Who is Oliver Chris? King Charles III actor playing Prince William and Green Wing and The Office star
Oliver is a star of stage and screen having built an impressive CV of varied roles
TV fans may be forgiven for giving Oliver Chris a double take when he hits screens as Price William in an upcoming BBC Two adaptation of award winning play King Charles III.
The actor has been noted for his passing resemblance for the current Duke of Cambridge.
But it’s not just playing a prince that Oliver is royally good at.
Here is everything you need to know about the top acting talent…
Who is Oliver Chris?
Oliver Graham Chris is a British actor born on 2 November 1978 in Tunbridge Well, England.
He studied acting at Central School of Speech and Drama – graduating in 2000.
One of his first acting gigs was the BBC adaptation of Richard Doddridge Blackmore’s novel Lorna Doone – which hit TV screens in 2001.
What show is Oliver Chris playing Prince William in?
Oliver Chris is playing Prince William in the BBC adaptation of King Charles III.
The actor has already drawn attention for his passing resemblance to the royal – and the TV film is due to air on BBC Two on Wednesday 10 May 2017 at 9pm.
Tim Pigott-Smith play’s King Charles – and Tom Hardy’s wife Charlotte Riley is playing William’s on-screen wife Kate Middleton.
Is King Charles III starring Oliver Chris based on a play?
King Charles III is an Olivier and Tony award nominated play – written by Mike Bartlett (whose TV credits include Doctor Foster).
The play debuted at the Almedia Theatre in London in April 2014 and went on to win critical and commercial acclaim on the West End, Broadway, Sydney and on a UK Tour.
The play – which the TV adaptation is based on – envisages a constitutional crisis when King Charles (ascending the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II) refuses to sign a new law that could be used to supress the press.
It features Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Prince Harry and the ghost of Princess Diana among other characters.
What other theatre has Oliver Chris starred in?
Oliover Chris made his stage debut playing Algernon in an adaptation of The Importance of Being Ernest at Royal Theatre Northampton in 2002.
He won praise for playing the role of Stanley Stubbers in One Man, Two Guvnors opposite James Corden.
And in 2017 he will appear in Young Marx playing Freidrich Engels - reuniting him with One Man, Two Guvnors writer Richard Bean.
What other TV shows has Oliver Chris starred in?
Oliver Chris has an impressive CV of TV roles including playing Ricky Howard in The Office and playing Luke Chatwin in the BBC’s deeply underappreciated short lived comedy drama Rescue Me (written by One Day writer David Nicholls).
He also played Boyce in Channel 4’s much loved comedy Green Wing and has popped up in shows including Silent Witness, The IT Crowd, and Nathan Barley.
He had a leading role in controversial army show Bluestone 42 and also appeared in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.
Is Oliver Chris married?
Oliver Chris was in a relationship with Rachael Stirling (the actress daughter of Dame Diana Rigg) from 2007 and the two were engaged.
However they split in 2011 and Oliver is believed to be currently single.
Does Oliver Chris use Instagram and/or Twitter?
It looks like Oliver Chris does not use Instagram – however he is an active user of Twitter.
He can be found tweeting via the handle @oliverchris where he covers a range of topics – from theatre to politics – and provides some insight to his personal life.
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