Dan Stevens- Actor of the Week

Dan Stevens

OK, I admit it. I have a soft spot for the English intellectual actor. What is it do you think, the Oxbridge posh accent or the wonderful witty banter when interviewed? Am I alone ladies? Here we have another cutie from Cambridge (Emmanuel College/English Lit) Dan Stevens, who is riding the Downton Abbey wave of popularity at the present. He does seem to be a truly decent guy. He gives the "I'm not really posh" line that we hear regularly from Hugh Grant, however he is happily married with a young daughter and so seems to be a decent guy- very like his character Matthew Crawley from Downton!

Dan Stevens as Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility 2008

Most of us got our first glimpse of Dan as the sexed-up Andrew Davies version of Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility 2008. Infinitely preferable to Hugh Grant's stiff necked Edward in S&S 1995, we had him chopping wood in the rain (wet shirt) to get us interested. A very good outlet for the pent up frustration of the character as he wrestles with his conscience and his libido at the same time! Oh, poor Edward.

Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey

As the utterly likeable Manchester lawyer Matthew Crawley, Dan really upped his profile. When he became heir to the Downton Estate, even Mary started to view him differently, but when he returned for season 2 all buff and in his uniform...well...phwoar!

Dan Stevens in uniform as Captain Crawley

Do you agree? A bit edgier, no? Anyhoo...he has lots of fans now and we look forward to seeing him in Season 3. I wonder what American Granny Shirley MacLaine will make of him?

Dan Stevens in Vamps

As the love interest of NYC vampire girl Krysten Ritter in this year's Vamps starring Alicia Silverstone and written and directed by Clueless genius Amy Heckerling, I want to like this one but the early buzz is not good. And the tag line is "NICE GIRLS SUCK". Rats!

Dan Stevens and Domenic Cooper

More promising is the reunion of Dan with S&S alumni Domenic Cooper and Hattie Morahan in Summer in February. It is billed as "A true tale of love, liberty and scandal amongst the Edwardian artists' colony in Cornwall" and is in post-production due out later in the year. Fingers crossed.

And here he is in a BAFTA interview being adorable and demonstrating a bit of that posh Cambridge accent.

 

So let's hope for more wonderful roles in the future for this supremely talented young man!