Samuel Barnett (actor)

Early life

Barnett was born in Whitby, North Yorkshire, on 25 April 1980. He has four siblings. His mother comes from a Quaker background while his father was descended from Polish Jews. He started performing at an early age before moving to London to study acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).

Career

Barnett appeared in the original London stage production of Alan Bennett's 2004 play The History Boys, as well as in the New York, Sydney, Wellington and Hong Kong productions and radio and film versions of the play. He had been involved in The History Boys from its very first reading.

In 2009 Barnett played John Everett Millais in the BBC series Desperate Romantics and Joseph Severn in the film Bright Star. He appeared at the National Theatre in Women Beware Women by Thomas Middleton, which ran from 20 April to 4 July 2010. From July 2012 he appeared in an all-male-cast as Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare's Richard III at Shakespeare's Globe in London alongside Mark Rylance in the title role, also playing the role of Sebastian in Twelfth Night. The production transferred to the Apollo Theatre in the West End, opening on 2 November 2012 and running for a limited engagement. Both Twelfth Night and Richard III transferred to Broadway in 2013 and played at the Belasco Theatre until February 2014. In the Broadway productions Barnett reprised his role as Elizabeth Woodville in Richard III and took on the role of Viola (previously played by Johnny Flynn in London) in Twelfth Night. In July 2018 Barnett reunited with History Boys playwright Alan Bennett and co-star Sacha Dhawan for Bennett's new play, Allelujah!, at the Bridge Theatre.

In 2022 at the Edinburgh Fringe, Barnett performed a one-man show Feeling Afraid as If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen written by Marcelo dos Santos. In late 2023, Barnett performed this at the Bush Theatre in London.

Recognition and awards

Barnett was nominated for the Evening Standard Theatre Award as Most Promising Newcomer for his role in The Marriage of Figaro in 2002. He won Best Newcomer and Best Supporting Actor in a play at the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers Choice Awards for his work on the original production of The History Boys. He was nominated for the 29th annual Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role. He won a Drama Desk Award and was nominated for a Tony Award for his work on the Broadway production.

Barnett was nominated for the 2006 British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer (On Screen) for his work on the film version of The History Boys.

In 2014 Barnett received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his work in Twelfth Night.

In 2022 Barnett received the Stage Edinburgh Award for excellence in acting for his role in the solo-show Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen.

Personal life

Barnett is gay and in a relationship with theatre director Adam Penford. In 2020 his father died from COVID-19.

Credits

Theatre

Television

Film

Radio

Audio drama

Soundtrack

Video games

References

References

1. "20 Questions With...Samuel Barnett".
2. "Samuel Barnett: first the Olympics, now for a run in the West End - The Jewish Chronicle".
3. "National Theatre : Productions : The History Boys 2004".
4. (9 March 2006). "The History Boys – Arts Reviews – Arts – Entertainment". The Sydney Morning Herald.
5. "John Smythe: theatre reviews: NZIAF-The History Boys: More is more".
6. "Genesis Foundation – Samuel Barnett (Class of 2001)".
7. (2006). "The History Boys The Film". Forelake Ltd.
8. "Twelfth Night Overview".
9. Eberhard, Emmitt. (8 February 2014). "Two Plays In Repertory On A Rotating Schedule See One, See Both!".
10. Eberhard, Emmitt. (8 February 2014). "CASTS".
11. (18 July 2018). "Allelujah! review – Alan Bennett's hospital drama is full of quiet anger".
12. Wiegand, Chris. (2022-08-16). "Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen review – seriously funny". The Guardian.
13. (2023-11-20). "Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen Tickets".
14. Wolf, Matt. (23 January 2005). "Big musicals score lion's share of Olivier noms". Variety.
15. "2006 – Drama Desk Awards – Press Releases".
16. "The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards – Official Website by IBM".
17. (26 October 2006). "British Independent Film Awards Announce Nominations".
18. (8 June 2014). "Tony Award Winners 2014 — Full List". Variety.
19. Wiegand, Chris. (16 August 2022). "Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen review – seriously funny". The Guardian.
20. Bernstein, Jacob. (2014-02-12). "Samuel Barnett Discusses His Female Roles in Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' and 'Richard III'". The New York Times.
21. "Culture in Lockdown: Samuel Barnett – 'I am grateful for the space lockdown gave me'". The Stage.
22. (16 August 2022). "'I want to do things I've never done': The History Boys' Samuel Barnett on his new one-man show". The Guardian.
23. "The Whisky Taster Reviews at the Bush Theatre".
24. "Productions: Women Beware Women".
25. "Samuel Barnett brings Medium - A Magical Reckoning to Riverside Studios".
26. "Rock Follies". Chichester Festival Theatre.
27. "The Last Stand of Mrs. Mary Whitehouse". Nottingham Playhouse.
28. "Stellar casting for new Marple film (ITV press release, 05.08.2009)".
29. (February 2025). "Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game 2020)". IMDb}}{{better source.
30. "Fighting for Words radio listing".
31. Daoust, Phil. (28 January 2005). "Pick of the day". The Guardian.
32. "BBC Radio 3 – Drama on 3 – The History Boys".
33. "BBC Radio 3 – Drama on 3 – When You Cure Me".
34. "BBC – Radio 4 – the Classic Serial".
35. "LocateTV – The Babington Plot".
36. "BBC Radio 4 – The Saturday Play – Joan of Arc, and How She Became a Saint".
37. "BBC Radio 4 – The Saturday Play – Translations".
38. "BBC Radio 4 – I, Claudius".
39. "BBC Radio 4 – Afternoon Drama – James Lees-Milne".
40. "BBC Radio 4 - The Case of Charles Dexter Ward".
41. "Amnesia: Rebirth (Video Game 2020)". IMDb.
42. "Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game 2020)". IMDb.
43. "Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (Video Game 2020)". IMDb.
44. "Elden Ring (Video Game 2022)". IMDb.