THE CAST...

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FILM CREDITS ABOUT THE CAST

This information is from : Master and commander (OFFICIAL SITE)

  RUSSELL CROWE (Captain Jack Aubrey) received three consecutive Academy Award® Best Actor nominations for his performances in: The Insider (2000), Gladiator (2001) and A Beautiful Mind (2002).  He won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Maximus, the Roman general-turned-gladiator, in Ridley Scott's Gladiator.  This role also earned him Best Actor honors from several critics' organizations, including the Broadcast Film Critics.  In addition, he received nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA.

In Ron Howard's A Beautiful Mind, Crowe's masterful portrayal of Nobel Prize-winning John Forbes Nash, Jr. earned him his third Academy Award nomination and garnered him Best Actor awards from the Hollywood Foreign Press, Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA, among other critics groups.

Crowe received his first Academy Award nomination for his work in Michael Mann's non-fiction drama The Insider, as tobacco company whistle-blower, Dr. Jeffrey Wigand.  He also earned Best Actor Awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics, Broadcast Film Critics, National Society of Film Critics and the National Board of Review;and nominations for a Golden Globe® Award, a BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award TM.

Crowe made his mark in Curtis Hanson's crime drama, L.A. Confidential, as vice cop Bud White.  He later starred in Jay Roach's Mystery, Alaska, and in Taylor Hackford's Proof of Life, opposite Meg Ryan.

In 1993 he made his American film debut in the western The Quick and the Dead, with Gene Hackman and Sharon Stone, and then starred as the cyber-villain Sid 6.7 in Virtuosity, opposite Denzel Washington.  Additional film credits include Heaven's Burning, Breaking Up, Rough Magic, The Sum of Us, For the Moment, Love in Limbo, The Silver Brumby, based on the classic Australian children's novel, The Efficiency Expert and Prisoners of the Sun.

Born in New Zealand, Crowe was raised in Australia where he has also been honored for his work on the screen.  He was recognized for three consecutive years by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), beginning in 1991, when he was nominated for Best Actor for The Crossing.  The following year, he won the Best Supporting Actor Award for Proof, and, in 1992, he received Best Actor Awards from the AFI and the Australian Film Critics for his performance in the controversial Romper Stomper.  In 1993, the Seattle Film Festival named Crowe Best Actor for his work in both Romper Stomper and Hammers Over the Anvil.

Crowe currently resides in Australia.

  PAUL BETTANY (Dr. Stephen Maturin) portrayed Charles Herman, mathematician John Nash, Jr.'s Princeton roommate in Ron Howard's Academy Award®-winning Best Picture A Beautiful Mind, starring opposite Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly and Ed Harris. He was nominated for the London Film Critics' Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The British-born Bettany is a recognized star overseas with well-received performances in film, on the London stage and on British television.  American audiences first dis covered him in A Knight’s Tale, in which he played the comical role of Chaucer opposite Heath Ledger.  Bettany earned the Best Supporting Actor award from the London Film Critics for his performance in the film, and led to his being named one of Daily Variety's "Ten to Watch" for 2001.

Classically trained at the Drama Centre in London, he made his stage debut in a West End production of An Inspector Calls under the direction of Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot).  He then spent a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing in productions of Richard III, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar before landing his first feature film role in Bent.

Bettany returned to the stage to appear in Love and Understanding at London's Bush Theatre.

He later reprised that role at the Longwharf Theatre in Connecticut.  The play led to more British television work, including Lynda La Plante's Killer Net and Coming Home, in which he starred with Peter O'Toole.

His appearance in the Royal Court Theatre productions of One More Wasted Year and Stranger's House preceded his second feature film role in David Leland's Land Girls with Catherine McCormack and Rachel Weisz.  He next appeared in the film After the Rain.

Bettany portrayed Steerforth in the TNT production of David Copperfield, directed by Peter Medak, opposite Sally Field and Michael Richards.  More feature film roles followed, including The Suicide Club with Jonathan Pryce and David Morrissey.  He was nom inated for a British Independent Film award and a London Film Critics' award for Best Newcomer in the just-released Gangster No.1, directed by Paul McGuigan, and starring Malcolm McDowell, David Thewlis, and Saffron Burrows.

He stars in the period mystery-thriller The Reckoning opposite Willem Dafoe, which re-teamed Bettany with director Paul McGuigan. Next, Bettany starred in the independent

U.K. feature Heart of Me, starring opposite Helena Bonham-Carter and Oliver Williams for director Thaddeus O'Sullivan.  He recently starred in director Lars von Trier's (Dancing in the Dark, Breaking the Waves) dramatic thriller Dogville, also starring Nicole Kidman and Stellan Skaarsgard. Bettany's most recent project is Wimbledon, also starring Kirsten Dunst, directed by Richard Loncraine, and centering on the tennis world.

  BILLY BOYD plays coxswain Barrett Bonden. Boyd most recently portrayed Peregrin (Pippin) Took in director Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy based on the J.R.R. Tolkien book series.  The first and second films in the series, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, were released to

worldwide boxoffice success.  His other films include An Urban Ghost Story, Julie and the Cadillacs and a film short, Soldiers Leap.

Boyd, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, began his acting career in the Scottish television series Taggart.  His UK television credits include Coming Soon and Chapter and Verse.  On stage, Boyd has performed in various UK productions including The Speculator, Trainspotting, An Experienced Woman Gives Advice, Therese Racquin, Britannia Rules, Kill The Old, Torture Their Young, The Chic Nerds, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Merlin the Magnificent and The Slab Boys, and most recently, the Traverse production of The Ballad of Crazy Paola.  Boyd also plays guitar, bass and sings light baritone/tenor.

  JAMES D’ARCY portrays 1st Lt. Tom Pullings.

D'Arcy portrayed the title role in Nicholas Nickleby for Britain’s Channel 4.   He also appeared in several BBC TV productions, including The Ice House, Silent Witness, Beck, Dalziel and Pascoe, Tom Jones and Sunburn.

D'Arcy's film work includes Dot the I opposite Gael Garcia Bernal, which was recently featured at the Sundance Film Festival.  He portrayed Sherlock Holmes in A Case of Evil, and he also appeared in the films Revelation, The Trench, Wilde and Guest House Paradiso.

He performed in several theatre productions at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, including the title roles in Heracles and Sherlock Holmes; As You Like It, Wild Honey, The Freedom of the City and Larkrise to Candleford.

  LEE INGLEBY portrays indecisive midshipman Hollom.   Ingleby's film credits include Borstal Boy for director Peter Sheridan, Ever After for director Andy Tennant, and Beer Goggles.   For television, his work includes roles in ITV’s Nicholas Nickleby, the BBC productions of Nature Boy, Dalziel and Pascoe, The Dark Room and In the Red; and Impact, Spaced, Junk, A Wing and A Prayer, A Small Addition and Soldier Soldier.

Ingleby’s theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as Puck; the West End production of Cressida and About The Boy, for the Royal Court.

  CHRIS LARKIN portrays Royal Marines Captain Howard.  Larkin’s film work includes roles in Angels and Insects for director Philip Haas and Tea With Mussolini, directed by Franco Zeffirelli.   Also for Zeffirelli, Larkin portrayed Frederick Lynn in Jane Eyre.  Larkin portrayed Marston in First Sight Films’ Emmy-nominated Shackleton and he played the title role in Darwin.

For BBC TV, Larkin’s credits include roles in Roger Roger and Casualty.   His theatre work includes the West End production of When We Are Married; and Taming of the Shrew, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Towards Zero, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing.

  RICHARD McCABE plays Mr. Higgins, assistant surgeon to Dr. Maturin.   McCabe portrayed Tony in the boxoffice hit Notting Hill opposite Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.  His television work includes the BBC presentations of A Prince Among Men, Persuasion, Between The Lines and For the Greater Good; Carlton Productions' The Vice and Under the Sun; and ITV's Bramwell.

McCabe is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his extensive theatre background includes performances in the RSC Stratford/Barbicon productions of Othello, Three Hours After Marriage, Troilus and Cressida, and the Royal National Theatre productions of Way of the World, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Absolute Hell.   For Birmingham Repertory, McCabe performed the title role in Hamlet, and he has also performed in presentations of As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, Amadeus as Mozart, The Changeling and The Alchemist.

  MARK LEWIS JONES portrays the whaler Mr. Hogg.  Jones recently completed his second season of the BBC TV series The Bench.  His credits also include Lenny Blue for

Granada, the BBC productions of Dangerfield, This Life, Casualty, Between the Lines, Gaslight and Candles and Heartland.  Jones appeared in the TNT telefilm The Mists of Avalon and Hallmark’s Jason and the Argonauts, Granada Films’ Paper Mask and TVS’ The Shell Seekers, as well as Carlton production Soldier, Soldier and The Angry Earth for Britain’s Channel 4.

Jones’ theatre credits include several Royal Shakespeare Company productions, among them The Tempest, Love’s Labours Lost, The Merchant of Venice and Richard III.  His credits at the Globe Theatre include roles in Antony and Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, The Winters Tale and The Maids Tragedy.   

  DAVID THRELFALL plays Killick, Jack’s rather uncivil servant.   Threlfall earned both Tony and Emmy nominations for his work as Smike in the acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company production of Nicholas Nickleby in London, New York and for Britain’s Channel 4.

Threlfall’s feature film work includes roles in The Russia House, Patriot Games, and Murderers Among Us.   For television, he played Prince Charles in the NBC miniseries Diana: Her True Story, and he also appeared in BBC presentations of Clothes In The Wardrobe, Men of the World, The Brylcream Boys and Sex, Chips and Rock ‘n’ Roll, as well as the telefilm A Casualty of War.

Threlfall was a Royal Shakespeare Company leading player from 1977-79, appearing in RSC productions of Savage Amusement, A and R, Shout Across the River, Sons of Light, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Suicide and Julius Caesar.

  GEORGE INNES is able Seaman Joe Plaice.

Innes' film credits include Last Orders for director Fred Schepisi, Richard Attenborough’s A Bridge Too Far, Stephen Frears’ Gumshoe, The Italian Job, and Billy Liar for director John Schlesinger.   Innes' television work includes roles in Nicholas Nickleby, Who Killed Cock Robin, Menace, the popular long-running British series Upstairs, Downstairs, as well as appearances on American classic series such as Cagney and Lacey, Magnum P.I., M*A*S*H, Hill Street Blues and the miniseries Shogun.

Innes' theatre work includes the Broadway and the Steppenwolf Theatre productions of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and the National Theatre productions of Olivier’s Othello and Dutch Courtesan.

  ROBERT PUGH portrays sailing master Mr. Allen.  Pugh’s film credits include the forthcoming Plotz With A View starring Christopher Walken, Alfred Molina and Brenda Blethyn; Innocence; Happy Now; Enigma; The Tichborne Claimant; Hello, Hello, Hello; Superman III and The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Came Down A Mountain.

For television, Pugh appeared in the BBC Productions Silent Witness, Score, The Lakes, Dangerfield and Drover’s Gold; and for Britain’s Channel 4, Sword of Honor, The Secret Life of Michael Fry and Dance to the Music of Time.  Pugh’s theatre work includes productions of The Iceman Cometh, A Streetcar Named Desire, Elephants Foot, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Hamlet and Playing the Game.

  Thirteen-year-old MAX PIRKIS plays the midshipman Lord Blakeney.   Pirkis was cast in the role after meeting with director Peter Weir, and participating in an audition with other prospective midshipmen, including fellow cast member Max Benitz.

Pirkis has played the violin since the age of 6, and he is presently studying  the saxophone.  His school work includes French and Latin, he has performed in school drama productions and is an avid soccer and cricket fan.   Pirkis has accompanied his family on treks through the Himalayas and the Andes Mountains.   He marks his second trip to the Galapagos Islands for his role in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, having visited previously with his family.   Pirkis lives in London with his parents, his sister and two dogs.

  EDWARD WOODALL plays the poetic 2nd Lt. Mowett.   Woodall’s work includes the films Enigma, directed by Michael Apted, The Jolly Boys Last Stand, Emma and Triphony.  Woodall’s television credits include Cold Lazarus, Harbour Lights, The Tenth Kingdom and Oliver Twist.   Woodall also performed in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Everyman and The Mysteries, and his other theatre credits include roles in productions of School for Scandal; Bitching, Boozing and Bumming Fags; The Changeling; Conquest of the South Pole and Wanted Man.

  IAN MERCER plays the ship’s boatswain, Mr. Hollar.  Mercer’s film credits include Shooting Stars, The First Day and Blue Money.   For television, Mercer portrayed Ernest Holness in the telefilm Shackleton and he was Gary Mallett in the popular series Coronation Street.

His television credits also include the BBC productions of One By One, Pity in History, Common as Muck, Night Voice, Brick is Beautiful, The Monocled Mutineer and Flowers in the Rain.

Mercer’s theatre work includes roles in productions of Bent; Spend, Spend, Spend; Billy Liar; Far From the Madding Crowd; Beauty and the Beast and Romeo and Juliet.

  Eighteen-year-old MAX BENITZ portrays midshipman Peter Calamy.  A finalist for a role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Benitz was chosen for the role of Calamy after completing an improvisational interview with Weir, a second reading with other cast members, and was chosen for the role of Calamy later that day.

Benitz attended school in London, where he was born and raised.  He has performed in school productions of As You Like It, Hamlet, The Pirates of Penzance and Me and My Girl.