Scott Speedman is a British-born Canadian film and television actor. He is best known for playing Ben Covington in the coming-of-age drama television series
Felicity and Lycan-Vampire hybrid Michael Corvin in the gothic horror/action
UnderworldUnderworld is a series of vampire/werewolf films directed by Len Wiseman and Patrick Tatopoulos. The first film, Underworld, was released in 2003, and the second film, Underworld: Evolution, was released in 2006. A prequel, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, was released on January 23, 2009...
films.
Early life
Speedman was born
Robert Scott Speedman in London, England, to Scottish parents Mary Campbell, an elementary school teacher and champion runner, and Roy Speedman, a department store buyer. At the age of four, he and his family moved to
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario. He was a competitive swimmer who attended
Earl Haig Secondary SchoolEarl Haig Secondary School is a public high school with a student body of about 2,300 students in Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school's principal is Renata Gonsalves.-History:...
's now defunct gifted athlete program. As a member of the Canadian Junior National Swim Team, Speedman placed ninth at the 1992 Olympic trials. Suffering a neck injury soon after, he was forced to leave the sport. To find a new focus outside of athletics, Speedman became interested in acting. He went on to attend the
University of TorontoThe University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and
York UniversityYork University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
to study his craft.
Career
Encouraged by a friend to appear on
Speaker’s Corner, a viewer open-forum run by
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
’s
CitytvCitytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
, Speedman professed interest in auditioning for the role of
RobinRobin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
in the film
Batman ForeverBatman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
, which was being cast in
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
at the time. Though the appearance did earn him an audition for the role, Speedman was not cast in the role. As the role of
RobinRobin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
was given to
Chris O'DonnellChristopher Eugene "Chris" O'Donnell is an American actor. He has played Robin in two Batman films, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, Charlie Simms in Scent of a Woman, Finn Dandridge in Grey's Anatomy, Peter Garrett in Vertical Limit, and more recently, Jack McAuliffe in The Company. O'Donnell...
, the audition did give Speedman the exposure he needed and quickly landed an agent and began auditioning for Canadian television and film roles.
Speedman's television debut came in 1995 on the Canadian series
Net Worth. After appearing in several small television roles, Speedman decided to go to New York to study for a short time at the
Neighborhood PlayhouseThe Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre is an actor training school at 340 East 54th Street in New York City, generally associated with the Meisner technique of Sanford Meisner.-History:...
before dropping out and returning home to
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
His big break came when he got a call from a casting agent in the United States that wanted him to audition for a new television series called
Felicity. Portraying brooding college student Ben Covington opposite overnight star
Keri RussellKeri Lynn Russell is an American actress and dancer. After appearing in a number of made-for-television films and series during the mid-1990s, she came to fame for portraying the title role of Felicity Porter on the series Felicity, which ran from 1998 to 2002, and for which she won a Golden Globe...
as Felicity, Speedman received much acclaim on the popular series. Soon after
Felicity, Speedman began to get offers for more prominent roles while working on the series. In 2000, Speedman landed the role of Billy Hannan opposite
Gwyneth PaltrowGwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut on stage in 1990 and started appearing in films in 1991. After appearing in several films throughout the decade, Paltrow gained early notice for her work in films such as Se7en and Emma...
in the film
DuetsAn original motion picture soundtrack CD was released on September 12, 2000 by Hollywood Records. The CD contained twelve tracks including the original music composed for the film by David Newman....
.
After ending a four-year run on
Felicity, Speedman quickly found success on the big screen. In 2003 he landed a role opposite
Kurt RussellKurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
in the critically acclaimed cop-drama
Dark Blue, portraying an inexperienced L.A.P.D. detective caught in a web of corruption. Next, Speedman portrayed the husband of a terminally ill woman opposite fellow Canadian and high-school alum
Sarah PolleySarah Polley is a Canadian actress, singer, film director, and screenwriter. Polley first attained notice in her role as Sara Stanley in the Canadian television series, Road to Avonlea...
in the critically acclaimed independent drama
My Life Without MeMy Life Without Me is a 2003 Spanish/Canadian film directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, and Leonor Watling. Based on the book Pretending the Bed Is a Raft by Nanci Kincaid, it tells a story of the dying process of a 23-year-old woman who has a husband...
. Speedman won a "Golden Wave Award" for his work on the film.
Landing his first major starring role in a feature that same year, Speedman appeared opposite
Kate BeckinsaleKathryn Bailey "Kate" Beckinsale is an English actress. After some minor television roles, she made her film debut in Much Ado About Nothing while still a student at Oxford University...
in the supernatural thriller
UnderworldUnderworld is a 2003 action-horror film about the secret history of Vampires and Lycans . It is the first installment in the Underworld series. The main plot revolves around Selene , a vampire who is a Death Dealer hunting Lycans...
. Making an impression on audiences in the stylized vampire-werewolf pic, Speedman was honored with a
Saturn AwardThe Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
in the category "Cinescape Face of the Future Award". Then, he went on to star alongside
James MarsdenJames Paul Marsden is an American actor, singer and former Versace model. He is known for playing the superhero Cyclops in the first three X-Men films and for his roles in other commercially successful films such as Hop, Superman Returns, Hairspray, Enchanted, The Box, and 27 Dresses.-Early life...
in the thriller
The 24th DayThe 24th Day is a 2004 film starring Scott Speedman and James Marsden. The film is based on a play of the same name, written by Tony Piccirillo, who also directed the film.-Plot:...
and opposite
Ice CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
in
XXX: State of the UnionxXx: State of the Union, mainly released as xXx²: The Next Level outside the United States and Canada, is a 2005 action-adventure film directed by Lee Tamahori. It is a sequel to the 2002 film xXx...
. Upon the success of the first Underworld film, Speedman reprised his role as Michael Corvin in the 2006 sequel
Underworld: EvolutionUnderworld: Evolution is the second installment in the Underworld series, following Underworld in 2003...
.
Speedman appeared with
Liv TylerLiv Rundgren Tyler is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of Aerosmith's lead singer, Steven Tyler, and Bebe Buell, model and singer. Tyler began a career in modeling at the age of 14, but after less than a year she decided to focus on acting. She made her film debut in the 1994...
in the 2008 horror–thriller
The StrangersThe Strangers is a 2008 American horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino, and starring Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Glenn Howerton, Gemma Ward, Laura Margolis, and Kip Weeks...
, and also alongside
Rachel BlanchardRachel Elise Blanchard is a Canadian actress.-Early life:Blanchard was born in Toronto, Ontario, and graduated from Havergal College in Toronto, going on to Queen's University.-Career:...
in
AdorationAdoration is a 2008 Canadian drama film directed by Atom Egoyan and starring Rachel Blanchard, Scott Speedman and Devon Bostick. It is Egoyan's first feature film since Where The Truth Lies....
, directed by
Atom EgoyanAtom Egoyan, OC is a critically acclaimed Armenian-Canadian stage director and film director. Egoyan made his career breakthrough with Exotica...
.
In July 2009, it was reported that Speedman will star alongside Dustin Hoffman among others in the film adaption of
Barney's Version. Pre-production began in August 2009, and filming took place in Rome, New York and Canada. Speedman also starred in the independent Western
The Last Rites of Ransom PrideThe Last Rites of Ransom Pride is a 2010 action-western film starring Lizzy Caplan and Scott Speedman in the title role.-Plot:Juliette Flowers is on a mission: to find the remains of her outlaw lover, Ransom Pride...
alongside
Lizzy CaplanElizabeth Anne "Lizzy" Caplan is an American actress. In film, she is best known for her roles as Janis Ian in Mean Girls, Marlena Diamond in Cloverfield, and April in Hot Tub Time Machine...
and Dwight Yoakum.
Filmography
Film
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1995 |
Net Worth Net Worth is a 2000 drama film that starred Todd Field, Craig Sheffer, Daniel Baldwin, Michael T. Weiss, Tara Wood, Ernie Garrett, and Alix Koromzay...
|
Rookie |
Television film |
| 1995 |
Kung Fu: The Legend ContinuesKung Fu: The Legend Continues is a spin-off of the 1972-1975 television series Kung Fu. David Carradine and Chris Potter starred as a father and son trained in kung fu - Carradine playing a Shaolin monk, Potter a police detective. This series aired in syndication for four seasons, from January 27,...
|
Cam Nillson |
TV, 1 episode: "Goodbye Mr. Caine" |
| 1995 |
Nancy Drew |
Ned Nickerson |
TV, 5 episodes |
| 1996 |
GoosebumpsGoosebumps is a Canadian children's horror anthology television series based on R. L. Stine's Goosebumps books.-Networks:...
|
Officer Madison |
TV, 1 episode: "Say Cheese and Die" |
| 1996 |
A Brother's Promise: The Dan Jansen Story |
Andy Gables |
Television film |
| 1996 |
Can I Get a Witness? |
|
|
| 1996 |
Giant Mine Giant Mine was a Canadian television film, which dramatized the events of the 1992 Giant Mine labour dispute and the subsequent bomb explosion which killed nine replacement workers...
|
Spanky Riggs |
Television film |
| 1997 |
Ursa Major |
Jason |
|
| 1997 |
What Happened to Bobby Earl?What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception is the #1 New York Times bestseller of Scott McClellan, who served as White House Press Secretary from 2003 until 2006 under President George W. Bush. The book was scheduled to be released on June 2, 2008; however,...
|
Steve Talbert |
Television film |
| 1997 |
Kitchen PartyKitchen Party is a 1997 film written and directed by Gary Burns . The movie cast a number of then-unknown young Canadian actors, including Scott Speedman, Laura Harris, and Tygh Runyan, and was released on September 8, 1997 at the Toronto Film Festival.- Plot summary :In the bored suburban...
|
Scott |
|
| 1997 |
Every 9 Seconds |
Greg |
Television film |
| 1998 |
Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Couples |
Patrick |
Television film |
| 2000 |
DuetsAn original motion picture soundtrack CD was released on September 12, 2000 by Hollywood Records. The CD contained twelve tracks including the original music composed for the film by David Newman....
|
Billy |
|
| 1998–2002 |
Felicity |
Ben Covington |
TV, 84 episodes
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Breakout PerformanceThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV ActorThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor – DramaThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
|
| 2002 |
Dark Blue |
Detective Bobby Keough |
|
| 2003 |
My Life Without Me My Life Without Me is a 2003 Spanish/Canadian film directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, and Leonor Watling. Based on the book Pretending the Bed Is a Raft by Nanci Kincaid, it tells a story of the dying process of a 23-year-old woman who has a husband...
|
Don |
|
| 2003 |
UnderworldUnderworld is a 2003 action-horror film about the secret history of Vampires and Lycans . It is the first installment in the Underworld series. The main plot revolves around Selene , a vampire who is a Death Dealer hunting Lycans...
|
Michael Corvin |
Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Award for Male |
| 2004 |
The 24th DayThe 24th Day is a 2004 film starring Scott Speedman and James Marsden. The film is based on a play of the same name, written by Tony Piccirillo, who also directed the film.-Plot:...
|
Tom |
|
| 2005 |
xXx: State of the Union xXx: State of the Union, mainly released as xXx²: The Next Level outside the United States and Canada, is a 2005 action-adventure film directed by Lee Tamahori. It is a sequel to the 2002 film xXx...
|
Agent Kyle Christopher Steele |
|
| 2006 |
Underworld: EvolutionUnderworld: Evolution is the second installment in the Underworld series, following Underworld in 2003...
|
Michael Corvin |
|
| 2007 |
Weirdsville Weirdsville is a black comedy directed by Allan Moyle and written by Willem Wennekers. The film premiered January 18, 2007 at the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival. The film has also been shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Raindance Film...
|
Dexter |
|
| 2007 |
Anamorph Anamorph is an independent psychological thriller film directed by Henry S. Miller and starring Willem Dafoe. Dafoe plays a seasoned detective named Stan Aubray, who notices that a case he has been assigned to bears a striking similarity to a previous case of his...
|
Carl Uffner |
|
| 2008 |
Adoration Adoration is a 2008 Canadian drama film directed by Atom Egoyan and starring Rachel Blanchard, Scott Speedman and Devon Bostick. It is Egoyan's first feature film since Where The Truth Lies....
|
Tom |
|
| 2008 |
The StrangersThe Strangers is a 2008 American horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino, and starring Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Glenn Howerton, Gemma Ward, Laura Margolis, and Kip Weeks...
|
James Hoyt |
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor – Horror/Thriller The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
|
| 2009 |
The Last Rites of Ransom Pride The Last Rites of Ransom Pride is a 2010 action-western film starring Lizzy Caplan and Scott Speedman in the title role.-Plot:Juliette Flowers is on a mission: to find the remains of her outlaw lover, Ransom Pride...
|
Ransom Pride |
|
| 2010 |
Barney's Version Barney's Version is a 2010 Canadian comedy-drama film directed by Richard J. Lewis, based on the novel of the same name by Mordecai Richler...
|
Boogie |
|
| 2010 |
Good Neighbours Good Neighbors is a 2010 Canadian black comedy-drama/thriller film which was written and directed by Jacob Tierney. It is based on the book by Chrystine Brouillet.-Plot:...
|
Spencer |
|
| 2010 |
The Moth Diaries The Moth Diaries is a 2011 Irish-Canadian horror film directed by Mary Harron based on a novel by the same name by Rachel Klein.-Reception:The film was shown Out of Competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival.-Cast:...
|
Mr. Davies |
Post-production |
| 2012 |
The Vow |
|
Post-production |
External links
- Scott Speedman Biography at Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies , provided by the Yahoo! network, is home to a large collection of information on movies, past and new releases, trailers and clips, box office information, and showtimes and movie theater information. Yahoo! Movies also includes red carpet photos, actor galleries, and production...
- Scott Speedman Project