Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill (born 5 May 1983) is a British actor. He has appeared in the films The Count of Monte Cristo and Stardust, and played the role of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, on the Showtime series The Tudors, from 2007 until 2010. He has been cast to play Superman in the 2012 film Superman: Man of Steel.
Early life
Cavill was born on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands, the fourth of five boys. His mother, Marianne, worked in a bank, and his father, Colin Cavill, was a stockbroker.He was educated at St. Michael's Preparatory School in Saint Saviour, Jersey before attending Stowe School,a boarding school in Buckinghamshire, England. He first began acting in school plays at Stowe, saying, "In prep school I really learned to love the stage. When you step out from the wings into the lights, there's this incredible rush of adrenaline and fear and anticipation... it's just something else, it really is." He has said that if he hadn't become an actor, he would have joined the army or studied Egyptology.
Career
Cavill involved himself with European dramatic plays during his early acting career. Cavill's first film appearances include one of 2002's successful dramatics, an adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo shortly followed by roles in the nouveau film I Capture the Castle (2003) and an experimental High-Def movie entitled Red Riding Hood (2004). Additionally, he starred in Hellraiser: Hellworld, released in 2005. In 2006, had a supporting role in Tristan & Isolde.
Cavill at the 2009 premiere of Whatever Works.
While Cavill was rumored to have auditioned for the lead role in Batman Begins, he has confirmed having never screen-tested for nor been offered the role. Henry was also the cause of a write-in effort of fans to see him cast as Cedric in the 2005 Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The role went to Robert Pattinson. Cavill also auditioned for the role of Superman in Superman: Flyby and was attached to the film under McG's direction. However, when McG pulled out, Bryan Singer took over the project and cast Brandon Routh as the lead role in the retitled Superman Returns.In 2005, he became a contender for the role of James Bond in Casino Royale, and performed in a final screentest. The producers and director were torn between Cavill, Daniel Craig, and Sam Worthington. Apparently the director favoured Cavill as a younger version of Bond. However, the producers believed Cavill was too young for the role, which then went to Craig.In the December 2005 edition of Empire Magazine, he was dubbed "the most unlucky man in Hollywood".
Cavill then landed a leading role in the Showtime series The Tudors (2007), playing the historical character of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk,brother-in-law to Henry VIII of England and supporter of Queen Catherine of Aragon. He also had a minor part in the fantasy film Stardust (2007). In 2007 he was featured in Vanity Fair's Hollywood's Next-Gen Men article.
During pre-production for the film adaptation of the book Twilight, author Stephenie Meyer was outspokenly in favor of Cavill to become the actor for the role of Edward Cullen. However, by the time Twilight was filmed, Henry was 24 and no longer could portray a youth of 17. Again, Robert Pattinson was cast instead of Cavill, this time in the role of Edward Cullen.
In early 2008, Cavill was featured in Dunhill fragrance advertising. The television ad features a suited up Cavill walking through the Union Jack flag, before mounting a helicopter. The second television ad features Cavill driving a car, through a deserted London at night, and meeting with a young woman.
Cavill played lead character Evan Marshall in the 2009 Joel Schumacher-directed thriller Blood Creek. He also had a minor role in the 2009 Woody Allen film Whatever Works.
Henry Cavill was cast as Theseus in a mythological special effects and big budget film entitled Immortals(2010), with some of the producers of 300 and Piranha 3-D.
Entertainment Weekly's "Must List of 2009" listed Cavill as the "Most Dashing Duke" because "As Charles Brandon on Showtime's 'The Tudors', he displays charm, depth, and a killer bod."
On January 30, 2011, it was announced that Cavill had been cast in the role of Clark Kent / Superman in director Zack Snyder's Superman: Man Of Steel.
Filmography
2001 Laguna Thomas Aprea
2002 The Count of Monte Cristo
2003 I Capture the Castle
2004 Red Riding Hood
2005 Hellraiser: Hellworld
2006 Tristan + Isolde
2007 Stardust
2009 Blood Creek
2011 Immortals
2012 Superman: Man of Steel