Stuart Townsend

Biography: Stuart Townsend became interested in performing when he attended a two-week acting course at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland, to be with his girlfriend. He then signed on for two years and eventually founded his own acting company, Ether for Lunch, with a group of friends. Townsend made his theatrical debut in 1996's Trojan Eddie and then landed significant roles in a variety of European films (Shooting Fish, Wonderland, Resurrection Man). Next, Peter Jackson hired Townsend to portray Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. But the day before filming was to begin Jackson let Townsend go when the director decided he needed an older actor for the role. (Viggo Mortensen eventually landed the plum part.) However, Townsend gained attention in Hollywood with starring turns in About Adam and the doomed vampire flick Queen of the Damned that, unfortunately, is most remembered for the untimely death of leading lady Aaliyah shortly before the film's release. HappierStuart Townsend became interested in performing when he attended a two-week acting course at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland, to be with his girlfriend. He then signed on for two years and eventually founded his own acting company, Ether for Lunch, with a group of friends. Townsend made his theatrical debut in 1996's Trojan Eddie and then landed significant roles in a variety of European films (Shooting Fish, Wonderland, Resurrection Man). Next, Peter Jackson hired Townsend to portray Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. But the day before filming was to begin Jackson let Townsend go when the director decided he needed an older actor for the role. (Viggo Mortensen eventually landed the plum part.) However, Townsend gained attention in Hollywood with starring turns in About Adam and the doomed vampire flick Queen of the Damned that, unfortunately, is most remembered for the untimely death of leading lady Aaliyah shortly before the film's release. Happier times arrived on the set of Trapped when he embarked on what would become a nine-year romance with costar Charlize Theron. He and the future Oscar winner went on to appear together in the romantic drama Head in the Clouds, and she starred in his 2007 directorial debut Battle in Seattle about protest riots at the 1999 World Trade Organization conference. Prior to that, Townsend turned to the small screen as the lead in the short-lived remake of the 1970s cult series Night Stalker. He returned to the big screen in 2007 costarring with Ryan Reynolds and Emily Mortimer in the comedy-drama Chaos Theory. He occasionally can be heard voicing characters for the satirical animated series Robot Chicken. Expand

Stuart Townsend's Scores

Average career score: 45
Highest Metascore: 49 Salem: Season 1
Lowest Metascore: 38 Betrayal: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 3
  2. Negative: 1 out of 3
3 tv reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
tbd Salem: Season 3 Nov 2, 2016 Samuel Wainwright 7.9
tbd Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season 18 Sep 21, 2016 Actor / Stuart Townsend / Guest / Stuart Townsend 9.3
tbd Salem: Season 2 Apr 5, 2015 Dr. Samuel Wainwright / Samuel Wainwright 7.9
tbd Elementary: Season 3 Oct 30, 2014 Del Gruner 7.9
49 Salem: Season 1 Apr 20, 2014 Dr. Samuel Wainwright 7.4
38 Betrayal: Season 1 Sep 29, 2013 Jack McAllister / Jack McAllister 6.9
tbd The View: Season 17 Sep 9, 2013 Guest tbd
tbd The Chew: Season 3 Sep 9, 2013 Guest tbd
tbd XIII The Series: Season 2 Mar 29, 2013 XIII / XIII / Tesla / XIII tbd
tbd XIII The Series: Season 1 Apr 19, 2011 XIII / XIII 7.0
48 Night Stalker: Season 1 Sep 29, 2005 Carl Kolchak / Carl Kolchak 7.4
tbd The View: Season 9 Sep 5, 2005 Stuart Townsend tbd
tbd Robot Chicken: Season 1 Feb 20, 2005 Lucky Charms Leprechaun 7.3