British actor Sam Riley's rise to stardom was marked by his poignant portrayal of Joy Division's enigmatic lead singer Ian Curtis in the critically acclaimed film Control (2007),directed by Anton Corbijn, a devoted fan and official photographer of the group. Riley's remarkable talent was not only evident in his uncanny resemblance to Curtis but also in his ability to sing rock songs, a skill he had honed as the frontman of a rock band in the early 2000s.
Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, as a former member of the National Youth Theatre, Riley's journey to stardom was a gradual one. Before his breakthrough in Control, he appeared in a handful of short and TV films, while his band "10,000 Things" was producing their works. The success of Control led to him meeting his future wife, Alexandra Maria Lara, with whom he has a son, and he went on to appear in minor films such as Franklyn (2008),13 (2010),and the remake of Brighton Rock (2010).
However, it was his roles in two acclaimed films in 2012 that catapulted him to wider recognition. As Sol Paradise in Walter Salles' adaptation of Jack Kerouac's classic novel On the Road (2012),and under the direction of Neil Jordan in Byzantium (2012),Riley showcased his versatility and range as an actor. These performances led to him taking on roles in Maleficent (2014) and its sequel, as well as Diaval.
Riley has since branched out into more unconventional and world cinema projects, such as the critically acclaimed Austrian western The Dark Valley (2014),the ensemble war film Suite Française (2014),and the biographical drama Radioactive (2019). He is set to appear in the upcoming remake of Rebecca (2020).
Despite not being as ubiquitous as some of his contemporaries, Riley seems content with the projects he is involved in and the success he has achieved, and is willing to take on a wide range of roles to further challenge himself as an actor.
