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Jim Sturgess

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Jim Sturgess
Sturgess at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival
Born
James Anthony Sturgess

(1978-05-16) 16 May 1978 (age 46)
Wandsworth, London, England
Alma materUniversity of Salford
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer-songwriter
Years active1994–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2019)​
Children1[1]
Musical career
Instruments
Years active1996–present

James Anthony Sturgess[2] (born 16 May 1978)[3][4][5] is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His first major role was as Jude in the musical romance drama film Across the Universe (2007). He played the male lead role of Ben Campbell in 21 (2008), Gavin Kossef in Crossing Over (2009), The Way Back (2010), and co-starred in the epic science fiction film Cloud Atlas (2012).

Other credits include Stonehearst Asylum (2013), London Fields (2014), Close to the Enemy (2016), Feed the Beast (2016), Geostorm (2017), Kidnapping Freddy Heineken (2018), and JT LeRoy (2018), Berlin, I Love You (2019), The Other Me (2022), and Alone Together (2022).

Personal life

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Sturgess was born in Wandsworth, London, but grew up in Farnham, Surrey,[6] where he attended Frensham Heights School.[6] He spent most of his youth skateboarding, and listening to hip-hop.[6] He started his first band when he was about 15 years old, playing gigs in and around his local area.[4] His first acting experience came in a local theatre group, after a successful audition for a part in a play.[6]

Sturgess moved to Manchester to attend the University of Salford,[4][5] graduating in 1999 with an HND in Media and Performance.[5] After graduating, he moved to London and worked in a shop selling trainers, whilst seeking acting work and writing music.[7]

On 30 July 2019, Sturgess married theatre producer Dina Mousawi in Italy.[7] Their son was born in 2020.

Acting career

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In 2007, he was cast in Julie Taymor's musical Across the Universe,[4] portraying Jude Feeny, a young man who travels to the US amid the raging throes of the late 1960s and falls in love with a sheltered American teenager, Lucy, played by Evan Rachel Wood. In 2008, he appeared in the historical drama The Other Boleyn Girl,[6] in the supporting role of George Boleyn opposite Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana. He also played the male lead role of Ben Campbell in a film about five MIT students who, by counting cards, take Las Vegas casinos co-starring Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne, in 21.[8]

In 2009, he played Gavin Kossef in Crossing Over,[8] appearing with Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, and Ashley Judd. Set in Los Angeles, the story revolves around immigrants from different countries and backgrounds who share a common bond: they are all desperately trying to gain legal-immigrant status. Also in 2009, he starred as Martin McGartlandin Kari Skogland's Fifty Dead Men Walking, alongside Ben Kingsley.[5]

Heartless,[4] a film directed by Philip Ridley, premiered on 31 August 2009[9] at the London FrightFest Film Festival, a popular horror film festival. Sturgess appears as Jamie Morgan, a young man whose life has always been blighted by the large, heart-shaped port wine birthmark on his face and sells his soul to the devil. Jim Sturgess won the Best Actor Award at the 2010 Fantasporto Film Festival for his role.

In 2010, Sturgess starred in the film The Way Back,[4] directed by Peter Weir and based on a true story. The character Sturgess plays is based on Sławomir Rawicz, a young Polish officer who escaped from a Russian gulag during World War II. Also in 2010, he did voice-over work based on the children's book series Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky, in which he voiced Soren, the main protagonist of director Zack Snyder's 3-D animated feature film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole.[8]

In May 2010, Sturgess signed on to appear in One Day,[6] (based on the novel of the same title by David Nicholls) with Anne Hathaway.[3] The novel, about two students who meet on 15 July 1988, follows them on every 15 July for the next 20 years. Directed by Lone Scherfig,[10] filming was completed on 17 September 2010[11]

Also during 2010, he filmed Upside Down. Filming was completed in May 2010 in Montreal, and as of early 2013 a limited international release was planned.[12] Described as a "sci-fi romance", the film is the second full-length feature from writer and director Juan Solanas. It was originally slated for release in 2011,[13] A third film project in 2010 was Promised Land, to be directed by Michael Winterbottom and, according to Variety, would "recount the lead up to the 1948 partition of Palestine and the subsequent creation of the state of Israel". Sturgess was to star as a British officer hunting down the extremist Jewish factions. The film was later put on hiatus because funding could not be secured.[14]

In 2011, he played Dexter Mayhew in One Day.[4] In March and April 2011, filming took place for Ashes,[15] a film directed by Mat Whitecross. The picture has been described as a contemporary film noir thriller starring Ray Winstone and Lesley Manville along with Sturgess. Filmed in the Isle of Man, the production was partially funded by the band Coldplay, university friends of the director.[16] Sturgess performed six roles working alongside Tom Hanks in the 2012 science fiction film Cloud Atlas.[6]

During 2012, he worked on two films: Giuseppe Tornatore's The Best Offer (original title 'La Migliore Offerta') was filmed during the spring in Prague, Vienna, and several cities in Italy. Co-starring Geoffrey Rush and Sylvia Hoeks, the film went on to win the David di Donatello Award for Best Film. In the autumn, Sturgess went to Los Angeles to film Electric Slide, directed by Tristan Patterson and co-starring Isabel Lucas and Chloe Sevigny. An official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival, it premiered there in 2014 as part of the Viewpoint selections.[17]

In the last half of 2013, Sturgess worked in three films. The first was Stonehearst Asylum,[8] co-starring Kate Beckinsale and directed by Brad Anderson, in the summer. He appeared in the Mathew Cullen directed London Fields,[8] based on the novel by Martin Amis, co-starring Amber Heard and Billy Bob Thornton. He portrayed Dutch criminal Cor van Hout in Kidnapping Freddy Heineken,[8] filmed in Belgium and New Orleans, directed by Daniel Alfredson and co-starring Sam Worthington and Anthony Hopkins.[18]

In 2016, he starred as Callum Ferguson in the BBC2 drama Close to the Enemy, alongside Freddie Highmore and Phoebe Fox.[6] The same year he had a main role as Dion Patras a drug-fuelled chef, alongside David Schwimmer in the television series Feed the Beast.[6] In 2017, he starred as Max Lawson in Geostorm, alongside Ed Harris and Gerard Butler.[6]

In June 2024, Sturgess was named as part of the cast in Mix Tape.[19]

Music career

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"Panic & Magic"
Sturgess has written music related to both Crossing Over and Heartless
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Sturgess has been writing and performing his own music since the age of 15.[4][20] He has appeared in the London music scene for many years in bands such as Saint Faith,[4] and Dilated Spies.[4] He has also written music for some of his films, including two tracks that he wrote and performed for Crossing Over, and he collaborated with director Philip Ridley on three tracks that appeared in the film Heartless. Mickey O'Brien, his ex-girlfriend, was the composer of the trailer track "Panic And Magic"[21] and Jim provided the vocals.

In 2016, he released five exclusive demos with his band Tragic Toys,[6] to raise funds for a friend with an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis. The music for these demos were written by ex-girlfriend and La Roux member Mickey O'Brien and Sturgess provided the vocals.[22]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 The Browning Version Bryant
2005 Mouth to Mouth Red
2007 Across the Universe Jude Feeny
2008 The Other Boleyn Girl George Boleyn
21 Ben Campbell
Fifty Dead Men Walking Martin McGartland [4]
2009 Crossing Over Gavin Kossef
Heartless Jamie Morgan
2010 The Way Back Janusz Wieszczek
2010 Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole Soren Voice role
2011 One Day Dexter Mayhew [4]
2012 Ashes James
Cloud Atlas Various roles
2013 The Best Offer Robert
Upside Down Adam
2014 Electric Slide Eddie Dodson
Stonehearst Asylum Edward Newgate
2015 Kidnapping Freddy Heineken Cor van Hout
2017 Geostorm Max Lawson
2018 JT LeRoy Geoffrey Knoop [7]
London Fields Keith Talent
2019 Berlin, I Love You Jared
2022 The Other Me Irakli
Alone Together Charlie [23]
2024 Apartment 7A Alan Marchand

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 The Scarlet Pimpernel Erik 2 episodes
2000 Thursday the 12th Martin Bannister Television film
2000 Other People's Children Barry Episode 1.2
2001 The Residents Banjo Episode 1.1
2001 Heartbeat[6] Robert Episode: "The Long Weekend"
2001 Hawk Shop Assistant Miniseries
2002 The Quest Young Charlie Television film
2002 Judge John Deed Gary Patterson Episode: "Abuse of Power"
2003 A Touch of Frost Laurence Burrell Episode: "Close Encounters"
2003 Rehab Daryll Television film
2004 The Second Quest Young Charlie Television film
2004 The Final Quest Young Charlie Television film
2005 The Last Detective Ryan Episode: "Friends Reunited"
2016 Close to the Enemy Callum Ferguson Miniseries
2016 Feed the Beast Dion Patras Main role
2018 Hard Sun Charlie Hicks
2020–2021 Home Before Dark Matthew Lisko Main role
TBA Mix Tape

Discography

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Soundtracks

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Year Song Credits / Notes Film/Soundtrack
2007 "Girl" Across the Universe
"All My Loving"
"With A Little Help From My Friends" (with Joe Anderson)
"I've Just Seen A Face"
"Dear Prudence" (with Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs &
Evan Rachel Wood)
"Because" (with Joe Anderson, T. V. Carpio,
Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy
& Evan Rachel Wood)
"Something"
"Strawberry Fields Forever" (with Joe Anderson)
"Revolution"
"Across the Universe"
"All You Need Is Love" (with T. V. Carpio, Dana Fuchs
& Martin Luther McCoy)
2008 "Lost Everything"[1] 21
2009 "Mistake The Enemy" (Writer and performer)[24] Crossing Over
"Make Your Mind Up" (Writer and performer)
"Hine ma tov" (Traditional)
"Heartless" Heartless
"The Other Me"
"Panic and Magic" (O'Brien/Stoney/Sturgess)[25]
[Inspired by the film Heartless]

Awards and nominations

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Year Awards Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2008 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Male Breakout Star 21 and Across the Universe Nominated [26]
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Best Actor in a Canadian Film Fifty Dead Men Walking Nominated [4]
2009 Seattle International Film Festival Golden Space Needle Award – Best Actor Runner-up [27]
14th Empire Awards Empire Award for Best Newcomer Nominated [26][28]
2010 Fantasporto Film Festival international Fantasy Film – Best actor Heartless Won [26]
2013 CinEuphoria Awards Best Supporting Actor – International Cloud Atlas Nominated [26]
2016 National Film Awards UK Best Breakthrough Performance in a Film Kidnapping Freddy Heineken Nominated [26]

Notes

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1.^ From the soundtrack 21 – Original Motion Picture Score, not to be confused with the film's other soundtrack Music From The Motion Picture 21.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "JimSturgess on Instagram: "Happy Fathers Day 🖤"". Retrieved 4 August 2022 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.; at ancestry.com
  3. ^ a b Symkus, Ed (15 August 2011). "Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess trace their paths to 'One Day' – Entertainment – Canton, OH". CantonRep.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Jim Sturgess Interview – Films – ShortList Magazine". Shortlist.com. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d "US Online – University of Salford graduates star in new blockbuster". Staff.salford.ac.uk. 9 April 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Julia Llewellyn Smith (7 November 2016). "One Day star Jim Sturgess on single life, insomnia and turning down Hollywood". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  7. ^ a b c "Jim Sturgess brings hoax with a painful legacy to life in new JT LeRoy biopic". 12 March 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Jim Sturgess Credits". tvguide.com. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  9. ^ "film25". London FrightFest Film Festival. 31 August 2009. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  10. ^ Goodridge, Mike (12 May 2010). "Hathaway, Sturgess Sign to Scherfig's One Day for Focus". Screen International. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  11. ^ "Jim Sturgess (Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole) Interview". Tribute. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  12. ^ "Upside Down (2012)". IMDb. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  13. ^ "'Upside Down' Teaser Poster". Jimsturgessonline.com. 26 May 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  14. ^ "Winterbottom wants Promised Land". msn.com. 12 July 2012. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  15. ^ Cooper, Sarah (12 May 2011). "Untitled Mat Whitecross Project | Features | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  16. ^ "Ray Winstone, Jim Sturgess & Lesley Manville Team For Noir 'Ashes'; Film Co-Financed By Coldplay". The Playlist (blog of indieWire). Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  17. ^ "Here Are the 22 Films in the Viewpoints Section". Tribeca Film Festival. 4 March 2014. Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  18. ^ Midgley, Dominic (30 March 2015). "Kidnapping of the Freddy Heineken- the beer tycoon". Express. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  19. ^ Knox, David (26 June 2024). "More cast join Mix Tape | TV Tonight". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  20. ^ Scott, Mike (28 March 2008). "Actor Jim Sturgess' Career Is Poised for takeoff". Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2010. I think Julie definitely was into the fact that I was a musician
  21. ^ "'Panic and Magic' – Jim Sturgess" – via YouTube.
  22. ^ Emami, Gazelle (17 August 2011). "One Day Interview: Jim Sturgess Might Not Be Here Tomorrow". Huffington Post. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  23. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (4 May 2021). "Katie Holmes Wraps Second Film As Director, Connecticut-Set Romance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  24. ^ "Crossing Over (2009)". IMDb. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  25. ^ "***Exclusive track for Heartless *** Panic and Magic van Ladyburden op Myspace". Blog on myspace.com. 21 April 2011. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  26. ^ a b c d e "Jim Sturgess Awards". IMDb (Index source only). Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  27. ^ "25 Days Later, 'Dynamite' and 'Cove' Tops with Seattle Audiences". indiewire.com. 15 June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  28. ^ "The Jameson Empire Awards 2009". Empire. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
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