Linus Roache

Roache was born in Manchester, England, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper.[1] Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa School in Chichester, West Sussex, and at Rydal School in Colwyn Bay in north Wales. He studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He married Rosalind Bennett in Malvern Hills, Worcestershire, in 2002. They have no children.

In 1975 Roache appeared in Coronation Street playing Peter Barlow, the son of his father's character Ken Barlow. Roache is also a past member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

In the 1990s Roache began a career in films while remaining active in television and on stage. In 1994 he received acclaim for his leading role in Antonia Bird's Priest. He went on to star opposite Helena Bonham Carter in the 1997 film The Wings of the Dove and to play the role of Thomas Wayne, father of Batman, in Batman Begins (2005). On television he played Executive Assistant District Attorney Michael Cutter in two American series, Law & Order (2008–2010) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2011–2012).[2]

In June 2010 it was announced that he would return to play Laurence Cunningham alongside his father William Roache, in Coronation Street. In July 2010 he was cast in the HBO pilot The Miraculous Year.[3]

In April 2011 Roache was cast as the lead in the ITV miniseries Titanic, airing in March and April 2012 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ship.[4]

In February 2014 Roache debuted in season two of the TV series Vikings as Ecbert of the Kingdom of Wessex.[5]

He starred in seasons seven and eight of the TV series Homeland as David Wellington in 2018.

• Tom Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Ian Hastings at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. (1989)
• The title role in Richard II. Directed by James Macdonald at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. (1993)

• Linus Roache at IMDb