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1. Early Foundations (2004-2010):  Theatre Roots and Classical Typecasting 

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1. Early Foundations (2004-2010):  Theatre Roots and Classical Typecasting 

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Frankenstein let people see Stevens on screen. It is a TV mini-series adapted from the science fiction novel by Mary Shelley. Stevens played the role of Henry Clerval, a cheerful and refined English student, who is always helpful to the protagonist Frankenstein.

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He had enthusiasm for theater acting when in university. After graduating from university, Stevens appeared in the public eye by acting.

He first starred as Orlando in a touring stage of William Shakespeare's As You Like It. Orlando is a love-struck nobleman, full of kindness and romance. His performance received glowing reviews and led to a commendation at the 2004 Ian Charleson Awards.

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This review praises Stevens's vivid acting skills, with his independent thinking and creative gestures giving audiences a refreshing look.

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If Shakespeare hadn’t written the character of Orlando, British playwright John Osborne might have invented the version of him now onstage at the Ahmanson. As played by Dan Stevens, Orlando becomes a combination of Elizabethan hero and Osborne’s angry young man of the 1950s.

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Then, Stevens starred as Nick Guest, a young, naive, gay protagonist in the BBC miniseries The Line of Beauty. It shares similarities with his previous roles, for example, the gentlemanly and positive image.

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BBC - Press Office - The Line of Beauty Dan Stevens 2006

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His interviewed image: adaptive, ambitious, curious and always challenging himself

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His interviewed image: adaptive, ambitious, curious and always challenging himself

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Stevens starts to present his public image in his interview.

"It's pretty quick but that's the best way to learn."

"It's what I've always wanted, a lead role or something."

"People ask if I was terrified but I was actually really excited."

"A baptism of fire for Dan, but he found it a totally enthralling experience."

Here we can get a glimpse of his mediated image: adaptive, ambitious, curious, and always challenging himself.

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Not only is he currently appearing in his first West End show, Sir Peter Hall's Hayfever at the Haymarket, alongside Dame Judi Dench, but, this month, he also stars in his first-ever major TV drama, BBC TWO's The Line Of Beauty.

Through a couple of strange coincidences, it seemed almost inevitable that Dan would land the starring role.

Firstly, the 24-year-old Cambridge-educated actor had been aware of the novel long before the TV adaptation was even conceived, thanks to his university tutor, and, secondly, before filming got under way it transpired that Dan had previously stayed in the amazing house used for the interiors of his character's home.

"The house belongs to a wealthy friend of mine from Cambridge," says Dan, who plays the handsome, gay and awkward Nick Guest in the three-part drama.

"It was very strange - I was chatting to [director] Saul Dibb about Nick's experiences of mixing in opulent circles and he asked whether I'd ever been to a house that had struck me like that.

"I started to describe this house and Saul realised it was the location they'd just chosen that week. It was really, really strange.

"The house is in Borehamwood - it's like footballers' wives territory - not that my friend's a footballer's wife," he laughs. "It's a beautiful house."

Dan first became aware of The Line Of Beauty when it was nominated for - and subsequently won - the 2004 Booker Prize: "My tutor at Cambridge, bizarrely, was on the Booker panel the year The Line Of Beauty won.

"Obviously he had nothing to do with the casting of this but I was very aware of it. He was a huge fan and had been enthusing about it."

Alan Hollinghurst was keen to be involved in Andrew Davies's adaptation and became a regular on set.

"He was in once or twice a week sometimes," says Dan.

"He was a wonderful presence on set, he would never interfere and I think he was just thrilled to watch his book being brought to life and meeting all these characters."

In the drama, Nick's journey begins when he moves in with the family of one of his Oxford friends, Toby Fedden. Head of the Feddens is pompous Tory MP Gerald (Tim McInnerny) and Nick is in awe of the trappings their lifestyle brings.

"I think it is quite an awesome environment, the opulent high society - they've got a gorgeous house in Notting Hill, family homes that are enormous stately homes not far from London and they have extraordinary parties, the likes of which Nick probably hasn't seen.

"There is something quite seductive about the opulence and the grandeur that he experiences with the Feddens."

While one may think that Nick, from humble beginnings in Barwick, Northamptonshire (where Fedden is the MP), may feel out of his depth in such surroundings, he soon discovers it's the kind of life he wants to lead.

"Nick's got a sort of natural charm and natural ability to adapt to the environment so I don't think he's intimidated by it, he's more excited by it and wants to be accepted by it," says Dan.

"Very subtly over the four years of the story, as the boom of the mid-Eighties really kicks in, you see him fitting quite increasingly comfortably into the environment."

Nick's sexuality is integral to the plot, as are the relationships he forms, first with Leo, a young, black council worker (played by 55 Degrees North star Don Gilet) whom Nick meets through a lonely hearts ad, and then with Wani (Alex Wyndham), an old Oxford friend who remains firmly in the closet and is engaged to be married.

"There's something quite exciting with Leo, I think, for Nick. As far as we know he hasn't had sex before and this is a first date with someone he's never met before and it's quite a risk - the first of many risks he takes in London.

"He's on a romantic quest to find this lover and he falls in love with Leo very quickly and easily.

"The relationship with Wani is a very protective thing. If this man is engaged to somebody and will one day marry her and have children and settle down into the so-called normal life, there's no way that Nick can be hurt by this because he knows that this is never a relationship that can come to full fruition."

With this being Dan's first major TV drama, the sex scenes with Leo were also a first.

"Don was great fun to work with and he made things very easy. It wasn't difficult; we just sort of got on with them really.

"I think what we tried to do is to make them look beautiful and to show that, particularly with the Leo relationship, this was a loving relationship, and that first sex scene is Nick's first sexual experience and it's a great surprise and joy to him.

"It's not easy to do but I've never done any straight sex scenes on camera so I imagine they're just as hard to get right," adds Dan.

At 24, Dan obviously doesn't remember much about the Eighties, the decade The Line Of Beauty is set in.

"I was only three or four in 1986. I don't remember much at all but it was really interesting interviewing my parents and people of my parents' generation who remember it like it was yesterday. I think I made them feel very old!" he laughs.

"My parents are in their late fifties and I was reading stuff and talking to people from the older generations and asking them about Thatcherism and the Eighties.

"What was interesting was talking to older gay men about what it was like being gay in the Eighties.

"As well as Aids, which was a physical disease, there was actually a disease rife in society which was to exclude the idea of love from a huge sector of the population.

"This idea of forbidden love was a huge problem in the Eighties. In the 21st century, I think it's fair to say, homosexuality is more accepted in Britain and it's wonderful that my generation has been able to grow up with that."

Of course another major part of the Eighties, aside from the politics, was the music, and the soundtrack to The Line Of Beauty features an eclectic mix of tracks ranging from New Order (Blue Monday) to The Passions (I'm In Love With A German Film Star).

"I'm a huge fan of Eighties music," says Dan.

"I think my parents seemed to bypass Eighties pop music, though," he laughs.

"What's great about the drama is you get the clash of classical and quite ugly electronic pop music - the port culture and the cocaine culture.

"You've got Chopin played at piano recitals and then you cut to the Rolling Stones or New Order.

"Saul really dug deep into the soundtrack of the Eighties. He was always listening to CDs when we were shooting, trying to find interesting music, rather than playing something like Karma Chameleon."

While filming The Line Of Beauty was a baptism of fire for Dan, who only left university a couple of years ago, he found it a totally enthralling experience, one he'd like to repeat.

"It was thrilling and it really was in at the deep end and I was on set all day every day.

"There wasn't a day when I wasn't filming over the nine-week shoot and other characters would come and go so I sometimes felt like I was receiving guests on set!

"It was pretty quick but I think that's the best way to learn, really.

"People ask if I was terrified but I was actually really excited because it's what I've always wanted, a lead role in something.

"It's great and if it comes off then hopefully it'll lead to other things."

At his tender age Dan has already worked with some of the greats in the business, obviously including Andrew Davies, The Line Of Beauty's adaptor.

"I've seen quite a lot of his stuff over the years. There's something of his on almost every month these days," he laughs.

"Bleak House was on around the same time that we were filming The Line Of Beauty so I didn't really see much of it but I'd seen Pride and Prejudice when I was a lot younger and Tipping The Velvet, his other saucy shocker!"

Dan is also working with renowned stage director Sir Peter Hall in Hayfever, a partnership which began while he was still at university.

"His daughter, Rebecca Hall, who's an actress, was in this student production of Macbeth I was doing - she was Lady Macbeth and I was Macbeth, so he came to the last night, which made the last night more terrifying than the first!

"But he must've liked what he saw because he's employed me three times now [the other two being Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It at the Theatre Royal, Bath, in 2005].

"He's a great man and he's been very good to me and he works very simply, which is what you really need at the beginning of a career.

"I'm looking forward to working with other directors but he's got a great approach to texts and he's very good at making things clear and understandable.

"Hayfever's going really well, it's great fun. Dame Judi is wonderful. She's very, very supportive and great to learn from as well.

"We opened at the end of April and the reviews have been largely good.

"It's totally different to The Line Of Beauty - there was lots of subtlety and passivity with Nick and there's none of that in Simon Bliss at all."

If Dan plays his cards right, it looks as if he has a glittering career ahead of him, both on stage and on film.

He says: "I'd like to do both. I really enjoyed the film work and I really love working in the theatre.

"I'm doing Noel Coward at the moment and I've done quite a lot of Shakespeare but I'd love to carry on doing both. We'll see. I've been a lucky boy."

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BBC - Press Office - The Line of Beauty Dan Stevens

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Sense and Sensibility (John Alexander, 2008)

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Stevens began to maintain his acting style. He played the role of a quiet and upright nobleman, Edward Ferrars, in the TV mini-series Sense and Sensibility.

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 Dan Stevens as “Edward Ferrars” in the 2008 British television adaption of Jane Austen’s “Sense & Sensibility” - Facebook

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Some fans regard 'Edward' as 'pre-Downton Abbey Dan.' The two characters share similarities; further, 'Edward' laid the foundation for 'Matthew Crawley' in Downton Abbey.

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Downton Abbey Fan Club Group | ⚜ Dan Stevens as “Edward Ferrars” in the 2008 British television adaption of Jane Austen’s “Sense & Sensibility” | Facebook

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⚜ Dan Stevens as “Edward Ferrars” in the 2008 British television adaption of Jane Austen’s “Sense & Sensibility”! A Pre-Downton Abbey Dan! ⚜

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Positive characters.

Posh and classical British gentleman appearance and accent.

In a period drama.

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Downton Abbey (Julian Fellowes, 2010-2015)

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2. Television Breakout (2010-2012):  The Rise and the Exit from Downton Abbey

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2. Television Breakout (2010-2012):  The Rise and the Exit from Downton Abbey

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In 2010-2012, Stevens starred as Matthew Crawley, a blonde Victorian gentleman, in three series of Downton Abbey. Still his 'comfort zone' type of role.

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'Downton Abbey' offers him huge global attention.

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'Downton Abbey' offers him huge global attention.

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Season 3 is the one most portraying Matthew and Mary's struggling love. According to the PBS station report, season 3 of Downton Abbey has an average of 11.5 million viewers and 25 million impressions on television in the United States. It paves the way for his later explorations in Hollywood.

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National Ratings Cement “Downton Abbey, Season 3” on MASTERPIECE CLASSIC as Highest-Rated Drama in PBS History

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PBS and WGBH announced record-breaking national household ratings for “Downton Abbey, Season 3” on MASTERPIECE CLASSIC.

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Resistance and Resignation: Responses to Typecasting in British Acting.

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This article states typecasting relates to work based on actors' physical traits and tends to privilege white, male performers.

Stevens is perfectly in this range, and it comes that his appearance suits well in his characters.

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3. "Heading to the West": Rebranding through Genre and Globalization (2012-2019)

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3. "Heading to the West": Rebranding through Genre and Globalization (2012-2019)

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Downton's writer commenting on his leaving.

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Downton's writer commenting on his leaving.

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"He was determined to go."

"I believe he has a three-movie deal. He's doing very well."

It suggests that Stevens made his plan by himself, and he was working on his future career.

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Brave New Hollywood - Spotlighting New Hollywood, rising stars & films, with news reviews & exclusive interviews

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Dan Stevens is All Over the Place - Brave New Hollywood

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When Dan Stevens’ DOWNTON ABBEY character, Matthew Crawley, met a spectacular demise in the form of a car accident, millions of viewers mourned the loss. For casual viewers, it was a surprise. For hardcore fans of the turn of the century PBS drama, it wasn’t completely unexpected as Dan Stevens had announced that he would

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Leaving Downton: a big controversial event in Stevens' acting career.

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Leaving Downton: a big controversial event in Stevens' acting career.

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Why Dan Stevens Left 'Downton Abbey' | TODAY - 2014

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Stevens explaining why he is leaving Downton and his feelings.

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Stevens explaining why he is leaving Downton and his feelings.

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During the interview, he said that "something in my gut told me that it was time to explore, pack up my bags, and head west." It sounds like guidance from fate, but his ambitious personality, seen in the 2016 interview, reveals that the choice of heading west is an inevitable event in his life.

When talking about his career in Hollywood, he regarded it as "fun, challenging, an interesting journey, and pushing the envelope."

It referred that Stevens did not want to be typecast.

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Why Dan Stevens Left 'Downton Abbey' | TODAY

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In the comment section, the direction becomes varied.

A fan said, "My heart literally broke in two whenever Dan’s character died."

Another one stated that "His character could have really blossomed if he could have stayed in Downton."

Still more fans blessed him sincerely with his new adventures in Hollywood film.

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Comedy Thriller: Stevens is in a villain role with a totally different appearance.

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Comedy Thriller: Stevens is in a villain role with a totally different appearance.

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Steven's new appearance in The Guest breaks his previous gentleman mold. He played the role of David Collins, a mysterious soldier and killer. In this comedy thriller film, he lost weight, changed his hairstyle, and grew a beard.

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Former ‘DowntonAbbey’ star Dan Stevens reveals 30-pound weight loss -2013

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Stevens mentioned a 30-pound weight loss for his role.

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Stevens mentioned a 30-pound weight loss for his role.

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Former ‘Downton
Abbey’ star Dan Stevens reveals 30-pound weight loss

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Former “Downton Abbey” star Dan Stevens opened up about his recent dramatic transformation on “The Graham Norton Show” Thursday night.The actor revealed that he’s lost a significant amount of weight since leaving the hit period drama and the role of Matthew Crawley.“I’ve lost about 30 pounds since New Year, which, in British terms, is about two or three chins,” he joked.“It was for a role. It’s al

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4. Firm Rooting in Hollywood (2019–present): Versatility and Visibility 

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4. Firm Rooting in Hollywood (2019–present): Versatility and Visibility 

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Dan Stevens on ‘Downton’ exit: ‘I spend a lot of my time apologizing’ - UPI.com - 2014

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Dan Stevens on ‘Downton’ exit: ‘I spend a lot of my time apologizing’ - UPI.com

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The British actor apologized to distraught “Downton Abbey” fans on the “Today” show.

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Dan Stevens on not regretting leaving Downton - 2014

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"I missed the guys in Downton... I didn't miss the stiff collars."

Stevens explained doing film is something that interests him, and he really enjoyed challenging himself in his new film.

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Dan Stevens on not regretting leaving Downton

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It Took an Unflattering Makeover for Downton Abbey Fans to Officially Pronounce Dan Stevens Dead to Them - 2013

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Downton fans' reaction to Stevens' new appearance.

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Downton fans' reaction to Stevens' new appearance.

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Most Downton fans cannot understand the hairstyle and face change in Stevens.

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It Took an Unflattering Makeover for Downton Abbey Fans to Officially Pronounce Dan Stevens Dead to Them

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Gentle readers, Downton Abbey’s dearly departed Dan Stevens has commemorated his leave from the series by giving himself a dramatic makeover. (Much as people do after particularly bad breakups, or as HBO heroines do after O.C.D.-related breakdowns.)

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Dan Stevens Interview: Star of The Guest - 2014

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"Eating a lot of proteins every two hours"

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"Eating a lot of proteins every two hours"

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In the interview, Stevens talked about his nutrition shift for the film role. He was up to the challenge; more importantly, he was determined and truly made it. Therefore, he constructed a solid and reliable public image.

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Dan Stevens Interview: Star of The Guest

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Besides, he mentioned the accent in the film and expressed that he enjoyed the voice work and accents.

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Beauty and the Beast (Bill Condon, 2017)

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Stevens played both the prince and the beast in this film, and the more challenging one was acting as the beast. It was a different role and an exciting opportunity for him. Besides, he shows his vocal prowess in the musical scene.

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Dan Stevens does his 'Beast' voice | Beauty and the Beast - 2017

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Stevens wears the motion-capture suit (about 40 pounds) and 10-inch stilts for all beast performances.

Also, he got a voice coach and used fangs to train the beast voice.

Stevens regarded this as "a fascinating journey." He said he always learns on the job for everything he is doing.

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Dan Stevens does his 'Beast' voice | Beauty and the Beast

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Dan Stevens transforms in this exclusive ‘Beauty and the Beast’ video - 2017

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In this video, it shows the behind-the-scenes work of Stevens when experimenting with the facial expressions and voices of the beast.

Director Condon expressed affirmation and surprise at Stevens' action, which Stevens sees as a challenge and is having fun with.

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Dan Stevens transforms in this exclusive ‘Beauty and the Beast’ video

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An exclusive behind-the-scenes video shows how British actor Dan Stevens was transformed into the romantic hero of ‘Beauty and the Beast.’

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Stevens starred as a complex character, David Haller, with distorted reality and powerful abilities.

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Celebrity Fans and Their Consumer Behaviour: Autoethnographic Insights into the Life of a Fan -2018

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In the section of 'the celebrity as a performer,' the book explains the star's public persona can be measured by analyzing his/her interactions with other people in different situations (p. 136). Therefore, looking at their interviews can be a way to learn their constructed public star image.

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Celebrity Fans and Their Consumer Behaviour: Autoethnographic Insights into the Life of a Fan -2018

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In this book, it explains two types of actors: the first type is the famous and excellent actors, but not much is known about their personal lives; the other is mediocre actors primarily famous for their mediated off-screen images rather than on-screen performances (p. 82).

In brief, Stevens is prone to the first type.

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The Guest - Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe Interview - 2014

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Co-actor Maika Monroe praised Stevens's vivid and genuine acting for his role and mentioned his high-protein nutrition diet on set.

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The Guest - Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe Interview

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Dan Stevens likes the wit and the 'special kind of weird' in 'Legion' -2017

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Stevens said this drama varied from all his previous work, and he liked the sense of wonder and playfulness in this "bizarre universe." In other words, he expressed the fun of taking new adventures in acting.

He also defines acting as "not something you go into if you want to make lots of money." It suggests his pure love for the acting career. It aligns with his exit in Downton when the show swept globally and had considerable profit prospects.

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(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Dan Stevens is not the doomed hero of "Downton Abbey," Matthew Crowley - and hasn't been for more than four years. His departure from the wildly popular "Masterpiece" series left him room to build an impressive résumé of feature projects ("Beauty and the Beast," "The Ticket," "Colossal") and what might be considered the anti-"Downton" of TV series, FX's odd and outrageous "Legion," from "Fargo" creator Noah Hawley. Yet while Stevens won't shun the series that broke him internationally, he'd like everyone to know that right now, he's indulging his weird side - which made the wax-bust-filled House of Wax bar adjacent to Brooklyn's Alamo Drafthouse movie theater the perfect place to meet up with The Envelope.

You know, "Beauty and the Beast" is playing upstairs right now. We could completely freak out the audience by going in there.

I actually have two movies in this building. We were given the chance to enter some competition to win free tickets to "Colossal" as we came in. I hope I win!

After leaving "Downton" in 2013, what was the plan to make the most out of your big break?

Well, I sat down with my agent and said roughly that in 2017 I'd like to have at least seven movies coming out. Of course not, but that's the eternal question - because every step of the way feels like a break or an opportunity, so you're constantly reassessing the answer to that question. A lot of the last few years has been experimenting and playing in a variety of fields, and "Legion" blows the doors off it.

It is a series that requires a great deal of attention, that's true.

"Legion" is a whole different basket of frogs from what I've done before, and it's delightful. If you're going to do something long-running, it might as well be something as epic and delicious as this. Noah recognizes the scope of it. It's such a weird playground to set up, but there's an appetite for weird. It has an impish wit to it as well, which I adore.
See the most read stories this hour "
Did you ever question whether you'd made the right decision to leave "Downton" when you did?

Of course. My wife was pregnant with our second child when I decided to leave the most popular thing I'd ever done, and it was very much a collective decision. You always question when you make a big move, and a lot of people from all walks were saying things like, "Are you insane?" So answering those questions has been fun. What am I doing? "Legion" is a show that makes me question that every single minute of every day.

(Michelle Faye / FX Networks )

In "Legion," you play one of the lesser-known Marvel universe characters. Are you a comic book fan yourself?

My brother and I were into the "X-Men" comics growing up. What I admire about the show is how this sense of wonder and playful sense of wit has come along. They talk about these epic ideas, sometimes cosmological ideas, but in a zany space - a bizarre universe where you have all these characters who are not dry academics or dusty philosophers.

What was your first acting role?

I was put on stage as a borderline punishment for distracting behavior in the classroom when I was 8 or 9. It seemed to help me exorcise a lot of things by doing it, so I stayed there, really. Still feels like a borderline punishment sometimes - though there's compensation now. Acting is not something you go into if you want to make lots of money. You do it because you have to do it. I feel like I have to do this.

What job are your parents still kind of hoping you'll get?

[Chuckles] My mom still hopes I'll go into teaching. Which could happen. I don't know what I could possibly teach anybody - but I am in awe of good teachers. It's such an enviable skill to have the confidence to think you know what you're doing enough to tell someone else how to do it.

"Downton" expired for you after three years. Do you think you have just three years for "Legion"?

No, the scope of this is huge. I wouldn't want to put a limit on it. We'll see. As long as people have an appetite for our special kind of weird, I'd like to keep serving it up. I've discovered that I like it.
calendar@latimes.com ALSO: Review: 'Legion' is a mindbending superhero tale that may try your patience The stars and creator of '13 Reasons Why' talk about the show's success and the backlash Essay: The 'Legion' finale and the virtues of knowing vs. not knowing in fantastical tales

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Dan Stevens likes the wit and the 'special kind of weird' in 'Legion'

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Actor Dan Stevens talks about playing a mutant in 'Legion.'

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Dan Stevens Talks About His FX Series, "Legion" -2018

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"It [Legion] creatively inspires and challenges in a way I could never have dreamed."

Just like his other interviews, he always transmits that he enjoys the fun and challenges when making a new work.

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Dan Stevens Talks About His FX Series, "Legion"

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Enjoying and finding pleasure with the challenges.

Breaking typecast and not profit-centered.

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Stevens wore a groovy and colorful suit matched with his fingernails at the Gaslit premiere. It was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and he said, "I wanted to blend in; I wanted to come disguised as a work of art."

This demonstrates Stevens' performance in the fashion industry; the colorful appearance suggests his refusal to be defined (typecast) and curiosity to embrace the variety.

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Dan Stevens Wanted to Look Like a Work of Art at the Gaslit Premiere

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The actor stunned on the red carpet in a groovy, sherbet-inspired ensemble that perfectly matched his multi-colored fingernails.

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He and his Downton friends still interacted with each other.

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He and his Downton friends still interacted with each other.

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Me & M'Lady together again..." -2015

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Me & M'Lady together again..."

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38K likes, 2,532 comments - thatdanstevens on August 12, 2015: "Me & M'Lady together again...". 

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dan Stevens (@thatdanstevens)

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Should Matthew have a mustache for the #DowntonAbbeyMovie...? Vote below... ☑️ ❎" -2018

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Should Matthew have a mustache for the #DowntonAbbeyMovie...? Vote below... ☑️ ❎"

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106K likes, 3,764 comments - thatdanstevens on August 12, 2018: "Should Matthew have a mustache for the #DowntonAbbeyMovie...? Vote below... ☑️ ❎". 

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dan Stevens (@thatdanstevens)

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "How stunning did @maikamonroe look in this Valentino number at #TheGuest premiere last night???" 2014

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Vivid Stevens in his black suit.

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "How stunning did @maikamonroe look in this Valentino number at #TheGuest premiere last night???"

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4,148 likes, 113 comments - thatdanstevens on June 13, 2015: "How stunning did @maikamonroe look in this Valentino number at #TheGuest premiere last night???". 

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Food arrived. Feed The Beast. @legion_fx #LegionFX T-15" 2017

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Food arrived. Feed The Beast. @legion_fx #LegionFX T-15"

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19K likes, 194 comments - thatdanstevens on February 8, 2017: "Food arrived. Feed The Beast. @legion_fx #LegionFX T-15". 

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Beauty and the Beast, Shanghai! #BeastOnTour" 2017

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Global promotion and screening tour in China.

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Global promotion and screening tour in China.

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Beauty and the Beast, Shanghai! #BeastOnTour"

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115K likes, 2,125 comments - thatdanstevens on February 27, 2017: "Beauty and the Beast, Shanghai! #BeastOnTour". 

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"I'm not really posh," says 'Downton Abbey' actor Dan Stevens -2011

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Media description and Stevens's response to his "posh" image.

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Media description and Stevens's response to his "posh" image.

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The media describes Stevens in this article: "If you knew nothing about his background, you would think that Stevens’s blood was as blue as his eyes—an impression heightened by his heroic bone structure, cut-glass accent, impeccable manners, and easy charm." It refers to his "structured polysemy" (Dyer, 1998). It is probably the public star image of Stevens before and in the Downton phase.

His educational background: Tonbridge School throughout adolescence (with a scholarship, not his parent's funding) and later majoring in English at the University of Cambridge.

Stevens said that his educational background and his appearance might make the audience think he is related to the posh upper class. But actually his adoptive parents are middle-class. (He was adopted by his parents at birth.) That is the reason he can play well the role of Nick Guest, who is born as middle-class in The Line of Beauty.

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Dan Stevens, a star of the period drama Downton Abbey - which returns to ITV next month - knows what it's like to be thrust into an upper-class world.

Dan Stevens was recently invited to a dinner in a multi-million pound Belgravia home, the honoured guest of a wealthy, aristocratic fan of Downton Abbey. It is not, the actor insists, the kind of place you would have found him before he started playing Matthew Crawley, the handsome cousin who stands to inherit the ancestral pile despite his lowly status as a middle-class lawyer. "But the show's success has opened so many doors, and allowed me to peek inside worlds I'd never normally be a part of," he says.

Indeed, at the dinner, Stevens was amused to note that, in an age when live-in servants might be seen as a throwback to the Downton Abbey era itself, his host had "an actual, real-life butler".

"Just as we were going up for dinner, the butler pulled me aside and whispered: 'Mr Stevens, before you go up, we'd just like you to know that we're huge fans of the show.'" By ''we'', Stevens assumed the butler was referring to himself and the rest of the downstairs staff, the modern equivalent of Downton's Mr Carson (played by Jim Carter) and his team.

"I was delighted by the compliment because it shows that Downton Abbey appeals completely across the classes. It's loved not just by lords and ladies, but also by domestic servants and even by the bloke who came to fix my dad's boiler the other day.

"It's set in a time when England was mired in class and everyone knew their place, yet it manages to break through all the class barriers in terms of its appeal. I'm definitely all for dramas that do that."

Then again, the sticky question of class is one that Stevens has been pondering for most of his life. Meeting him today in the library at Highclere Castle - the home of the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, where Julian Fellowes's period drama is filmed - he seems perfectly at home. If you knew nothing about his background, you would think that Stevens's blood was as blue as his eyes - an impression heightened by his heroic bone structure, cut-glass accent, impeccable manners and easy charm.

Blame his education, says Stevens, who was a boarder throughout his adolescence at Tonbridge School, followed by three years reading English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he hung out with the Footlights set. "I came out of the wash, I suppose, appearing to be much more upper class than I really am. But when people accuse me of being really posh, I think, 'Hang on a minute. No, I'm not!'"

In reality, Stevens, now 28, was born in Croydon to a mother who he has never known, and was swiftly adopted by two teachers. Genetically speaking, he has no idea from where he is descended, never having wanted to track down his birth mother. Still, he says, the parents who loved and raised him were not upper class. "My dad's family were pretty working class, actually." His mother, for example, was a cleaner. "Her father was an architect, so one of the professional middle classes." But definitely no blue blood.

His education, too, came courtesy of his brains rather than his parents' bank balance, as he won a scholarship to Tonbridge. "In many ways, I realise that going to that school and to Cambridge have set me up for life," he admits. "But, at the same time, it does help me to sympathise with some of the characters I've played." He cites Nick Guest, for example, the hero of the BBC adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst's Booker Prize-winning The Line of Beauty. "He was very much a middle-class guy thrust into an upper-class world, and I do know how that feels.

"And then, of course, there's Matthew Crawley himself. I think he's Julian [Fellowes]'s way of introducing an insurgent middle-class character who's there to question the status quo of class and privilege. The viewers are invited to see the strange world that he finds himself in through Matthew's eyes."

The success of Downton, he suggests, could be partly due to our continuing obsession with class. "Despite Tony Blair declaring that we're now a classless society, we're certainly not. And maybe a drama set in a time when everyone knew their place is slightly comforting."

The first series of Downton harked back to the last era in which class was so clearly delineated. "The new series, though, kicks off in the trenches of the First World War. So the old order is about to be literally and metaphorically blown to smithereens."

In the much-awaited eight-part series, Matthew Crawley is an officer experiencing the horrors of the Somme. Still recovering from his broken relationship with Lady Mary Crawley, he has met Lavinia Swire while on leave, become engaged and now, much to Lady Mary's chagrin, returns to Downton to introduce her to the family.

"Of course, the audience will probably always root for Matthew and Mary to get back together, because their relationship had so much spark and passion. Mary was as tricky as Lavinia, now, is good and gentle - and although that possibly makes her the less interesting option, Julian is posing questions about love and what is likely, in the end, to bring people contentment."

Stevens already has his own answer to that. He is very happily married to South African jazz vocalist-turned-singing teacher, Susie Hariet. "I'm lucky to be married to someone who entirely gets what I do. She is totally sympathetic to the actor's life. Her own mother was an actress, so she sort of grew up with it."

They met in 2006, when they were appearing at different theatres in Sheffield. "I was getting my kit off every night at the Crucible doing The Romans in Britain, and she was appearing in a musical. We met and it was pretty instant."

He wonders if Susie's own view of class may, subconsciously, have been part of the attraction. "She has absolutely no concept of the British class system and, after 10 years here she's still trying to work it out. I suppose it was refreshing to meet someone who had the same level of bemusement about it as me."

The couple now have a 21-month-old daughter, Willow. Fatherhood is, he says, "something every actor should do. And I certainly know enough actors who are practising," he laughs. "In my case, it made me rethink the way I approach work. It feels both more - and less - important. I want to spend as much time as I can with my family, yet I'm aware of having to bring home the bacon. I also want Willow to be proud of me and to be able to point to the screen and say, 'There's Daddy.'"

Watching his tiny daughter grow has made him think again about his own roots. He and his younger brother were adopted from different mothers. "I don't know much about my biological background. But I do know that I've always been the idiot who got up on stage and wanted to perform from a very young age. So it could be in my nature. I don't know."

While not entirely ruling out the possibility of some day looking for his birth family, his reluctance so far, one suspects, comes from his loyalty towards his parents. He could not, he says, have wanted for a more supportive or loving family to have grown up in. "And now that both my brother and I have children of our own, it's brought the family even closer.

"Right now, we're about to celebrate my mum and dad's 40th wedding anniversary, and we'll all be together in Walberswick in Suffolk. It's a place that's always been important to us. I even proposed to my wife there."

Stevens's career started when the director Sir Peter Hall spotted him as a first-year undergraduate acting alongside his daughter Rebecca in a Footlights production of Macbeth. He went on to work extensively with Hall, and was nominated in 2005 for the Ian Charleson Award for his portrayal of Orlando in As You Like It. Other roles since have included Edward Ferrars in the BBC's Sense and Sensibility. "But Downton is the thing that seems to have really opened doors."

Recently, he and other members of the cast were invited to the Cartier International Polo Day at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor. "Like the Belgravia dinner, it was one of those occasions where you're in a completely different element. Everybody at our lunch table was extremely sweet about the show, but they also mostly lived in enormous country piles with lots of horses. But then, as I discovered, if you play polo you need about 11 horses each for every game. I'm learning all the time."

The learning curve includes a recent stint in Hollywood filming Vamps - "a romantic comedy with fangs" - which also stars Alicia Silverstone and Susan Sarandon.

Modestly, he doubts he'd have been cast had it not been for Downton. "Fortunately, the Americans also love the show. In their case, they have a different class system to ours - a vast and powerful middle class but no earls or barons of their own. That's probably why they adore shows like Downton, which have lots and lots of them."

'Downton Abbey' returns to ITV on September 18

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I'm not really posh, says 'Downton Abbey' actor Dan Stevens

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Dan Stevens, a star of the period drama Downton Abbey - which returns to ITV next month - knows what it's like to be thrust into an upper-class world.

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Dan Stevens: 'It's an interesting time to be a straight, white male in the storytelling community' -2017

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Stevens said frankly, "People associate me with that show [Downton Abbey] and hear the accent and assume all sorts of things." It suggests a strong typecast on him from the media and audiences.

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It has been almost five years since Dan Stevens wrecked Christmas day for millions of people, and all he can do is laugh about it.

In 2012, you'll not need reminding, the largest television audience of the festive period tuned in to watch the Downton Abbey Christmas Special expecting a gentle, comforting hour of historically inaccurate period drama. In the end, more than 10m viewers received a horror story: as Michelle Dockery's Lady Mary went into early labour and welcomed baby George, her husband, Stevens's dashing Matthew Crawley, hurtled through the countryside in his duck-egg green AC Six. Midway through an internal monologue about how grateful he was for everything, he met a delivery truck, crashed, and ended up dead in a ditch. Glad tidings, indeed.

"I know, I know. For some I really ruined Christmas that year," Stevens says, grinning at the memory. "On the day itself, too. What timing! Hopefully I can restore some faith now I'm back..."

Stevens's decision to leave one of the most popular programmes in the world was an unusual one; he left Britain then, too, moving to America with his young family - his jazz singer wife, Susie, and their three children, Willow, eight, Aubrey, five, and one-year-old Eden - in pursuit of a big screen career.

Many of the roles he's taken in the time since could scarcely have been further from the delicate flower of Matthew Crawley: he was a chiselled serial killer in The Guest; a heroin trafficker in A Walk Among the Tombstones; and most recently the Beast (species unknown) opposite Emma Watson in the highest-grossing film of 2017, Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beas t remake.

"If it has served to change people's minds [about me] then fine, but frankly whether people thought it was a good idea or not to leave Downton is immaterial to me," he says. "People were always going to be baffled or unsettled. I don't see my career as steady and linear, I take a playground approach. I'll play on the monkey bars for a bit, then on the roundabout. It's about keeping engaged."

Perched attentively on London hotel sofa, the trim and bearded Stevens is more often recognised for his character in the FX series Legion than for Downton these days.

"But If I dye my hair blonde again and put on white tie, then it would definitely still be Matthew," he admits. There must come times, I say, when people just assume you're, well-

"A lord? Yes, of course they do. They associate me with that show and hear the accent and assume all sorts of things. I find it funny when people make those judgements. I was on the radio this morning with [UK grime artist] Stormzy and I just watched as people's reactions to him change in the room as he spoke, because he's so articulate and interesting. It's amusing to see the bubble burst when assumptions about how someone dresses or talks are made."

Stevens is not a lord, for the record, and has his accent thanks to a boarding school scholarship and Cambridge education. Like Stormzy, he was born in Croydon, though that is where the similarities end. Stevens was adopted at birth by parents who were both schoolteachers, grew up partly in Wiltshire, partly in Chelmsford and partly Brecon, Wales, and had a distinctly normal childhood.

With a younger brother who was also adopted from different parents, it was a happy household, full of literature and old movies that helped inspire Stevens's talent. Over the years, he has never sought to trace his biological parents to see what they did, but he has occasionally wondered if they passed any acting genes on.

"It's the eternal nature versus nurture thing," he says. "As far as I know I didn't have performer parents, but it would be interesting to find out at some stage. I know as much as I need to know [about them] right now."

It's not a topic he speaks a lot about, but one day, he says, he may make greater efforts to find out about his birth family. Having his own children, he adds, has made him "definitely think about ancestry and legacy".

"At some point I might go back, but my curiosity is sated for now. It takes time, which is something I don't have a lot of at the moment."

Stevens is in London to promote his return to British period costume and festive programming with The Man Who Invented Christmas. The film sees him play a manic Charles Dickens in 1843, when the author's success had stalled, rendering him a desperate and penniless father of four. Rattling around Victorian London, it charts his creative process during the six weeks he spent writing A Christmas Carol.

"That's such a universal story that transcends cultures - we certainly read it a lot in my house - but frankly we don't need another adaptation of A Christmas Carol," he says. "Instead it's interesting to look at the teacher as well as the lesson. Dickens's personal life really suffered in his creativity. We all know people like that, who push themselves very hard at the cost to their marriages and kids, don't we?"

We do, but Stevens insists he isn't one of those people. Instead, he and the family are a "travelling circus" who have managed to move together for most of his jobs, so he gets to spend a lot of time being a father.

"We go camping, and my eldest one is at that age where she has more stamina than the rest of us. They have a sense of wonder about the world, and I enjoy nurturing that."

After more than four years in New York, the clan have recently decamped to Hollywood, where Legion is filmed, and where they will spend Christmas.

"It's a strange town, like nowhere else really," he says of Los Angeles. "In the early days, everybody's experience as a young actor is pretty grim, but I've grown fond of it over the years."

The political atmosphere in America makes it "a very interesting time to be out there...It's a time of great seismic power changes, big swirls are going on."

Nowhere more than in Hollywood itself. Stevens arrived in town during an autumn that will forever be remembered for the catalogue of famous industry figures exposed as historic sexual predators by their victims.

"It exists in any work environment, it's just that it's more talked about in Hollywood because it's more gossip-worthy. The culture is everywhere, and it's about to change. There's a lot of the old dinosaurs coming home to roost about now..." he says.

"It's a very interesting time creatively, to be a straight white male in the storytelling community. What is your responsibility, and what is your role going forward? You have a certain responsibility to history, and we perhaps need a slightly revisionist view of the way things have been told up to this point."

On the set of The Man Who Invented Christmas, though, it sounds like nothing but costumed larks. Christopher Plummer (who, incidentally, has taken over and re-shot Kevin Spacey's next film role after sex abuse allegations made against the House of Cards actor) co-starred as an excellent Scrooge, while bona fide Dickens scholars Simon Callow and Miriam Margolyes were on hand to keep things in check. Even Stevens, who studied literature, founded a literary journal and once judged the Man Booker Prize, was grateful for the assistance.

Still, some viewers may feel trepidation. The good news is that Dickens did not die in a car crash in 1843, so it's nothing but cheer from Stevens this Christmas. He smiles. "It's all part of the wider rehabilitation process."
The Man Who Invented Christmas is in cinemas now

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Dan Stevens: 'It's an interesting time to be a straight, white male in the storytelling community'

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It has been almost five years since Dan Stevens wrecked Christmas day for millions of people, and all he can do is laugh about it.

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Dan Stevens on His 'Mildly Terrifying' Role in New Series, Gaslit (Matt Ross, 2022)

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Gaslit: a political thriller series with a real-life and complex character

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Gaslit: a political thriller series with a real-life and complex character

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Stevens played the role of the ambitious but struggling White House Counsel John Dean in the Watergate scandal.

"It's kind of interesting and tricky role to play," says Stevens.

When talking about the versatility of the roles, Stevens thinks that every character allows him to explore his different possibilities.

Regarding the attitude of avoiding being typecast, Stevens reinforced that he has always been "excited by transformation and hopping around in different things."

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No one gives a better first impression than Dan Stevens, who is casually seated in the backyard of his Los Angeles home in a crisp, white tee ready for his Zoom interview. He admits it's his go-to look as he's gotten older. The British actor is incredibly gracious, charming, and polite - which is immediately apparent during our virtual conversation. The 39-year-old actor catapulted to fame when he portrayed Matthew Crawley in the hit period drama Downton Abbey and then went on to star in a wide range of roles, including thriller The Guest and the musical film Beauty and the Beast, where he starred alongside Emma Watson.

Now, the actor takes on the role of real life former White House Counsel John Deanin the eight-episode drama series Gaslit, which is a modern take on the 1970s Watergate scandal. It also stars Julia Roberts as Martha Mitchell, Sean Penn as Nixon's loyal Attorney General John Mitchell, and Betty Gilpin as Mo Dean.

Stevens describes it as "a bonkers story," and the fact that he plays a real-life character who is still alive made it all the more terrifying for him to play - a challenge he admits he looks for when taking on certain projects.

Ahead of the series premiere this Sunday on Crave, we spoke with Stevens about his role in Gaslit, how he has avoided being typecast, how much he loves costume fittings, and how he slays his red carpet fashion, which is quite different from his personal style.

Congratulations on the series. How did it feel to take on a role like this and with such a renowned cast?
It's great! I mean, it's a really fun gang. A lot of them are used to improvising with a comedic sensibility so that really brought a lot of life to the script, which was already quite playful and fun. But sometimes I think historical dramas can be a bit dry so it was nice that this one was actively looking not to be and also not looking so much at the history, but more at the humanity behind it and the characters around the story - real strange network of people around this bizarre story. It's this amazing chapter in American history that had so much resonance for the rest of time.
You've spoken about your desire to challenge yourself. You said that being mildly terrified is what drives a lot of your decisions these days - calibrating the right amount of terror. How did this series present that sort of a challenge and thrill for you?
Yeah, it's a big responsibility taking on a big American story like this. Also, with a character that is still alive, still in living memory, [it's a little trickier] - people very much remember watching those hearings. Depending on who you talk to, John Dean is remembered very differently. So it's kind of an [interesting and] tricky role to play in terms of where do we place him in our story and how do we feel about him? We need to relate to him [in some way], but in no way did we want to [completely] sympathize with what he was doing, excuse him, or give him some sort of a redemption story either. I just wanted to look at his involvement and what that meant in the wider fabric of the story. So in that sense, it was mildly terrifying, I suppose (laughs).
To play a real-life character, generally actors try to find relatable elements in the person. So, when playing a real person in this series, do you try to emulate him? Or do you prefer to see it as a fictional TV role, simply going by the script?
It's a bit of both. With a character that is extremely well known, I think you want to be as faithful as possible. I've just been watching the Pam and Tommy series, and I think Lily James' performance of Pamela Anderson is extraordinary. I think the transformation is very life-like; it's incredible. I don't think John Dean is known and remembered in quite as vivid detail, and people are maybe a little more forgiving if things look and sound a little different. But there are hundreds of hours of footage of talking at the hearings around that time, and quite a lot of material. There's also the older John Dean who is frequently on CNN, almost as their resident corruption expert, and has been called on quite a bit in recent years. So there's a lot to look at and explore.

"Each character I play allows me to test myself in a slightly new way and using a different side of myself."

What was your preparation or research process for this?
He wrote a book called Blind Ambition, and that phrase alone is hugely helpful in terms of how I thought about Dean. Then there was Mo Dean's book, which was also helpful. The ambition tale Dean brings to this story is really key and that was the way in I suppose. I was just thinking about how exciting it would have been to be asked to be junior counsel before it all went down; just what a real moment and opportunity this was for him. It's almost a sort of classic tale; we've seen it in Hollywood movies forever where there's the young upstart who gets in way over his head and realizes that things are way more corrupt than he ever imagined. There's a bit of that in the John Dean story - this fresh young lawyer who gets in with the old suits. I don't know if he's directly to blame, but I think he definitely played a part in it; there's no question and I would never look to excuse that. But I think he realizes too late what he's got himself into, and I think that in itself is quite dramatic, and gives you plenty to sink your teeth into.

From what I've seen with your portrayal of John, he seems to be ambitious but it's blind ambition leading him.
Yes, he's certainly very ambitious. He's keen to be on CNN, he seems very concerned with how many Twitter followers he has, and it's just these things continue in different forms. I guess you have to find something in a character you're playing even in the most despicable of characters - 'likeable' is the wrong word but something you can relate to at least. I think it's very rare that a person thinks they're bad. I don't think this was the case. As you said, the bit about blind ambition - sometimes your ambition can shield you from what is actually going on - it blinds you to the moral and ethical consequences of what's happening and it's very key here. That's a big part of the John Dean story.
Do you relate to his ambition?
Well, I think ambition takes all sorts of forms, and I've certainly been guilty of it in my own life and career. Hopefully not to that extent, but it's a relatable quality. I think this is obviously a very extreme example of it. When we're talking about ambition to be close to the President, that's not something I particularly relate to - I have no ambitions to be in the inner circle of power in Washington or in Westminster. But I know people who are ambitious, and who have been ambitious to be in those circles. I know some of the things that they have done to get there and that were some of the things they have ignored to remain there. That stuff still goes on, and always has gone on; it's fascinating to look at the web of people around the seat of power in whatever country you're looking at.

Wow, that's very interesting. What about ambition as it relates to your career? You have an eclectic resume so when it comes to the roles you've played, are there any you feel really captured an aspect of yourself that you rarely get to show?
That's an interesting question. I don't know, I hope each of them sort of cracks open something that I haven't quite explored before. That's something I try and whether it's in the same genre, or period, or whatever, each character I play allows me to test myself in a slightly new way and using a different side of myself. I think High Maintenance was an interesting one, in terms of just the style that it required and also the storytelling was just very beautiful and felt very personal in a way. It was the start of a really lovely relationship with that team and those people and so maybe that. I think they all have little bits of me scattered in there somewhere.
One of the things I've noticed with your work as an actor is how you have avoided being typecast - from drama to horror to comedy, you've done it all. How have you managed to avoid that?
Yeah, I think typecasting really comes from saying yes to the same kind of thing too often. Sometimes that's something that people really want to play, and they just want to be doing one thing and be known for that and that's great. That's definitely one kind of career. I've always been excited by transformation and hopping around in different things. That sometimes confuses people, and you're talking to Hollywood executives, and they don't know what to do with you. And that's fine, too. I just want to work with those people, I suppose. But there are certain people out there who are really excited to see me do something I haven't done before and so am I. Those are the meetings you try and find - like-minded people who are looking to expand and surprise people's expectations of them.

On this show, you're often wearing suits and ties for the most part. Do you enjoy that side of the acting world - the formality, the tailoring, etc. - or is it more just part of the job?
Yeah, the costume fitting is always a really exciting moment in character development, because it's one of the first times that you're combining your thoughts - you might have had a conversation with the director or one of the other actors, but actually the costume designer has a very key vision and they have their own thoughts about how this character looks and feels. Hopefully, you meet somewhere in the middle. Sometimes you walk into a costume fitting, and it's like, 'Yeah, this is exactly what this person would be wearing!' Sometimes they can take hours as well; it could be a very long process, depending on how much they've got to wear. You'll try different things...it's sometimes trial and error and finding certain things but I love a costume fittings, to be honest. Costume designers can be a great source of inspiration for how you go about playing a character.
Whether it's on the red carpet or on the street, the way you dress always comes across as being very thoughtful and sartorially forward - I've also noticed your occasional matching nails. Were you much of a suit and tie guy before you had to start walking the red carpet?
Not really, I mean, I suppose in the UK I was a bit more. I think in the UK, men's fashion tends to lean a little more formal. Also, when I was younger, I used to want to dress older. I would put the blazers and suits on and try and pretend I was older. Now that I am older, I try and dress younger, I'm all shirts and sneakers. Living in California as well, my personal style has gotten a lot more relaxed and casual. It's very rare that I would put on a suit for my own enjoyment these days. But for a red carpet, I will and I often try and have fun. I think I've almost worn every single colour of the rainbow now on a red carpet - and yes, occasionally with matching nails. There's certainly a way you can communicate through what you're wearing, through your style, especially on a red carpet - it's a bit of personal expression. Since I've been in the business, I feel like men's fashion, red carpet or otherwise, has gotten a lot more vibrant and exciting. It's really bright. It used to just be grey, black, or blue and that was kind of it and I feel like in the last decade or so it's gotten a lot more exciting.

Stevens continues to impress on the red carpet, as he wore a creamsicle-inspired suit with swaths of red, yellow, orangem and purple at the Gaslit red carpet premiere In New York City earlier this week. He told Vanity Fair that he wanted to "come disguised as a work of art." Clearly, the actor is not here to blend in, whether in real life or reel.

Gaslit is based on the first season of the critically acclaimed "Slow Burn" podcast, and premieres Sunday, April 24 on Crave. The eight-episode series follows a weekly release with new episodes dropping every Sunday.

Red Carpet photos courtesy of Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for STARZ and stills from the series courtesy of STARZ.

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Dan Stevens on His 'Mildly Terrifying' Role in New Series, Gaslit

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We interview Stevens about his new series, playing a character who is still alive, and his red carpet looks.

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Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (David Dobkin, 2020)

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Eurovision Song Contest: combines musical and comedy

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Eurovision Song Contest: combines musical and comedy

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Stevens starred as a Russian vocalist in this film, and he prepares for a song called "Lion of Love" in it.

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In the comment section, his singing performance received unanimous praise. A user said, "I would vote for this song if it were a real Eurovision entry lol."

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Eurovision | Lion Of Love | Netflix Is A Joke

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In this interview, Stevens regards making this song contest film as a wonderful, rich world he wants to dive in, mine comedy out, and have fun.

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Dan Stevens Talks Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga

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The subversive talents of Dan Stevens -2024

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Media description about "versatile Stevens"

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Media description about "versatile Stevens"

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Unlike the 'posh' description in Downton, the media's focus transforms from his appearance to his versatile roles in different genres. However, it still uses Downton's image to make comparisons, such as "with light eyes and sandy brown hair" and "the life as a gentleman." Therefore, it suggests that the subtle media typecast is still with Stevens.

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If he wanted to, Dan Stevens could be a huge Hollywood movie star; a proper leading man for the ages. He's conventionally handsome, after all, with light eyes and sandy brown hair - physical conventions shared by rising star du jour Glen Powell. At the same time, he's chameleonic in his capacity to portray different archetypes; the rugged adventurer, the clean-cut American war hero, the love interest, the mysterious benefactor, the Disney prince. He embraces different accents as if he's trying on costumes at a wardrobe fitting, slipping in and out of each character with ease; in Cuckoo, he has adopted a light German lilt, as convincing a part of his ensemble as his wide-rimmed glasses or carefully carved wooden bird call flute.

Off-screen, Stevens is charming and charismatic; a clip of his good-natured amusement in response to a newscaster's unwitting innuendo has gone viral on social media. For Letterboxd, he named Withnail and I and Being John Malkovich as his favorite films alongside The Muppet Christmas Carol. In another life, it would be Dan Stevens Summer, with Tiktok fancams dedicated to candid interview clips and thirst traps, and his name attached to headline a new tentpole blockbuster. However, his resume reflects a different path than many of his contemporaries, with a focus on independent work and collaboration with auteur filmmakers experimenting with genre. With his recent turns as the mysterious Dr. Koenig in Tilman Singer's Cuckoo, as well as the criminal cop Frank in Abigail, Stevens showcases perhaps the most important weapon of his arsenal: a sustained dedication to genre cinema which has accepted his versatility in kind.

It's important to note that the breakout role which served to establish Stevens to both British and American audiences was as the uptight heir-apparent Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey. We were first introduced to Matthew as a reluctant upperclassman, unashamed of his own status of humble solicitor and imbuing his character with a certain affability. Much of his screentime is spent attempting to woo the de facto protagonist of the show, Mary Crawley - that is, when they're not arguing about who is more fit to inherit the eponymous estate. Such a fraught will-they-won't‑they dynamic served to propel their narrative forward for the first few seasons of the show, and in this role as a love interest, Stevens seemed comfortable playing second fiddle.

With wide, watery blue eyes and blonde hair finely cropped and coiffed, Stevens conveyed a naïveté about the reality of life as a gentleman, one which eventually hardened into a world-weary romanticism. It was strategic, then, when Adam Wingard cast Stevens as the mysterious ​"David" - the usage of quotation marks a pointed one - in the low-budget independent thriller The Guest (2014), now celebrating its tenth anniversary. Though his departure from Downton Abbey had been abrupt and, at least narratively, quite tragic, Stevens' shift away from English heritage shlock served as a kind of rebirth for his career.

Such a transition was accompanied by a dramatic physical change. Perhaps the charm of Matthew Crawley was in the character's capacity for wit, or his honor and loyalty toward his family, but not necessarily for any abundance of shirtless scenes. For The Guest, however, Stevens initially lost nearly thirty pounds, before then packing on enough muscle to be reasonably convincing as an American soldier.

At the beginning of the film, David arrives on the doorstep of the Peterson household, a family whose son was recently killed in action. He claims to be their son's best friend paying his respects and a photo of the two on the family's mantlepiece seems to prove his story. However, the daughter Anna Peterson, played by Maika Monroe, remains wary while the rest of the Peterson family begins to accept this mysterious man into their home. Of course, it helps that David is also polite, endearingly genial with a good ol' Southern boy nature; it's a nimble performance by Stevens, as he threads the needle between charming and sinister.

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From Downton Abbey to an Alpine horror via plenty of unnerving roles, Dan Stevens is forging his own fascinating path through filmmaking.

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Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Adam Wingard, 2024)

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Leading in an action sci-fi Hollywood blockbuster

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Leading in an action sci-fi Hollywood blockbuster

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Stevens is experienced as a veterinarian, Trapper,in this Monsterverse. In an interview, he said that he had never played a similar character like Trapper, and his interest made him take the film after talking with the director.

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Unlike a normal black suit, Stevens pursues bright color and fashion design.

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Dan Stevens Wore Dzojchen To The ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ LA Premiere

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In this interview, Stevens described his creative appetite for challenges as a double-edged sword. He thought that he had “creative ADHD” in a way that needs actual practice.

When mentioning Downton, he answered, "It's steady work. And that’s great. I just always had an appetite for variety."

Besides, he showcased his developing interest in language, writing, and producing.

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Dan Stevens on Creativity, Comedy, and That Good Morning Britain Moment...

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The British actor who made his name in Downton Abbey is having a terrific year, with three very different movies out or on the way. We sat down with him for an in-depth interview on all three films and more.

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He starred as a sinister German villain, Herr König, in a sci-fi horror thriller film. Stevens speaks fluent German in real life and has a comprehensive understanding of the German character, which easily connects him to the director.

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In this interview, Stevens again talked about the fun of filming the perspectives of characters.

In the comment section, a viewer said, "Blue-eyed Dan Stevens is the best thing in this weird movie." It suggests that his 'blue eyes' are redefined and less associated with those gentlemen and 'posh' characters.

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How Dan Stevens developed his wild character in 'Cuckoo'

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Dan Stevens on the Blockbuster Summer He's About to Have, With 'Godzilla,' a Vampire Film, and 'Cuckoo'. -2024

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Stevens: "I've just been eternally excited since moving here [U.S.], really."

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Stevens: "I've just been eternally excited since moving here [U.S.], really."

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The article stated that Stevens has been more wide-ranging than the Downton character with the new films coming. It has been 14 years since Downton Abbey was broadcast; however, Downton still seems to be a label for him.

For Stevens, he is always "looking for different things." He feels excited for the variety in the U.S. compared to the somewhat conservative casting in Britain.

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Stevens was interviewed for the role in Godzilla in a French fashion magazine, L'Officiel Liechtenstein. It was conducted in German, which also displayed his language skills. He said that he craved variety, challenge, and surprise when choosing characters.

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Der theCONCEPTSTORE ist mehr als nur ein Shop. Es ist ein kuratiertes Lifestyle-Universum für alle, die sich vom Old Money Flair, dem „Rich People Aesthetic" und dem mühelosen Luxus der neuen Generation angezogen fühlen - aber keine Kompromisse zwischen Anspruch und Erreichbarkeit machen wollen.

Hier trifft handverlesener Stil auf eine klare Vision: eine Community aufzubauen, die Mode, Ästhetik und Lebensgefühl bewusst zelebriert - und dabei mit Marken in Berührung kommt, die dieselben Celebrities und Influencer tragen, die sonst auf Chanel, Hermès oder Celine setzen.

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Hollywoodstar Dan Stevens ist aktuell im Blockbuster "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" in den Kinos. L'Officiel Liechtenstein sprach exklusiv mit ihm in LA.

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Exploring the casting of British and Irish actors in contemporary US film and television

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This article explains that British actors moved to Hollywood for its various role opportunities and short production schedules compared to the English television-centric industry.

Besides, it mentions that more and more British actors decided to move abroad to avoid being typecast and make changes.

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Dan Stevens on Narrating the Latest Edition of FRANKENSTEIN -2013

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In the interview, Stevens said he enjoyed audiobooks and different voices and dialects, seeing them as "adventures".

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Dan Stevens on Narrating the Latest Edition of FRANKENSTEIN

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In 2011, Stevens co-launched the online quarterly featuring essays, The Junket. He has published some short essays and articles on it.

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‘Who wants me dead?’
Cheevers was cowering with Gilman beneath a large desk in the centre of the office. In one clammy hand he clutched a bottle of lukewarm Riesling whilst Gilman swiped an… Read article

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Narration for numerous audiobooks (2017-present

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Narration for numerous audiobooks (2017-present

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Stevens records audiobooks from 2017 to present with different types, such as comedy, literature, and children's books.

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Listen to Audiobooks narrated by Dan Stevens | Audible.co.uk

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Download Audiobooks narrated by Dan Stevens to your device. Audible provides the highest quality audio and narration. Your first book is Free with trial!

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‘I read 146 books for Booker Prize gig’ -2012

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He was on the judging panel of the leading literary award, the Booker Prize, and read many books during his acting.

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Man Booker judge and Downton Abbey star, Dan Stevens, says he fit in time to read 146 books to judge the Man Booker Prize.

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Dan Stevens reveals he can speak fluent German in rom-com I’m Your Man -2021

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As a British actor, he acted fluently in German in the film I’m Your Man, showing his proficient language skills.

When this interview mentioned Downton, Stevens admitted that as an actor, he frequently had to tell people about his roles, and it could be discouraging when they didn't notice anything (except for Downton). Downton was a global hit, but it still appeared to be an invisible shackle on him. He always showed that he didn't want to be typecast and was ready for the challenges.

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Dan Stevens reveals he can speak fluent German in rom-com I’m Your Man

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Dan plays a cyborg trying to find love in the German flick.

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Media connects his literary capability with Downton role

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Media connects his literary capability with Downton role

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By saying that '"Downton Abbey" star Dan Stevens has always loved to read,' it seemingly constructs a British intellectual star image that aligns with the role.

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Television Serials as Career Stepping Stones: AN Empirical Analysis of Employment PAths of PRofessional Actors

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This article proposes that when an actor portrays a certain role in a TV drama for a longer period, the actor's personality increasingly merges with the fictional character's identity in the audience's view. It can explain the audience's typecast of Stevens.

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "European Premiere of SWIPED last night, starring an old Downton pal @lilyjamesofficial, on @hulu & @disneyplus September 19th.💛💚🎨 @katthomasmakeup 🙏🛍️ @tomford @capsuleeleven @meals.clothing @waxlondonclothing @mfpen_ @vans" -2025

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Stevens had blonde hair again in a casual style with glasses and was photographed with his old Downton friend, but he looked anything but like his Downton role.

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "European Premiere of SWIPED last night, starring an old Downton pal @lilyjamesofficial, on @hulu & @disneyplus September 19th.
💛💚

🎨 @katthomasmakeup 🙏
🛍️ @tomford @capsuleeleven @meals.clothing @waxlondonclothing @mfpen_ @vans"

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31K likes, 195 comments - thatdanstevens on September 12, 2025: "European Premiere of SWIPED last night, starring an old Downton pal @lilyjamesofficial, on @hulu & @disneyplus September 19th.
💛💚

🎨 @katthomasmakeup 🙏
🛍️ @tomford @capsuleeleven @meals.clothing @waxlondonclothing @mfpen_ @vans". 

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In 2009, Stevens got married to Susie Harriet, who is a South African-born jazz singer. They met in England and then moved to America. They have three kids till now. In brief, his personal life is quite simple and low-key in the public eye.

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Meet Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens’ wife and family here

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Find out everything you need to know about the actor’s marriage to wife Susie Harriet and their three children here

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danstevensfans on Instagram: "Susie Hariet & Dan Stevens at Elton John AIDS Foundation 26th Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party (March 4, 2018) #danstevens #dan #actor #actorslife #bestactor #british #britishactor #fans #fanpage #amazing #gorgeous #winterdays #march"

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73 likes, 0 comments - danstevensourprince on March 5, 2018: "Susie Hariet & Dan Stevens at Elton John AIDS Foundation 26th Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party (March 4, 2018) #danstevens #dan #actor #actorslife #bestactor #british #britishactor #fans #fanpage #amazing #gorgeous #winterdays #march". 

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Dan Stevens on his evil Disney laugh, scaring horses on stilts & making The Guest 2 -2017

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"My wife and I we're always... we're very much in love"

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"My wife and I we're always... we're very much in love"

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Stevens sometimes talked about his family life in interviews. Besides, he hasn't posted any photos of his family on social media.

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Dan Stevens on his evil Disney laugh, scaring horses on stilts & making The Guest 2

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Happy Father's Day." -2021

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He hasn't shared any photos of his children except these hand close-ups on Father's day.

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Dan Stevens on Instagram: "Happy Father's Day."

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18K likes, 98 comments - thatdanstevens on June 20, 2021: "Happy Father's Day.". 

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Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens sparks split rumours -2025

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However, it appears the split rumours for Stevens and his wife started after discovering he ditched the wedding ring at an event.

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Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens sparks split rumours

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The actor, who was best known for playing Matthew Crawley in the period drama, is currently busy promoting his latest film Swiped alongside Lily James .

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Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens on being adopted as a baby and rebellious teenage years -2020

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Stevens confessed that he was a handful in adolescence, always rebelling against anything he could. It indicates that he didn't want to be typecast in Downton and tried to distance himself from the constructed "posh" image.

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Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens on being adopted as a baby and rebellious teenage years

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Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens has opened up about being adopted when he was just a baby

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𝖣𝖺𝗇 𝖲𝗍𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝖥𝖺𝗇 𝖯𝖺𝗀𝖾 on Instagram: "✿
Behind the scenes of "Swiped"✨️🤍

-@thatdanstevens ♡
-@mabbymakeup thanks for sharing"

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danstevensfeed on September 28, 2025: "✿
Behind the scenes of "Swiped"✨️🤍

-@thatdanstevens ♡
-@mabbymakeup thanks for sharing". 

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Life photo (cute gesture, colourful watch, chill dressing)

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Life photo (cute gesture, colourful watch, chill dressing)

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𝖣𝖺𝗇 𝖲𝗍𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝖥𝖺𝗇 𝖯𝖺𝗀𝖾 on Instagram: "✿
That one Dan who is in love with colors🤍👀✨️🎂

-@thatdanstevens ♡"

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danstevensfeed on October 10, 2025: "✿
That one Dan who is in love with colors🤍👀✨️🎂

-@thatdanstevens ♡". 

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𝖣𝖺𝗇 𝖲𝗍𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝖥𝖺𝗇 𝖯𝖺𝗀𝖾 on Instagram: "✿
𝖣𝖺𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖿𝖺𝗇𝗌✨️🥰
𝖨 𝖽𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗈𝗐𝗇𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋, 𝗌𝗈 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗉𝗅𝗌 𝗅𝖾𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐.

-@thatdanstevens ♡"

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danstevensfeed on August 2, 2025: "✿
𝖣𝖺𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖿𝖺𝗇𝗌✨️🥰
𝖨 𝖽𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗈𝗐𝗇𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋, 𝗌𝗈 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗉𝗅𝗌 𝗅𝖾𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐.

-@thatdanstevens ♡". 

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Theo A. | Theatre Enthusiast on Instagram: "Also, put finally meeting the beautiful, kind, and effortlessly charming @thatdanstevens as a win for eternity. (Hell, or just a win for March, I’ll take my wins where I can get them) 💛 #danstevens #hangmen" -2020

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Theo A. | Theatre Enthusiast on Instagram: "Also, put finally meeting the beautiful, kind, and effortlessly charming @thatdanstevens as a win for eternity. (Hell, or just a win for March, I’ll take my wins where I can get them) 💛 #danstevens #hangmen"

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161 likes, 12 comments - theotricality on March 9, 2020: "Also, put finally meeting the beautiful, kind, and effortlessly charming @thatdanstevens as a win for eternity. (Hell, or just a win for March, I’ll take my wins where I can get them) 💛 #danstevens #hangmen". 

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Michelle Dockery Fan on Instagram: "🥀Mary & Matthew🥀#downtonabbey #michelledockery #ladymary #ladymarycrawley #marycrawley #perioddrama #danstevens #matthewcrawley #love #matthewandmary #maryandmatthew #couple #widow #mourning #soulmates #soulmate #wedding #marriage #lovestory #loss #iconic #family #husband #wife" -2025

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Fan-edited video of Stevens and his lover in Downton abbey

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Fan-edited video of Stevens and his lover in Downton abbey

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Michelle Dockery Fan on Instagram: "🥀Mary & Matthew🥀

#downtonabbey #michelledockery #ladymary #ladymarycrawley #marycrawley #perioddrama #danstevens #matthewcrawley #love #matthewandmary #maryandmatthew #couple #widow #mourning #soulmates #soulmate #wedding #marriage #lovestory #loss #iconic #family #husband #wife"

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9,319 likes, 65 comments - lady.michelledockery on July 30, 2025: "🥀Mary & Matthew🥀

#downtonabbey #michelledockery #ladymary #ladymarycrawley #marycrawley #perioddrama #danstevens #matthewcrawley #love #matthewandmary #maryandmatthew #couple #widow #mourning #soulmates #soulmate #wedding #marriage #lovestory #loss #iconic #family #husband #wife". 

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Simply Dan on Instagram: "Lucky fan meet Dan in London at SWIPED EUROPEAN PREMIERE! 💚🥹

#danstevens
#swiped"

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justdanstevens on September 11, 2025: "Lucky fan meet Dan in London at SWIPED EUROPEAN PREMIERE! 💚🥹

#danstevens
#swiped". 

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𝖣𝖺𝗇 𝖲𝗍𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝖥𝖺𝗇 𝖯𝖺𝗀𝖾 on Instagram: "✿
𝖣𝖺𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖺 𝖿𝖺𝗇 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗀𝗈🩵🪷

-@thatdanstevens ♡"

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danstevensfeed on August 7, 2025: "✿
𝖣𝖺𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖺 𝖿𝖺𝗇 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗀𝗈🩵🪷

-@thatdanstevens ♡". 

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唐顿庄园｜2025还在为玛丽和大表哥意难平 - 小红书 2025

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It affected globally to Chinese fans. This fan-edited video is on the most popular social media platform, Rednote, in China, titled "In 2025, I still couldn't get over Mary and his cousin (Stevens played)."

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唐顿庄园｜2025还在为玛丽和大表哥意难平 - 小红书

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3 亿人的生活经验，都在小红书