Richard Crispin Armitage is an English actor best known for his role in the film The Hobbit as Thorin Oakenshield. His previous credits include Naboo fighter pilot in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Heinz Kruger in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), King Oberon in Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016), and Claude Becker in Ocean’s 8 (2018), among others. He’s also renowned for his roles as John Thornton in the British television show North & South and John Porter in the BBC drama Strike Back. Cleopatra (1999) as Cleopatra, Robin Hood (2006–2009) as Guy of Gisborne, Strike Back: Project Dawn (2015) as Francis Dolarhyde, Berlin Station as Daniel Miller, and Castlevania as Trevor Belmont are among his previous television appearances. Moreever Armitage formerly performed in a number of theatrical productions and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. His popular Theatre roles include Macliesh in The Long and the Short and the Tall (1995), Bernardo in Hamlet (1998), Brothel Patron in The Crucible (2014), and Kenneth in Love, Love, Love (2016).

Richard Armitage’s Childhood and Education

He was born on August 22, 1971, in Leicester, England, to parents John Armitage (an engineer) and Margaret Armitage (a secretary). Richard attended Blaby’s Huncote Community Primary School before enrolling at Brockington College in Enderby to study music. Richard was a cellist, a member of orchestras, and a flutist.

He broadened his horizons by studying dance and acting at Pattison College in Coventry. Richard earned an A-Level in music as well as an A-Level in English. Richard then traveled to Budapest and spent six weeks working in a circus to earn his Equity card.

Biographical Information on Richard Armitage

Richard then returned to England, where he was able to realize his ambition of performing in a theater. He was a member of the ensembles of 42nd Street and Annie Get Your Gun, among other musical theatre shows. He thereafter pursued his goal of performing in dramatic theatre productions, appearing in The Real Thing and Death of a Salesman as a variety of characters.

Richard enrolled in the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art to enhance his acting skills (LAMDA). He returned to the stage in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Macbeth and the Duchess of Malfi as a supporting actor. Richard also appeared in the Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s productions of Hamlet (1998) and Four Alice Bakers.

He originally appeared in the Charm Offensive’s production of Use Me As Your Cardigan, but his major television appearance was in the BBC’s Sparkhouse in 2002 as John Standring. Later, Richard appeared in television shows such as Between the Sheets, Cold Feet (Series 5), and Ultimate Force as a supporting actor (series 2). Richard made his first leading part as John Thornton in Elizabeth Gaskell’s North & South for the BBC later that year.

A year later, in 2005, Richard starred as Peter MacDuff in the BBC’s Shakespeare-Told adaptation of Macbeth. Armitage then went on to play the role of Young Claude Monet in The Impressionists. Meanwhile, he appeared in ITV’s The Golden Hour as Dr. Alec Track. Richard’s first significant role in a film was in the independent film Frozen. Richard was cast in the BBC’s Robin Hood in 2006. Richard appears in a two-part Christmas Special of The Vicar of Dibley the same year.

On April 8, 2007, Richard debuted as Ricky Deeming in the detective drama George Gently. He then made an appearance on the BBC’s Miss Marie Lloyd Queen of the Music Hall on May 9th. In the same year, Richard played Philip Durrant in the Granda TV adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel Ordeal by Innocence.

Richard joined the cast of Spooks for the seventh series in October 2008 as Lucas North. He finished filming the 9th series, which was his final series, in July 2010. Richard played John Mulligan in the BBC1 drama Moving On. He then starred in Sky1’s Strike Back in May 2010. Richard stated in an interview that he was eventually drawn to the persona.

Richard is most known for his role as Heinz Kruger in Captain America: The First Avenger, which debuted in theaters in July 2011. He was cast as Thorin Oakenshield in the three-film adaptation of The Hobbit in December 2012. Richard characterizes himself as flawed and complex. Richard was featured in the film Into the Storm in August 2014.

In March of 2014, He began filming an adaptation of Bernard Hare’s Urban Grimshaw and the Shed Crew. Richard is set to star in the Old Vic’s production of The Crucible, which will run from June 21 to September 13, 2014. He had always wanted to star in a drama about Richard III because he was born on the anniversary of Richard III’s death at the Battle of Bosworth Field. He recently indicated that he is still involved with the project, despite the fact that he is too big and old to play Richard III.

With his exceptional acting ability, Richard, who calls himself a method actor, will surely write his name in the annals of the entertainment industry. He stated in an interview:

“Yes, I’m sure I am. In some ways, it’s a little lazy since it eliminates the need to pretend – all you have to do is believe. As much as that is feasible, I suppose I kind of do step in and out. I’m not one of those individuals who can’t talk to other people because they’re in character, but I do kind of remain with the character, sure. He’s never far away. It’s like marinating something; you spend the entire time sitting in a marinade.”

As of 2018, he is a part of two popular television series: Berlin Station, a drama written by Olen Steinhauer, and Berlin Station, a comedy created by Olen Steinhauer. He plays Daniel Miller in the film, which also stars Rhys Ifans, Michelle Forbes, Richard Jenkins, and Leland Orser. Trevor Belmont stars in Castlevania, an adult animated online television series based on the Japanese video game Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse.

Richard Armitage’s net worth is estimated to be in the millions of dollars.

Richard’s net worth is reported to be approximately $13 million after his role in Strike Back. His acting career is his primary source of income.

Personal Life of Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage has a manly physique and stands 6 feet 2 inches tall. Similary Richard has posed shirtless in a number of his TV shows and films, which gives you an impression of his extraordinarily well-built figure and has also fueled claims that he is gay.

Similarly, due to multiple get-together photos being circulated, there have been significant suspicions that Richard Armitage and The Hobbit costar Lee Pace are lovers. When asked about Richard by a Comic-Con interviewer, Lee said that he believed he was a great man and that he liked him, raising further questions regarding both performers’ sexuality.

In addition,  Richard was dating English actress Annabel Capper in 2013, no one knows what their current relationship status is. However, based on the prevailing premise that Richard is gay, Annabel is most definitely not his wife. Richard prefers to keep his personal life out of the spotlight, so no one knows about his dating history, divorce, or whether or not he is married.