Tobias Menzies has been building up his career in the British entertainment industry for over two decades with experiences in theater, television, and film. The English stage, television and film actor has racked up an impressive resume over the years. His works include Casino Royale (2006), Underworld: Blood Wars (2016), Rome (2005–2007), Game of Thrones (2013–2016), Outlander (2014–2017) where he played a dual role for which he earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Biography
Tobias Menzies was born on 7th March 1974 in North London, England. His last name is Scottish and was originally pronounced Mingis. Menzies grew up playing tennis and would have gone pro in the game if acting hadn’t happened to him. He was also an expert swordsman. Though he didn’t end up following his first love, he still unwinds with tennis after work. The young lad had a lot of activities to keep him busy through childhood. Nevertheless, his journey into the world of portrayal was one that started in his teenage years. His interest in acting was ignited after frequent attendances to theater productions with his mom. Acting, ultimately, turned out to be a release which he didn’t find initially.
He attended the Perry Court Rudolf Steiner School in Canterbury, Kent and then the Frensham Heights School near Farnham in Surrey at the same time as Jim Sturgess. Later on, he enrolled in Stratford-upon-Avon College’s Year-out drama course in 1993-94 where his education involved training in the Steiner system, which includes movement, singing and musical instruments daily. Thereafter, he proceeded to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where he met and became friends with Sally Hawkins. He studied acting and graduated with a BA in 1998. Menzies also worked with a British improv comedy company, Spontaneity Shop and was thus fully set to embark on his career.
Career
His career took off in some of British television’s most popular series and in no time, he became a popular ace among the audience. Some of his earliest work includes Foyle’s War (2002), Midsomer Murders (2000), Casualty (1998-2000), and the feature film The Low Down (2000) where he had a major role.
Furthermore, he portrayed Keith in the 2005 film, A Very Social Secretary directed by Jon Jones and from 2005 -2007, he was cast in the main role as Marcus Junius Brutus in the HBO/BBC historical drama series Rome. His role in Rome was what announced him to international audiences. He appeared in the 2006 reboot of the James Bond film franchise, Casino Royale, as Villiers, in 2007, the ITV’s film adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, Persuasion as William Elliot, and in Atonement alongside Sairose Ronan and Kiera Knightley as well as in Channel 4’s dramatization of The Relief of Belsen broadcast on October 15.
In 2009, Menzies starred in the long-running television drama Spooks and filmed Forget Me Not in 2010. Tobias Menzies had recurring roles in these tv series; The Deep (2010) as Raymond, The Shadow Line (2011) as Ross McGovern, and in 2012, he appeared in the main role as Richard Pembroke in Eternal Law. Then in 2013, he was cast as Edmure Tully, in HBO’s Game of Thrones. He was Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s bodyguard, Nathaniel Bloom in the 2014 British political spy thriller TV mini-series The Honourable Woman.
From 2014 to 2017, he co-starred in the TV series, Outlander in a dual role; as Frank Randall, a 20th-century historian, and Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall, his brutal 18th-century ancestor for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination and won the 2015 EWwy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
His recent on-screen credits include Underworld: Blood Wars (2016), The Terror (2018), Carmilla (2018), King Lear (2018) as Duke of Cornwall co-starring Anthony Hopkins, and would be cast in seasons 3 and 4 of Netflix’s The Crown, opposite Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II who he starred alongside with in The Night Manager (2016) with Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret.
Besides his works on the silver screen, Tobias Menzies has also worked extensively on the stage to build an impressive resume. His credits are in works like The History Boys at the Royal National Theatre, Three Sisters at the Playhouse theatre for which he was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award, The Cherry Orchard at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, The Children’s Hour with Elizabeth Moss, and the titular role in Rupert Goold’s production of Hamlet, at the Royal Theatre, Northampton for which he received positive critical reviews.
Tobias Menzies’ Family, & Brother
The Outlander actor is the first son of Gillian (née Simpson) who was an English literature and drama teacher, and Peter Menzies, a BBC radio producer. His only sibling is his younger brother Luke who is a solicitor. Their parents got divorced when Tobias was just 6.
Gay Rumors
Tobias Menzies is notoriously private about his personal life. As such, he has had some rumors and speculation about his sexuality particularly after portraying the sadistic gay rapist Jack Randall in Outlander. As mum as he may be per his private life, being gay is out of the equation for the British actor. He once had a fling with his co-star, Kristen Scott Thomas in 2005. That could serve to establish his preference right?
Is he Married? – Girlfriend
Kristen Scott and Menzies met on the set of the London Production of Pirandello’s As You Desire Me. Although Kristen was married at the time to French IVF specialist Professor Francois Oliviennes with whom she had three children, the two still forged a romantic relationship. However, the union was not meant to last beyond the shutter of a camera. Several facts militated against it including the wide age difference between them (she is 14 years older) and a looming separation from her husband of 17 years attributed to their break up.
Even though they eventually went their separate ways, sadly, her marriage didn’t also succeed. Following their breakup, Menzies has not been in any other known relationship. Maybe he still misses Kristin. Whatever may be the case, we wish he finds a partner soon.
Height
Menzies is not only talented but he is also endowed with a good physique. He has a height of 6′ 1″ (1.85 m) with a well-maintained body which has in one way or the other enhanced his appeal to directors.