Richard Crispin Armitage (born 22 August 1971 in Huncote, England) is a British actor.
He is most well known as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit, Lucas North in Spooks/MI-5, John Thornton in the adaptation of North and South, and Guy of Gisbourne in Robin Hood. He notably epitomizes the Tall, Dark, and Handsome trope, which influences his roles (aside from The Hobbit, of course, where he is Short, Dark and Handsome). He also reads audiobooks and once spent six weeks in the circus to get his Equity card at 17.
His fanbase is widely known as the Armitage Army. As the name would imply, they are... ahem... rather militant in their devotion to him.
Not to be confused with Richard Lee Armitage
, an American politician who was the Deputy Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005 and leaked the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame to Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward.
His notable works include:
- Ultimate Force as Capt. Ian Macalwain
- The Phantom Menace as Tonra.
- Robin Hood as Sir Guy of Gisbourne.
- North and South as John Thornton.
- Spooks as Lucas North.
- Chris Ryan's Strike Back as John Porter.
- The Vicar of Dibley as Harry Kennedy.
- Sparkhouse as John.
- Captain America: The First Avenger as Heinz Kruger.
- The Hobbit as Thorin Oakenshield.
- Into the Storm (2014) as Gary Fuller.
- Hannibal as Francis Dolarhyde.
- Castlevania (2017) as Trevor Belmont
- Wolverine: The Long Night as Wolverine (voice)
- Ocean's Eight as Claude Becker
- The Lodge as Richard
- The Stranger (The Netflix adaptation of Harlan Coben's novel) as Adam Price.
- Space Sweepers as James Sullivan
- Total War: Warhammer III as Be'lakor, the Dark Master
- Fool Me Once (2024) as Joe Burkett
Tropes associated with him include:
- Playing Against Type: Plays a nerdy accountant with a romantic streak in The Vicar of Dibley, who also has a penchant for cuddly jumpers.
- Typecasting: Often plays grim, brooding characters.
- Mr. Fanservice: God Yes! in most of the works he started in there's a 90% chance that he will appear shirtless showing his toned abs to the screaming fangirls/boys. When that's not appropriate — that is, in period drama — he swans around in well-fitting breeches and tailored waistcoats (e.g North and South).
