Ben Turner (actor)

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Ben Turner
Born (1980-02-03) 3 February 1980 (age 44)
OccupationActor
Years active2005–present

Ben Turner (born 3 February 1980) is a British Iranian actor, most notable for his roles as nurse Jay Faldren on BBC's Casualty,[1] the lead role of Amir in multiple stage adaptations of The Kite Runner,[2] and as Louis XV in Doctor Who.

Life and career

Turner was born in Hackney, London to an English father, actor Graham Turner of the Royal Shakespeare Company,[3] and an Iranian mother. He was educated at Dulwich College, well known for its pedigree of actors[4] including the founder Edward Alleyn. He then trained as an actor at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.[5]

He has appeared in many productions in television, film, theatre and radio, including Michael Grandage's production of Richard II.[6]

He has also appeared in several charity shows such as Children in Need, 2009 in the Casualty special as Staff Nurse Jay Faldren and also Let's Dance for Sport Relief 2010.[7]

Ben appeared in the first of the live shows along with Casualty stars Charles Dale (Big Mac) and Tony Marshall (Noel Garcia) as well as Holby City stars Rosie Marcel (Jac Naylor) and Luke Roberts (Joseph Byrne). He left Casualty in December 2011, along with co-star Georgia Taylor, who played his main love interest in the show.[8]

Following his extensive stage experience[9] Turner took on "without doubt the biggest challenge I've had professionally", appearing in the stage production of The Kite Runner,[10] which had its European premiere at Nottingham Playhouse in April 2013. Turner starred in the production playing both the younger and older versions of the main character Amir. The show's popularity returned it for another run with a UK tour premiering August through November, 2014 and again in the West End in 2016.[11]

Turner joined the cast of WPC 56, in the regular lead role of Detective Inspector Max Harper, in Series 2, which was shown by the BBC in February 2014.[12]

Filmography

Year Title Role Director Company Notes
2004 As If Andrew David Kerr Carnival Films
2005 Bilingual George Chamoun Issa NFTS
2005 Casualty David Pickering Graeme Harper BBC Bristol Series 19 Episode 30: 'And on That Farm'
2005 Syriana Student Protest Leader Steven Gagan Warner Brothers (uncredited)
2005 Love Soup Ray Verity Lambert, David Renwick BBC One
2005 I Shouldn't Be Alive Markus Stamm Mark Westcott, Matthew Whiteman Darlow Smithson Productions
2006 Doctor Who King Louis XV Euros Lyn BBC Episode: The Girl in the Fireplace
2007 The Bill Si Magley Karl Neilson ITV Series 23, Episode 62: Crash Test
2008 Casualty Sam Baxter Jon Sen BBC Bristol Series 22 Episode 33: 'Someone's Lucky Night'
2008 The Big Slap Ben Turner Tom Shrapnel Funny or Die[13] (Short)
2008 Adulthood Giles Noel Clarke Limelight [14]
2008–2011, 2016 Casualty Jay Faldren BBC Bristol Series 23:8 through Series 26:16 + Series 31:1
2011 Richard II Mowbray Michael Grandage Donmar Warehouse [15]
2012 Love in the Afternoon Ollie Lou Gerring Brek Taylor (Short)
2012 Been Here For Days Stuart Dominik Rippl Nona Film (Short)
2013 Death in Paradise Chris Winchester Alrick Riley BBC Episode 2:4
2013 The Fifth Estate Reporter Bill Condon DreamWorks (uncredited)
2014 WPC 56 DI Max Harper Niall Fraser / James Larkin BBC One Series 2
2014 300: Rise of an Empire General Artaphernes Noam Murro Legendary Pictures / Warner Bros.
2015 The Coroner Dr. Mel Siddiqui Niall Fraser BBC Birmingham Series 1 Episode 10: Dirty Dancing
2015 EastEnders Adrian Quinlan BBC One [16]
2016 The Illiad Achilles Mark Thomson Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh [17]
2017 6 Days Salim Toa Fraser General Film Corporation / Icon [18]
2022 The Ipcress File Adem S1 E3

References

  1. ^ "BBC Character Profile". BBC. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  2. ^ O'Hanlon, Dom (28 November 2016). "Interview with The Kite Runner star Ben Turner". LondonTheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  3. ^ "When past mirrors life". Yorkshire Evening Post. 30 November 2001. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  4. ^ Sawyer, Patrick (12 January 2014). "Hollywood beckons for former public school pupils". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  5. ^ Sedgwick, Catherine (13 February 2017). "The Kite Runner: An interview with Ben Turner". The Up Coming. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  6. ^ Walker, Tim (9 December 2011). "Richard II, Donmar Warehouse, Seven magazine review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Let's Dance For Sport Relief – more celebrities revealed". BBC. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  8. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (21 October 2011). "'Casualty' duo Ruth, Jay to leave show". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  9. ^ "United Agents: Professional Biography". Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  10. ^ ""An incredible story that anyone can relate to" Ben Turner talks to us about The Kite Runner". London News Online. 3 January 2017. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  11. ^ Galton, Bridget (20 December 2016). "The Kite Runner comes to the stage with audiences 'shaky and in floods of tears'". Hampstead & Highgate Express. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  12. ^ Reilly, Elaine (27 January 2014). "Ex Casualty star Ben Turner relishes his new role in WPC 56". What's on TV; Time, Inc. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  13. ^ Shrapnel, Tom (30 September 2008). "The Big Slap". Funny or Die. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  14. ^ "IMDB Movie Listing". IMDb. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  15. ^ Vice, Caroline (24 December 2011). "Richard II at the Donmar Warehouse, December 2011". Dead Curious. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  16. ^ Duncan, Amy (24 April 2015). "EastEnders spoilers: Old and new faces announced to feature in Dot Branning's trial". Metro UK. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  17. ^ Dibdin, Thom (25 April 2016). "The Iliad review at Royal Lyceum Edinburgh". The Stage. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  18. ^ "6 Days – British Council". British Council. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2017.

External links