Mark Strong
Mark Strong (born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia; 5 August 1963) is a British actor best known for his film roles such as Prince Septimus in Stardust (2007), Archibald in RocknRolla (2008), Lord Henry Blackwood in Sherlock Holmes (2009), Frank D'Amico in Kick-Ass (2010), Jim Prideaux in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), Sinestro in Green Lantern (2011), George in Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Major General Stewart Menzies in The Imitation Game (2014), Merlin in Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) and Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017), Dr. Thaddeus Sivana in Shazam! (2019) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023), and John in Cruella (2021).
For the American politician, see Mark Strong (politician).
Mark Strong
5 August 1963
Actor
1989–present
6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Liza Marshall
2
Early life[edit]
Strong was born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia in the Islington district of London on 5 August 1963, the son of an Austrian mother and an Italian father.[1][2] His father left the family soon after Strong's birth, and Strong was brought up by his mother while she worked as an au pair. He later said, "The home I grew up in was a flat in Myddelton Square in London's Islington, a beautiful Georgian square with a huge church in the middle. We moved around a lot when I was young. I remember flats in Walthamstow, Clapton, Stoke Newington, and Edmonton."[3] He said in 2008 that he was inspired to become an actor by watching French actor Alain Delon,[3] but clarified in 2019 that he did not actually consider acting as a career until he was older.[4]
When Strong was young, his mother legally changed his name to help him fit in with his English peers.[5] He was baptised a Catholic.[6] He attended Wymondham College in Morley, Norfolk, where he sang in two punk bands, the Electric Hoax and Private Party—the latter's name based on the idea that people wouldn't attend their shows, thinking they were private parties.[7] Strong had ambitions to become a lawyer but returned to London after one year of studying German law at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He subsequently studied English and drama at Royal Holloway, University of London before attending the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.[8]
In the media[edit]
GQ magazine named Strong as one of its 50 best dressed men in 2015.[38] He has named David Bowie as his style icon.[3]
Personal life[edit]
Strong is married to television producer Liza Marshall,[39] with whom he has two sons named Gabriel and Roman.[40] They live in North London, which Strong discussed in 2007: "I've got no desire to live anywhere else. I was born here, my wife was born here, my kids were born here, and this is where we're going to stay. [...] I'm able to keep my head below the parapet. I get on with my work, I have a family, and I get on the Tube. It just so happens that I'm doing this job."[41][42]
Strong is a lifelong fan of Arsenal FC and started attending games when he was seven years old.[3][43] He has named Ace in the Hole, Blade Runner, His Girl Friday, The Night of the Hunter, This Is Spinal Tap, and the work of the Coen brothers as his favourite films.[3] He speaks fluent German and some Italian,[44][45] and provided the German dubbing for Daniel Craig's voice in Obsession when "German with an English accent" was required.[46] He and Craig previously lived together, became friends, and co-starred in the BBC drama Our Friends in the North.[47] Craig is also the godfather of Strong's son Roman.[40]