Rafe Spall

Rafe Joseph Spall ( ; born 10 March 1983) is an English actor.

Spall has appeared in films including The Calcium Kid (2004), Green Street (2005), Kidulthood (2006), The Scouting Book for Boys (2009), Anonymous (2011), Life of Pi (2012), I Give It a Year (2013), X+Y (2014), Swallows and Amazons (2016), The Ritual (2017), and Men in Black: International (2019). Spall played the title role of Pete Griffiths in Pete versus Life from 2010 to 2011, and has portrayed characters on the TV series The Shadow Line and Black Mirror. Spall also appeared in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy (2004–2013).

Since May 2020, Spall has starred in the Apple TV+ comedy series Trying.

Early life Rafe Joseph Spall was born on 10 March 1983 at 12 Dunstan's Road in East Dulwich, London, the second of three children of Shane (née Baker) and actor Timothy Spall. Named after the protagonist in The Knight of the Burning Pestle, a role his father played in the Royal Shakespeare Company and one he would later play himself, he always had ambitions to act. His father was diagnosed with myeloid leukaemia when Rafe was 14, and spent the next 18 months in treatment.

Rafe was overweight as a teen, which he calls a "painful" experience. Having achieved poor grades at his school, Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College, he left to become an actor and joined the National Youth Theatre at 15. He failed to get into his chosen drama schools, such as RADA, at 17, but worked anyway. After being perennially cast in "fat" roles, he lost 77 lbs (35 kg) at age 19, which brought more acting opportunities.

In 2011, Spall starred in the romantic tragedy movie One Day opposite Anne Hathaway. In 2012, Spall portrayed Canadian author Yann Martel in the Academy Award-winning drama film Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee. The film was a critical and financial success, winning four Academy Awards and making over $600 million at the box office. In 2013, he played the newlywed husband in I Give It a Year, a comedy about the trials and tribulations of a couple during their first year of marriage.

In 2014, Spall appeared in the coming-of-age drama X+Y, alongside Asa Butterfield and Sally Hawkins, the seasonal family comedy Get Santa, and "White Christmas", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror. In 2015, he played John Hancock in the History Channel three-part series, Sons of Liberty, alongside Jim Broadbent, and appeared in the Academy Award-winning biographical comedy-drama The Big Short, alongside Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell. Also that year, Spall played Harry Price in Harry Price: Ghost Hunter, ITV's adaptation of Neil Spring's debut novel, The Ghost Hunters. The film aired on ITV1 on 27 December.

In 2018, Spall portrayed Eli Mills in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and in 2019, had supporting roles in science-fiction action film Men in Black: International and biographical legal drama Just Mercy. Since 2020, Spall has a leading role in the Apple TV+ comedy series Trying, opposite Esther Smith and Imelda Staunton. Also in 2020, he played DS Nick Bailey in the biographical BBC miniseries The Salisbury Poisonings.

In 2021, Spall co-starred with Zahra Newman in the Australian romantic comedy Long Story Short. In 2022, he played David Melmont in the BBC Two/Amazon Prime Video revisionist Western miniseries The English, and portrayed Atticus Finch in the West End production of Aaron Sorkin's To Kill a Mockingbird. In 2024, he appeared in the films William Tell and Rich Flu, while the following year saw him take a supporting role in the Apple TV+ crime drama Smoke. In 2026, in addition to the upcoming fifth season of Trying, he starred in three new television series: Riz Ahmed's Prime Video dramedy Bait, Sky Atlantic crime drama Under Salt Marsh, and ITVX espionage thriller Secret Service.

Spall will lead the cast of Steven Moffat's Channel 4 political comedy-drama Number 10, playing the role of the British Prime Minister. In 2027, he will star as Sherlock Holmes in the Sky series The Death of Sherlock Holmes.

Personal life Spall says he has always struggled with his weight, going up to 18 stone [] but said that he was given so many character parts that he attempted to slim down, losing over 5st []. Like his father, he is a keen supporter of Crystal Palace. He is a patron of the Actors' Centre.

In February 2008, Spall met actress Elize du Toit; they were married from 2010 to 2021, They have three children together. Spall is now in a relationship with Trying co-star Esther Smith, with whom he has a child born in 2024.

Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes 2001 Beginner's Luck Danny2004 Shaun of the Dead Noel The Calcium Kid Stan Parlour 2005 Green Street Hooligans Swill The Last Drop Pvt. David Wellings 2006 Kidulthood Lenny A Good Year Kenny 2007 Hot Fuzz D.C. Andy Cartwright Grindhouse Featured Ghost Segment: "Don't" 2008 Close Eric 2009 The Scouting Book for Boys Steve Modern Life Is Rubbish Liam 2010 Behind the Door Bobby Sus D.C. Wilby 2011 Anonymous William Shakespeare One Day Ian Whitehead 2012 Prometheus Millburn

Television

Year Title Role Notes 2002 Out of Control Ray Television film 2003 The Lion in Winter Prince John 2004 The Legend of the Tamworth Two Crustie 2005 The Rotters' Club Sean Harding 3 episodes Twisted Tales Dominic Episode: "Death Metal Chronicles"2006 The Romantics John Clare Miniseries The Chatterley Affair Keith Television film Cracker DS McAllister Episode: "Nine Eleven" Wide Sargasso Sea Edward Rochester Television film Dracula Jonathan Harker 2007 A Room with a View George Emerson 2008 He Kills Coppers Frank Taylor Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me Dennis Heymer 2009 Agatha Christie's Marple Roger Bassington Episode: "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" Desperate Romantics William Holman Hunt 6 episodes 2010–2011 Pete Versus Life Pete Griffiths 11 episodes 2011 The Shadow Line Jay Wratten 6 episodes 2014 Black Mirror Joe Potter Episode: "White Christmas" 2015 Harry Price: Ghost Hunter Harry Price Television film Sons of Liberty John Hancock Miniseries 2016 Roadies Reg Whitehead 10 episodes 2018 Grandpa's Great Escape Adult Jack (voice) Television special 2019 The War of the Worlds George 3 episodes 2020 The Salisbury Poisonings DS Bailey TV series 2020–present Trying Jason Ross Main role 2022 The English David Melmont 2025 Smoke Steven Burk 2026 Bait Nigel 6 episodes 2026 Under Salt Marsh Detective Eric Bull 6 episodes 2026 Secret Service Stuart Henderson 5 episodes Prime Minister Harry Douglas Main role, post-production Sherlock Holmes Lead role, 6 episodes

Stage A Prayer for Owen Meany by Simon Bent at the National Theatre as Harold Crosby/Coach Chickering/Larry Lish (2002) Just a Bloke by David Watson at the Royal Court Theatre as Nathan (2002) The Knight of the Burning Pestle by Francis Beaumont at the Young Vic Theatre/Barbican Theatre as Rafe (2005) John Gabriel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen at the Donmar Warehouse as Erhart Borkman (2007) Alaska by DC Moore at the Royal Court Theatre as Frank (2007) Hello and Goodbye by Athol Fugard with the English Touring Theatre as Johnny (2008) If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet by Nick Payne at the Bush Theatre as Terry (2009) Constellations by Nick Payne at the Royal Court Theatre as Roland (2012) Betrayal by Harold Pinter at the Ethel Barrymore Theater as Jerry (2013) Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen at the Royal National Theatre as Brack (2016) Death of England by Roy Williams and Clint Dyer at the Royal National Theatre (2020) To Kill a Mockingbird by Aaron Sorkin at the Gielgud Theatre (2022)

Radio The Real Thing BBC Radio 4 as Billy (2006) Hide BBC Radio 3 as the convict (2007) Words and Music: Crushed BBC Radio 3 as a guest reader (2008) Capital narrator (2012) Amok Audible.co.uk as Oliver (2015)