Ioan's Biography
Many thanks to Gina for her work on Ioan's biography. 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 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 piloted 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, 2 Lt. John Beales in Black Hawk Down, Dan in The Gathering, and Philip Bosinney in the Forsyte Saga, to name a few. Moving to the US in 2002, Ioan has 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. He also played abolitionist William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace in 2006. Upon the release of the Fantastic Four, in 2005 and the sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, in 2007, fans were treated to a Ioan like no other. He wore a special suit to beef up his normally lanky frame. Fans also got to play with stretchy Ioan actions figures, certainly a new feature of Ioan Gruffudd fandom. Ioan is able to project diverse characters solely with his marvelous speaking voice. One feels as if one were fighting sea battles with Horatio Hornblower and Lt. Bush or marauding with Robin Hood and his Merry Men, when listening to Ioan’s audiobook narrations in C.S. Forester’s Hornblower series and Dorling Kindersley Read & Listen Robin Hood audio book. Soon, fans will experience a new treat. Ioan will be the voice of Agent Crush an animated adventure set for a USA release in 2008. He will work alongside former 102 Dalmatian co-stars Tim McInnerny and Alice Evans. Other future projects include Fireflies in the Garden, scheduled for release in 2008 and the Secret of Moonacre, which has just begun filming. Ioan Gruffudd fans, like fans everywhere, pour over and exchange the details of his personal life. Ioan is 5'11”, right-handed, and wears contacts. His favorite sport is rugby, which he played during his teen years. He enjoys going to the movies, the theatre, and the pub and is passionate about The Simpsons. He loves drinking beer and tea, but not at the same time of course. He remembered 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 wife Alice Evans, who played his love interest in 102 Dalmatians. The couple were married on 14 September 2007. © Gina Petonito 1999-2007