Dan Stevens

**Daniel Jonathan Stevens**, widely known as **Dan Stevens**, is an acclaimed English actor who first drew international attention for his role as Matthew Crawley in the famed ITV period drama series *Downton Abbey* from 2010-2012. Notably, Stevens showcased his versatile acting skills in various films, including *The Guest* (2014) where he played David, Sir Lancelot in *Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb* (2014), and the infamously charming Beast/Prince in Disney's live action adaptation of *Beauty and the Beast* (2017). He also portrayed Lorin Willis in the biographical legal drama *Marshall* (2017), Charles Dickens in *The Man Who Invented Christmas* (2017), and the Russian Eurovision singer Alexander Lemtov in *Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga* (2020). More recently, he starred in *Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire* in 2024 as Trapper. Stevens' career led him to work with notable actors and actresses including Emma Watson, Ben Stiller, and Robin Williams. Stevens' commendable journey on the acting front began when he was adopted at birth and raised by teaching parents in southeast England and Wales. With a passion for acting, he obtained a scholarship to Tonbridge School, a private school in Kent where he particularly became engrossed in drama through the title role in Macbeth. Enjoying a stint with the National Youth Theatre in London, he developed his craft and studied English Literature at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. His professional acting career took flight in 2004 when Peter Hall cast him as Orlando in his touring production of Shakespeare's *As You Like It*. His debut performance wafts recognition and glowing reviews. He further demonstrated his talent in a series of roles including those in adaptations of *Sense & Sensibility*, *Dracula*, and *The Turn of the Screw*. He was named one of Screen International's 2006 Stars Of Tomorrow. His role in *Downton Abbey* was particularly noteworthy as his exit from the series gathered significant fan attention and uproar. Beyond films and dramas, Stevens is multilingual and maintains an interest in writing and literature. He co-founded 'The Junket', an online quarterly and was a part of the juding panel for the 2012 Man Booker Prize.