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Samuel George Claflin (; born 27 June 1986) is a British actor. After graduating from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2009, he began his acting career on television and had his first film role as Philip Swift in (2011).
Claflin gained wider recognition for playing Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games film series (2013–2015) and for his starring roles in the romantic films Love, Rosie (2014) and Me Before You (2016). He has since starred in the films Adrift (2018) and The Nightingale (2018), and portrayed Oswald Mosley in the television series Peaky Blinders (2019–2022), Mycroft Holmes in the mystery film Enola Holmes (2020), and singer Billy Dunne in the musical drama series Daisy Jones & the Six (2023). The last of these earned him a nomination for a Golden Globe Award.
As a child, he had an interest in football. He played throughout his childhood until he broke his ankle, an injury that he felt would prevent him from playing professionally. After some persuasion from his parents and a teacher upon whom he had made an impression during his high school play at Costessey High School, he pursued acting.
A member of the Norwich City School of Excellence, in 2003, he took up Performing Arts at Norwich City College. Claflin subsequently graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2009.
In April 2010, he was cast as Philip Swift, a missionary who falls in love with the mermaid Syrena (portrayed by Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey), in 2011's , the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. For the film, he received a nomination in the 17th Empire Awards for "Best Male Newcomer." In 2012, he appeared as Jack in the six-episode miniseries White Heat. Later that year, he played a supporting role in the 2012 film Snow White and the Huntsman, as William, Snow White's childhood friend. He received a nomination in the 2012 Teen Choice Awards for the category "Best Movie Breakout". Also in 2012, he was cast in the lead role in Hammer Films' The Quiet Ones, which was filmed in mid-2013 and was released in April 2014.
On 22 August 2012, Lionsgate Films announced that Claflin had been cast as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games film series, starting with . The director of Catching Fire, Francis Lawrence, stated of Claflin's performance during filming: "Finnick's an interesting character. At first he feels like a bit of a flirt and there's a little bit of sexual tension, but really you kind of fall in love with the guy and you see that there's a real deep emotional side to him. It's one of the reasons I really hired him in the first place was that it's where his character goes in the next couple of stories and I just think he did a fantastic job." The film was released in November 2013 to general acclaim and Claflin's portrayal of Finnick received positive reviews. Claflin reprised the role in , released in November 2014, and , released in November 2015.
In February 2013, it was announced that Claflin was cast as Alex in the film adaptation of Cecelia Ahern's novel Where Rainbows End, distributed as Love, Rosie in some territories. The following month, he starred in the TV film Mary and Martha as Ben, which was broadcast by BBC One. He received critical acclaim for his role as Oxford University student Alistair Ryle in the British dramatic thriller The Riot Club with Charlotte O'Sullivan of the London Evening Standard saying "Claflin captures his character's vitriol very well" and Laura Dibdin of Digital Spy saying "Claflin brings intrigue and vulnerability to offset the sense of entitlement thus making Alistair the film's most fascinating character". In 2014, Claflin also starred alongside Lily Collins and Suki Waterhouse in the romantic comedy drama film Love, Rosie, which was released to mixed reviews from critics but became a success among audiences.
In 2018, Claflin joined the fifth season of the BBC television drama Peaky Blinders, as the British fascist politician Oswald Mosley. In 2019, he starred in The Corrupted and the reboot of Charlie's Angels. In September 2020, he co-starred in the Netflix original film Enola Holmes as Mycroft Holmes, elder brother of the title character.
In 2023, Claflin played Billy Dunne in Daisy Jones & the Six. Based on the book of the same name, it follows the story of a rock band in the 1970s, and premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 3 March 2023. Claflin performed vocals on Aurora, the fictional album recorded by the band, which was released on 1 March 2023. He starred in an Italian-British television adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count of Monte-Cristo (1844–1846).
Career
Beginnings and breakthrough (20102015)
Claflin made his acting debut in 2010, when he appeared in two television miniseries—in The Pillars of the Earth as Richard and in Any Human Heart as young Logan Mountstuart. In March 2011, he was cast as Thomas in Seventh Son, a film adaptation of The Spook's Apprentice, but was dropped for unknown reasons and was replaced by Ben Barnes. His next appearance came in April 2011, when he portrayed footballer Duncan Edwards in the BBC TV drama United, which was centred on the events of the 1958 Munich air disaster, in which Edwards died as a result of his injuries.
From Me Before You to independent films and television (2016present)
In 2016, Claflin reprised his role as William, Snow White's childhood friend, in several scenes of the sequel . The same year, he starred in Me Before You, the film adaptation of the novel of the same name, in which he played William Traynor. Claflin gained further critical acclaim for his role of Captain Stanhope in the war drama Journey's End (2017) and Adrift (2018).
Personal life
In 2011, Claflin started dating actress Laura Haddock, whom he had met in an audition for My Week with Marilyn. The two married in July 2013 in a private ceremony. They have a son named Pip (), and a daughter named Margot (). On 20 August 2019, Claflin and Haddock announced their legal separation.
Filmography
Film
2011 Philip Swift 2012 Snow White and the Huntsman William 2013 Finnick Odair 2014 The Quiet Ones Brian McNeil The Riot Club Alistair Ryle Love, Rosie Alex Stewart Finnick Odair 2015 2016 William Cameo appearance Me Before You Will Traynor Their Finest Tom Buckley 2017 My Cousin Rachel Philip Ashley Journey's End Captain Stanhope 2018 Adrift Richard Sharp The Nightingale Lieutenant Hawkins 2019 The Corrupted Liam McDonagh Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs Merlin Voice Charlie's Angels Alexander Brok 2020 Love Wedding Repeat Jack Enola Holmes Mycroft Holmes 2021 Every Breath You Take James Flagg Last Night in Soho Young Det. Lindsey (Punter #5) Cameo Charlotte Alex Nagler Voice 2022 Book of Love Henry Copper 2023 The One Note Man Executive producer; short film 2024 Bagman Patrick McKee 2025 TBA Post-production 2027 Filming
Television
2010 The Pillars of the Earth Richard of Kingsbridge Miniseries; 8 episodes The Lost Future Kaleb Television film Any Human Heart Young Logan Mountstuart Miniseries; 4 episodes 2011 United Duncan Edwards Television film 2012 White Heat Young Jack Walsh Miniseries; 6 episodes 2013 Mary and Martha Ben Television film 2019–2022 Peaky Blinders Oswald Mosley Main role 2023 Daisy Jones & the Six Billy Dunne Miniseries 2024 The Count of Monte Cristo Edmond Dantès TBA Lazarus Laz Filming and also executive producer TBA Vanished TBA Filming
Awards and nominations
2012 Empire Awards Best Male Newcomer Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Breakout Snow White and the Huntsman 2014 Empire Awards Best Supporting Actor MTV Movie Awards Best Shirtless Performance Teen Choice Awards Glamour Awards Man of the Year Himself 2016 Teen Choice Awards (shared with Emilia Clarke) Me Before You 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards Tearjerker (with Emilia Clarke) 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Kiss (with Riley Keogh) Daisy Jones & the Six 2024 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
External links
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