(1983-)

Who Is Henry Cavill?

After landing his first film role as a teenager, Henry Cavill began pursuing his acting ambitions on the British screen. He enjoyed a breakout role in Showtime's "The Tudors" from 2007-10 before shooting to stardom as Superman in 2013's Man of Steel. Cavill also showcased his action chops in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) and Mission: Impossible–Fallout (2018) before headlining the Netflix fantasy series "The Witcher" beginning in 2019.

How Old Is Henry Cavill?

Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill was born on May 5, 1983, in Jersey, a British crown dependency off the coast of France.

How Tall Is Henry Cavill?

The actor stands approximately six feet, one inch tall.

Early Years

The fourth of five sons born to dad Colin, a stockbroker, and mom Marianne, a secretary, Cavill grew up in a large home outside the capital city of St. Helier. He later described the household of five brothers as "boisterous," though they channeled their aggression into gaming after Colin bought each boy a computer.

Cavill left the island at age 13 to attend the Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, England. Initially miserable—he was homesick and teased for being overweight—the teenager found camaraderie on the rugby pitch and the stage, where he acted in school productions of Grease and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

At 16, Cavill had the opportunity to meet one of Hollywood's leading men when Russell Crowe arrived at Stowe to shoot scenes for Proof of Life (2000). Selected as an extra for the film, Cavill at one point approached Crowe for advice about an acting career. Their pleasant conversation prompted Crowe to send the youngster a gift package, and they later reunited as co-stars in Man of Steel.

Movies & TV Shows

'The Count of Monte Cristo,' 'Tristan & Isolde'

At 17, Cavill was selected for a part in an adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo (2002). Pursuing an acting career full-time, he surfaced on British television in episodes of "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries" (2002) and "Midsomer Murders" (2003). Cavill then emerged as a heartthrob in the romantic comedy I Capture the Castle (2003) and was among the unfortunate victims of Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005) before supporting James Franco in the action-drama Tristan & Isolde (2006) and taking on the role of the Hunter in the musical Red Riding Hood (2006).

'The Tudors,' 'Stardust,' 'Whatever Works'

Cavill received his first widespread exposure in Showtime's risqué historical drama "The Tudors," as Henry VIII's right-hand man Charles Brandon. Meanwhile, he landed supporting parts in the fantasy adventure Stardust (2007) and Woody Allen's Whatever Works (2009)–the latter originally written for an American actor–along with a prominent role in the horror flick Blood Creek (2009).

'The Immortals,' 'The Cold Light of Day'

After narrowly missing out on opportunities to play Superman and James Bond on the big screen, Cavill received his first crack at leading man material as Theseus in the fantasy epic The Immortals (2011). It was an eye-opening experience for the actor, who underwent extensive martial-arts training, received his first exposure to green-screen performing and learned a few tips from veteran colleague Mickey Rourke. Cavill then continued down the path of action fare with The Cold Light of Day (2012), which fared poorly, despite the presence of co-stars Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver.

'Man of Steel,' 'Batman v Superman,' 'Justice League'

Stardom officially arrived when the actor beefed up and donned the cape for Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, widely considered superior to the 2006 Superman reboot that bypassed Cavill for the lead. He then battled Ben Affleck's Dark Knight in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), which delivered a well-received introduction to Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. However, the eagerly anticipated Justice League (2017) sunk beneath an onslaught of production problems, including the transfer of directing duties from Snyder to Joss Whedon and Whedon's alleged abusive behavior. The expected blockbuster underperformed at the box office.

'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,' 'Mission: Impossible–Fallout'

Between shifts as the Caped Crusader, Cavill assumed the role of smooth C.I.A. Agent Napoleon Solo in Guy Ritchie's revival of the 1960s series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015). After appearing as a Special Forces captain in the war feature Sand Castle (2017), Cavill again played a C.I.A. operative in Mission: Impossible–Fallout (2018), which forced him to raise his game to keep up with the full-throttle intensity of franchise star Tom Cruise.

'The Witcher,' 'Enola Holmes'

Cavill returned to the small screen in 2019 as monster hunter extraordinaire Geralt of Rivia in "The Witcher," based on the popular book and video game series. He then played Sherlock Holmes as a protective big brother to Millie Bobby Brown's title character in Enola Holmes (2020), a popular pairing that spurred production on a sequel.

Girlfriends

Formerly engaged to British equestrian Ellen Whitaker, Cavill has been romantically linked to MMA star-turned-actress Gina Carano and stuntwoman Lucy Cork. He went public with his relationship with Hollywood studio executive Natalie Viscuso in April 2021.

Wildlife Ambassador

In 2014 Cavill was named an ambassador for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, which oversees a zoo in Jersey. Every year, the actor returns to his home island to participate in a fundraising race for the organization known as the Durrell Challenge.

Personal Life

Named Glamour UK's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2013, Cavill has demonstrated a sound mind to match his handsome features by speaking four languages (English, Spanish, French and Italian). He also enjoys a collection of fancy cars, beginning with the Aston Martin DBS he purchased once he became an in-demand actor in Hollywood.

QUICK FACTS

  • Birth Year: 1983
  • Birth date: May 5, 1983
  • Birth City: Jersey, Channel Islands
  • Best Known For: Best known for his big screen portrayal of Superman, British actor Henry Cavill has starred in blockbusters like 'Mission: Impossible–Fallout' and the Netflix series 'The Witcher.'
  • Industries
    • Television
    • Film
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Nacionalities
    • English
  • Interesting Facts
    • After meeting Russell Crowe as a teenager, Henry Cavill played the Australian actor's son in 2013's 'Man of Steel.'
  • Occupations
    • Actor

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CITATION INFORMATION

  • Article Title: Henry Cavill Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/actor/henry-william-dalgliesh-cavill
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: October 19, 2022
  • Original Published Date: October 19, 2022

QUOTES

  • I'm not going to change my life because of the fame thing. It's supposed to be a good thing that's happened to me. I want it to enjoy it.
  • There are people who are better looking than I am, and people who are better actors than I am. I just have to beat them to the chase.
  • There are some actors out there who are all, 'Hey, I live in a cardboard box and I'll perform on that cardboard box if I have to.' That’s pretty much bull****. Acting pays well. And anyone who says they don't like money is being ridiculous. You shouldn't be ruled by it, but money is lovely. Nice things are lovely.