Sean Bean was born on April 17, 1959 in Sheffield, England.

Among American audiences, Bean is best known for playing heartless bad guys, a reputation earned for his convincing portrayals of such characters as the IRA terrorist opposite Harrison Ford in Patriot Games and the hardened double agent in Golden Eye. More recently, Bean played Boromir in Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings trilogy and Odysseus in the Brad Pitt blockbuster vehicle Troy.

He has been married and subsequently divorced three times: His first marriage was to high-school sweetheart Debra James on 11 April 1981, which broke up when he moved to London to attend RADA; then to actress Melanie Hill, between 27 February 1990 and August 1997, with whom he shares daughters Lorna and Molly; he then married Sharpe co-star Abigail Cruttenden on 22 November 1997, mother of his third daughter Evie Natasha; they divorced in July 2000.

Filmography

• A Woman of No Importance (2008)
• Come Like Shadows (2008)
• Far North (2007)
• Outlaw (2007)
• The Hitcher (2007)
• Sharpe's Challenge (2006)
• Silent Hill (2006)
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
• Faceless (2006)
• Flightplan (2005)
• North Country (2005)
• The Island (2005)
• The Dark (2005)
• National Treasure (2004)
• Pride (2004)
• Troy (2004)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• Henry VIII (2003)
• The Big Empty (2003)
• Equilibrium (2002)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
• Tom & Thomas (2002)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• Don't Say a Word (2001)
• Essex Boys (2000)
• Extremely Dangerous (1999)
• Bravo Two Zero (1999)
• "The Canterbury Tales" (1 episode, 1998)
• Ronin (1998)
• Airborne (1998)
• Sharpe: The Legend (1997)
• Sharpe's Waterloo (1997)
• Sharpe's Justice (1997)
• Sharpe's Revenge (1997)
• Anna Karenina (1997)
• Sharpe's Mission (1996)
• Sharpe's Siege (1996)
• Sharpe's Regiment (1996)
• When Saturday Comes (1996)
• In Search of James Bond with Jonathan Ross (1995)
• GoldenEye (1995)
• Sharpe's Sword (1995)
• Sharpe's Battle (1995)
• Sharpe's Gold (1995)
• Jacob (1994)
• "Scarlett" (1994)
• Black Beauty (1994)
• Shopping (1994)
• Sharpe's Honour (1994)
• Sharpe's Enemy (1994)
• Sharpe's Company (1994)
• A Woman's Guide to Adultery (1993)
• Lady Chatterley (1993)
• Sharpe's Eagle (1993)
• Sharpe's Rifles (1993)
• Patriot Games (1992)
• "Inspector Morse" (1 episode, 1992)
• Fool's Gold: The Story of the Brink's-Mat Robbery (1992)
• Prince (1991)
• Clarissa (1991)
• In the Border Country (1991)
• Tell Me That You Love Me (1991)
• "My Kingdom for a Horse" (1991)
• The Field (1990)
• Wedded (1990)
• Windprints (1990)
• Small Zones (1990)
• Lorna Doone (1990)
• How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)
• War Requiem (1989)
• The Fifteen Streets (1989)
• "The Storyteller" (1 episode, 1988)
• Troubles (1988)
• Stormy Monday (1988)
• Caravaggio (1986)
• Samson and Delilah (1985)
• Exploits at West Poley (1985)
• Punters (1984)
• "The Bill" (1 episode, 1984)
• Winter Flight (1984)

Awards

• Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Ensemble Cast "Return of the King" 2004
• National Board of Review Best Ensemble Cast "Return of the King" 2004
• Screen Actors Guild Best Ensemble Cast "Return of the King" 2004