Harrison Cosmo Krikoryan Jarvis (born 1 September 1989) is a British actor and singer-songwriter. He has starred in the films Lady Macbeth (2016), Calm with Horses (2019), and Persuasion (2022). In 2024, he portrayed John Blackthorne in the historical drama series Shōgun.
Early life
Jarvis was born in New Jersey, U.S. to an Armenian-American mother and British father.[1] He moved to England with his parents at the age of three months. As a child, he moved to Totnes, Devon with his mother and younger brother.[2] About his nationality, Jarvis has said: "I came here [England] when I was a baby. I've never lived [in America] ... I don't feel a connection to anywhere."[3] Jarvis is married.[4]
Career
2010–2013: Early music career and The Naughty Room
Jarvis in 2013
Jarvis confirmed his second album's title as Is the World Strange or Am I Strange? on his official Facebook page. The first single released from the album was "Gay Pirates", which was released on 23 January 2011. The single's music video was directed by Jarvis. The song was featured as Record of the Day[5] and AOL's Spinner video of the day.[6][failed verification] "Gay Pirates" was voted number 85 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2011, which aired on Australia Day in 2012. The album itself was given an 8.5/10 rating from Soundblab album reviews.[7] He announced in an interview with TNC that he had begun work on his first feature film, called The Naughty Room.[8]
The film premiered on BBC Four on 20 August 2012, shortly after the release of Jarvis' third studio album, titled Think Bigger, the film includes multiple songs/variations of songs from the album in the soundtrack.[9] He toured the UK in late 2012 supporting Mad Dog Mcrea, for whom he penned the song "Waiting on the Hill". The comedy film Hawk(e): The Movie (2013) features several songs by Jarvis.[10] In January 2013, "Love This" came in at number 59 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2012.[11] On 20 November 2020, Jarvis re-released his 2012 album Think Bigger as Think Bigger - (2020 Deluxe Edition), as the 2012 album was never fully released globally. The Think Bigger reissue contains all of its 11 original recordings remastered for 2020, plus a further nine bonus tracks from that same writing period, including five never before heard songs and four acoustic live 'bedroom' versions of key Think Bigger tracks.[12]
In 2019, his portrayal of Arm in the independent film Calm with Horses earned him a nomination as Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards 2020 and London Film Critics' Circle. Adapted from the short story of the same name from the collection Young Skins by Colin Barrett, Calm with Horses was received positively, with critics praising both Nick Rowland's work as a debut director and Jarvis' performance as Douglas Armstrong.[15] The film was released in the United States under the title The Shadow of Violence.[16] In 2020, Jarvis was a guest star on the fifth season of Peaky Blinders, as the character Barney.[17] Following Peaky Blinders, Jarvis appeared in Nocturnal, Funny Face, The Evening Hour and Raised by Wolves.[18]
FX's Shōgun premiered in February 2024, receiving critical acclaim worldwide.[24] Jarvis' performance as John Blackthorne was described as a "force to be reckoned with" by IGN[25] and The Washington Post wrote that he "brilliantly channels" his role as the marooned English pilot in the historical drama.[26]Empire described Jarvis as "compelling" and "magnetic". In his review, Nick Clark wrote for the Evening Standard, "Jarvis is one of those actors who is not just chameleonic – anyone who has seen him in Calm with Horses and then Persuasion can attest to his powers of transformation – but always brings so much more to a role than just speaking the words in order. It's the eyes; there's a whole lot going on behind them, and it means he's never less than compelling."[27]
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