Ioan Gruffudd Movies and Career Information

Ioan Gruffudd (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈjo.an ˈɡrɪfɪð]  ( listen); born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he started off in Welsh language productions, then came to international attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the film Titanic (1997), and as Lt. John Beales in Black Hawk Down (2001). However, he is probably best known for playing the role of Horatio Hornblower in Hornblower, the British made-for-TV films (1998–2003) based on C.S. Forester's novels. Gruffudd's recent notable film roles include Lancelot in King Arthur (2004), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) in Fantastic Four (2005) and the sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and British slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace (2006). He played Tony Blair in W. (2008). Gruffudd was born on 6 October 1973 in the village of Llwydcoed near the town of Aberdare, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Mid Glamorgan, South Wales. His family later moved to Cardiff. Gruffudd's parents, Peter and Gillian Griffiths, were teachers. His father was headmaster at two Welsh comprehensive schools in South Wales, first at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari then