Christian Brassington Explained

Christian Brassington
Birth Date:1983 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Wellington, Shropshire, England
Education:Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
Yearsactive:2006–present

Christian Brassington (born 6 June 1983) is an English actor and writer, best known for playing the odious vicar Ossie Whitworth in the third and fourth series of the BBC hit period drama Poldark.[1] Brassington also portrayed a young Boris Johnson in the More4 documentary drama When Boris Met Dave (2009), having previously played a young Tony Blair for Channel 4 in 2006.

Early life and education

Brassington was born on 6 June 1983 in Wellington, Shropshire, England.[2] He spent much of his youth in Basingstoke, going to the local comprehensive Brighton Hill Community School and then to Queen Mary's College.[3] He also attended a stage school run by his father Colin Flaherty. Determined to become an actor, he studied at London's prestigious Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career

He made his on-screen debut in the BBC's police procedural drama The Cops back in 1999[4] and got his big break shortly after graduation in Tony Blair: Rock Star (2006),[5] a Channel 4 docudrama recreating the days when the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's ambition was to be on stage.[6] A year later, the young Brassington starred opposite Cate Blanchett as Charles II, Archduke of Austria in (2007), and in 2009 he followed up his part as Blair with a portrayal of the then Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson as a younger man in When Boris Met Dave, an account of how Johnson and David Cameron's lives became intertwined.[7]

Brassington welcomes all kinds of roles as long as they are interesting and challenging.[4] In an interview with PBS, he said, "I think you get yourself into trouble if you start thinking about what people's reactions are going to be while you're playing them".[8] His portrayal of the loathsome Reverend Ossie Whitworth in the third and fourth series of the BBC historical drama Poldark (2015–2019) is possibly one of his most recognisable roles. In order to prepare for the part, he had to gain 30 pounds.[9] According to Digital Spy, he said, "Normally actors have to get into shape for a role rather than out of it, but Osborne is described as a large character and a man of a huge appetite, so there was no getting around that. I had to gain a lot of weight."[10]

In 2020, Brassington made his debut as a screenwriter and director with a short film called Screening, starring David Tennant, Georgia Tennant and Stephen Mangan.[11] He also has written Doctor Who audio dramas "Neon Reign" (2018) and "Altered Status" (2021) for Big Finish Productions.[12] [13]

In 2022, he appeared as prison officer Dean in Catherine Tate's six-part mockumentary sitcom Hard Cell, released on Netflix.[14] [15] [16]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006Tony Blair: Rock StarTony BlairTelevision film documentary
IncubusPeter
2007Web of DeceitTom Gunner
Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution Thomas
Archduke Charles
2008The GermanThe GermanShort film
Easy VirtuePhillip Hurst
Roland LeightonTelevision film documentary
2009When Boris Met DaveBoris JohnsonTelevision film documentary
Princess KaiulaniDuke
Peters
2010Burke and HareCharles
2011In Love with Alma CoganGeorge
2012Doubt on LoanNicTelevision film
The Carrion CrowThe StrangerShort film
2013HummingbirdMax ForresterReleased as Redemption in the USA
The BodyAlanShort film
The Five(ish) Doctors RebootEditorTelevision film
2014The SmokeTom
201596 Ways to Say I Love YouHarryShort film
2016Our Kind of TraitorSecretary to the Cabinet
The ExitBrianShort film
Patient SevenAlanSegment: "The Body"
Cocaine ConspiracyMarcusVideo
2017You, Me and Him Dave
2018Wild GeeseSpencerShort film
2019Fisherman's FriendsHenry
2020ScreeningShort film; director and writer
2021JoltReception Clerk (Julian)
The Last Letter from Your LoverDominic

Television

YearTitle RoleNotes
1999The CopsGregorEpisode #2.7
2008The BillDarren SmartEpisode: "Fools Rush In"
2009Land GirlsCpl. Cal GillespieEpisodes: "Childhood's End" and "Secrets"
2010Little CrackersJoeEpisode: "Bill Bailey's Little Cracker: Car Park Babylon"
2014–2015SuspectsNewsreader10 episodes
2015Life in SquaresCuthbertEpisode #1.1
2017–2018PoldarkReverend Osborne 'Ossie' Whitworth11 episodes
2019Hold the SunsetPercyEpisode: "The Sale"
2020Semi-DetachedHumphrey3 episodes
2022The PactJan6 episodes
Hard CellDean6 episodes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Whats On Sessions Beneath The Tunic Writing The Bbc Historical Epic Poldark London Screenwriters' Festival 2023 . 2022-09-20 . en-US.
  2. Web site: Shropshire-born Poldark actor reveals 'body transformation' . 2022-09-20 . www.shropshirestar.com . August 2017 . en.
  3. Web site: Local actor Christian Brassington plays lead opposite Jason Statham in new movie Hummingbird . 2022-09-20 . Basingstoke Gazette . 3 July 2013 . en.
  4. Web site: Moore . Camille . 2022-03-31 . 10 Things You Didn't Know about Christian Brassington . 2022-09-20 . TVOvermind . en-US.
  5. Web site: Midgley . Dominic . 2017-08-01 . Actor Christian Brassington on playing the most hated man on TV . 2022-09-20 . Express.co.uk . en.
  6. Web site: Tony Blair Rock Star · British Universities Film & Video Council . 2022-09-20 . bufvc.ac.uk.
  7. News: Parker, Robin. 27 July 2009. Cast emerges for More4's young Tories drama. Broadcast.
  8. Web site: MASTERPIECE Cast Interview: Poldark's Christian Brassington . 2022-09-20 . Masterpiece . en-US.
  9. Web site: 2017-10-17 . 'Poldark,' Old and New . 2022-09-20 . WTTW Chicago . en-US.
  10. Web site: James . Sarah . 2017-08-01 . This is what Poldark baddie Osborne Whitworth usually looks like . 2022-09-20 . Digital Spy . en-GB.
  11. Web site: Screening Starring David & Georgia Tennant Makes Official Selection In Discover Film Awards . 3 September 2021 . 2022-09-20.
  12. Web site: Jenny: the Doctor's Daughter is coming to Big Finish - News - Big Finish . 2022-09-20 . www.bigfinish.com.
  13. Web site: Jenny's Still Running! - News - Big Finish . 2022-09-20 . www.bigfinish.com.
  14. Web site: Kanter . Jake . 2021-07-30 . 'Hard Cell': Netflix Rounds Out Cast For Catherine Tate Prison Comedy Series . 2023-01-22 . Deadline . en-US.
  15. Web site: Meet the cast of Catherine Tate's prison comedy Hard Cell . 2023-01-22 . Radio Times . en.
  16. News: Tate . Gabriel . 2022-04-08 . Hard Cell, review: Catherine Tate's prison sitcom is better than The Nan Movie – but only just . en-GB . The Telegraph . 2023-01-22 . 0307-1235.