Richard Armitage's 5 best TV show and film performances
The actor is known for his roles in The Hobbit and The Stranger

13 APR 2023, 14:55 BST


Nicky Morris
TV AND FILM WRITER

Richard Armitage is truly a diverse actor. From period dramas to blockbuster fantasy films, he never fails to deliver an impressive performance.

The 51-year-old's most recent project is Netflix's new erotic thriller, Obsession, which arrived on the streaming platform on Thursday. And if, like us, you simply can't get enough of the actor, then check out five of our favourite shows and films he has appeared in.

Obsession
How could we not include Richard's latest series, Obsession? The actor plays respected London surgeon, William Farrow, who embarks on an illicit affair with his son's girlfriend, Anna Barton, played by Happy Valley star Charlie Murphy.

MORE: Exclusive: Richard Armitage on filming steamy scenes for Obsession, intimacy coordinators and his 'messy' side

The forbidden romance spirals into an all-consuming obsession that threatens to end with devastating consequences for the whole family.

The Stranger
Another Netflix thriller guaranteed to keep you glued to your sofa. Based on the novel by Harlan Coben, The Stranger sees Richard in the role of Adam Price, a happily married man whose world is turned upside down when a stranger tells him a terrible secret about his wife that changes his life forever.

Hannibal
Richard's haunting performance as serial killer Francis Dolarhyde in the intense psychological horror series, Hannibal, won him a Saturn award for Best Supporting Actor – and it's not hard to see why!

The dark drama, which ran for three seasons, explores the early relationship between renowned psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and FBI criminal profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), who is disturbed by his ability to sympathise with psychopathic murderers.

The Hobbit
Richard is perhaps best recognised for his role in Peter Jackson's Lord of The Rings prequel trilogy, The Hobbit, in which he plays dwarf king and leader Thorin Oakenshield.

Starring Martin Freeman, this high fantasy film series, which is set sixty years before the events of the original movies, takes viewers on an epic adventure that sees Bilbo Baggins embark on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug.

North and South
Richard is swoon-worthy as rugged leading man John Thornton in the BBC's 2004 adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 1854 novel, North and South.

The story follows Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe), who is forced to move with her family from their peaceful hamlet in the South of England to a smoky, industrial city in the north. There, she clashes with nouveau riche cotton mill owner John Thornton as she struggles to accept his contemptuous attitude towards his workers.

The series also features a star-studded cast, including Sinéad Cusack, Anna Maxwell Martin and Lesley Manville.