Linus Roache
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
The son of British actors William Roache and Anna Cropper, the attractive sandy-haired Roache gained prominence with his strong performance as a clergyman struggling with his vocation and his homosexuality in Antonia Bird's "Priest" (1994). While the film won critical acclaim, it was also the subject of controversy in the USA. Attacked as anti-Catholic by Cardinal John O'Connor of New York and as presenting a biased view of the clergy by the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, "Priest" was far better received in England where it stirred little protest.
Roache began his career as a child, appearing as his father's son on the long-running British soap opera "Coronation Street." After studying at a London drama school, he joined the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company where he performed the classics for four years. He joined the National Theatre in 1989 where he appeared in Sean O'Casey's "Juno and the Paycock." Roache made his film debut in a small role in "No Surrender" (1986). Director Antonia Bird had spotted Roache in drama school and remembered him when she was casting the title role in "Priest." In 1997, he was teamed with Allison Elliott and Helena Bonham Carter as the journalist caught between the two in Iain Softley's adaptation of Henry James' novel "The Wings of the Dove." Roache went on to gain acclaim in a number of biographical films and miniseries, including "Pandaemonium" (2000), in which he played poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and the lead role in the TV movie "RFK" (2002). These were interspersed with more lightweight projects such as "The Chronicles of Riddick" (2004) and "Batman Begins" (2005). In 2008, Roache took on the role of Assistant District Attorney Michael Cutter in "Law & Order" (NBC 1990-2010), moving on to the spinoff "Law & Order: SVU" (NBC 1999- ) when the series finally came to an end. He returned to series television as Egbert of Wessex in the historical drama "Vikings" (History 2013- ).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1975
Made TV acting debut on "Coronation Street" playing his father's son
1985
Was member of the Royal Shakespeare Company
1986
Film debut, "No Surrender"
1989
Spent six months as member of the National Theatre
1994
Starred in the British series "Seaforth" playing a con man and thief
1995
First starring role in features, "Priest"
1997
Co-starred in "The Wings of the Dove"
1998
Appeared opposite Vincent Perez in the HBO movie "Shot Through the Heart"
2000
Acted on stage opposite Ralph Fiennes in "Coriolanus" and "Richard II"
2001
Portrayed the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge to John Hannah's William Wordsworth in the BBC Films production of "Pandaemonium"
2002
Had co-starring role in the WWII drama "Hart's War"
2002
Cast as Robert F. Kennedy in the FX biopic "RFK"; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in Miniseries or TV Movie
2004
Appeared in the Vin Diesel film "The Chronicles of Riddick"
2004
Cast in the thriller "The Forgotten" starring Julianne Moore
2005
Cast in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" as Bruce's father, Dr. Thomas Wayne
2005
Cast in Michael Cuesta's sophomore feature "Twelve and Holding"
2006
Played hard-charging prosecutor Sean Kierney in Sidney Lumet's "Find Me Guilty"
2008
Joined the cast of the long-running NBC series "Law & Order" playing Assistant District Attorney Michael Cutter
Family
Companions
