Luke Evans

Welsh actor who portrayed Vlad III (Dracula) in Dracula Untold (2014), Bard the Bowman in The Hobbit films, Owen Shaw in the Fast & Furious franchise, and Gaston in Disney's Beauty and the Beast (2017).

Born on April 15, 1979

Age: 47

Profession: Actor, Singer

Place of Birth: Pontypool, Wales, United Kingdom

Luke Evans, whose full name is Luke George Evans, was born on April 15, 1979, in Pontypool, Wales, United Kingdom. He is a Welsh actor and singer who began his professional career in musical theatre before moving into film and television. He played Aramis in The Three Musketeers (2011), Owen Shaw in Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Bard the Bowman in The Hobbit films, and Vlad III, also known as Dracula, in Dracula Untold (2014). He subsequently appeared in The Girl on the Train (2016), Beauty and the Beast (2017), and several television productions.

Early Life and Education

Luke Evans was the only child of Yvonne Lewis and David Evans. He grew up in Aberbargoed, a village in the South Wales Valleys. His father worked in construction, while his mother worked as a cleaner. The family belonged to the Jehovah's Witnesses religious community.

He became interested in singing during his school years. At sixteen, he left school and moved to Cardiff, where he took singing lessons with vocal coach Louise Ryan. He also worked for a financial company while developing his performing skills.

In 1997, he received a scholarship to study musical theatre at the London Studio Centre, then located in King's Cross, London. He completed his training in 2000.

Musical Theatre Career

After graduating, Luke Evans worked in London's West End and appeared in several stage productions. His theatre credits included Rent, Miss Saigon, La Cava, Avenue Q, and Taboo.

In 2002, he appeared as Billy in Taboo, a musical based on the London club scene of the 1980s and featuring music by Boy George.

He subsequently performed in Small Change and Piaf, the latter based on the life of French singer Edith Piaf. His experience in musical theatre included singing, acting, and live stage performance.

Beginning of His Film Career

Luke Evans began appearing in major film productions in 2010. He portrayed Apollo in Clash of the Titans, directed by Louis Leterrier, and appeared in Ridley Scott's Robin Hood as one of the sheriff's men.

That same year, he played Andy Cobb in Tamara Drewe, directed by Stephen Frears, alongside Gemma Arterton. He also appeared in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, based on the life of musician Ian Dury.

In 2011, Evans portrayed Aramis in The Three Musketeers, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. He appeared alongside Orlando Bloom, Milla Jovovich, Logan Lerman, and Matthew Macfadyen.

He also played Zeus in Immortals (2011), appearing in the same production as Henry Cavill, Freida Pinto, and Mickey Rourke.

The Raven and Fast & Furious 6

In 2012, Luke Evans portrayed Detective Emmett Fields in The Raven, a fictional mystery involving the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, played by John Cusack. That year, he also starred in the horror thriller No One Lives as a character known as the Driver.

In 2013, he played Owen Shaw in Fast & Furious 6, directed by Justin Lin. He appeared alongside Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, and Michelle Rodriguez.

Evans later returned to the franchise in Furious 7 (2015) and The Fate of the Furious (2017).

The Hobbit Films

Luke Evans joined Peter Jackson's adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, portraying Bard the Bowman, a resident of Lake-town who confronts the dragon Smaug.

He appeared in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014). The films featured Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, and Orlando Bloom.

In the extended edition of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), Evans was also associated with the role of Girion, an ancestor of Bard.

Dracula Untold

In 2014, Luke Evans portrayed Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler, in Dracula Untold (Dracula Başlangıç), directed by Gary Shore.

The film presented a fictional origin story for Dracula, combining elements of the historical Wallachian ruler's life with supernatural events. Evans played a prince who acquires vampiric powers while attempting to defend his family and kingdom.

He appeared alongside Sarah Gadon, Dominic Cooper, and Charles Dance. The film was released in October 2014.

The Girl on the Train and Beauty and the Beast

In 2015, Luke Evans played Richard Wilder in High-Rise, directed by Ben Wheatley and adapted from the novel by J. G. Ballard.

In 2016, he portrayed Scott Hipwell in The Girl on the Train (Trendeki Kız), starring Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, and Haley Bennett. The film was adapted from the novel by Paula Hawkins.

He also appeared as Dr. Paul Wentworth in Message from the King (2016), starring Chadwick Boseman.

In 2017, Evans played Gaston in Disney's live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (Güzel ve Çirkin). The film starred Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast. Evans performed musical numbers, including scenes with Josh Gad, who portrayed LeFou.

That year, he also played psychologist William Moulton Marston, the creator of Wonder Woman, in Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.

Television Career and Later Films

Luke Evans portrayed Bruce Reynolds in the 2013 television drama The Great Train Robbery, which examined the British train robbery of 1963.

Between 2018 and 2020, he played newspaper illustrator John Moore in The Alienist and its second season, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness. The series also starred Daniel Brühl and Dakota Fanning.

His films during this period included 10x10 (2018), State Like Sleep (2018), Anna (2019), Murder Mystery (2019), Ma (2019), Angel of Mine (2019), and Midway (2019). In Midway, he portrayed naval aviator Wade McClusky.

In 2021, he played Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins in The Pembrokeshire Murders and Lars Lee in Nine Perfect Strangers, alongside Nicole Kidman. He also played Dr. Bill Simons in the film Crisis.

In 2022, Evans portrayed Alex "Bambi" Chesborough in the action series Echo 3. He also appeared as the Coachman in Disney's Pinocchio and provided the voice of Ebenezer Scrooge in Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

His subsequent films included Good Grief (2023), directed by Dan Levy, Our Son (2023), 5lbs of Pressure (2024), and Weekend in Taipei (2024).

In October 2026, he starred as journalist Martin Gilmour in the ITV miniseries The Party, adapted from the novel by Elizabeth Day. He also served as an executive producer. The cast included Tom Cullen, Joanna Scanlan, and Sarah Solemani.

Music Career and Autobiography

Alongside acting, Luke Evans continued his singing career. In November 2019, he released his first studio album, At Last, featuring interpretations of well-known songs.

His second album, A Song for You, was released in 2022 and included further recordings of popular songs. He also performed in concerts and television music programs.

In October 2024, Evans published his autobiography, Boy from the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey. The book described his childhood in Wales, his relationship with his parents, his religious upbringing, and his experiences in the entertainment industry.

Personal Life

Luke Evans was raised as a Jehovah's Witness but left the religious community during his teenage years. He has spoken publicly about being gay and the difficulties he experienced reconciling his sexuality with his family's religious beliefs.

He has been in a relationship with Spanish architect Fran Tomas since 2021. The couple has also collaborated on fashion and lifestyle projects.