Rupert Vansittart

Rupert Vansittart

Actor

Cranleigh, Surrey, England, UK

Rupert Nicholas Vansittart (born 10 February 1958) is an English character actor. He has appeared in a variety of roles in film, television, stage and radio, often playing comic characters. He is best known for his role as Lord Ashfordly in the ITV drama Heartbeat and for playing Lord Yohn Royce in the HBO series Game of Thrones in season 4, season 5, and season 6. Vansittart trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Vansittart is known to fans of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice serial as the actor who portrayed Mr Hurst, the brother-in-law of Charles and Caroline Bingley. He has also worked with Rowan Atkinson on a number of occasions, appearing as a guest star in two episodes of Mr. Bean and also The Thin Blue Line, as well as appearing in Johnny English Reborn, the sequel to Johnny English. In 1993, he appeared in Remains of the Day as Sir Geoffrey Wren, a character based on the 1930s British fascist Sir Oswald Mosley. In 1994, he appeared in the film Braveheart as Lord Bottoms. He worked in Four Weddings and a Funeral as George the Bore at the Boatman in 1995. In 2003, he appeared in the West End adaptation of Arsenic and Old Lace. In 2005, he appeared in the "Market for Murder" episode of Midsomer Murders and, that same year, as General Asquith in the two Doctor Who episodes, "Aliens of London" and "World War Three". In 2006, Vansittart portrayed Thomas J. Dodd in the BBC three-part drama documentary Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial. He also appeared in the 2008 BBC serial Spartacus as Consul Lentulus, In 2009 in Margaret he was asked to play Peter Morrison, but two years later in the critically acclaimed Iron Lady with Meryl Streep he played Cabinet minister John Biffen. He has also played political characters on stage: in 2014 he was one of the main actors in the cast of Great Britain at the National Theatre. He also appeared in This House in traditional garb playing an Army Officer turned politician, dealing with the topical, but sensitive expenses scandal. 2009 also saw his second appearance in "Midsomer Murders", in an episode titled "The Dogleg Murders". In 2010, he appeared in Doctors as Anthony Chippington, a friend of Charlie's. He played Harrison Ashton Lard, the "posh girl's father", in How Not to Live Your Life. He provided additional voice-over for World's Craziest Fools. He appeared in the final two seasons of Foyle's War as Sir Alec Myerson, the title character's boss at MI5. Vansittart also appeared in the BBC Three comedy Bad Education, playing Mr. Humpage. In 2016, he appears in the BBC TV series Father Brown as Arthur Le Broc in episode 4.7 "The Missing Man". In January 2016, he played character Peter Jennings on an episode of the BBC series Casualty. Vansittart has been married to Emma Kate Watson since 1987. They have two children. In 2000 a certain young actress was asked to star in the new Harry Potter, so Emma changed her name to Emma Vansittart, adopting her husband's surname as her new stage name.
Rupert Nicholas Vansittart (born 10 February 1958) is an English character actor. He has appeared in a variety of roles in film, television, stage and radio, often playing comic characters. He is best known for his role as Lord Ashfordly in the ITV drama Heartbeat and for playing Lord Yohn Royce in the HBO series Game of Thrones in season 4, season 5, and season 6. Vansittart trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Vansittart is known to fans of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice serial as the actor who portrayed Mr Hurst, the brother-in-law of Charles and Caroline Bingley. He has also worked with Rowan Atkinson on a number of occasions, appearing as a guest star in two episodes of Mr. Bean and also The Thin Blue Line, as well as appearing in Johnny English Reborn, the sequel to Johnny English. In 1993, he appeared in Remains of the Day as Sir Geoffrey Wren, a character based on the 1930s British fascist Sir Oswald Mosley. In 1994, he appeared in the film Braveheart as Lord Bottoms. He worked in Four Weddings and a Funeral as George the Bore at the Boatman in 1995. In 2003, he appeared in the West End adaptation of Arsenic and Old Lace. In 2005, he appeared in the "Market for Murder" episode of Midsomer Murders and, that same year, as General Asquith in the two Doctor Who episodes, "Aliens of London" and "World War Three". In 2006, Vansittart portrayed Thomas J. Dodd in the BBC three-part drama documentary Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial. He also appeared in the 2008 BBC serial Spartacus as Consul Lentulus, In 2009 in Margaret he was asked to play Peter Morrison, but two years later in the critically acclaimed Iron Lady with Meryl Streep he played Cabinet minister John Biffen. He has also played political characters on stage: in 2014 he was one of the main actors in the cast of Great Britain at the National Theatre. He also appeared in This House in traditional garb playing an Army Officer turned politician, dealing with the topical, but sensitive expenses scandal. 2009 also saw his second appearance in "Midsomer Murders", in an episode titled "The Dogleg Murders". In 2010, he appeared in Doctors as Anthony Chippington, a friend of Charlie's. He played Harrison Ashton Lard, the "posh girl's father", in How Not to Live Your Life. He provided additional voice-over for World's Craziest Fools. He appeared in the final two seasons of Foyle's War as Sir Alec Myerson, the title character's boss at MI5. Vansittart also appeared in the BBC Three comedy Bad Education, playing Mr. Humpage. In 2016, he appears in the BBC TV series Father Brown as Arthur Le Broc in episode 4.7 "The Missing Man". In January 2016, he played character Peter Jennings on an episode of the BBC series Casualty. Vansittart has been married to Emma Kate Watson since 1987. They have two children. In 2000 a certain young actress was asked to star in the new Harry Potter, so Emma changed her name to Emma Vansittart, adopting her husband's surname as her new stage name.