Who is David Dawson? The Last Kingdom star who plays King Alfred and stars in BBC’s Luther and Ripper Street
IT TAKES a man with conviction to play King Alfred – and British actor David Dawson has proved his mettle as the monarch in BBC Two’s The Last Kingdom.
While not royal himself, David has been making a name for himself after taking on a truly noble selection of screen and stage roles.
Whether it’s fictional characters or historical characters it seems there is no role that David can’t find confidence in.
Here is everything you need to know about David Dawson…
Who is David Dawson and where is he from?
David Dawson is a British actor born in Widnes, Cheshire, on 7 September 1982.
He has experience in performing on stage across the UK and on the West End and has an impressive CV of work on camera too.
He earned his acting chops at RADA which he attended between 2002 and 2005.
Who does David Dawson play in The Last Kingdom?
David Dawson plays the historical figure King Alfred in the hit BBC show The Last Kingdom.
King Alfred – also known as Alfred the Great – is famous for defending his kingdom against the Vikings and went on to become the dominant ruler of England, living between the years of 871 and 899.
The version of King Alfred on The Last Kingdom may only be a loose adaptation – as the show’s main character Uhtred of Beddanburg (played by Alexander Dreymon) is based on the real Uhtred the Bold who was alive in the early 1000s.
What other TV has David Dawson starred in?
David Dawson has had many small screen roles – having made his debut in 2005 as a guest actor in one episode of Doc Martin.
TV fans may also recognise him as Byron in series three of Billie Piper’s provocative show Secret Diary of a Call Girl, or as Toby Kent in the second series of Luther.
Other TV highlights include a recurring roles on Peaky Blinders, Banished, The Secret Agent, and Ripper Street.
However arguably his greatest role to date was playing writer Tony Warren in 2010’s BBC Four drama The Road to Coronation Street for which he received critical praise.
Is David Dawson going to play Doctor Who?
Many actors have been suggested to play Doctor Who since Peter Capaldi revealed in 2017 that he was retiring from the role.
David Dawson is one such actor being tipped for the role – with internet poles and petitions championing him for the role.
It will only be a matter of time before Capaldi’s replacement is found, however…
What movies has David Dawson appeared in?
So far David Dawson’s career has been mostly stage and small screen based – with TV series and TV movies the roles he has landed.
He has appeared in one big-screen film appearing in the Colin Farrell/Keira Knightley crime drama London Boulevard.
However his role was uncredited and he played a Big Issue seller.
What stage performances is David Dawson famous for?
David Dawson has enjoyed success in theatre – landing the role of understudy to Oscar winner Kevin Spacey in a production of Shakespeare’s Richard II after graduating RADA in 2005.
He has starred in other productions – ranging from Romeo and Juliet to Nicholas Nickleby.
Stages he has walked across include the Donmar Warehouse, Shakespeare’s Glob, The Old Vic and the Giulgud Theatre.