Jack Davenport gives polished Englishmen a persuasive voice and makes good company in an ensemble. We value his supporting work, while wishing he were asked to play fewer variations on the same man.
Fi1m perspective
Jack Davenport’s English drawl makes his posh characters sound as though they expect to be heard. We enjoy that smooth baritone, particularly when he is playing a cad. His breakthrough came as Miles Stewart in This Life (1996), followed by Steve Taylor in Coupling (2000). Those television roles established a familiar presence, but we find his supporting film work at least as rewarding.
Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) is a good place to start, with Davenport as Peter Smith-Kingsley. We were unsettled by the neediness Matt Damon gives Tom and by how painfully intimate Minghella makes class envy. Davenport’s vocal polish belongs in a film so sharply attentive to class, and his supporting work helps an unusually good ensemble hold our interest. We recommend it despite the over-elaborate plotting: Minghella gives us people worth watching even when the story starts trying too hard.
Gore Verbinski’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) gives him Commodore James Norrington, a more obvious fit for that polished English delivery. His formality makes a useful contrast to Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush, the chief reasons we recommend this warm, funny adventure. The repeated swordfights and thin romance test our patience, but Davenport is well suited to his supporting place in the cast. Norrington returned in two sequels, and the part brought Davenport wider recognition. It also makes the reservation about his work easy to understand: another posh Englishman can feel like a safe casting decision.
His later American television work, including Smash (2012–13) and The Morning Show (2019), extended that ensemble career. It is a sensible use of an actor who can be effective without needing the largest part, though the familiar character types remain a limitation. We would like the next casting director to look past the accent.
Biography
Jack Davenport is an English actor. He is the son of actors Nigel Davenport and Maria Aitken. He studied English literature and film at the University of East Anglia.
Davenport began his career with a small role in Fierce Creatures (1997). His breakthrough came in the BBC series This Life (1996–1997) as Miles Stewart, followed by the role of Steve Taylor in Coupling (2000–2004). He appeared as Peter Smith-Kingsley in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean films (2003, 2006, 2007). Other credits include Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015), The Boat That Rocked (2009) and television series such as FlashForward (2009) and The Morning Show (2019).
Davenport is married to actress Michelle Gomez.
