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Full Name: Ioan Gruffudd
NOTE: From what we've heard, Ioan does not have a middle name. There is no middle name on Ioan's C.V
Birthdate: October 6, 1973
Hometown: Cardiff, Wales
Biography (Courtesy of www.ioan.palacecreations.com):
Ioan Gruffudd (pronounced Yo-Awn Griffith) was born on October 6, 1973 in Cardiff, Wales to teachers, Peter and Gillian
Gruffudd. Ioan is the eldest of three siblings: his brother Alun is two years younger and his sister Siwan is seven years
younger. Welsh is Ioan's mother tongue, but like all people of Wales, they master English as well. Ioan also learned Yiddish
for his role as Solomon in the film Solomon and Gaenor. As a youth, Ioan attended Ysgol Melin Gruffydd junior school and Ysgol
Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf secondary school. There, he developed his musical talents, playing the oboe in the South Glamorgan Youth
Orchestra for a number of years. He also has a lovely singing voice, and fans were treated to a snippet of the young Ioan
singing "The Pancake Song" in Welsh on a British TV show.
Ioan started his acting career as a child star in the Welsh soap opera Pobol Y Cwm from 1989 to 1994. He then attended
the prestigious Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts in London, England in 1992. Graduating in June of 1995, he almost immediately
got work. His early projects included: a role in the 1996 film, A Relative Stranger; a role in The Decameron, a play at the
Gate Theater; and Karl Stranger in a 1996 A Mind to Kill episode titled "Strange Territory." Winning a plum role as Jeremy
Poldark in a remake of the popular Poldark saga in 1996, could have launched his career as a major star, but the film was
not as popular as the original series and no more episodes were scheduled. The year 1997 was when Ioan started garnering notice
from a world-wide audience. Simultaneously he played two supporting roles: John Grey in Wilde and the role that would win
him acclaim, Fifth Officer Lowe in the Hollywood blockbuster, Titanic. Fans marveled at his acting ability and good looks,
as well as identifying with the character he portrayed. Fifth Officer Lowe commanded the only boat that went back to rescue
survivors.
His title role in the exquisitely made miniseries Horatio Hornblower, catapulted Ioan to full-fledged stardom. Ioan's
ability to embody the role of Horatio dazzled fans and critics alike. Other leading roles followed. He won the role of Solomon
in the 1998 film Solomon and Gaenor, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2000. He also played
Pip in the 1999 Masterpiece Theater rendition of Great Expectations. In 1999, Ioan joined an ensemble cast, playing Lt. John
Feeley in the critically acclaimed BBC film Warriors. In 2000, Ioan gave a solid performance as the cad, Freddie Bywaters,
in Another Life, and a hilarious performance as Hob in Very Annie Mary, which he played alongside his former flatmate, Matthew
Rhys. Numerous other parts followed: Freddy Guns in Shooters, Kevin Sheperd in 102 Dalmatians, 2nd Lt John Beales in Black
Hawk Down, Dan in The Gathering, and Philip Bosinney in The Forsyte Saga, to name a few. For a full list of Ioan's roles,
please see the Filmography.
Moving to the US in 2002, Ioan has admirably sought to break out as a Hollywood star. He played Lukas Gold in the short-lived
CBS television series, Century City. In 2004, he starred as Lancelot in King Arthur. He grew a scraggly reddish beard for
the role that was painted brown each day to match his hair. Now awaiting the release of the Fantastic Four, fans will be treated
to a Ioan like no other. He will wear a special suit to beef up his normally lanky frame. There is also credible buzz that
Ioan will be tapped to play the next Bond.
Ioan Gruffudd fans, like fans everywhere, pour over and exchange the details of his personal life. And this website
is no exception. Ioan is 5'11", right-handed, and wears contacts. He's Christian and from all reports, is quite serious about
his faith. His favorite sport is rugby, which he played during his teen years. Among his favorite bands are: Manic Street
Preachers, Catatonia, Stereophonics, and Oasis. He enjoys going to the movies, the theatre, and the pub. He loves drinking
beer and tea, but not at the same time of course. He's single (hope springs eternal in many a feminine heart!), but remembers
his first kiss at the age of 12 to a girl named Erin at a camp dance. Ioan's biggest influences include his family, Robert
Redford and Paul Newman. Currently, Ioan lives in the greater Los Angeles area with his girlfriend Alice Evans, who played
his love interest in 102 Dalmatians.
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Links:
Ioan.PalaceCreations.Com
Ioan's IMDB.COM page
Ioan-Gruffudd.Org
A Fan's Huge Collection of Ioan Links!
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