Editing Stuart Townsend

{{Short description|Irish actor}}
{{for|the English rugby union player|Stu Townsend}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| image            = StuartTownsend07TIFF.jpg
| image_size       =
| caption          = Townsend at the Beverly Hills special screening of ''Battle in Seattle'' on 22 September 2008.
| name             = Stuart Townsend
| birth_name       =
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1972|12|15}}
| birth_place      = [[Howth]], [[County Dublin]], Ireland
| nationality      =
| death_date       =
| death_place      =
| other_names      =
| occupation       = Actor
| years_active     = 1993&ndash;present
| partner          = [[Charlize Theron]] (2001–2009)
| children         = 2
| father           = [[Peter Townsend (golfer)|Peter Townsend]]
| relatives        = [[Hugo Townsend]] (half-brother)
}}
'''Stuart Townsend''' (born 15 December 1972) is an Irish actor. He portrayed [[Lestat de Lioncourt]] in the [[film adaptation]] of [[Anne Rice]]'s ''[[Queen of the Damned]]'' (2002), and [[Dorian Gray (character)|Dorian Gray]] in [[Alan Moore]]'s ''[[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (film)|The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen]]'' (2003). In 2007, he directed the film ''[[Battle in Seattle]]''.

==Early life and career==
Townsend was born in [[Howth]], [[County Dublin]], the son of Lorna Hogan, an Irish model, and [[Peter Townsend (golfer)|Peter Townsend]], an English [[professional golfer]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.talktalk.co.uk/entertainment/film/biography/artist/stuart-townsend/biography/120|title=Stuart Townsend – Biography|publisher=[[TalkTalk Group]]|access-date=6 May 2010|first=Dominic|last=Wills}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://movies.about.com/od/headintheclouds/a/headst082704_2.htm |title=Interview with Stuart Townsend |first=Rebecca |last=Murray |work=[[About.com]] |date=2004-08-27 |access-date=2019-01-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111181754/http://movies.about.com/od/headintheclouds/a/headst082704_2.htm |archive-date=2011-01-11}}</ref> His younger brother, Dylan, is also an actor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dylan Townsend {{!}} Writer, Producer, Actor |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5579744/ |access-date=2023-11-14 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>

Stuart attended the [[Gaiety School of Acting]], Dublin, and made his non-professional stage debut in its 1993 production of [[Colin Teevan]]'s ''Tear Up The Black Sail''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gaietyschool.com/news_and_events/view/1496/ |title=Gaiety School of Acting&nbsp;— News And Events |work=[[Gaiety School of Acting]] |access-date=6 March 2010}}</ref> The following year he made his professional stage debut in ''True Lines'', directed by [[John Crowley (director)|John Crowley]], which opened in [[Kilkenny]], before moving to the [[Dublin Theatre Festival]] and on to the [[Bush Theatre]] in London. His early film roles were in Irish short films, including ''Godsuit'' and ''Summertime'', before landing a role in the [[feature film|feature]] length film, ''Trojan Eddie'', a 1996 [[Anglo-Irish]] co-production. In 1997 he starred in the British film, ''[[Shooting Fish]]''.

With his portrayal of a seducer in the title role of ''[[About Adam]]'', Townsend gained exposure in the United States. He briefly returned to the London stage in 2000, in the [[Tennessee Williams]] play ''[[Orpheus Descending]]'', starring as Val Xavier, alongside [[Helen Mirren]] as Lady Torrance, before landing roles in several major films. He appeared in ''[[Queen of the Damned]]'' as the vampire [[Lestat de Lioncourt]], and in ''[[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (film)|The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen]]'' as [[Dorian Gray]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/stuart-townsend-57293757/ |title=Stuart Townsend {{!}} Biography and Filmography {{!}} 1972 |author=Staff writers |date=2015-02-05 |work=[[Hollywood.com]] |access-date=2017-08-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> Townsend was hired to play the part of [[Aragorn]] in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy]], but was replaced by [[Viggo Mortensen]] the day before [[principal photography]] began.<ref name="ew">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,212325_2,00.html |title=Meet Aaliyah's last leading man |first=Liane |last=Bonin |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=2002-02-22 |access-date=2019-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051212094200/http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,212325-2-2~1~0~,00.html|archive-date=12 December 2005}}</ref> According to Townsend:
{{quote|I was there rehearsing and training for two months, then was fired the day before filming began. After that I was told they wouldn't pay me because I was in breach of contract due to not having worked long enough. I had been having a rough time with them, so I was almost relieved to be leaving until they told me I wouldn't be paid. I have no good feelings for those people in charge, I really don't. The director wanted me and then apparently thought better of it because he really wanted someone 20 years older than me and completely different.<ref name="ew" />}}

In 2005, he starred alongside [[Gabrielle Union]] in ''[[Night Stalker (TV series)|Night Stalker]]'', the remake of the 1974 [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] TV series ''[[Kolchak: The Night Stalker]]''. He portrayed Carl Kolchak, an investigative reporter looking into his wife's murder. ''Night Stalker'' was abruptly cancelled by ABC after six episodes due to bad viewing figures, with some critics reportedly saying he was too young compared to [[Darren McGavin]] in the original series. The same year, Townsend had a guest starring role on NBC's ''[[Will & Grace]]'' as Karen Walker's [[pansexual]] pastry chef who seduces her, Will Truman, and then her maid, Rosario. He also made an uncredited cameo in ''[[Æon Flux (film)|Æon Flux]]'' (2005). Townsend starred alongside [[Ryan Reynolds]] in ''[[Chaos Theory (film)|Chaos Theory]]'' (2007). The same year, he made his directorial debut with ''[[Battle in Seattle]]'', a portrayal of the [[World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 1999|WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999]] which was protested by environmentalists, indigenous rights organizations, labor unions and [[anti-globalisation]] protesters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vidal |first=John |date=1999-12-05 |title=Real battle for Seattle |language=en-GB |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/dec/05/wto.globalisation |access-date=2023-07-17 |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> The film's cast included [[Charlize Theron]], [[Ray Liotta]] and [[Woody Harrelson]], but enjoyed only limited release and no [[blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbuster]] support.

Townsend was set to play [[Fandral]] in [[Kenneth Branagh]]'s ''[[Thor (film)|Thor]]'', but was replaced in January 2010, due to unspecified creative differences.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stuart Townsend Leaves 'Thor,' Joshua Dallas Will Play Fandral |first=Josh |last=Wigler |url=http://splashpage.mtv.com/2010/01/11/stuart-townsend-leaves-thor-joshua-dallas-will-play-fandral/ |date=11 January 2010 |access-date=13 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429072159/http://splashpage.mtv.com/2010/01/11/stuart-townsend-leaves-thor-joshua-dallas-will-play-fandral |archive-date=29 April 2011}}</ref> He appeared in the ABC thriller, ''[[Betrayal (TV series)|Betrayal]]'', the second season of ''[[Salem (TV series)|Salem]]'', and a 2017 episode of ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/85472/lestat-xena-heading-salem-stuart-townsend-lucy-lawless-sign-season-2/ |title=Lestat and Xena Heading to Salem! Stuart Townsend, Lucy Lawless, and More Sign Up for Season 2! |first=Debi |last=Moore |work=[[Dread Central]] |date=2015-01-14 |access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref> In 2021, Townsend starred in the films ''The Martini Shot'' and ''Grace and Grit''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2018/11/mena-suvari-frances-fisher-grace-and-grit-movie-1202502804/ |title=Mena Suvari & Frances Fisher To Star In 'Grace and Grit' Indie |first=Amanda |last=N'Duka |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=2018-11-15 |access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://lovecastleconnell.com/castleconnell-hollywood/ |title=Castleconnell gets a Shot of Hollywood! |work=Love [[Castleconnell]] |date=2018-10-12 |access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Townsend's father, [[Peter Townsend (golfer)|Peter]], was a golfer who played in the [[1969 Ryder Cup|1969]] and [[1971 Ryder Cup]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/stuart_townsend_biog.html | title = Stuart Townsend Biography | last = Wills | first = Dominic | work = Film biographies | publisher = Tiscali | access-date = 8 February 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081224040244/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/stuart_townsend_biog.html | archive-date = 24 December 2008}}</ref> He has a brother, Dylan, and sister, Chloe, from his father's first marriage to Lorna Townsend, who died in 1994 of a brain haemorrhage.<ref>{{cite news|last=McQuaile|first=Jenny|title=Stuart's my big brother and my hero.. He raised us when our mum died; IRISH MODEL DYLAN TOWNSEND ON LIFE WITH HOLLYWOOD COUPLE.|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Stuart's+my+big+brother+and+my+hero..+He+raised+us+when+our+mum+died%3B...-a0119883734|access-date=7 October 2013|newspaper=The Mirror (London, England)|date=29 July 2004}}</ref> Townsend has two half-siblings, [[Hugo Townsend|Hugo]] and Ella, from his father's second marriage, to Swedish-born Sofia.<ref>{{cite news |last=Egan |first=Barry |title=Stuart finds his life goes on after Theron |url=http://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/stuart-finds-his-life-goes-on-after-theron-26632299.html |access-date=7 October 2013 |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=14 February 2010}}</ref>

Stuart dated actress [[Charlize Theron]] after meeting her on the set of 2002's ''[[Trapped (2002 film)|Trapped]]''. The couple lived together in Los Angeles and Ireland. They said they considered themselves married without an actual marriage, with Townsend stating, "We didn't have a ceremony. I don't need a certificate or the state or the church to say otherwise. So no, there's no big official story on a wedding, but we are married.... I consider her my wife and she considers me her husband."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20055540,00.html | title = Stuart Townsend Calls Charlize Theron His Wife | last = Chi | first = Paul | work = People | access-date =13 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204034337/http://people.com/celebrity/stuart-townsend-calls-charlize-theron-his-wife/|archive-date=4 December 2017}}</ref> Theron split from Townsend when they came back on day two of a planned ten-day holiday in [[Mexico]] in January 2010.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=4c8e405f-33a4-434c-b0eb-e726fda35dcf | title = Theron ends relationship? Charlize Theron has reportedly split from her partner of nine years. | last = Johnston | first = Max | publisher = The Province&nbsp;— Division of Canwest Publishing Inc. | access-date = 7 October 2013 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150828002918/http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=4c8e405f-33a4-434c-b0eb-e726fda35dcf | archive-date = 28 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Egan|first=Barry|title=Stuart finds his life goes on after Theron|url=http://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/stuart-finds-his-life-goes-on-after-theron-26632299.html|access-date=7 October 2013|newspaper=IndependentWoman.ie|date=14 February 2010}}</ref>

In May 2015, Townsend's brother said that Stuart had settled down in [[Costa Rica]], where he had bought some land and was living with a woman from that country, who was expecting their second child at that time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-news/irish-actor-stuart-townsend-living-in-costa-rica-and-expecting-second-child-says-his-brother-dylan-31259977.html |title=Irish actor Stuart Townsend living in Costa Rica and expecting second child, says his brother Dylan |author=Staff writers |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=2015-05-28 |access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref> In 2019, Townsend was living in Santa Monica with his wife and two children, and was arrested after a domestic dispute.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Quann|first=Jack|title=Irish actor Stuart Townsend arrested in US|url=https://www.newstalk.com/news/irish-actor-stuart-townsend-arrested-us-904565|access-date=2021-08-26|website=Newstalk|language=en}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

=== Films ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class=unsortable | Notes
|-
| 1993
| ''Godsuit''
| John Slattery
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Trojan Eddie]]''
| Dermot
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1997
| ''[[Shooting Fish]]''
| Jez
|
|-
| ''[[Under the Skin (1997 film)|Under the Skin]]''
| Tom
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Resurrection Man (film)|Resurrection Man]]''
| Victor Kelly
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1999
| ''[[Simon Magus (film)|Simon Magus]]''
| Dovid Bendel
|
|-
| ''[[Wonderland (1999 film)|Wonderland]]''
| Tim
|
|-
| ''[[The Venice Project]]''
| Lark/Gippo the Fool
|
|-
| ''[[The Escort (1999 film)|The Escort]]''
| Tom
|
|-
| 2000
| ''[[About Adam]]''
| Adam
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2002
| ''[[Queen of the Damned]]''
| [[Lestat de Lioncourt]]
|
|-
| ''[[Trapped (2002 film)|Trapped]]''
| William Jennings
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2003
| ''[[Shade (film)|Shade]]''
| Vernon
|
|-
| ''[[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (film)|The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen]]''
| [[Dorian Gray]]
|
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Head in the Clouds (film)|Head in the Clouds]]''
| Guy Malyon
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[The Best Man (2005)|The Best Man]]''
| Olly Pickering
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Æon Flux (film)|Æon Flux]]''
| Monican Rebel
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Chaos Theory (film)|Chaos Theory]]''
| Buddy Endrow
|
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Battle in Seattle]]''
|
| Writer and director only
|-
| 2009
| ''Maggie Hill''
| Terrence James
|
|-
| 2013
| ''[[A Stranger in Paradise]]''
| Paul
|
|-
| 2021
| ''[[Grace and Grit]]''
| [[Ken Wilber]]
|
|-
| 2021
| ''[[Christmas at Castle Hart]]''
| Earl Aidan Hart
|
|-
| 2021
| ''[[Apache Junction (film)|Apache Junction]]''
| Jericho Ford
|
|-
| 2023
| {{pending film|[[The Martini Shot]]}}
| Philip
| Completed
|}
{{pending films key}}

=== Television ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class=unsortable | Notes
|-
| 1995
| ''Summertime''
| Andrew
| Main role
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Will & Grace]]''
| Edward the pastry Chef
| 1 episode
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Night Stalker (TV series)|Night Stalker]]''
| Carl Kolchak
| Main role
|-
| 2005–2009
| ''[[Robot Chicken]]''
| Announcer, Lucky Charms Leprechaun, Ron Weasley
| 4 episodes
|-
| 2011–2012
| ''[[XIII: The Series]]''
| XIII
| Main role
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Betrayal (TV series)|Betrayal]]''
| Jack McAllister
| Series regular
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Elementary (TV series)|Elementary]]''
| Del Gruner
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Salem (TV series)|Salem]]''
| Dr. Samuel Wainwright
| 7 episodes
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''
| Declan Trask
| Guest
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
! Year !! Group !! Award !! Result !! Notes
|-
| 1998 || [[Fantafestival]] || Best Actor || {{won}} || ''[[Resurrection Man (film)|Resurrection Man]]''
|-
| 2003 || [[Irish Film and Television Awards]] || Best Actor in a Film|| {{nom}} || People's Choice Award
|-
| 2008 || [[Irish Film and Television Awards]] ||Best Script for Film|| {{nom}} || ''[[Battle in Seattle]]''
|-
| 2013 || WorldFest ||Best Actor|| {{won}} || ''[[XIII: The Series]]''
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Stuart Townsend}}
* {{IMDb name|870204}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Stuart}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Irish male actors]]
[[Category:Irish emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Irish film directors]]
[[Category:Irish male film actors]]
[[Category:Irish male stage actors]]
[[Category:Irish male television actors]]
[[Category:Irish people of English descent]]
[[Category:Male actors from County Dublin]]
[[Category:People from Howth]]