Sean Bean's hit show Shardlake is set to air on ITV on Monday night, and sees the beloved actor star in a period murder mystery drama. The hit show, which originated on Disney+, marks a welcome return of Sean to our screens – but did you know that he never originally intended to be an actor at all? Find out more about the star's early career…
The Sharpe star, who is also known for his roles in Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, originally left high school with O levels in Art and English, and initially worked in a supermarket and at the local council before landing a job at his father's firm, a fabrication company where his mother also worked as a secretary.
The actor reportedly had wanted a career in football, which he was unable to pursue after a piece of glass was embedded in his leg following an accident. As such, he eventually enrolled in a drama course at Rotherham College, before winning a scholarship at RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in 1981. He appeared in Winter Flight and The Bill three years later in 1984, and eventually landed his starring role in Sharpe in 1993.
Speaking to The Independent about his life, he opened up about his family, explaining: "My mum used to work in an office for a business that made steel strings in Sheffield; my dad was a welder and fabricator. It was a bit of a surprise when I told them I wanted to be an actor." He added that he grew up in a "two-bedroomed old council house," where his parents still live.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyHe admitted that when he was a child he "definitely didn't want to be an actor".
The Sheffield-born star is a huge credit to the city, which honoured him on the Sheffield Walk of Fame back in 2010. At the time, he said: "It's a great honour. I'd like to say thank you to the people of Sheffield for choosing me for it, it really does mean a lot to me."
© NurPhoto via Getty ImagesWho does Sean play in Shardlake?
Sean portrays Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII's trusted advisor. He opened up about the role, which has also been played by Mark Rylance in the adaptation Wolf Hall, telling Virgin Radio: "He comes from a very kind of basic working-class background, so his rise to power is phenomenal. He’s out to get what he believes in. He’s outraged by the excesses of the Catholic Church. He’s very loyal to Henry VIII and facilitates his marriage with Anne Boleyn and the split with Rome.
© JC Olivera"[Cromwell is] mischievous, he’s corrupt, he’s very driven and has great self-belief."
