I am being a bit self-indulgent with this post. I adore Matthew Macfadyen’s work, and, as I am tied up this week with other things. Moreover, what is wrong with a revisit of a previous post? Sometimes LIFE interferes. Matthew Macfadyen will be 47 on Sunday. My how time flies! I have been following his work since long before he was “Mr. Darcy” in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. Actually, I began following him in 1998, when I looked upon a scene in Wuthering Heights and he smiled. He possesses a captivating smile and LOTS of talent.
This bio comes from imdb.
Birth Name: David Matthew Macfadyen
Birthdate: 17 October 1974, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, UK
Height: 6’3″ (1.91 m)
Matthew Macfadyen may have been born in Norfolk, but as the son of an oil worker he spent at least part of his childhood in Indonesia before finishing his education back in England and winning a place at RADA in 1992.
He won critical acclaim in the UK with his work with the stage company Cheek By Jowl in the 1990s and was well established as a stage actor when he made his first TV appearance in Wuthering Heights (1998) (TV). A couple more TV roles followed, but it was his role as Tom Quinn, head of Section D, in the hit BBC series “Spooks” (2004) that really made his name at home. And, indeed, established his home – he met his wife, Keeley Hawes, while working on the show.
A steady stream of TV and film work followed, with his performance as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (2005) firmly establishing his name worldwide.
Every Woman Dreams... 
Great pictures! P&P is the only thing I have seen Matthew Macfadyen in but he did make a good Darcy & worked well with Kiera Knightley as Elizabeth, Colin Firth is still my favorite Darcy though.
I love Colin Firth, and he was an excellent Mr. Darcy; however, I was a Macfadyen fan long before he played the role. (Actually, that was true for Firth, as well…at least, for me.) I first saw Macfadyen playing Hareton in a made for TV version of “Wuthering Heights.” I have followed his successes every since: Little Dorrit, The Way We Live Now, Spooks (aka MI-5), Warriors, In My Father’s Den, Frost/Nixon, Incendiary, Middletown, Robin Hood, The Three Musketeers, Death at a Funeral, Pillars of the Earth, Any Human Heart, etc., etc.
I really liked him in Wuthering Heights!
When Matthew smiles, I am mesmerized. At the end of the film, he smiles when his character and that of Katharine are teasing in the garden. From that moment forward, I was hooked.
He has been great in so many roles. He adjusts well to any tv, stage or movie roll. I have always admired his talents and love his voice. I especially loved him in Pillars of the Earth. However, once he became Mr. Darcy others fell in love with him.
He seems so down to earth and such a humble family man and that is what I loved about him.
No pomp and circumstance about him.
Wishing him a Happy Birthday and all of God’s Blessings in his life and career.
No finer actor can I say that I admire more than him.
My devotion started LONG before he was Mr. Darcy. That was just icing on the cake.
Great passage Regina. Fab pics too. I had no idea David was his first name 🙂
I didn’t know anything about Matthew until his Darcy role. Since then I have watched some of his other work such as Wuthering Heights, Spooks, The Way We Live Now, In My Fathers Den, The Three Musketeers, Little Dorrit, Anna Karenina, Death At a Funeral (hilarious). Matthew is a very talented actor and he picks some very gritty roles. Some of his work is not my cup of tea so I haven’t watched them. Might get around to them some time 🙂 Even though I love his portrayal of Darcy I don’t think it is his most impressive work. Although I think the scenes in Hunsford cottage, the first proposal and the second proposal is where he shines and brings out that raw emotion I love in his work.
I absolutely love “In My Father’s Den.” He is brilliant in that role. I wasn’t much pleased with Middleton, although I admit to enjoying seeing him run into the ocean bare butt in Frost/Nixon. LOL! I first saw him in Wuthering Heights (long before he was Darcy) and started following him then. It took me awhile to watch him in Secret Life, the TV movie about the child molester. Despite the character’s flaws you learn to feel sorry for him, which means MM creates a role few could love, but do.
I first “discovered” him in Spooks, and have looked for him ever since. I love his interpretation of Darcy and admit to watching Ripper Street just for him. Someone on YouTube has grouped five audio tracks of him reading various works; two are Pride and Prejudice excerpts. I think he has one of the finest speaking voices I’ve ever heard. Here’s the link if you’d like to listen 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRlmXJprmFYZ1aPZuTgwDxW3BPsHyIPkT
I understand, Renée. I love to close my eyes and listen to him speak. I particularly like his interpretation of Shakespeare’s sonnet 29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yj__ZLXrXk
Sigh. This needs to be my mobile ringtone. Or maybe the alarm message that wakes me up each morning.
Great actor – very versatile – I’d love to have him as Munro in my novels – I think he’d be perfect…
He chooses some “gritty” roles that make the viewer love to hate him, but the range of his acting talent is far from dull.
he is yummy! HBD @ Matthew!
denise
No argument from me, Denise.
I haven’t seen all these but I absolutely love his portrayal of Darcy! I watch this and the 1995 versions whenever possible. Perfect! I can’t see them ever being surpassed.