Charlie Condou, is a British actor, columnist and LGBT rights activist. Condou secured a series of television movie roles during his teenage years in the 1980s. He later had guest roles in British television series during the 1990s. In 2007, Condou gained wider recognition when he took the role of sonographer Marcus Dent in the soap opera Coronation Street, which he remained until 2014. He also played the role of Ben Sherwood in the medical drama Holby City. Condou has used his fame as a platform to promote LGBT rights, becoming a patron for charities and being an advocate for same-sex parenting.
Career
Condou's acting career began in the 1985 American television Movie, The Key to Rebecca as Billy Vandam. Billy is the young son of the main character William, played by Cliff Robertson. He then appeared in the 1985 movie Exploits at West Poley at the age of twelve. His television career continued throughout his teens with appearances in the shows Robin of Sherwood and A Sense of Guilt. In 1988, Condou appeared in the television movie Every Breath You Take as a thirteen year old chorister. He worked with actress Connie Booth, who played his on-screen mother in the movie. He went onto secure the role of Stuart Wolvis in the six part British comedy drama series The Wolvis Family. The show focuses on the Wolvis' family issues, with Stuart being the problematic teenager of the family. He continued in his twenties, playing a variety of roles in series like Martin Chuzzlewit, Pie in the Sky, The Bill, Peak Practice, Urban Gothic, The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells and Midsomer Murders. Other roles included a guest appearances as Nino in television series Gimme, Gimme, Gimme alongside Kathy Burke, and Giles in the film Dead Babies. He then played the role of Auguste in the 2001 thriller film Charlotte Gray alongside Cate Blanchett. In 2005, the actor played editor Jonatton Yeah? in the Channel 4 sitcom Nathan Barley. In 2006, Condou appeared as Renoir in the BBC dramaThe Impressionists. He had a cameo role as an elf in the film Fred Claus. In 2007, Condou joined the cast of the British soap operaCoronation Street, playing Marcus Dent. In 2008 he left the show and stated that "I have had a fantastic time in Coronation Street, but as a jobbing actor I believe it is time to move on." A publicist from the show added "we'll be sad to see Charlie leave." At the time, Condou indicated that "there are a few things in the pipeline, one of which is a feature film which is being made abroad. But all that's under wraps at the moment." This film turned out to be Good, released later that year. In 2013, it was announced that Condou would be leaving Coronation Street the following year. In September 2014, he took the lead role of Adam in the West End production of "Next Fall". From September to December 2016, he took part in the UK tour of The Rocky Horror Show. In February 2017, Condou played Reverend Hale in the UK tour of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. That year, he was cast in the role of Simon Osborne in the second series of the ITV drama Unforgotten. In 2019, Condou joined the cast of Holby City in a guest role, playing doctor Ben Sherwood.
Personal life
Condou is openly gay, and married his long-term Canadian boyfriend Cameron Laux on 8 June 2015. He lives in Islington with his husband and his children, Georgia and Hal, who split their time between him and their mother, the actress Catherine Kanter. Condou and Kanter first met in 1998 and made a mutual agreement between each other that they would have a child if she was still single at the age of forty. In a number of interviews, Condou has revealed that the children were conceived through IVF treatment, following Kanter's fortieth birthday and relationship breakup. From October 2011 until July 2012, he wrote a column for The Guardian newspaper on the subject of same-sex parenting. Condou supported the UK remaining a member of the European Union in the 2016 EU referendum.
Activism
Condou has been listed on LGBT influence lists and polls during his career. He was listed at number fifteen in the World Pride Power List 2012 and rose to number eleven on the 2013 list. Additionally he was placed eighth on The Independent's Pink Power list 2011 and forty-second on the Pride Power List of 2011. He is a patron of the charities Diversity Role Models and the Albert Kennedy Trust, and has volunteered for the Terrence Higgins Trust. Condou has also worked with Stonewall on fundraisers. In October 2012, he was named in the British gay publication, Attitude, as the magazine's "Man of the Year" at the inaugural Attitude awards and appeared on the cover of the November 2012 issue. In 2014 he was nominated for the "Advocate for change" award at the GLAAD awards in Los Angeles. Condou has also been an advocate for LGBT families. In 2013, he set up the company, Out With the Family, which puts on events for LGBT families. In 2016, Condou wrote the introduction for Eric Rosswood's . In December 2019, Condou spoke at a seminar focusing on "non-traditional families". In August 2014, Condou was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.
