Biography

Ioan Gruffudd

by Maggie Cage,

Synopsis

Ioan Gruffudd is a Welsh actor, best known for played Mr. Fantastic in the Fantastic Four films. He is also had supporting roles in Titanic, San Andreas, Black Hawk Down, and W.

Early life and education

Ioan Gruffudd was born on October 6, 1973, in Llwydcoed, Aberdare, Wales, United Kingdom.

 Gruffudd is the eldest of three children to his parents Peter Gruffudd and Gillian Gruffudd both of whom were teachers. He has one younger brother named Alun and one sister named Siwan.

After a few years later, Gruffudd moved to Cardiff with his family, where Gruffudd's grandparents had previously run an amateur dramatics society.

Gruffudd was educated at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdar, Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd and later in Llandaff's Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Atlanta. During his school's times, he won the number of a prize in singing.

In the year, 1995, Gruffudd also joined Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.  During his stay on RAD, he was offered small parts in the Academy's productions.

Gruffudd finished oboist when he was a teenager, receiving a grade 8 level in ABRSM music examinations and played several years in South Glamorgan Youth Orchestra.

Gruffudd said:

As a Welshman, I grew up in a culture of singing and performing with music, and I think it was through this performing that I got my confidence as an actor.

Career

Ioan Gruffudd began acting with the movie Austin in 1986. The next year, he moved to Welsh language soap opera Pobol y Cwm (People of the Valley) and stayed her till 1994.

Gruffudd was a footballer playing for Cwmderi FC, where his co-star Ieuan Rhys, Gwyn Elfyn, and Hywel Emrys were also played during the time.

In 1997, Gruffudd appeared in Wilde, as John Gray, the lover of Oscar Wilde and later he got his first international role in the globally hit true story based movie Titan and took the role as the fifth officer Harold Lowe.

 Later, he made his appearance in Hornblower as Horatio Hornblower on the ITV's Meridian production, C.S. Forester and was broadcasted from A&E and ITV1. His lead role in the Hornblower had created him many opportunities in his acting career.

Gruffudd's television credits include Charles Dickens' Great Expectations (1999), Warriors (1999) and The For style Saga, where he played as an architect Phillip Bosinney. He appeared as a star in the movies 102 Dalmatians (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001) and the Antoine Fuqua's King Arthur (2004).

Personal life

Ioan Gruffudd married his long time girlfriend Alice Evan on September 14, 2007, in Mexico. They first met on the set of the Disney hit 102 Dalmatians and dated for a seven long years before getting married.

Alice gave an ultimatum to her then boyfriend Gruffudd to marry her in 2007 since it was already seven years of their relationship. As a result, they got married later that year.

Gruffudd’s wife Alice is an American-born British actress who previously dated Olivier Widmaier Pica s so for eight years and was also engaged, but later they broke up.

Gruffudd and his wife are Alice blessed with two daughters, Ella Betsi Janet Gruffudd born September 6, 2009, and Elsie Marigold Gruffudd born September 13, 2013.

Net worth

The successful actor, Ioan Gruffudd has a net worth around $1 million. He currently lives in luxury house with his family in Los Angeles, California.