Ian Davies (born 8 October 1964), known professionally as Ian Hart, is an English actor. His most notable screen roles have been in One Summer (1983), Land and Freedom (1995), Nothing Personal (also 1995), Michael Collins (1996), Liam (2000), as Professor Quirrell in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), as Ludwig van Beethoven in Eroica (2003), as Brian Keenan in Blind Flight (also 2003), as Kester Gill on My Mad Fat Diary (2013–15), as Father Beocca on The Last Kingdom (2015–20), and as Carl on The Responder (2022). He is also known for playing musician John Lennon in multiple productions, including the 1994 biopic Backbeat.
Hart won the Volpi Cup for Best Supporting Performer for his performance in Nothing Personal. He is also a three-time British Independent Film Award nominee and a BAFTA Scotland Award nominee, among other accolades.
Early life Hart was born Ian Davies, in the Knotty Ash district of Liverpool on 8 October 1964. He has two siblings and was brought up in an Irish Catholic family. He attended Cardinal Heenan Grammar School in Liverpool's West Derby suburb, and was a member of the Everyman Youth Theatre, Liverpool, in his earlier years. He studied drama at the now-defunct Mabel Fletcher College of Music and Drama in Liverpool's Wavertree district.
Career In 1983, a 19-year-old Hart (credited by his birth name) starred in the television serial One Summer, alongside David Morrissey.
In 1991, Hart played John Lennon in the low-budget independent film The Hours and Times. He played Lennon twice more: a slightly younger Lennon during The Beatles' 1960-62 Hamburg period in Backbeat (1994), and a 50-year-old Lennon (having avoided his true fate at age 40) in the Playhouse Presents television production Snodgrass (2013).
In 1995, Hart portrayed a POUM militia volunteer in Ken Loach's Spanish Civil War film Land and Freedom. The same year, he played psychotic Northern Irish Protestant gangster 'Ginger' in the Thaddeus O'Sullivan directed 1995 Irish-British drama film Nothing Personal, alongside John Lynch, James Frain and Michael Gambon, for which, Hart won the Volpi Cup for best supporting actor at the 52nd Venice International Film Festival.
In 2000, he was back in Liverpool as an unemployed shipyard worker, father of three, including the protagonist, in the film Liam. His best-known role, however, is perhaps that of Professor Quirrell in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001). He also provided the voice and motion capture for the computer-generated face of Lord Voldemort.
In 2003, Hart and fellow actor Linus Roache fasted for three months and lost 2 stones each, to achieve a malnourished look for the filming of Blind Flight, where he played Middle-Eastern hostage Brian Keenan.
In 2004, Hart played Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the film Finding Neverland, having already played Doyle's creation Dr. Watson in a BBC One television film of The Hound of the Baskervilles in 2002, and reprising the role in 2004 in Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking, with a different actor playing Sherlock Holmes. He also played schizophrenic paparazzo Don Konkey in the FX series Dirt in 2007 and 2008.
In 2009 he played Tom Ripley in BBC Radio Four's adaptations of all five of Patricia Highsmith's "Ripliad" series. The same year, Hart worked alongside John Simm at the Duke of York's Theatre production of Andrew Bovell's play Speaking in Tongues.
In 2011, he played Adolf Hitler in the BBC drama The Man Who Crossed Hitler.
In 2015, he landed the role of Father Beocca in The Last Kingdom and remained as a main character until the end of series 4 in 2020.
In 2018, he starred as Sailing Master Thomas Blanky in the AMC produced series The Terror.
In 2022, Hart was back in Liverpool playing drug dealer Carl Sweeney, in the BBC One British police drama series The Responder alongside Martin Freeman.
Personal life In order to relax and unwind Hart has participated in kung-fu.
Hart is a supporter of Everton Football Club.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1985 No Surrender Uncertain Menace 1988 The Zip Son Short film 1991 The Hours and Times John Lennon 1994 Backbeat 1995 Land and Freedom David Carr The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain Johnny 'Shellshocked' Clockwork Mice Steve Nothing Personal Ginger 1996 Hollow Reed Tom Dixon Michael Collins Joe O'Reilly 1997 Gold in the Streets Des Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe The Butcher Boy Uncle Alo Mojo Mickey 1998 Monument Ave. 'Mouse' Frogs for Snakes Quint B. Monkey Steve Davis Enemy of the State NSA Agent John Bingham 1999 This Year's Love Liam Wonderland Dan Spring Forward Fran The End of the Affair Mr. Parkis Bait Dad Short film 2000 The Closer You Get Kieran O'Donnell Best Nobby Stiles Aberdeen Clive Liam Dad Born Romantic Second Cab DriverBring Me Your LoveHarry WeaverShort film 2001 Strictly Sinatra Toni Cocozza Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Professor Quirrell / Lord Voldemort 2002 Killing Me Softly Senior Police Officer Unhinged Eric Short film 2003 Den of Lions FBI Agent Rob Shepard Cheeky Alan Blind Flight Brian Keenan 2004 Every Seven Years Liam Short film Finding Neverland Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Strings Ghrak (voice) English dub 2005 A Cock and Bull Story Joe Rag Tale Morph, Photographer Breakfast on Pluto PC Wallis Ripley Under Ground Bernard Sayles 2006 Trigger Happy The Man Short film 2007 Intervention Harry III Jr. Both Moussa Short film A Girl and a Gun Johnny Int. Bedsit – Day Pete Short film 2008 Still Waters Burn Jack Price 2009 Morris: A Life with Bells On Endeavour A Boy Called Dad Joe Within the Whirlwind Beylin 2010 Watching Carrik Short film 2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Professor Quirrell Archive footage; uncredited role 2012 Hard Boiled Sweets Joyce 2014 Conversation with a Cigarette (unknown) Short film 2015 Dough Victor Gerrard Urban Hymn Ian Wilson 2016 Native Telepathic voice Johnno's Dead Narrator (voice) Short film Dusty and Me 'Big Eddie' 2017 God's Own Country Martin Saxby uk18 Darren Modern Life Is Rubbish The Curve 2018 Mary Queen of Scots Lord Maitland 2019 The Sands of Venus Daniel Short film 2020 The 11th Green James Forrestal Through the Dunes Andy Short film Escape from Pretoria Denis Goldberg 2022 Florian Gary Short film Marlowe Detective Joe Green Left Over Mick Short film 2023 Shoshana Robert Chambers TBA Filming
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1983 One Summer 'Rabbit' Miniseries. Credited as Ian Davies 1984 Travelling Man Kyffin Rees Series 1; Episode 3: "The Watcher" 1985 The Exercise Cadet Pritchard Television film The Brothers McGregor Youth Series 1; Episode 1: "The Getaway Car" 1986 The Practice William Griffin Series 2; Episodes 3, 6 & 18 The Monocled Mutineer Medic Episode 2: "Before the Shambles" 1987 The Marksman Comic Miniseries; Episode 3 1989 The Play on One Christie Series 2; Episode 5: "A View of Harry Clark" 1990 Chain Hawkins Miniseries; Episode 2: "Vicky Elliott" 1992 Medics John Series 2; Episode 6 EastEnders Mick 3 episodes 1995 Loved Up Tom Television film 2000 Longitude William Harrison Miniseries; Episodes 1 & 2 2002 The Hound of the Baskervilles Dr. John Watson Television film Dad's Dead Narrator (voice) Television short film 2003 Eroica Ludwig van Beethoven Television film 2004 Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking Dr. John Watson Television film 2005–06 The Virgin Queen William Cecil, Lord Burghley Miniseries; Episodes 1–4 2007–08 Dirt Don Konkey Main cast. Series 1 & 2; 20 episodes 2009 Dr. Hoo Dr. Hoo Television pilot Moving On Jake Series 1; Episode 4: "Dress to Impress" Father & Son Tony Conroy Miniseries; Episodes 1–4 2010 Five Daughters DCS Stewart Gull Miniseries; Episodes 1–3 When Harvey Met Bob Harvey Goldsmith Television film 2011 The Man Who Crossed Hitler Adolf Hitler Television film 2011–12 Luck Lonnie Main cast. Series 1; 9 episodes 2013 Playhouse Presents John Lennon Series 2; Episode 2: "Snodgrass" Bates Motel Will Decody Series 1; Episodes 4 & 8: "Trust Me" and "A Boy and His Dog" Rogue Buddy Wilson Series 1; 9 episodes Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Dr. Franklin Hall Series 1; Episode 3: "The Asset" 2013–15 My Mad Fat Diary Dr. Kester Gill Series 1–3; 16 episodes 2014 Klondike Soapy Smith Miniseries; Episodes 1–6 The Bridge Man in Car / David Tate / CIA Agent Buckley Series 2; 7 episodes The Driver Colin Vine / Craig Vine Miniseries; Episodes 1–3 Boardwalk Empire Ethan Thompson Series 5; 4 episodes 2015–20 The Last Kingdom Father Beocca Series 1–4; 28 episodes 2016 Vinyl Peter Grant Episode 1: "Pilot" The Secret Agent The Professor Miniseries; Episodes 1–3 2018 The Terror Thomas Blanky Series 1; Episodes 1–10 Elementary Professor Baynes Series 6; Episode 16: "Uncanny Valley of the Dolls" Hang Ups Sam Travers 1 episode 2019 Urban Myths Hans Christian Andersen Series 3; Episode 1: "Bleak House Guest" 2020 Noughts + Crosses Ryan McGregor, Callum & Jude's Father Series 1; Episodes 1–4 Tin Star Michael Ryan Series 3; Episodes 1–6 2021 Help Steve Television film 2021–23 The Mosquito Coast William 'Bill' Lee Series 1 & 2; 11 episodes 2022 Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts Himself HBO Max Special The Responder Carl Sweeney Series 1; Episodes 1–4 2024 Mr Bates vs The Post Office Bob Rutherford Miniseries; Episodes 2–4 Shetland Euan Rossi Series 9; Episodes 1–6TBA The BlameDCI Kenneth WalkerMain role
Awards and nominations +InstitutionYearCategoryWorkResultApolo Awards2018Best Supporting ActorGod's Own CountryBAFTA Scotland Awards2004Best ActorBlind FlightBritish Independent Film Awards2001Best ActorLiam2004Blind Flight2017Best Supporting ActorGod's Own CountryChicago Film Critics Association1995Most Promising ActorBackbeatEvening Standard British Film Awards1995Most Promising Newcomer2018Best Supporting ActorGod's Own CountryKarlovy Vary International Film Festival2000Best ActorAberdeenTribeca Festival2004Best Actor in a Narrative FeatureBlind FlightVenice Film Festival1995Best Supporting ActorNothing Personal
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