Age: 64
male
Jared Francis Harris (born August 24, 1961) is a British actor who has appeared in film, television, and theater. He is the son of the late Irish actor Richard Harris and the Welsh actress Elizabeth Rees-Williams. Harris was born in Hammersmith, London, in 1961. He studied drama and literature at Duke University in North Carolina, and then went on to train at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Harris made his film debut in 1989 with a small role in the film The Rachel Papers. He went on to appear in a number of films, including The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Natural Born Killers (1994), Smoke (1995), Happiness (1998), and How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog (2000). In 2007, Harris began a recurring role as Lane Pryce in the 2007 AMC television series Mad Men and was received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his performance. In 2019, he won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for his performance as Valery Legasov in the HBO miniseries Chernobyl. Harris has also had notable roles in television series such as Fringe (2008), The Crown (2016), The Expanse (2015) and Foundation (2021). On stage, Harris has appeared in productions of The Crucible, The Cherry Orchard, and The Homecoming. He has also directed several stage productions, including The Glass Menagerie and The Birthday Party.
The Tempest begins on a ship caught in a violent storm with Alonso, the king of Naples, on board. On a nearby island, the exiled Duke of Milan, Prospero, tells his daughter, Miranda, that he has caused the storm with his magical powers. Prospero and Miranda are served by a spirit named Ariel and by Caliban, son of the island’s previous inhabitant, the witch Sycorax. On the island, castaways from the wreck begin to appear. First is Alonso’s son Ferdinand, who immediately falls in love with Miranda. Prospero secretly approves of their love, but tests the pair by enslaving Ferdinand. After secretly watching Miranda and Ferdinand exchange vows, Prospero releases Ferdinand and consents to their marriage. Other castaways who appear are Trinculo and Stephano, Alonso’s jester and butler, who join forces with Caliban to kill Prospero and take over the island. The nobles from the ship search for Ferdinand and are confronted with a spectacle including a Harpy, who convinces Alonso that Ferdinand’s death is retribution for Prospero’s exile. Having all his enemies under his control, Prospero decides to forgive them. Alonso, joyously reunited with his son, restores Prospero to the dukedom of Milan and welcomes Miranda as Ferdinand’s wife. As all except Caliban and Ariel prepare to leave the island, Prospero, who has given up his magic, bids farewell to the island and the audience.
