Jack Davenport filmography and biography
Date of birth: 1 March 1973, Suffolk, England, UK
Jack Davenport biography
Jack Davenport was born in 1973 and is the son of actors Maria Aitken and Nigel Davenport. He studied Literature and Film Studies at the University of East Anglia. His first break happened after he wrote to John Cleese to ask to be a runner on Fierce Creatures where he ended up playing a zoo keeper. His first major role however was that of public school educated barrister Miles in the BBC television series This Life. Recent projects include the stylish Ultraviolet where he played a modern-day vampire hunter, The Talented Mr. Ripley as Matt Damon's love interest, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl as the Keira Knightley's intended mate.
Jack Davenport trivia
- Son of Nigel Davenport and Maria Aitken.
- Graduated in film and English from the University of East Anglia.
- Attended Cheltenham College, as did his father, Nigel Davenport.
- He was nominated for a 2002 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Most
Promising Newcomer of 2001 for his performance in The Servant at the
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.
- His great-great-uncle was the British politician and writer, Sir William
Maxwell "Max" Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (1879-1964).
- His maternal great-grandfather was John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
(1877-1969), a prominent British diplomat and the British ambassador to
Ireland during World War II.
- His maternal grandmother was the famed English socialite, the Hon. Lady
Penelope Aitken (1910-2005).
- He is the nephew of former Conservative MP and Cabinet minister
Jonathan Aitken (II).
- Considered for the role of Caledon 'Cal' Hockley in James Cameron's
"Titanic" but was deemed too young.
- He was considered for the role of Arthur Dent in
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy but the idea didn't
prosper as the producers decided he was too good-looking for the role.
- Half-brother of actress Laura Davenport (I).
Jack Davenport quotes
- [describing his role in The Talented Mr. Ripley] "The chap
in the duffle coat jumping up and down in the background!"
- During my childhood, I was surrounded by actors and all I remember is
they were fun to be around. That kind of sticks.
- People tell me that Hollywood loves new faces, but I don't know. They're
probably just being nice.
- [about how his 'This Life' character, Miles Stewart, was received by the
public] A lot of drunken women came up to me in pubs telling me I was a
bastard. To begin with I tried to explain that the show wasn't real,
but then I found a better tactic was to look them in the eye and say
"Yeah, you know what? I am."
- I try not to see acting as anything other than a job. I hate it when I
say to people I'm unemployed, and they say "you mean you're resting?"
I'm like "No, unemployed", because I am. That's what acting's about -
making a living.
- Acting is a cruel enough business. One minute everyone's going "Hey!"
and the next they're going "Who?". You certainly don't need people
knowing your private business, especially if you want to come out with
your head still attached.
- My parents who worked in the business, felt lion-taming was preferable
to acting. They said 93 per cent of all actors were out of work, and
tried to talk me out of it. But I grew up mixing with Mum and Dad's
friends. Adult actors are really childish, and that's nice to be around
when you're a kid. So the big reason I wanted to be an actor was I
really enjoyed actors' company - which probably makes me about as
shallow as a puddle. But it could be worse. I could be working for a
living.
- About his costume in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black
Pearl": "I came in that day and I saw Johnny in his costume and I was
so jealous. He looked so cool, with his bandanna and his hat, and here
I am, looking like an ice cream."