Eddie Marsan, 57, is a English actor, known for his roles in Gangs of New York, Mission: Impossible III, Sherlock Holmes and Ray Donovan. Born in London’s East End, he originally worked as a printmaker before studying acting at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in south London, and landing early roles in Casualty, The Bill, and Grange Hill. He and his wife, Janine, a makeup artist, have four children, Tilly, 21, Blu, 20, Bodhi, 17, and Rufus, 15. He now stars in new Sky Atlantic drama Prisoner.
Here he shares the experiences that shaped him.
My parents’ volatile marriage didn’t make for a happy home life. But my challenging childhood brought unexpected gifts. If it hadn’t been for that instability, I might not have found the people who stayed with me. Bethnal Green, where I grew up, was incredibly mixed – Irish, Bangladeshi, Jamaican and Maltese families. Joyce Mitchell and her family, from St Lucia, lived on our landing. I’ve called Joyce “Mum” since I was 10, and I still call her that now. Coming from such a diverse community helped me become a versatile actor.
Shorts
Mum was a primary school assistant; my dad a lorry driver. Some local white, working-class families feared change, even supporting the British National Party or National Front. But the community around me felt different: loving, supportive and focused not on what they were, but who they could become. They came to my plays when I was struggling and celebrated my early success on The Bill. My childhood friends became artists, teachers, writers and businessmen. Many of us came from chaotic homes. Succeeding meant taking control of that chaos.
