Christopher Villiers
Encyclopedia
Christopher Francis Villiers (born 7 September 1960) is an English actor
.
He is known for his part in the top rated ITV1
soap opera
, Emmerdale
in which he plays the role of the solicitor
Grayson Sinclair
. He also played the part of Captain Nigel Croker
in Mile High
from 2004 to 2005. He appeared in films such as The Scarlet Pimpernel
, Top Secret!
, Bloody Sunday, Kidulthood and First Knight
. In 2003 he co-wrote (with actor/playwright/producer Richard Everett) and co-produced (again, with Everett) the critically well-received British feature film Two Men went to War. In 1983, he starred in Sweet Sixteen
with Penelope Keith
and in 1998 he had a minor part in Sliding Doors
. In 1996 he had a significant role in Sharpes Siege. He has also appeared in an episode of Adventure Inc.
when filming transferred to the UK for four episodes. He is also a script writer. In 2009 he was seen in the five part drama series Collision for ITV.
Villiers was born in London
and educated at Stowe School
. His siblings are Cat Villiers, a film producer, and Jay Villiers, an actor. He is also related to the Earl of Clarendon
.
In 1995, Villiers co-founded 2020 Casting Ltd., one of the largest film background (extras) agencies in the country. Company credits include: Gladiator
, Bridget Jones's Diary
, Shakespeare in Love
, Star Wars
, United 93
.
Villiers also appeared in two episodes of Midsomer Murders
, The Killings at Badger's Drift and Death's Shadow, in the latter his character burned to death in a caravan.
In 2007, he guest-starred in the Doctor Who
audio drama Absolution (having previously appeared in the TV two-part serial The King's Demons
, back in 1983).
in a summer storyline.
On the termination of his contract, Christopher said, "“Grayson has been a great character to play but we’ve agreed that the current storyline is going to provide an exciting exit for him.
"I’ve got several projects that I’m looking at but you never know, this might not be the last we see of Gray.”
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
He is known for his part in the top rated ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
in which he plays the role of the solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
Grayson Sinclair
Grayson Sinclair
Grayson Sinclair is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by Christopher Villiers.-History:Grayson is part of the wealthy Sinclair family. He was married to Perdita Hyde-Sinclair, he is the eldest son of Rosemary King and brother of Alasdair Sinclair.He first...
. He also played the part of Captain Nigel Croker
Captain Nigel Croker
Captain Nigel Croker is a fictional character from the TV programme Mile High. He was played by Christopher Villiers when the series ran between 2003 and 2005. There was talk of Mile High returning, but this never materialised.-Final Episode:...
in Mile High
Mile High
Mile High is a British television drama based on the lives of the cabin crew members of "fresh!", a budget airline based in London. The name of the show comes from the "Mile High Club". The show was broadcast on Sky1 from 2003 to 2005.-Background:...
from 2004 to 2005. He appeared in films such as The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982 film)
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a 1982 film set during the French Revolution. It is based on the novels The Scarlet Pimpernel and Eldorado by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, and stars Anthony Andrews as Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel, the protagonist, Jane Seymour as Marguerite St...
, Top Secret!
Top Secret!
Top Secret! is a 1984 comedy film directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. It stars Val Kilmer , Lucy Gutteridge, Omar Sharif, Peter Cushing, Michael Gough and Jeremy Kemp. The film is a parody of the GDR era and Elvis films...
, Bloody Sunday, Kidulthood and First Knight
First Knight
First Knight is a 1995 American medieval film based on Arthurian legend, directed by Jerry Zucker. It stars Richard Gere as Lancelot, Julia Ormond as Guinevere, Sean Connery as King Arthur and Ben Cross as Malagant....
. In 2003 he co-wrote (with actor/playwright/producer Richard Everett) and co-produced (again, with Everett) the critically well-received British feature film Two Men went to War. In 1983, he starred in Sweet Sixteen
Sweet Sixteen (TV series)
Sweet Sixteen is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 in 1983. It stars Penelope Keith and was written by Douglas Watkinson and directed and produced by Gareth Gwenlan.-Cast:*Penelope Keith — Helen Walker*Christopher Villiers — Peter Morgan...
with Penelope Keith
Penelope Keith
Penelope Anne Constance Keith, CBE, DL is an English actress.Having started her television career in the 1950s, Penelope Keith became a household name in the United Kingdom in the 1970s when she played Margo Leadbetter in the sitcom The Good Life...
and in 1998 he had a minor part in Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors is a 1998 British-American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Howitt and starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah, and featured John Lynch, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Virginia McKenna. The music was composed by David Hirschfelder...
. In 1996 he had a significant role in Sharpes Siege. He has also appeared in an episode of Adventure Inc.
Adventure Inc.
Adventure Inc. is a dramatised adventure television series produced primarily in Canada which aired from September 30, 2002 to May 12, 2003. It was a co-production of Fireworks Entertainment , Tribune Entertainment Tribune Entertainment , M6 , Amy International , and Tele München...
when filming transferred to the UK for four episodes. He is also a script writer. In 2009 he was seen in the five part drama series Collision for ITV.
Villiers was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and educated at Stowe School
Stowe School
Stowe School is an independent school in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It was founded on 11 May 1923 by J. F. Roxburgh, initially with 99 male pupils. It is a member of the Rugby Group and Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school is also a member of the G20 Schools Group...
. His siblings are Cat Villiers, a film producer, and Jay Villiers, an actor. He is also related to the Earl of Clarendon
Earl of Clarendon
Earl of Clarendon is a title that has been created twice in British history, in 1661 and 1776. The title was created for the first time in the Peerage of England in 1661 for the statesman Edward Hyde, 1st Baron Hyde...
.
In 1995, Villiers co-founded 2020 Casting Ltd., one of the largest film background (extras) agencies in the country. Company credits include: Gladiator
Gladiator (2000 film)
Gladiator is a 2000 historical epic film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays the loyal Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed...
, Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget Jones's Diary (film)
Bridget Jones's Diary is a 2001 British romantic comedy film based on Helen Fielding's novel of the same name. The adaptation stars Renée Zellweger as Bridget, Hugh Grant as the caddish Daniel Cleaver, and Colin Firth as Bridget's "true love", Mark Darcy...
, Shakespeare in Love
Shakespeare in Love
Shakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
, Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, United 93
United 93 (film)
United 93 is a 2006 fact-based historical drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Paul Greengrass that chronicles events aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the September 11 attacks...
.
Villiers also appeared in two episodes of Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders is a British television detective drama that has aired on ITV since 1997. The show is based on the books by Caroline Graham, as originally adapted by Anthony Horowitz. The lead character is DCI Tom Barnaby who works for Causton CID. When Nettles left the show in 2011 he was...
, The Killings at Badger's Drift and Death's Shadow, in the latter his character burned to death in a caravan.
In 2007, he guest-starred in the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
audio drama Absolution (having previously appeared in the TV two-part serial The King's Demons
The King's Demons
The King's Demons is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in two parts on March 15 and March 16, 1983...
, back in 1983).
Release from Emmerdale
On March, 29th 2008, ITV released a statement saying Christopher would be written out of Emmerdale as Grayson SinclairGrayson Sinclair
Grayson Sinclair is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by Christopher Villiers.-History:Grayson is part of the wealthy Sinclair family. He was married to Perdita Hyde-Sinclair, he is the eldest son of Rosemary King and brother of Alasdair Sinclair.He first...
in a summer storyline.
On the termination of his contract, Christopher said, "“Grayson has been a great character to play but we’ve agreed that the current storyline is going to provide an exciting exit for him.
"I’ve got several projects that I’m looking at but you never know, this might not be the last we see of Gray.”