Aneurin Barnard

Early life

Barnard was born in Bridgend in Wales on 1 May 1987, the son of factory worker June and coal miner Terry Barnard. His first language is Welsh. He attended Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari in Rhondda Cynon Taf during his secondary school years. Barnard trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, graduating as salutatorian in 2008, and was credited as a RWCMD Associate Award in 2019.

Career

Theatre

Barnard was just 11 years of age when he began involvement in theatre work at the Bridgend County Youth Theatre in 1999. Whilst a student at drama school, he appeared in productions of The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Hobson's Choice, The Importance of Being Earnest and West Side Story, in which he played Tony. He was also involved in a radio production of Under Milk Wood.

He played Melchior, one of the three leads, in the London premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening, which opened in February 2009 at the Lyric Hammersmith. The play later transferred to the Novello Theatre in March 2009, running until May 2009. For his performance, Barnard won the Laurence Olivier Award.

Screen

Barnard starred in the HTV Wales series Jacob's Ladder as a 16-year-old. He has appeared in guest roles in TV series Doctors, Casualty, Shameless, and Y Pris. He has also appeared in the short TV films The Big Day, Night on the Tiles and the BAFTA Cymru-winning Owl Creek Bridge.

In 2011 Barnard starred in Hunky Dory, co-starring with Minnie Driver. Barnard played the role of Davey and in the film sang songs from the era such as David Bowie's "Life on Mars" and The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me".

In January 2012, Barnard starred as photographer David Bailey in the television film We'll Take Manhattan. He also appeared in the 2012 horror film Elfie Hopkins. Barnard then appeared in the lead role in Vertigo Films's Guinea Pigs, a micro-budget horror film about volunteers fighting for their lives after a drug trial goes wrong. Later in 2012 he starred in the horror-thriller film Citadel.

In 2012 Barnard filmed the fantasy adventure film The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box throughout the South West of England, playing the title role of Mariah Mundi alongside Michael Sheen. The film was released in 2014. Barnard also featured in Trap for Cinderella (2013), and as Claude in Francesca Gregorini's drama thriller, The Truth About Emanuel. In 2013 Barnard portrayed King Richard III of England in the television series The White Queen on BBC One. He also appeared as John Trenchard in a two-part Sky TV adaptation of Moonfleet.

In 2016 he starred as Prince Boris Drubetskoy in Andrew Davies's television adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, broadcast on BBC One, for which he was nominated for Best Actor (Yr Actor Gorau). He starred as Tim Hobson, boyfriend of Ivy Moxham, (played by Jodie Comer) in the BBC 5 part drama Thirteen.

In 2017 he appeared in the film Bitter Harvest. He played the music manager Bobby Willis in ITV's 3-part drama Cilla.

Also in 2017, Barnard had the lead role as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Interlude in Prague. The following year, he played William in the British comedy, Dead in a Week or Your Money Back. In 2022 it was announced that Barnard would appear in the fourteenth series of Doctor Who as Roger ap Gwilliam.

In 2021 Barnard starred in the BBC One prison drama Time alongside Sean Bean and Stephen Graham, earning a second nomination for Best Actor (Yr Actor Gorau).

In January 2023, Barnard starred as Ryan in the Channel 5 series The Catch, alongside Jason Watkins and Poppy Gilbert. In 2023 he filmed the BBC television feature Men Up, about the first clinical trials for the drug Viagra that took place in Swansea in 1994.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (14 December 2012). "The Truth About Aneurin Barnard".
2. (25 October 2012). "Aneurin Barnard films new BBC period drama in Bruges".
3. Watson, Keith. (19 July 2013). "Aneurin Barnard: Richard III gets a raw deal".
4. (27 November 2022). "RWCMD Associates awards".
5. (3 April 2009). "Interview with Aneurin Barnard and other member cast of Spring Awakening".
6. Mark Shenton. (25 October 2008). "Initial Casting Announced for London Premiere of Tony-Winning Spring Awakening".
7. (8 June 2016). "Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards 2010 Winners Announced".
8. [http://www.whatsonintheatre.com/2009/09/15/spring-awakening-star-aneurin-barnard-secures-film-deal Aneurin Barnard secures film deal] {{webarchive. link. (23 September 2009)
9. (20 March 2009). "Aneurin Barnard: A career awakening".
10. "Vertigo, NFTS start shoot for Guinea Pigs".
11. Adam Dawtrey. (11 April 2012). "Aneurin Barnard tapped for 'Mariah Mundi'".
12. "BBC — Filming begins on epic adaptation of War and Peace for BBC One — Media Centre".
13. Hyland, Karen. (25 January 2023). "Aneurin Barnard in The Catch: What else has actor been in and how do you pronounce his name?".
14. McLaughlin, Charlotte. (9 January 2023). "Aneurin Barnard joins cast of Doctor Who to play mysterious character".
15. (11 January 2023). "The Catch: Release date, cast and news for Channel 5 drama".
16. Ritman, Alex. (1 March 2023). "Viagra Trial Drama 'Men Up' Coming to BBC From Russell T. Davies, 'Industry' Writer, 'It's a Sin' Producer".
17. "Welsh sci-fi ‘Out There’ among BFI London Film Festival works-in-progress titles".
18. "Aneurin Barnard Awards". IMDB (Index source only).
19. (October 9, 2022). "BAFTA Cymru Awards 2016". bafta.org.
20. (October 9, 2022). "Winners announced for the 2022 BAFTA Cymru Awards". bafta.org.