Charlie Hunnam - Film & Theater Personalities, Timeline and Facts

Charlie Hunnam was born to William ‘Billy’ Hunnam and Jane. While his father was a gangster and scrap metal merchant, his mother was occupied as a gift shop runner. He was the second biological son of the couple and had two younger step-brothers.

His parents separated when he was two. Initially settled in Newcastle upon Tyne, he received his formal education from Heaton Manor School. After his mother remarried and shifted base to Melmerby, Cumbria, he went along with her and admitted himself to the Elizabeth Grammar School.

Since he was expelled from school, he gave his exams from home, passing which he enrolled at the Cumbria College of Art and Design. He graduated from the same with a degree in theory and history of film.

It was while he was goofing inside a shoe store on Christmas Eve that he was spotted by a production manager of the Newcastle-based children’s show, Byker Grove. Eventually, the latter handed over to him his first stint at acting, which included playing the character of Jason for three episodes in ‘Byker Grove’. He was ten years old then.

Following his startling debut, he did not get into mainstream acting until he was eighteen. With the help of an agent, he got himself a role in the British-made teen series, ‘Microsoap’.

It was his spectacular performance in ‘Microsoap’ that helped him bag a major role in Channel 4 drama ‘Queer as Folk’, which revolved around a homosexual teenage life. In the series, he portrayed the role of a fifteen year old boy, Nathan Maloney.

The role of Nathan Maloney proved to be a turning point in his career. He beautifully administered the challenging task of turning the character from being a shy, introvert and innocent chap to a cocky, know-it-all gay, so much so that he became a role model for the gay youth. The show was largely appreciated and recorded highest ratings of that time.

Following the ground-breaking ratings, he reprised his role of Nathan Maloney for the two hour sequel of the drama, ‘Queer as Folk 2’. He next made a big screen debut starring as Daz in the film ‘Whatever happened to Harold Smith?’ released in 1999.

He moved to Los Angeles. His first ever stint at US television was a recurring role in the short-lived teen drama, ‘Young Americans’ for the WB Television Network. Following this, he starred in a regular role as an English drama student Lloyd Haythe in the Fox series ‘Undeclared’. His fresh face and perfect portrayal made the character of Llyod seem believable and authentic.

In 2002, he made his American film debut with the psychological thriller, ‘Abandon’ where he was cast for the role of Embry Larkin, the missing boyfriend of a college student, played by Katie Holmes, whose case is reopened two years later by a police detective looking into a series of other missing students.

The same year, he was cast for the role of the protagonist in the movie, ‘Nicholas Nickelby’. The movie was an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel. In the movie, he played the role of a 19th Century guy whose life turns upside down after the tragic death of his father. He is penniless ad at the mercy of his uncle Ralph, played by Christopher Plummer.

The following year, i.e. in 2003, he was cast along with Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Ren�e Zellweger in the movie, ‘Cold Mountain’. In the movie, he played the pivotal character of a Civil War marauder who joins as a member of the Home guard and kills deserters for cash.

He returned to UK to star in the film, ‘Green Street Hooligans’. In the film, he played the role of a treacherous thug who enrobes an American student expelled from Harvard and teaches the latter the details related to football hooliganism. The movie earned negative critical review for the unrealistic and wrongful deliverance of Cockney accent.

Following a dismissal performance of an English thug, he went on to star in the dystopian sci-fi-thriller ‘Children of Men’. A dark film, the movie had him play the role Patric, a member of ‘The Fishes’. It also starred Clive Owen and Claire Hope Ashitey.

His performance in ‘Green Street Hooligans’ brought him to the attention of Kurt Sutter who cast him in the role of Jackson ‘Jax’ Teller in the television biker drama, ‘Sons of Anarchy’. The role which had him play as the Vice President of a biker gang got him his real breakthrough and proved to be a role of a lifetime. It also earned him a couple of nominations in award categories. The series is on-going as of date.

Following this, in 2011, he was cast in various films including, the philosophical drama/thriller ‘The Ledger’ in 2011, the crime drama ‘Deadfall’ in 2012, the indie comedy ‘3,2,1..Frankie Go Boom’ in 2012 and the sci-fi movie ‘Pacific Rim’ in 2013.

He is reported to star in the horror flick, ‘Crimson Peak’ as Dr Alan McMichael. The film is expected to be released on October 16, 2015.

He first met his future wife, Katharine Towne while auditioning for the role of Dawson’s Creek. The two shared an instant chemistry and tied the marital knot after four weeks of courtship period. However, the alliance did not work out and the two separated in 2002.

Since 2007, he is reported to have been in a romantic relationship with jewellery designer Morgana McNelis

He was cast to play the role of a ‘stoner’ in the small independent film ‘Anderson Cross’ but could not play due to scheduling conflicts. Interestingly, Director Jerome instead of offering his role to anyone else, cut the part out of the script completely saying ‘No one replaces him’.