Dean-Charles Chapman Explained

Dean-Charles Chapman
Birth Date:7 September 1997
Birth Place:Havering, England
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:2005–present

Dean-Charles Chapman (born 7 September 1997) is an English actor known for portraying Billy Elliot in the West End theatre production of Billy Elliot the Musical. His notable TV roles include Richard Grey in The White Queen (2013) and Tommen Baratheon in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones (2014–2016). He also portrayed Tom Blake in Sam Mendes's film 1917 (2019).

Career

At the age of eight, Chapman was cast as "Small Boy" in Billy Elliot the Musical, and would later be promoted to the roles of Michael and finally the titular character, becoming the second-longest running cast member in the production.[1] During his time on Billy Elliot, he worked alongside his friend and future Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, and had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Gordon Brown with several other young actors in the play.[2]

Soon after leaving Billy Elliot, Chapman was cast on the CBBC sitcom The Revolting World of Stanley Brown in the lead role, alongside fellow future Game of Thrones and Blinded by the Light co-star Nell Williams. The show lasted for one season. He made his film debut in the 2014 film Before I Go to Sleep, alongside Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth.

After playing the minor role of Martyn Lannister in the third season of Game of Thrones, he replaced Callum Wharry in the major role of Tommen Baratheon, the young king of Westeros for the fourth, fifth, and sixth seasons of the show. With the rest of the cast, he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2018, he played the role of Castor in the AMC series Into the Badlands for seven episodes, followed by a supporting role in the film Blinded by the Light.

In 2019, he was cast, alongside George MacKay, as one of the two leads in the Sam Mendes-directed war film 1917. The film went on to receive ten Academy Award nominations, winning three. Subsequently, he played the lead role of Matthew in the Eoin Macken's drama Here Are the Young Men, supported by Finn Cole, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Ferdia Walsh-Peelo.

Personal life

In 2015, it was speculated that Chapman was dating Nell Tiger Free, who played Myrcella Baratheon on Game of Thrones;[3] [4] [5] they subsequently split up and deleted all social-media posts of a romance.

Chapman is close friends with his Game of Thrones co-star Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), whom he met through his involvement with the series.[6]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Before I Go to SleepAdam Lucas
2015Man Up Harry
2017BreatheJonathan Cavendish
2018The CommuterDanny MacCauley
2019Blinded by the LightMatt
The KingThomas of Lancaster
1917Lance Corporal Thomas Blake
2020Here Are the Young MenMatthew Connolly
2022Catherine Called BirdyRobert
2023Chance (voice)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007CasualtyWilliam MulhernEpisode: "A House Divided"
2012CuckooCharlieEpisode: "Family Meeting"
The Revolting World of Stanley BrownStanley Brown13 episodes
2013The White QueenRichard Grey4 episodes
Game of ThronesMartyn Lannister2 episodes
2014–2016Tommen Baratheon16 episodes
2014GlueChris Pollard2 episodes
2015 Ripper StreetHarry WardEpisode: "Your Father. My Friend"
Fungus the BogeymanDean 3 episodes
2017WillBilly Cooper3 episodes
2018Into the BadlandsCastor7 episodes
2022The Walk-InJack Renshaw5 episodes
2024The AcolyteTorbin3 episodes

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005–2006Billy Elliot the MusicalSmall BoyChapman is the second longest-serving cast member of the production, and the longest-serving Billy Elliot[7]
2008–2009Michael
2009–2011Billy Elliot

Awards and nominations

!Year!Award!Category!Nominated Work!Result
2017Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesGame of Thrones
2020CinEuphoria AwardsMerit – Honorary Award
Best Ensemble – International CompetitionThe King
London Critics Circle Film AwardsYoung British/Irish Performer of the Year1917, The King, and Blinded by the Light

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 12 September 2010. Billy Elliot the Musical: London's West End TheSkyKid.Com. 13 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20100912183028/http://www.theskykid.com/billy-elliot-musical/billy-elliot-the-musical-meet-the-billys-londons-west-end/. 12 September 2010.
  2. Web site: Photo Flash: UK Billy Elliot Boys Visit Prime Minister Gordon Brown TheaterMania. 13 September 2020. theatermania.com. 8 March 2010 . en-US.
  3. Web site: Still . Jennifer . 2015-08-20 . Are 'Game Of Thrones' Tommen & Myrcella Dating In Real Life? The Lannister Kids Might Be Actual Sweethearts . 2024-01-04 . . en.
  4. Web site: Roy . Jessica . August 22, 2015 . Game of Thrones' Tommen And Myrcella Are Dating IRL . 2024-01-04 . . en.
  5. Web site: Reilly . Kaitlin . 2019-10-13 . Who Plays Leanne, The Mysterious Nanny On Servant? . 2024-01-04 . . en.
  6. Web site: 'Game of Thrones' stars Dean-Charles Chapman and Isaac Hempstead Wright are real-life besties. 13 September 2020. EW.com. EN.
  7. Web site: Dean-Charles Chapman. Troika Talent. 18 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714155337/http://clients.troikatalent.com/printpdf/kat-gosling/dean-charles-chapman/. 14 July 2014. dead.