BIOGRAPHY

David Thewlis was born in Blackpool in 1963. The second of three children, he grew up in an apartment above his family's combination toy store and wallpaper shop. He studied in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and graduated in 1985. He gained acting experience in the London stage and English television. His first feature film performance was in director Mike Leigh's Life is Sweet. Soon after that he starred in another movie written by Leigh, Naked. The movie was a success and so was David's performance - his screen behavior in the film was praised and David got awards and nominations from the Cannes jury, The New York Film Critics and the National Society of Film Critics. David went on to demonstrate his versatility in a number of diverse roles, including Total Eclipse, Seven Years in Tibet and Besieged. In 1995 he wrote and directed a short film called Hello, Hello, Hello. In 2003 he wrote and directed a film called Cheeky. He has also written a novel that should be out in 2006.

In addition to his film and television work, Thewlis has also starred in Sam Mendes' The Sea at the Royal National Theatre, Max Stafford-Clark's Ice Cream at the Royal Court, Buddy Holly at the Regal in Greenwich, Ruffian on the Stairs/The Woolley at Farnham and Lady and the Clarinet at the Kings Head.