Charlie Condou

Charlie Condou, (born 8 January 1973) is a British actor, columnist and LGBT rights activist. Condou secured a series of television movie roles during his teenage years in the 1980s. He later had guest roles in British television series during the 1990s. In 2007, Condou gained wider recognition when he took the role of sonographer Marcus Dent in the soap opera Coronation Street, which he remained until 2014. He also played the role of Ben Sherwood in the medical drama Holby City. Condou has used his fame as a platform to promote LGBT rights, becoming a patron for charities and being an advocate for same-sex parenting.

Charlie Condou
Condou in 2014
Born
Charles Lomax David Condou

(1973-01-08) 8 January 1973
Hammersmith, London, England
OccupationActor, writer
Years active1986–present
TelevisionNathan Barley
Coronation Street
Spouse(s)
Cameron Laux
​
(m. 2015)​
Children2

Career

Condou's acting career began in the 1985 American television Movie, The Key to Rebecca as Billy Vandam. Billy is the young son of the main character William, played by Cliff Robertson.[1] He then appeared in the 1985 movie Exploits at West Poley at the age of twelve. His television career continued throughout his teens with appearances in the shows Robin of Sherwood and A Sense of Guilt. In 1988, Condou appeared in the television movie Every Breath You Take as a thirteen year old chorister. He worked with actress Connie Booth, who played his on-screen mother in the movie.[2] He went onto secure the role of Stuart Wolvis in the six part British comedy drama series The Wolvis Family.[3] The show focuses on the Wolvis' family issues, with Stuart being the problematic teenager of the family.[4] He continued in his twenties, playing a variety of roles in series like Martin Chuzzlewit, Pie in the Sky, The Bill, Peak Practice, Urban Gothic, The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells and Midsomer Murders.[5] Other roles included a guest appearances as Nino in television series Gimme, Gimme, Gimme alongside Kathy Burke,[6] and Giles in the film Dead Babies.[7] He then played the role of Auguste in the 2001 thriller film Charlotte Gray alongside Cate Blanchett.[8]

In 2005, the actor played editor Jonatton Yeah? in Channel 4 sitcom Nathan Barley.[9] In 2006, Condou appeared as Renoir in the BBC drama The Impressionists.[10] He had a cameo role as an elf in the film Fred Claus. In 2007, Condou joined the cast of the British soap opera Coronation Street, playing Marcus Dent. In 2008 he left the show and stated that "I have had a fantastic time in Coronation Street, but as a jobbing actor I believe it is time to move on." A publicist from the show added "we'll be sad to see Charlie leave."[11] At the time, Condou indicated that "there are a few things in the pipeline, one of which is a feature film which is being made abroad. But all that's under wraps at the moment." This film turned out to be Good, released later that year.[11]

In 2013, it was announced that Condou would be leaving Coronation Street the following year.[12] In September 2014, he took the lead role of Adam in the West End production of "Next Fall".[13] From September to December 2016, he took part in the UK tour of The Rocky Horror Show.[14] In February 2017, Condou played Reverend Hale in the UK tour of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible.[15] That year, he was cast in the role of Simon Osborne in the second series of the ITV drama Unforgotten.[16]

In 2019, Condou joined the cast of Holby City in a guest role, playing doctor Ben Sherwood.[17]

Personal life

Condou is openly gay and he married his long-term Canadian boyfriend Cameron Laux on 8 June 2015.[18] He lives in Islington with his husband and his children,[19] Georgia and Hal, who split their time between him and their mother, the actress Catherine Kanter. Condou and Kanter first met in 1998 and made a mutual agreement between each other that they would have a child if she was still single at the age of forty.[18][20] In a number of interviews, Condou has revealed that the children were conceived through IVF treatment, following Kanter's fortieth birthday and relationship breakup.[21] From October 2011 until July 2012, he wrote a column for The Guardian newspaper on the subject of same-sex parenting.

Condou supported the UK remaining a member of the European Union in the 2016 EU referendum.[22][23]

Activism

Condou has been listed on LGBT influence lists and polls during his career. He was listed at number fifteen in the World Pride Power List 2012 and rose to number eleven on the 2013 list.[24][25] Additionally, he was placed eighth on The Independent's Pink Power list 2011[26] and forty-second on the Pride Power List of 2011.[27] He is a patron of the charities Diversity Role Models and the Albert Kennedy Trust, and has volunteered for the Terrence Higgins Trust.[28][29] Condou has also worked with Stonewall on fundraisers.[30][31] In October 2012, he was named in the British gay publication, Attitude, as the magazine's "Man of the Year" at the inaugural Attitude awards and appeared on the cover of the November 2012 issue.[32] In 2014 he was nominated for the "Advocate for change" award at the GLAAD awards in Los Angeles.[33]

Condou has also been an advocate for LGBT families. In 2013, he set up the company, Out With the Family, which puts on events for LGBT families.[25] In 2016, Condou wrote the introduction for Eric Rosswood's Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples.[34] In December 2019, Condou spoke at a seminar focusing on "non-traditional families".[35]

In August 2014, Condou was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.[36]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Key to Rebecca Billy Vandam TV movie
1985 Exploits at West Poley Leonard TV movie
1986 Robin of Sherwood Martin Guest role
1988 Every Breath You Take Tom TV movie
1988 The Storyteller Brother 2 Guest role
1988 To Kill a Priest Mirek Film
1991 A Sense of Guilt Peter Murray Recurring role
1991 Casualty David Williamson Guest role
1991 The Wolvis Family Stuart Wolvis Regular role
1992 Eldorado Clive Mitchell Guest role
1993 Frank Stubbs Promotes Jason Stubbs Guest role
1994 Martin Chuzzlewit Footman Guest role
1994 The Bill Michael Kenyon Guest role
1995 Casualty Cal McGregor Guest role
1995 Pie in the Sky Karl Elves Guest role
1995 The Bill Steve Downing Guest role
1999 Gimme Gimme Gimme Nino Guest role
1999 Peak Practice Private Benedict Grinter Guest role
1999 Honky Sausages O.G. Guest role
2000 Urban Gothic Lenny Guest role
2000 Dead Babies Giles Film
2001 The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells Sam Guest role
2001 Charlotte Gray Auguste Film
2003 Trust Max Guest role
2005 Midsomer Murders Jake Foley Guest role
2005 Nathan Barley Jonatton Yeah? Regular role
2005 Secret Smile Lawrence Guest role
2006 The Impressionists Renoir Recurring role
2007 Flirting with Flamenco Warren Film
2007 Fred Claus Elf Film
2007 Holby City Tony Butler Guest role
2007–2008,
2011–2014		 Coronation Street Marcus Dent Regular role
2008 Good Bekemeier Film
2009 Casualty Gal Guest role
2016 You, Me and the Apocalypse Father Alphonse Film
2017 Unforgotten Simon Osborne Regular role
2019−2020 Holby City Ben Sherwood Recurring role
Sources:[5]

References
  1. Gardella, Kay (28 April 1985). "Cliff Robertson: again, a star". New York Daily News. Retrieved 25 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Smithies, Sandy (9 April 1988). "Watching brief". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Green guide - Tuesday". The Age. 6 May 1993. Retrieved 25 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Gill, Raymond (6 May 1993). "Comedy on the couch". The Age. Retrieved 25 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Charlie Condou". United Agents. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  6. "Gimme Gimme Gimme". The Sydney Morning Herald. (Fairfax Media). 16 April 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  7. Bradshaw, Peter (26 January 2001). "Dead Babies". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  8. McCarthy, Todd (16 December 2001). "Charlotte Gray". Variety. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  9. Mansell, Tom (11 February 2015). "Nathan Barley: 10 years on". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  10. Crawford, Sue (2 November 2012). "'I had a girlfriend in my 20s... just like Marcus and Maria': Charlie Condou says Coronation Street storyline is more true-to-life than you'd think". Daily Mirror. (Reach plc). Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  11. "Coronation Street star Charlie Condou to leave the soap". Daily Mirror. (Reach plc). 10 April 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  12. Kilkelly, Daniel (26 November 2013). "Corrie actor quits Marcus Dent role". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  13. Martin, Jane (30 September 2014). "Next Fall (Southwark Playhouse) | WhatsOnStage". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  14. "Charlie Condou talks Rocky Horror". itv.com. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  15. Longman, Will (30 October 2016). "Exclusive: Charlie Condou to star in The Crucible". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  16. Gardner, Alison (3 February 2017). "The murder mystery that has put former Corrie star Charlie Condou back on TV". What's on TV. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  17. Dainty, Sophie (19 December 2019). "Exclusive: Corrie's Charlie Condou speaks out on his Holby City debut tonight". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  18. Leyfield, James (9 June 2015). "Ex-Coronation Street star Charlie Condou marries partner Cameron Laux". Daily Mirror. (Reach plc). Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  19. "Interview: Charlie Condou talks about leaving Coronation Street and being a gay parent". PinkNews. 6 January 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  20. Morgan, Joe (8 June 2015). "Charlie Condou set to marry partner of 10 years today". Gay Star News. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  21. "Coronation Street's Charlie Condou on why he's delighted to be returning to Weatherfield to play a gay dad". Daily Mirror. (Reach plc). 19 January 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  22. Condou, Charlie (1 October 2011). "Charlie Condou: My real 'gay celebrity dad' life". The Guardian. London.
  23. "Charlie Condou". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  24. Jolin, Lucy; Delgado, Chance (7 July 2012). "World Pride Power List 2012: 100 most influential LGBT people of the year". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  25. "Pride in London launches exclusive LGBT+ miniseries". Pride in London. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  26. Herbert, Ian (23 October 2011). "The IoS Pink List 2011". The Independent. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  27. "Introducing the Pride Power List 2011". pridepowerlist.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  28. THT: Media Centre: News and press releases: 2011: November Archived 8 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  29. "Patrons". diversityrolemodels.org. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  30. Gregory, Katie (5 May 2011). "TV stars and Mayor support Brighton gay equality walk". The Argus. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  31. "Stonewall sets sail and raises over £64,000 for LGBT equality". Stonewall. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  32. "Charlie Condou". Diversity In Media Awards. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  33. Murray, Ross (1 April 2014). "GLAAD Global Voices: Charlie Condou is a gay parent who advocates for LGBT youth". GLAAD. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  34. "Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood". New Horitzon Press. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  35. "Seminar Set To Put Families Streets Ahead On LGBT Parenting". irwinmitchell.com. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  36. "Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories | Politics". The Guardian. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.