Dan Stevens is a well-known British actor recognized for his performances as Matthew Crawley in the television show Downton Abbey and as the main character David in the horror thriller movie The Guest. He was recognized for his exceptional acting skills as Matthew Crawley with a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Childhood & Family
Dan Stevens, born on October 10, 1982, in Croydon, London, was raised by teacher parents. Growing up in Wales and southeast England, he also had a younger adoptive brother.
After attending Tonbridge School, he became interested in acting as a result of auditioning for the lead role in the play ‘Macbeth.’
At the age of 15, he began attending summer training at the National Youth Theatre in London. Eventually, while enrolled at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, director Peter Hall noticed him while he was portraying the lead role in ‘Macbeth’ alongside Hall’s daughter, Rebecca Hall.
Dan Stevens Career
Dan Stevens’ professional journey commenced in 2004 when he was handpicked by Peter Hall for his traveling rendition of William Shakespeare’s renowned play ‘As You Like It’. In the same year, he also made his first television appearance in two episodes of the miniseries ‘Frankenstein’, an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel.
2006 saw his appearances in both the miniseries ‘The Line of Beauty’, based on Alan Hollinghurst’s novel of the same name, and the TV film ‘Dracula‘, adapted from Bram Stoker’s famous book. In 2007, he also took on a supporting role in the TV film ‘Maxwell’.
At the same time, he maintained his presence on stage, featuring in productions such as ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (2005), ‘The Romans in Britain’ (2006), and ‘The Vortex’ (2008).
In 2009, he entered the world of feature films with the release of ‘Hilde’. Following that, he starred in the historical drama series ‘Downton Abbey’ for two years, earning critical acclaim.
His performance not only gained him widespread recognition but also earned him the ‘Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble’, which he shared with his fellow cast members.
Following his appearances in ‘Vamps’ (2012) and ‘The Fifth Estate’ (2013), Dan Stevens landed his first leading role in the horror thriller ‘The Guest’ (2014).
Despite receiving positive reviews, the film was a box-office disappointment. In the same year, he also starred in A Walk Among the Tombstones and The Cobbler, with the former being a hit and the latter a major financial flop.
In 2014, he made his next appearance in the film ‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb’, which was directed by Shawn Levy and achieved great success at the box office. Following that, he starred in the 2015 crime thriller ‘Criminal Activities’.
One of his biggest accomplishments to date is the 2017 romantic fantasy movie ‘Beauty and the Beast’, which was a definite hit. He starred opposite well-known British actress Emma Watson as the male lead.
The film was based on the classic fairy tale and was directed by Bill Condon. It achieved great financial success, becoming the second-highest-earning film of the year, and was also well-received by reviewers. It also received nominations for two Academy Awards and two BAFTA awards.
Personal Life
In 2009, Dan Stevens tied the knot with Susie Hariet. Susie, a South African singer and singing instructor, became his wife.
The couple’s first child, a daughter named Willow, was born that same year. In 2012, they were blessed with a son, Aubrey, and in 2016, their third child, a daughter named Eden, joined the family.
Net Worth
Dan Stevens is an English actor who has a net worth of $4 million. He has been featured in numerous movies such as Hilde, Vamps, Summer in February, The Fifth Estate, Guest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, The Cobbler, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, Criminal Activities, The Ticket, Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer, Colossal, and Beauty and the Beast.