Jared Harris Bio
Jared Francis Harris is a British actor known for a wide range of television and film roles. The son of acclaimed actor Richard Harris and Elizabeth Rees-Williams, Harris has established himself as a versatile performer across both dramatic and genre projects. He has received critical recognition including a British Academy Television Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, along with nominations for Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Awards throughout his distinguished career.
Early Life and Background
Jared Francis Harris was born on 24 August 1961 in Hammersmith, London, England. He is the second of three sons of Irish actor Richard Harris and his first wife, Elizabeth Rees-Williams, a Welsh socialite. His older brother is director Damian Harris and his younger brother is actor Jamie Harris. His maternal grandfather was politician David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore.
Harris was educated at Ladycross School, a former independent preparatory boarding school in Seaford, East Sussex, alongside his brothers. He later attended Downside School, an independent Catholic boarding school in Somerset. His educational path then took him to the United States, where he attended Duke University in North Carolina, graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama.
Following his graduation from Duke University, Harris returned to England to pursue formal acting training. He studied at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating in 1989. This combination of American university education and British theatrical training provided Harris with a foundation that would serve him well in his international career.
Path to Acting
Harris began his professional acting career in productions of William Shakespeare works at prestigious venues including the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in London and The Public Theater in New York. This classical theatre training helped him develop the craft and discipline necessary for a sustained career in performance. His stage work demonstrated his range and commitment to the art of acting.
His first foray into film came with directing Darkmoor in 1983, an unfinished feature-length project for Duke University’s Freewater Films. This early experience behind the camera gave him insight into the filmmaking process. However, his focus soon shifted to on-screen performance, where he would find his greatest success.
Harris made his film acting debut in the British comedy The Rachel Papers in 1989. This marked the beginning of his transition from theatre to screen work, a path that would eventually lead him to become one of the most respected character actors in both British and American productions.
Jared Harris Career
Early Career (1989–2008)
After his debut in The Rachel Papers, Harris took on supporting roles in several notable films including the western romance Far and Away and the historical epic The Last of the Mohicans, both released in 1992. He continued to build his filmography with roles in Natural Born Killers in 1994 and Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man in 1995, where he played Benmont Tench.
Harris gained attention for his portrayal of Andy Warhol in I Shot Andy Warhol in 1996, demonstrating his ability to embody real historical figures. His other notable work during this period included roles in Happiness in 1998, How to Kill Your Neighbor’s Dog in 2000, and the television film Two of Us in 2000 where he played John Lennon. He also appeared as King Henry VIII in the 2003 BBC adaptation of The Other Boleyn Girl.
Breakthrough (2009–2017)
Harris achieved widespread recognition for his portrayal of Lane Pryce in the AMC period drama series Mad Men, appearing from 2009 to 2012. His character arrived as a British newcomer to Sterling Cooper and eventually became a partner at the agency. Harris received critical acclaim for his performance, particularly his final appearance in the episode Commissions and Fees, which earned him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2012.
During this period, Harris also appeared in major films including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows in 2011, and Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln in 2012 where he played Ulysses S. Grant. On television, he had a recurring role as David Robert Jones in the Fox science fiction series Fringe from 2008 to 2012 and played Anderson Dawes in The Expanse from 2015 to 2017.
Harris received further acclaim for his portrayal of King George VI in the Netflix historical drama series The Crown in 2016 and 2017. Critics praised his ability to convey the character’s understated sensitivity and awareness of his role in England’s history. This performance earned him nominations for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series.
Notable Works and Milestones
In 2018, Harris played Captain Francis Crozier in the AMC supernatural horror series The Terror, based on the Dan Simmons novel about Franklin’s lost expedition. For this role, he was one of the first recipients of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s Louie Kamookak Medal, recognizing his contribution to making Canada’s geography better known to the world. His most celebrated performance came as Valery Legasov in the 2019 HBO miniseries Chernobyl, for which he won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor and received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award.
Jared Harris Award Nominations
Jared Harris has received numerous award nominations throughout his career. He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2012 for his role as Lane Pryce in Mad Men. For his performance in Chernobyl, he received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film. He also earned a British Academy Television Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for The Crown.
Jared Harris Awards Won
Harris has won significant awards for his performances. He received the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Valery Legasov in Chernobyl. He also won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast of Mad Men. His performance in The Terror was recognized with the Louie Kamookak Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
| Award | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| British Academy Television Award for Best Actor | 1 | 2019 |
| Screen Actors Guild Award | 1 | 2016 |
Jared Harris Family
Jared Harris comes from a distinguished family in the entertainment industry. His father was Richard Harris, the renowned Irish actor known for films including This Sporting Life, Camelot, and the Harry Potter series. His mother was Elizabeth Rees-Williams, a Welsh socialite. Harris has two brothers, Damian Harris and Jamie Harris, both of whom work in the film industry as a director and actor respectively. His maternal grandfather was David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore, a prominent politician.
Personal Life
Harris has been married three times. His first marriage was to Jacqueline Goldenberg in 1989, ending in divorce in 1992. He then married actress Emilia Fox, daughter of actors Edward Fox and Joanna David, on 16 July 2005. The couple divorced in 2010. In April 2009, Harris met Allegra Riggio, a lighting designer and television host, at a comedy club. They married on 9 November 2013. Harris currently resides in Los Angeles, California, United States.