- Martin Freeman
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For other people named Martin Freeman, see Martin Freeman (disambiguation).
Martin Freeman 
Martin Freeman during filming of Sherlock in 2010Born Martin John C. Freeman
8 September 1971
Aldershot, Hampshire, EnglandOccupation Actor Years active 1997 – present Martin John C. Freeman (born 8 September 1971) is an English actor. He is known for his roles as John in Love Actually, Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. John Watson in Sherlock and Mr. Madden in Nativity!. He has been cast in the lead role of Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's two-part adaptation of The Hobbit.[1]
Contents
Education
Freeman was raised Roman Catholic[2] and was educated at Cardinal Newman school, a Roman Catholic primary school in Hersham. He also attended Salesian School, a Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic comprehensive school in the town of Chertsey in Surrey, followed by the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
Career
Freeman has appeared in at least 18 TV shows, 14 theatre productions, and several radio productions. His most famous role remains that of Tim Canterbury in The Office. He also appeared in the sitcom Hardware. Additionally Freeman has appeared in several films, including Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G Indahouse (2002) and Richard Curtis' Love Actually (2003). As well as his various comic roles, Freeman has also appeared in serious dramatic parts. He began to move into more serious dramatic roles on television with his appearance as Lord Shaftesbury in the 2003 BBC historical drama Charles II: The Power and The Passion. He can also be seen making a brief appearance in the first episode of the second series of This Life. Freeman also starred in the BBC's television series The Robinsons and had a cameo performance in episode 1 of Black Books.
He had a cameo in Hot Fuzz (2007), a film written by Shaun of the Dead writers Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, and had a brief non-speaking role in Shaun of the Dead as Yvonne's boyfriend, Declan. He is in the 2007 film The All Together written & directed by Gavin Claxton. He also appeared alongside Roger Lloyd Pack, Jamie Hogarth and Christopher Mellows in the 2007 Bill Kenwright theatre production of The Last Laugh.
He also features in the video for Faith No More's cover of "I Started a Joke". He has recently covered a few shows on BBC 6 Music. In May 2009 he starred in a comedy, called Boy Meets Girl – a four part drama that charts the progress of characters Veronica and Danny after an accident which causes them to swap bodies.[3]
He has starred in a 48 hour film project entitled 'The Girl Is Mime'.
Freeman plays Dr. John Watson in Sherlock, the BBC contemporary adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes detective stories. The first episode, "A Study in Pink", was broadcast on 25 July 2010 to critical acclaim. For his performance in the role he won the BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actor, 2011.
Following some uncertainty regarding scheduling conflicts, he has been cast in the role of Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming two-part Peter Jackson prequel to The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, titled The Hobbit.[4][5]
Personal life
Born to Geoff and Philomena R. Norris in Aldershot, Hampshire, Freeman is the youngest of five children. He currently resides in Hertfordshire with his wife, actress Amanda Abbington,[6] who has appeared alongside Freeman in several productions, such as Men Only, Picking Up The Pieces, The Debt, The Robinsons and the feature film comedy The All Together. He has two children: a son Joe, born in 2005, and a daughter, Grace, born in 2009.
In an edition of Who Do You Think You Are? aired on 19 August 2009, he discovered that his grandfather, Leonard Freeman, was a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II [7]. Private L W Freeman, a Territorial Army volunteer in the 150(N) Field Ambulance Regiment, was killed in Northern France on 24 May 1940 in a Stuka dawn attack. His unit was evacuated from Dunkirk two days later.
Freeman is a lifelong fan of Motown music and interviewed Smokey Robinson in an edition of The Culture Show aired in October 2009.[8]
Filmography
Films
Year Film Role Notes 1998 I Just Want to Kiss You Frank Short film 2000 The Low Down Solomon 2001 Round About Five The Man Fancy Dress Pirate 2002 Ali G Indahouse Ricky C 2003 Love Actually John Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Acting 2004 Blake's Junction 7 Vila Short film Call Register Kevin Shaun of the Dead Declan Cameo 2005 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Arthur Dent 2006 Confetti Matt Breaking and Entering Sandy 2007 Dedication Jeremy The Good Night Gary Shaller Hot Fuzz Met. Sergeant Lonely Hearts The pig Short film The All Together Chris Ashworth Rubbish Kevin Short film Nightwatching Rembrandt 2008 Rembrandt's J'Accuse Rembrandt Documentary (related to the previous year's Nightwatching) 2009 Nativity! Mr Maddens HIV: The Musical James McKenzie Awaiting release Swinging with the Finkels Alvin Finkel 2010 Wild Target Dixon 2011 What's Your Number? Simon 2012 The Pirates! Band of Misfits The Pirate with a Scarf Voice The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Bilbo Baggins Filming[9][10] 2013 The Hobbit: There and Back Again Television
Year Series Role Notes 1997 The Bill Craig Parnell Episode 13.3: "Mantrap" This Life Stuart Episode 2.1: "Last Tango in Southwark" 1998 Casualty Ricky Beck Episode 13.8: "She Loved the Rain" Picking up the Pieces Brendan Episode 1.7 2000 Bruiser Various characters Appeared in all six episodes Lock, Stock... Jaap Appeared in two episodes Black Books Doctor Episode 1.1: "Cooking the Books" 2001 Men Only Jamie TV film World of Pub Various characters Appeared in five episodes 2001–2003 The Office Tim Canterbury Appeared in all 14 episodes Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Comedy Performance, 2004 for "The Office Christmas Special"
2002 Helen West Unknown Episode 1.2: "Shadow Play" Linda Green Matt Episode 2.8: "Easy Come, Easy Go" 2003 The Debt Terry Ross TV film Margery and Gladys D.S. Stringer TV film Charles II: The Power and The Passion Lord Shaftesbury TV mini-series 2003–2004 Hardware Mike 2004 Pride Fleck TV film 2005 The Robinsons Ed Robinson Appeared in all six episodes 2007 Comedy Showcase Greg Wilson Special 1.1: Other People The Old Curiosity Shop Mr. Codlin TV film 2008 When Were We Funniest? Himself Appeared in four episodes 2009 Boy Meets Girl Danny Reed TV mini-series Micro Men Chris Curry TV film 2010–present Sherlock Dr. John Watson 3 episodes
BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor 20112010 The Girl is Mime[11] Clive Buckle; lead actor Short film, part of the 48 Hour Film Project in London Awards and nominations
Year Nominated For Award Category Result Ref. 2002 The Office British Comedy Awards Best Comedy Actor Nominated [12] 2004 The Office BAFTAs Best Comedy Performance Nominated 2004 Love Actually Phoenix Film Critics Society Best Ensemble Acting Nominated 2011 Sherlock BAFTAs Best Supporting Actor Won References
- ^ Braun, J.W. (2010). The Lord of the Films. ECW Press.
- ^ Hardy, Rebecca (20 November 2009). "'People care more about X Factor than homelessness:' The Office star Martin Freeman on the things that tick him off". Daily Mail (UK). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1228637/People-care-X-Factor-homelessness-The-Office-star-Martin-Freeman-things-tick-off.html. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
- ^ Boy Meets Girl Interview: Martin Freeman – Sky TV. Tv.sky.com (30 April 2009). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
- ^ "Martin Freeman to play Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit". BBC News. 22 October 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11604193. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ Child, Ben (22 October 2010). "Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, a match made in Hobbit heaven". Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/oct/22/hobbit-martin-freeman-bilbo-baggins. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ Paton, Maureen (17 July 2010). Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1294381/In-taxi--Martin-Freeman.html.
- ^ Martin Freeman. http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/episode/martin-freeman.
- ^ Two Programmes – The Culture Show, 2008/2009, Martin Freeman Goes to Motown. BBC (6 January 2009). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
- ^ Freeman to Star as Bilbo is "The Hobbit", Big Pond News, 22 October 2010
- ^ Peter Jackson's Hobbit Diary Online | Movie News | Empire. Empireonline.com. Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
- ^ "The 48 Hour Film Project: Behind the Scenes". Pixiq. February 2011. http://www.pixiq.com/article/48-hour-film-project-behind-the-scenes. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0293509/awards
External links
Categories:- 1971 births
- Alumni of the Central School of Speech and Drama
- English film actors
- English television actors
- English voice actors
- Living people
- People from Aldershot
- BAFTA winners (people)
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