Benjamin Walker (actor)

Walker was born in Cartersville, Georgia,{{Cite web|last=Levine|first=Daniel S.|date=2017-05-26|title=Benjamin Walker, Kaya Scodelario's Husband: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|url=https://heavy.com/entertainment/2017/05/kaya-scodelario-husband-benjamin-walker-married-who-is-pirates-family-age-baby/|access-date=2021-01-24|website=Heavy.com|language=en-US}} the younger of two boys born of Jeannine (née Walker), a music teacher, and Greg Davis, who owned a movie rental store and works in financial services.{{cite web |last=Brown |first=Scott |title=Benjamin Walker on Playing Andrew Jackson in Broadway's 'Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson' |url=https://nymag.com/guides/fallpreview/2010/theater/67624/ |website=New York Magazine |access-date=2013-08-25 |date=2010-08-19}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/magazine/benjamin-walker-sexypants-vampire-hunter.html?pagewanted=all|work=The New York Times|first=David|last=Marchese|title=Benjamin Walker, Sexypants Vampire Hunter|date=June 14, 2012}}{{cite web |last=Lipworth |first=Elaine |title=Benjamin Walker: Meryl Streep is an intimidating mother-in-law |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/film/901972-benjamin-walker-meryl-streep-is-an-intimidating-mother-in-law |website=Metro |access-date=2013-08-25 |date=2012-06-13 |archive-date=2012-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127104906/http://www.metro.co.uk/film/901972-benjamin-walker-meryl-streep-is-an-intimidating-mother-in-law |url-status=dead }} He took his mother's maiden name as his stage name because there was a Benjamin Davis already registered with the Screen Actors Guild.{{Cite web|last=Jones|first=Winston|url=http://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/19028788/article--Abraham-Lincoln--star-has-local-ties|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204142842/http://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/19028788/article--Abraham-Lincoln--star-has-local-ties?instance=TG_home_story_offset|url-status=dead|title='Abraham Lincoln' star has local ties|website=Times-Georgian|access-date=2012-06-20|archive-date=2013-02-04}} He attended Cartersville High School in Cartersville, the Interlochen Arts Academy near Traverse City, and the Juilliard School in New York City.{{cite web|last=Riegel|first=Katie|url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/6581/benjamin-walker|title=INTERVIEW: Benjamin Walker|website=Broadway.com|date=April 19, 2007}} He graduated from the Juilliard Actor Training Program in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.thewarboys.com/content/THE_WAR_BOYS-Press_Notes_Final_4_.pdf|title=The War Boys: Press Notes|access-date=September 12, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812160048/http://www.thewarboys.com/content/THE_WAR_BOYS-Press_Notes_Final_4_.pdf|archive-date=August 12, 2011}}

In February 2007, Walker portrayed Bertram Cates in the Broadway revival of Inherit the Wind.{{cite web|url=http://broadway.yahoo.com/shows/show.php?s=wind |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209073406/http://broadway.yahoo.com/shows/show.php?s=wind |title=Inherit the Wind |website=broadway.yahoo.com |archive-date=February 9, 2007}}{{Cite web|url=http://nytimes.theatredirect.com/Gen/Buzz_Video.aspx?ci=546617|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008092221/http://nytimes.theatredirect.com/Gen/Buzz_Video.aspx?ci=546617|url-status=dead|title=Opening Night: Inherit the Wind|archive-date=October 8, 2007|website=Broadway.com}} The production opened at the Lyceum Theatre on April 12 and enjoyed a 10-week run to a full house. The show was nominated for four Tony awards, including Best Revival. In April 2008, Walker appeared as the Chevalier Danceny in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. He played the inexperienced lover who becomes the sex pawn of the pernicious La Marquise de Merteuil. Described as the "definitive battle of the sexes" by Broadway World,{{cite web | last = McBride | first = Walter | url = http://baltimore.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=27476 | title = Photo Coverage: Arrivals for 'LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES' | website = BroadwayWorld | date = May 2, 2008}} the production enjoyed a full house and was nominated for six Tony awards.

In December 2007, Walker starred as Andrew Jackson in the musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson during its world premiere at the Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles. In 2010, he reprised his role in the musical, first off-Broadway at the Public Theater and then at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway. The musical enjoyed a successful, but short, run. It was also a critical hit, but was nominated for few awards. Walker starred in numerous incarnations of the show to great critical acclaim, including Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson: The Concert Version (a four-week workshop run at Public Theater in March 2009), and the thrice-extended return at the Public Theater in March 2010.{{cite web | last = Sierra | first = Gabrielle | url = http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BLOODY_BLOODY_ANDREW_JACKSON_Plays_The_Public_Theatre_Previews_3232010_20091022 | title = BLOODY, BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON Plays The Public Theatre, Previews 3/23/2010 | website = BroadwayWorld | date = October 22, 2009}}{{cite web | url = http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BLOODY_BLOODY_Opens_at_Bernard_Jacobs_Theatre_1013_20101013 | title = BLOODY BLOODY Opens at Bernard Jacobs Theatre, 10/13 | website = BroadwayWorld | date = October 13, 2010}} The production closed on January 2, 2011.

From 2012 to 2013, Walker portrayed Brick in a revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. His other stage credits include The Arrangements at the Atlantic Theatre Company (2005), the Lincoln Center Theater workshop of Spring Awakening (2005), Lady Windermere's Fan (2005), Romeo and Juliet (2006), and American Psycho (2016). He received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the 2019 Broadway revival of All My Sons.

File:Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter.jpg in 2012]]

Walker starred in the short film All Saint's Day (2007), which was the Savannah College of Art and Design winner for the narrative short category. In 2009, he appeared in the independent films Coach and The War Boys.{{cite web|url=http://www.lightning-ent.com/movie/view/84|title=Coach|website=Lightning Entertainment|access-date=2009-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091121044549/http://www.lightning-ent.com/movie/view/84|archive-date=2009-11-21|url-status=dead}} In 2010, Walker was cast as Hank McCoy/Beast in X-Men: First Class, but dropped out of the role to star in the Broadway musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.{{cite web|title=Benjamin Walker to Star in Broadway Transfer of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson|website=Broadway.com|date=July 15, 2010|url=http://www.broadway.com/shows/bloody-bloody-andrew-jackson/buzz/153013/benjamin-walker-to-star-in-broadway-transfer-of-bloody-bloody-andrew-jackson|access-date=October 6, 2010}} It was announced in January 2011 that Walker would star as Abraham Lincoln in the film adaptation of Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.{{cite news|last1=Abrams|first1=Rachel|last2=Oldham|first2=Stuart|title=Ben Walker is Abe Lincoln, 'Vampire Hunter'|website=Variety|date=January 28, 2011|url=https://variety.com/2011/film/news/ben-walker-is-abe-lincoln-vampire-hunter-1118031038/|access-date=January 28, 2011}} The film was released in June 2012. Walker told Rolling Stone magazine that he read a number of biographies on Lincoln to prepare for the role.{{cite magazine|title=Big Dead President: Benjamin Walker|author=Gavin Edwards|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=May 2012|issue=Summer Bonus Issue|page=51}} He was cast as Archangel Michael in the film adaptation of Paradise Lost, but production was cancelled in 2012.{{cite news|last=Chitwood|first=Adam|title=Legendary Pictures Scraps Alex Proyas' PARADISE LOST Starring Bradley Cooper|website=Collider|date=February 9, 2012|url=https://collider.com/paradise-lost-cancelled-bradley-cooper/|access-date=January 5, 2022}} He starred as Kevin Connolly in the 2013 film Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight.{{cite news|title=Gawking at the shoot of Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight|website=AllOverAlbany.com|date=May 10, 2012|url=http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2012/05/10/gawking-at-the-shoot-of-muhammad-alis-greatest-fig|access-date=May 17, 2012}}

Walker has appeared in television series such as Traitors (miniseries) (2019), Jessica Jones (2019), The Underground Railroad (2021), and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022–present).

Walker has performed stand-up comedy at Caroline's, Comedy Village, and The Comedy Store. His comedy show, Find the Funny, features comics and taped short narratives and skits, and is performed regularly in New York City.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/talk/2010/05/24/100524ta_talk_widdicombe|title=Finding The Funny|magazine=The New Yorker|first=Lizzie|last=Widdicombe|date=May 24, 2010}}

Walker became engaged to actress Mamie Gummer in 2009,{{cite web|last=Varley|first=Eddie|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Mamie_Gummer_Engaged_to_Stage_Actor_Ben_Walker_20091020|title=Mamie Gummer Engaged to Stage Actor Ben Walker|website=BroadwayWorld|date=October 20, 2009}} and they were married in 2011.{{cite magazine|last=Beard |first=Lanford |url=http://news-briefs.ew.com/2011/07/20/mamie-gummer-marries |title=Meryl Streep's daughter Mamie Gummer marries |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=July 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120004938/http://news-briefs.ew.com/2011/07/20/mamie-gummer-marries/ |archive-date=2012-01-20 }} They lived in an apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn. In March 2013, it was announced that they had amicably separated and planned to divorce.{{cite web|last=Yuan|first=Jada|title=Benjamin Walker Returns to Broadway for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof|url=https://www.vulture.com/2013/01/benjamin-walker-cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof.html|website=Vulture|access-date=February 27, 2013|date=January 6, 2013}}

Walker began dating his co-star, Kaya Scodelario, in April 2014. They became engaged on December 28, 2014.{{cite news|url=http://instagram.com/p/xKzb-6qT4c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/xKzb-6qT4c |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|title=The Happiest Woman in the World|date=December 28, 2014|work=@kayascods}}{{cbignore}} He and Scodelario married in late 2015 and both adopted the surname "Scodelario-Davis".{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/article/benjamin-walker-kaya-scodelario-married|title=Holiday Wedding! Benjamin Walker and Kaya Scodelario Tie the Knot|last=Guglielmi|first=Jodi|date=January 8, 2016|website=People}} The couple had a son in November 2016.{{Cite web|last=Juneau|first=Jen|url=https://people.com/parents/kaya-scodelario-benjamin-walker-welcome-son/|title=Benjamin Walker and Kaya Scodelario Welcome Son|website=People|date=2016-12-01|access-date=2021-01-05}} In September 2021, the couple announced they were expecting their second child, a girl, who was born in December 2021.{{cite news|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CT9K6dNofxE/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CT9K6dNofxE |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|title=I tried to set up one of those beautiful pregnancy reveal pictures with the meadow[...]|date=September 18, 2021|work=@kayascods}}{{cbignore}} In February 2024, the couple announced their separation.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a46680255/skins-kaya-scodelario-split-husband-benjamin-walker/|title=Skins star Kaya Scodelario confirms split from husband|last=Stedman|first=Emily|date=February 8, 2024|website=Digital Spy|access-date=February 8, 2024}}

Image:Benjamin Walker by Gage Skidmore.jpg

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• {{IMDb name|907548|Benjamin Walker}}
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• [http://broadway.yahoo.com/shows/show.php?s=wind broadway.yahoo.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209073406/http://broadway.yahoo.com/shows/show.php?s=wind|date=2007-02-09}}
• [http://www.morenewsaboutbenwalker.blogspot.com/ Activities]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080228215152/http://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/productiondetail.aspx?id=3198 Production detail]

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Category:1982 births

Category:Living people

Category:Male actors from Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male stage actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:Juilliard School alumni

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:Comedians from Georgia (U.S. state)