Leo Staar (born 24 July 1986) is an English actor, best known for his portrayals of Alec Jesmond in Call the Midwife and Inspector Lapointe in Maigret.
Biography Leo Staar was born in London and grew up in Worthing, West Sussex. After graduating from drama school in 2009, he went straight into theatre, playing the roles of Ferdinand in The Tempest and Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet in the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival. He also played Mr. Wickham in a stage adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. In 2010, he appeared in Thea Sharrock's production of Terence Rattigan's After the Dance, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch at the National Theatre. That same year, he played a minor role in the National Theatre Live cinema broadcast of Sir Nicholas Hynter's production of Hamlet, with Rory Kinnear in the title role. In 2011, he appeared in Josie Rourke's production of Much Ado About Nothing at Wyndham's Theatre, alongside David Tennant and Catherine Tate.
Staar became known to the public in 2013 when he landed his first major television role in the BBC medical drama Call the Midwife, where he played the recurring character Alec Jesmond, who became the boyfriend of main character Jenny Lee. He appeared in six episodes until the character died in a tragic accident. He then made guest appearances on Casualty, Lewis and Death in Paradise.
In 2015, Staar landed his next major television role when he was cast as Inspector Lapointe in the ITV detective drama Maigret, based on the books by Georges Simenon and starring Rowan Atkinson in the title role. The series ran from 2016 to 2017. In 2019, he played Denning in the BBC mini-series Summer of Rockets, opposite Toby Stephens and Keeley Hawes. He appeared in Fabio D'Andrea's music video The Sleeping Beauty, where he played a widowed father whose young daughter dreams of becoming a ballerina. The video was officially released in 2020.
In 2022, Staar appeared in the spy movie, The 355, opposite Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong'o, Penélope Cruz and Sebastian Stan.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 2011An Outstanding PerformerCharlieShort film 2019Cheating CharlieVolkerShort Film 2022 The 355 Grady
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 2012Dark Matters: Twisted But TrueEd Forman/Krasnogorskiy2 episodes 2013Dancing on the EdgeYoung Upper Class Man1 episode 2013-2014Call the MidwifeAlec Jesmond6 episodes 2014CasualtyWill JamisonEpisode: "To Yourself Be True" 2014LewisSimon EastwoodEpisodes: "Entry Wounds parts 1&2" 2015Death in ParadiseSimon ParkeEpisode: "Til Death Do You Part" 2016Maigret Sets a TrapInspector LapointeTV film 2016Maigret's Dead ManInspector LapointeTV film 2017Maigret's Night at the CrossroadsInspector LapointeTV film 2017Maigret in MontemartreInspector LapointeTV film 2018Jack RyanWilliamsEpisode: "Pilot" 2019Summer of RocketsDenning5 episodes 2022Van der ValkFlorian BarbyEpisode: "Blood in Amsterdam" 2023Silent WitnessCalvin DunnEpisodes: "Effective Range - Part 1&2"
Live Streaming Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes 2010National Theatre Live Hamlet Cornelius/PriestLive via satellite
Music videos Year Artist Title Role 2020 Fabio D'Andrea The Sleeping Beauty The Father
Audio YearTitleRoleNotes 2020The Avengers: Steed and Mrs PeelJack/Agent Rogers/RocliffeComic Strip Audio
Video games YearTitleRole 2014 Dreamfall ChaptersReza Temiz (voice)
Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes 2009The TempestFerdinandCambridge Shakespeare Festival2009Romeo and JulietBenvolioCambridge Shakespeare Festival2009Pride and PrejudiceMr WickhamTheatre Royal, Bath2010After the DancePartygoer/Dr George Banner/Cyril CarterRoyal National Theatre2010HamletCornelius/PriestRoyal National Theatre2011Much Ado About NothingMessengerWyndham's Theatre2012Celebrity Night at Café RedHarryTrafalgar Theatre2015Hello/GoodbyeLeoHampstead Theatre2018The Country WifeHarcourtSouthwark Playhouse
References
External links United Agents - Leo Staar
Leo Staar Instagram