Hugh Bonneville Biography

Born in London, Hugh Richard Bonneville Williams studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts and at the National Youth Theatre. He landed his first professional acting job with the Open Air Theatre in 1986, then joined the National Theatre and in 1991, secured a place with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company.

Early roles on British television — credited then as Richard Bonneville — Hugh began landing television roles in British TV series, billed as Richard Bonneville, and made his film debut in Kenneth Branagh's 1994 film Frankenstein. For his second feature, the 1997 Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, he changed his screen name to Hugh Bonneville.

His career soared with Downton Abbey(2010-2015), where his portrayal of Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, made him a household name. The role earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, and a SAG Ensemble Award in 2013.

The popularity Hugh has gained from the show has led to him being cast in major Hollywood motion pictures such as The Monuments Men (2014), directed by and starring George Clooney. Hugh has also appeared in Muppets Most Wanted (2014) and plays the lead role of Mr. Brown in Paddington (2014) and the sequels Paddington 2 (2018), and Paddington in Peru (2024), based on the childrens' series of books. In addition to those roles, Hugh also played the final British Viceroy of India in 2017's Viceroy's House and played a supporting role in the romantic drama Breathe (2017).

In 2019, the long-awaited Downton Abbey movie hit the big screen. In it, Hugh reprised his role as the Earl of Grantham, followed by Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025).

Hugh married Lulu Evans in 1998 and they have a son, Felix. They separated in 2023 and he is now in a relationship with influencer Heidi Kadlecova.

His charity work includes being a patron of the British charity Scene & Heard, which teams children and professional actors to put on short plays together. He also lends his support to the Medical Emergency Relief International, which sends medical teams to worldwide emergencies.

Filmography:

The Gentleman (2026)
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025)
Go Away! (2025)
Christmas Karma (2025)
Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger (2025)
Paddington in Peru (2024)
Douglas is Cancelled (2024)
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin (2024)
W1A (2014-2024)
Better Than Fire (2023)
The Greatest Auction (2023)
Ozi: Voice of the Forest (2023)
Bank of Dave (2023)
Mummies (2023)
The Amazing Maurice (2022)
I Came By (2022)
Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022)
Madame Tussauds: The Full Wax (2021)
Silent Hours (2021)
To Olivia (2021)
Silent Night: A Song for the World (2020)
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
Tutankhamun: Enter the Tomb (2019)
Downton Abbey (2019)
The Corrupted (2019)
Paddington 2 (2018)
Breathe (2017)
Viceroy's House (2017)
Paddington (2014)
Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
The Monuments Men (2014)
Shanghai (2010)
Third Star (2010)
Knife Edge (2009)
From Time to Time (2009)
Glorious 39 (2009)
French Film (2008)
Four Last Songs (2007)
Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006)
Underclassman (2005)
Piccadilly Jim (2005)
Asylum (2005)
Man to Man (2005)
Stage Beauty (2004)
Conspiracy of Silence (2003)
Iris (2001)
The Emperor's New Clothes (2001)
High Heels and Low Lifes (2001)
Blow Dry (2000)
Mansfield Park (1999)
Notting Hill (1999)
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Frankenstein Schiller (1994)