Stephen John Moyer (né Emery; born 11 October 1969)[1] is an English actor and film director. He is best known for portraying the vampire Bill Compton in the HBO television series True Blood.[2][3]

Stephen Moyer
Moyer in 2013
Born
Stephen John Emery

(1969-10-11) 11 October 1969 (age 55)
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Actor, film director
Years active1993–present
Spouses
Lorien Haynes
(m. 1992; div. 2008)
(m. 2010)
Children4

This was followed by the television film Lord of Misrule, filmed in Fowey, Cornwall, which also featured Richard Wilson, Emily Mortimer and Prunella Scales. In 1997, Moyer made his big-screen debut landing the lead role in the film adaptation of the long-running comic strip Prince Valiant by Hal Foster, working alongside Ron Perlman and Katherine Heigl.[4][5] From 2017 to 2019, he starred as Reed Strucker, the lead role in Fox series The Gifted.[6]

Early life and career

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Moyer at 2011 International Comic-Con San Diego with Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Ann Woll, Anna Paquin, Rutina Wesley, and Nelsan Ellis of the TV show True Blood.

Moyer was born in Brentwood, Essex and attended St Martin's, a comprehensive school in Hutton, Essex. He graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).[7] He became Brentwood Theatre's first patron in October 2007, especially supporting their "Reaching Out, Building On" campaign to help fund the 2008 completion of backstage facilities.[8] After graduating from LAMDA, Moyer worked in theatre for five years. He worked with the National Theatre Wales, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Oxford Stage Company, work which included going on tour and playing Romeo in productions of Romeo and Juliet. He then made the transition to television and film.[9]

On 2 October 2017, Moyer debuted in the lead role of Reed Strucker, a district attorney whose duties include the apprehension of "mutants" with extraordinary powers, in the Fox series The Gifted, loosely based on The X-Men feature film series. The devoted family man does not realise, however, just how much his work life and family life are about to intersect. Fox ordered a 10-episode first season.[citation needed]

Personal life

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Moyer has a son named Billy, born in 2000, and a daughter, Lilac, born in 2002, from his seventeen-year relationship with journalist Lorien Haynes.[10]

In August 2009, Moyer became engaged to actress Anna Paquin, who played his character's love interest, Sookie Stackhouse, in the HBO series True Blood. They had been having an affair since filming the series pilot in 2007. His divorce was final in 2008.[11] They married on 21 August 2010 at a private residence in Malibu, California.[12] Moyer and Paquin have a son, Charlie, and a daughter, Poppy, who are fraternal twins.[13][14][15] The family resides in Venice, Los Angeles.[16]

Moyer has dealt with alcoholism in the past.[17] In 2015, he said that he had been sober for 14 years and that the addiction stemmed from his roots in British theatre, emulating the public images of personal heroes like Peter O'Toole. At a dinner at the CLARE Foundation, a southern California non-profit facility, he stated, "There's this rush that happens from doing our job, this whirring buzz, and you want to continue that buzz." He works with CLARE Foundation to help others with rehabilitation and sobriety.[17]

Moyer is a supporter of West Ham United F.C.[18]

Filmography

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Moyer at ComicCon, 25 July 2009

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Prince Valiant Prince Valiant
1998 Comic Act Danny
2000 Quills Prouix, the Architect
2001 Men Only Jason
2001 Princess of Thieves Prince Philip
2003 Trinity Brach
2004 Deadlines Alex Randal
2005 Undiscovered Mick Benson
2007 88 Minutes Guy LaForge
Alternate Endings Editor
2008 Restraint Andrew
2010 Open House Josh
2011 Priest Owen Pace
The Caller John Guidi
The Double Brutus
2012 The Barrens[19] Richard Vineyard
2013 Evidence Detective Reese
Devil's Knot John Fogleman
2015 Concussion Ron Hamilton
2016 Detour Vincent
2017 The Hatton Garden Job Marcus Ford
2018 Juveniles Ben
The Parting Glass Director and producer
2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters Fighter Pilot Uncredited
2020 G-Loc Bran
2021 After We Fell Christian Vance
2021 Last Survivors Troy
2022 After Ever Happy Christian Vance
2023 After Everything Christian Vance
2024 A Bit of Light Post-production; also director and producer

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1993–94 Conjugal Rites Philip Masefield Main role; 13 episodes
1995 Castles Martin Franks 16 episodes
1996 Lord of Misrule Olly Television film
Cadfael Godwin Episode: "A Morbid Taste for Bones"
1997 A Touch of Frost D.C. Burton Episode: "Penny for the Guy"
The Grand Stephen Bannerman Main role (series 1), 8 episodes
1998 Ultraviolet Jack Beresford Episodes: "Habeas Corpus", "Persona Non Grata"
1999 Highlander: The Raven Jeremy Dexter Episode: "Thick as Thieves"
Midsomer Murders Christopher Wainwright Episode: "Death in Disguise"
Life Support Tom Scott [unknown episodes]
Cold Feet Nick Marsden Episode 2.5
2000 The Secret Marcel Birkstead Television film
Sunburn Trevor Watts Episode 2.1
Peak Practice Chris Rhodes Episode: "Hit and Run"
2001 Princess of Thieves Prince Philip Television film
Men Only Jason Television film
Uprising Simcha "Kazik" Rotem Television film
2002 Menace Mark Television film
2003 Perfect Mark Television film
Entrusted David Quatermain Television film
2004 NY-LON Michael Antonioni Main role, 7 episodes
The Final Quest Young Danny Duke Television film
2005 Waking the Dead Steven Hunt Episodes: "Undertow” Parts 1&2
2006 Casualty Mark Ellis Episode: "Waste of Space"
2007 Lilies Mr Brazendale Main role; 8 episodes
The Starter Wife Sam Television miniseries
Empathy Jimmy Collins Television film
2008–14 True Blood Bill Compton Main role; 80 episodes
2010 Phineas and Ferb Jared Voice role; episode: "The Curse of Candace"
2011 Ice Simon Peterson Television miniseries
2012 Jan Gery 15 episodes
2013 The Sound of Music Live! Georg von Trapp Live television special
2015 Killing Jesus Pontius Pilate Television film
The Bastard Executioner Milus Corbett Main role
2017 Shots Fired Officer Calvert Breeland Main role
Safe House Tom Brook Main role
2017–19 The Gifted Reed Strucker Lead role; 29 episodes
2020 Fortunate Son Vern Lang 8 episodes
2024 Sexy Beast Teddy Bass Main Cast
Elsbeth Alex Modarian Episode: "Pilot"

Awards

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Year Nominated work Award Category Result
2009 True Blood Satellite Award Best TV Ensemble Won
2009 True Blood Scream Award Best Actor in a Horror Movie or TV Show Won[20]
2009 True Blood Teen Choice Award Choice Summer TV Star: Male Nominated[21]
2010 True Blood Saturn Award Best Actor in Television Nominated
2010 True Blood Teen Choice Award Choice Summer TV Star: Male Nominated
2010 True Blood Scream Award Best Horror Actor Nominated
2010 True Blood Scream Award Holy Sh*t! Scene of the Year Won
2010 True Blood Satellite Award Best Actor in a TV Drama Series Nominated
2011 True Blood Saturn Award Best Actor in Television Won
2011 True Blood Scream Award Best Horror Actor Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916–2005"; retrieved 30 March 2009.
  2. ^ "Conjugal Rites". Phill.co.uk. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  3. ^ "Gwen Taylor". Gavin Barker Associates. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  4. ^ "Prince Valiant: Review". TV Guide. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  5. ^ "Prince Valiant (1997) by Liz Braun". AllMoviePortal.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  6. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (9 May 2017). "Fox Greenlights Marvel Action Series 'The Gifted' From Bryan Singer & Matt Nix – Watch First Teaser". Variety. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  7. ^ TV Guide (9 October 2008) "True Blood's Stephen Moyer Is Undead Sexy!", TV Guide; retrieved 15 December 2008.
  8. ^ Harris, Matt. "Star backing from a homegrown hero". Brentwood Gazette. p. 8.[volume & issue needed]
  9. ^ Fish, Andrew (July 2009). "Interview with the Vampire". Venice. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  10. ^ Eggenberger, Nicole (25 September 2013). "Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin's Premature Twins Developing Well After "Touch and Go" Birth". Us Weekly. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  11. ^ "True Blood – A love that never dies". The Independent. 17 July 2009. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  12. ^ Chiu, David (22 August 2010). "'True Blood' Co-Stars Get Hitched". WNBC News. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  13. ^ Michaud, Sarah; Jordan, Julie (11 September 2012). "Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer Welcome Twins". People. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  14. ^ "It's a Baby Boy and a Girl for Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer!". Life & Style. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  15. ^ "Stephen Moyer Reveals Names of Twins with Anna Paquin". People. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  16. ^ "Exclusive: Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer Get Married!". Us Weekly. 22 August 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  17. ^ a b Rothman, Michael (6 March 2015). "Stephen Moyer Opens Up for 1st Time About Alcohol Addiction". ABC News. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  18. ^ "We All Follow The West Ham!". West Ham United F.C. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  19. ^ Sneider, Jeff (15 September 2011). "'True Blood's Stephen Moyer takes on Jersey Devil". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  20. ^ Miska, Brad (18 October 2009). "TV: Scream 2009 Award Winners Announced". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  21. ^ "New Teen Choice categories for 'True Blood,' 'Transformers'". HitFix. 8 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
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