred as John Randolph Bentley in the USA Network television series Treadstone.[2]

In May 2021, Irvine was cast as Alan Scott in the HBO Max live-action television series based on Green Lantern.[40]

Personal life

Irvine has had diabetes mellitus type 1 since childhood: "When I was six, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I was on four injections a day, which I administered myself." His two brothers also suffer from diabetes.[41] Irvine has been involved in trials with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to test an artificial pancreas,[20][42] a form of automatic glucose meter attached to a portable insulin pump.[41] The tests took place at Addenbrooke's Hospital with the University of Cambridge during 2005 and 2007.[43][44] Irvine introduced his experiences with diabetes to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to the Cambridge Welcome Trust Clinical Research Facility on 7 February 2012.[45] He was again present with the Duchess on 31 January 2013 at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's inpatient adolescent ward, after she had become president of the JDRF in 2012.[46]

Irvine avoids the spotlight and tries to maintain privacy, once saying that "I realised very quickly that I didn't want to be famous, so I don't go to Mahiki, I just go down the pub with all my mates".[47] When asked about his rising fame, he said, "When War Horse came out, I had maybe a month of people stopping me in the street, then it died down. I try to ignore all that and pretend none of it exists. We're only acting. The work my mum does, a lot of it is re-housing homeless people, that's a real job. I play make-believe and dressing up for a living!"[48] He currently lives in West Hampstead, London.[49]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 War Horse Albert Narracott Nominated – London Film Critics' Choice Award for Young British Performer of the Year
Nominated – Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer
2012 Now Is Good Adam
Great Expectations Philip "Pip" Pirrip
2013 The Railway Man Young Eric Lomax
2014 A Night in Old Mexico Gally
Beyond the Reach Ben
2015 The Woman in Black: Angel of Death Harry Burnstow
The World Made Straight Travis Shelton
The Bad Education Movie Atticus Hoye
Stonewall Danny Winters
2016 This Beautiful Fantastic Billy
Fallen Daniel Grigori Direct-to-video
2018 Billionaire Boys Club Kyle Biltmore
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Young Sam Carmichael
2019 Paradise Hills Markus
The Professor and the Madman Charles Hall
The Last Full Measure William Pitsenbarger
2020 Cognition Abner Winner - Long Key International Film Awards 2022
2021 Benediction Ivor Novello
2022 This is Christmas Simon
TBA Return to Silent Hill James Sunderland Filming[50]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Life Bites Luke Main cast (season 2)
2019 Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins Himself 5 episodes
Treadstone J. Randolph Bentley Main cast
2021 Dalgliesh Charles Masterson 4 episodes

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue Ref.
2010 Dunsinane The Royal Shakespeare Company
2016–2017 Buried Child Vince Trafalgar Studios [51]

Music videos

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Don Broco Nerve
2018 Friendly Fires Heaven Let Me In

References

  1. ↑ "Irvine: I lost two stone for role". Irish Independent. 22 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Jeremy Irvine actually 'punched some guy's teeth out' in new thriller Treadstone". 11 January 2020.
  3. ↑ "Jeremy William Fredric Smith". Endole. Archived from the original on 11 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  4. 1 2 "OBM chosen for Steven Spielberg's new film". Bedford Modern School. 24 June 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2010. Jeremy Irvine (known as Jeremy Smith at BMS) .. attended Bedford Modern School between 2000
  5. 1 2 "Jeremy Irvine". The Hollywood Reporter. 2 November 2011.
  6. ↑ Smith, Nigel M. (22 December 2011). "War Horse Breakout Jeremy Irvine". Indiewire. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  7. ↑ Hanson-Firestone, Dana (3 August 2017). "Five Things You Didn't Know About Jeremy Irvine". TVOvermind. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  8. ↑ "Great Expectations (2013)". Wild About Movies. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  9. ↑ Vineyard, Jennifer (29 December 2011). "Jeremy Irvine on War Horse, Great Expectations, and Changing His Last Name From 'Smith'". New York. Retrieved 2 January 2012. My grandfather passed away while I was looking for a stage name, so I took his first name, and that seemed to be a quite nice solution.
  10. ↑ McLean, Craig (29 November 2012). "Jeremy Irvine: Great Expectations film is like Dickens meets Bourne". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  11. ↑ "Disney calls for Jeremy". Biggleswade Chronicle. 9 July 2009. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  12. 1 2 Knowles, Keeley (8 July 2009). "Teen actor's chance of Disney fame". Bedfordshire on Sunday. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  13. ↑ "Hollywood beckons for former Bedford schoolboy". Bedford Today. 21 June 2010. Archived from the original on 1 July 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  14. ↑ "Exclusive: War Horse Cast Announced". Empire. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2010. taking the lead (or the reins) is young actor Jeremy Irvine, who has earned his stripes with both the National Youth Theatre and the RSC
  15. ↑ "Jeremy lands TV job with Disney". Biggleswade Chronicle. 3 June 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  16. ↑ "The First Word: Jeremy Irvine's Going It Alone". The Drama Student Magazine. 23 January 2010. Archived from the original on 28 January 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  17. ↑ Everett, Amy (10 May 2012). "Jeremy Irvine: 'I Had No Work For Two Years!'". Entertainment Wise. Retrieved 21 August 2012. I went to drama school straight out of school, then just started putting CVs through letter boxes really, for about two years... and didn't get any work for two years!
  18. ↑ ""Great Expectations" star Jeremy Irvine almost gave up acting before his big break". CBS News. 31 October 2013.
  19. ↑ Wilde, Crystal (2 July 2009). "The daughter of a South Woodford pastor has landed a starring role hit Disney Channel show Life Bites". This is Local London. Retrieved 5 February 2010. will star ... in the second series of Life Bites. ... along side ... Jeremy Irvine and Connor Panayi
  20. 1 2 Walsh, Fergus (5 February 2010). "The pump has been really liberating". BBC News. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  21. ↑ "Cast list". What's On. Royal Shakespeare Company. Archived from the original on 10 March 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010. English army … Jeremy Irvine
  22. ↑ Cohn, Alison S. (5 January 2012). "Jeremy Irvine" (interview). Interview Magazine. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  23. ↑ McNary, Dave (17 June 2010). "Jeremy Irvine is Spielberg's War Horse". Variety. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  24. ↑ "Steven Spielberg announces War Horse cast". BBC News. 18 June 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2010. with theatre actor Jeremy Irvine in the lead role.
  25. ↑ Kitchener, Shaun (9 January 2012). "Steven Spielberg Compares War Horse Jeremy Irvine To Christian Bale". Entertainment Wise. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  26. ↑ "War Horse Jeremy Irvine Interview". LSQTV. 16 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  27. ↑ Galloway, Stephen (29 December 2011). "How to Become a Star In 1 Easy Lesson: War Horse's Jeremy Irvine" (Q&A). The Hollywood Reporter.
  28. ↑ "War Horse star picked up trench foot while filming first world war tale". The Guardian. 19 December 2011.
  29. ↑ "Awards for Jeremy Irvine". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  30. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (14 April 2011). "War star Irvine meets Expectations". Variety. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  31. ↑ White, James (15 April 2011). "Jeremy Irvine Meeting Great Expectations". Empire. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  32. ↑ Miller, Daniel (31 October 2011). "War Horse Star Jeremy Irvine to Play Young Colin Firth in The Railway Man". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  33. ↑ "Film Review: Now Is Good starring Dakota Fanning & Jeremy Irvine". Sugarscape. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  34. ↑ McNary, Dave (7 February 2013). "Thesp trio on Straight line". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  35. ↑ "Game Of Thrones Sophie Turner Set For Mary Shelley's Monster Opposite Jeremy Irvine, Taissa Farmiga". Deadline Hollywood. 12 August 2014.
  36. ↑ "Don Broco reveal video for Nerve featuring Jeremy Irvine". Punktastic. 13 November 2015.
  37. ↑ McNary, Dave (15 December 2015). "Billie Lourd, Bokeem Woodbine, Jeremy Irvine Join Billionaire Boys Club (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  38. ↑ "Jeremy Irvine and Alexa Davies Join Cast of MAMMA MIA Sequel". Broadway World. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  39. ↑ "Jeremy Irvine on Instagram: "Sucking up boot camp training in the jungle like a man 😵🌡"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021.
  40. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (27 May 2021). "Green Lantern: Jeremy Irvine Set To Play Alan Scott In HBO Max Series – Update". Deadline Hollywood.
  41. 1 2 "Jeremy Smith". Diabetes Research Networking. National Health Service. Archived from the original (Video interview) on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  42. ↑ Walsh, Fergus (5 February 2010). "Artificial pancreas hope for children with diabetes" (Television news). BBC News. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  43. ↑ Walsh, Fergus (5 July 2007). "Artificial pancreas for diabetics". BBC News. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  44. ↑ "Duchess of Cornwall sees Cambridge hospital diabetes work". BBC News. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  45. ↑ Southwell, Fae (9 February 2012). "War Horse star meets Duchess of Cornwall" (TV news segment). BBC Look East. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  46. ↑ Nice, Emily (7 February 2013). "Actor joins Duchess to show support for diabetes charity". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  47. ↑ Bentley, David (10 December 2012). "Great Expectations star Jeremy Irvine reveals 'acting masterclass' with Colin Firth in The Railway Man - but says he doesn't want fame". Coventry Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  48. ↑ "Rising star Irvine not seeking fame". Yahoo! Movies. 27 November 2012. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  49. ↑ Nathanson, Hannah (10 January 2014). "Jeremy Irvine's My London". London Evening Standard.
  50. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (15 March 2023). "Horror Reboot Return To Silent Hill Will Star Jeremy Irvine & Hannah Emily Anderson, Plot Confirmed With Filming To Begin Next Month". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  51. ↑ O'Hanlon, Dom (7 November 2016). "Interview with Buried Child star Jeremy Irvine". LondonTheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
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