Sean Bean rarely plays major roles. However, this English actor has such a memorable appearance and vivid characters that the audience knows him well. Most often, on screen, Sean appears in the image of courageous knights, valiant warriors, charismatic villains. True, his heroes in the course of the plot in almost every film have to die, because of which the actor became the hero of a popular Internet meme.
Biography: early years and education
Sean Mark Bean is an Englishman, a native of the suburbs of Sheffield in South Yorkshire. He was born into the family of Rita and Brian Bean on April 17, 1959. The boy grew up in abundance. His father owned a production workshop with about 50 employees. Sean's mother worked with her husband, taking on the functions of secretary, but after the birth of her son and youngest daughter, Lorraine focused on family and children.
The future actor grew up a bully and a bully. From childhood, he dreamed of a career as a football player and imagined how he would play for her favorite team, Sheffield United. Once, in a fit of quarrel with a cousin, Sean broke a glass door, severely injuring his leg with a shrapnel. Since then, a long scar flaunts on his limb, which the actor jokingly explains with the attack of a shark.
Dreams of football gradually died out when Bean felt the brunt of training and sports. He decided to remain a fan, and in 1990 even made a tattoo in honor of his beloved team, which won an important victory.
In adolescence, Sean was a regular participant in the showdown between street gangs, more than once delayed by the police. He started bad habits early: smoked cigarettes and weed, drank alcohol. At the age of 15, Bean, following the example of his father, became interested in boxing and revised his lifestyle a little. At 16, the young man dropped out of school, the most decent grades he had in English and drawing. Sean for a long time did not know what he wanted to do. He sold cheese in a supermarket, cleaned snow, worked as a welder for his father. To study welding technology, Bean attended courses at the Rotherham College of Arts and Technology. Having succumbed to a spiritual impulse, the young man wanted to change the vector of his professional activity. So he ended up in 1979 at the Rotherham College of Fine Arts, and at the same time entered the drama class.
Novice actor Sean Bean impressed his mentors with quick progress, backed up by stubbornness and natural talent. In college, he made his debut on the stage, then he played at the Rotherham Civil Theater. After only six months of preparation in 1981, he entered the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and also won a scholarship, which allowed him not to worry about the material side of training.
At the Royal Academy, Sean received a diverse acting education. He played in classic and contemporary productions, and for the role of Pozzo in the diploma play "Waiting for Godot" received a silver medal.
Creativity: career in theater and cinema
Having successfully completed his studies, in 1983 Bean enters the stage of the Waterbill Theater in the role of Tybalt in the play "Romeo and Juliet." At the same time, he was first invited to television to shoot non-alcoholic beer ads. The following are small roles in the TV series “Hunters of the Seventies” and the short film “Samson and Delilah.” In 1986-1987, Sean was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company, which performs with theatrical productions throughout England.
The actor played his first major role on the big screen in the movie Stormy Monday (1988). He made a lot of efforts not to get lost against the background of Tommy Lee Jones, Sting, Melanie Griffith. But interest in his person has increased significantly. Sean Bean begins to act actively. For five years, the filmography of the actor has replenished with a couple of dozens of works, here are just a few of them:
- "Troubles" (1988);
- "How to succeed in advertising" (1988);
- “Traces of the wind” (1990);
- The Field (1990);
- Clarissa (1991);
- "Games of the Patriots" (1992).
Television success came to Sean Bean with the role of shooter Richard Sharpe - the hero of the novels of Bernard Cornwell. Initially, the role was intended for actor Paul McGann, but an accident accident prevented his participation. As a result, Sean played in 16 episodes based on Sharpe’s adventures, the project lasted from 1993 to 2008. The actor flashed the role of a villain, starring in the seventeenth film of the Golden Eye bondian (1995), the action movie Ronin (1998), the thriller Do Not Say not a word ”(2001). He organically blended into the historical adaptations of famous novels:
- “Lady Chatterley” (1993);
- Scarlett (1994);
- "Anna Karenina" (1997).
The new peak of popularity for Sean was the trilogy “The Lord of the Rings” and the role of the brave Boromir. It is noteworthy that the actors from The Fellowship of the Ring at the end of the shootings made memorable tattoos with the elven symbol “9”. Sean Bean placed this sign on his shoulder.
Very soon, the actor’s face literally flashed in the supporting roles in the largest Hollywood projects:
- Troy (2004);
- “Treasure of the nation” (2004);
- “The Illusion of Flight” (2005);
- Silent Hill (2006).
In 2011, the first season of the game “Game of Thrones” started, Sean Bean played Eddard Stark - one of the central characters. According to the established tradition, which amuses fans of the actor so much, his hero was destined for death. Fans of Bean’s work calculated that during his career he had died more than 20 times on the screen. In truth, Sean is not quite happy with this role. In 2015, he abandoned his role in the movie Caesar, as he was tired of playing the death of his characters.
Approaching the 60th anniversary, the actor is still eager to work. For his role in the British television series The Accused, he received the International Emmy Award in 2013. In 2014-2015, he starred in the crime drama series Legends. In 2015, he noted a small role in the acclaimed Hollywood movie "The Martian." In 2018, Sean Bean shone in the second season of the historical series Medici: The Lords of Florence.
