John Light is a British heartthrob ruling the theatre, television, and film industry since 1994. With a string of box office hits to several acclaimed performances on stage, he has given several moments of joy, laughter, and tears to his fans.
This 49-year-old actor is a known name across multiple entertainment mediums.
Here is everything to know about John Light.
Who is John Light?
John Andrew Light is an English film, television, and theatre actor, actively working across three industries since 1994. He was born on September 30, 1973, in Birmingham, England, and went to study at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys.
He is known for his excellent performance in Around the World in 80 Days (2021), Mars (2016), Taken at Midnight (2014), and North & South (2004). He is also the recipient of the Laurence Olivier Award nomination for his performance in the popular 2014 play, Taken at Midnight.
Owing to his dashing looks and power-packed performances, he owns every medium he performs on, be it television, movies, or theatre.
Filmography: The What, When, and Who of his Career
In 1997, John appeared in North and South, a BBC production, adapted from Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel. His stint as Henry Lennox, the title character, got him accolades. He managed to create a safe spot in the heart of the audience amidst other stars like Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage.
In 1998, he bagged the role in Cider with Rosie. He was a part of a German film, Dresden, where he played a British pilot Robert Newman.
He got a chance to share screen space with Glenn Close, Patrick Stewart, and Jonathan Rhys-Meyer in The Lion in Winter in 2003. In this movie, he portrayed Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany.
After a series of mind-blowing performances, he yet again bagged the chance of sweeping his fans off the floor by playing a Satan. John played the role with great conviction twice. First, in The Prophecy: Uprising and later, in the Prophecy: Forsaken.
In 2009, he played the title role in a play named A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine. Soon after, he picked another challenging role in 2011. On an episode of Silk, a BBC TV series, he essayed the role of Alan Bradley, a rape accused. Although he appeared in one episode, he managed to gain the attention of the audience.
After two years, in 2013, John again got an opportunity to work on a BBC TV series. He was roped in the popular series WPC 56 (series 1), in which he played the role of Chief Inspector Roger Nelson. His other BBC TV stint was Father Brown, where he played Hercule Flambeau.
He became a part of the 2014 series Lewis, where he appeared as Professor Felix Garwood. He was also a part of Endeavour’s pilot episode. In 2016, he managed to impress the audience with his performance as Dacourt in Maigret, an ITV series.
Talking about his stage performances, he has earned a reputation for putting the stage on fire with his impactful performances. No theatre lover could ever forget his portrayal as Brutus in Sean Holmes’ Julius Caesar. Another remarkable role was Caliban in Rupert Goold’s The Tempest.
In 2012, he got a lot of appreciation from the audience and critics alike for his role in Thom Pain. In 2015, he shared the stage with Penelope Wilton in the play, Taken at Midnight. His poignant performance made him a household name. He was nominated for the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award in the category of Best Supporting Actor in a Play. He played a pivotal role in Carmen Disrupted, where he essayed the role of Escamillo.
Another noted work of Light was Mary Stuart. Throughout the limited run of this play at Almeida (from late 2016s to early 2017s), he shared the stage with Lia Williams and Juliet Stevenson. In 2018, the play transferred to the Duke of York’s Theatre in West End. Light continued his stint with it. He essayed Luke Fawcett in Midsomer Murders Death of the Small Coppers.
He was a part of Florian Zeller’s The Son, which witnessed a long run, from 20 February 2019 to 6 April 2019, at the Kiln Theatre. In the same year, he played Richard Binser in The Curious Curate and also, became a part of Uncle Vanya at the Theatre Royal Bath, which marked the directorial debut of Rupert Everett.
In his latest work, a TV series, Around the World in 80 Days (2022), he played a Confederate soldier.
When the Cupid Struck
While John was winning the hearts of the world, it was Neve Campbell, who stole his heart. Neve, a Canadian film and television actress, made Light fall weak on his knees. The couple began dating in 2005 and got officially engaged on 9 February 2006. After two years, they tied the knot on 5 May 2007 in the presence of their friends and family in a ceremony in Malibu, California. He was the second husband of Neve Campbell.
Their wedding lasted for three years. On 30 June 2010, Neve filed for divorce from John in Los Angeles. The couple got divorced on 6 May 2011.
Fame and the Family
Neve wasn’t John’s only popular family member. His cousins are also known names in their arenas.
Liz Light, who was a part of Carla’s Song (1996) happens to be the sister of John Light. He is also the third cousin of Jack Lee, the famous British director, and Laurie Lee, the author of Cider with Rosie.
Furthermore, his ex-brother-in-law, Christian Campbell and Alex Campbell are famous actors.
Some Interesting Trivia
One interesting, rather painful, incident occurred while he was with the part of Uncle Vanya. Rupert Everett, the director of the play, accidentally injured John’s eye during rehearsals. While working with an injured eye, John fell from the stage. But he kept going with a crutch.
John Light is a marvelous actor. Every time he appears on the screen or stage, he manages to leave a long-lasting mark. We hope to see him across all the entertainment mediums for years to come.