Jonathan Cake is Tyrannus on Empire

		Monday, Feb 06, 2012 11:29:18 PM

	EMPIRE

	JONATHAN CAKE as Tyrannus

	SANTIAGO CABRERA as Octavius

	EMILY BLUNT as Camane

	CHRIS EGAN as Agrippa

	VINCENT REGAN as Marc Antony

	DENNIS HAYSBERT as Magonius

	TRUDIE STYLER as Servilia

	JAMES FRAIN as Brutus

	COLM FEORE as Julius Caesar

	MICHAEL BYRNE as Cicero

	MICHAEL MALONEY as Cassius

	FIONA SHAW as Fulvia


	PROGRAM CONTACTS & FAQ

Jonathan Cake
Tyrannus on the epic series Empire

Jonathan Cake portrays Tyrannus, a fierce gladiator sworn to protect the young Octavius and restore him to Caesar's throne. In preparation for this role, Cake endured rigorous physical conditioning, including instruction in sword fighting from Dan Speaker and Jan Bryant, who trained Russell Crowe for "Master and Commander," as well as horseback riding lessons.

A native of Worthing, England, Cake was born the youngest of three sons. He became captivated with the performing arts at the age of four, when he was invited onstage during a traditional British pantomime for children and never left the stage. By the time he was eight years old, he was participating in plays and enrolled in drama classes. As a teenager, he traveled around Britain with London's National Youth Theater.

Studying English at the esteemed University of Cambridge, Cake became an avid rugby player. During his last year there, he qualified to play in the varsity match versus Oxford (in front of a crowd of 70,000 people), which is the British equivalent to the Rose Bowl. Following his graduation in 1989, he attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School for two years, founded by Sir Laurence Olivier.

He furthered his training with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he appeared in productions of "Wallenstein," "Tamburlaine," "The Odyssey," "As You Like It" and "Beggar's Opera." In 2002 Cake won the prestigious Barclays Best Actor Award for the stage adaptation of Tennessee Williams' film, "Baby Doll," performed first at the Royal National Theatre and then in London's West End. The following year he made his Broadway debut in the leading role of Jason, opposite fellow "Empire" cast mate Fiona Shaw, in the ancient Greek drama "Medea."

Additionally Cake has amassed numerous television credits. In the United States he had a leading role in the Fox series "The American Embassy." He also co-starred opposite Jon Voight and Mary Steenburgen in Hallmark's television film, "Noah's Ark," and appeared in both HBO's "Marriage" and Showtime's "Out of the Ashes."

His series work in Britain includes "The Jump," "Mosley," Eddie Izzard's "Cows," "Rebecca," "Tenant of Wildfell Hall," "The Girl," "The Garden," "Goodnight Sweetheart" and "Degrees of Error." Additionally he was seen in the television movie "River World," and in such miniseries as "The Swap," "Cold Lazarus," "A Dance to the Music of Time" and "Fallen."

On the big screen Cake has appeared in the romantic drama "First Knight," starring Sean Connery, Richard Gere and Julia Ormond, and in the U.K. features "The One and Only," "Honest" and "True Blue."

Aside from acting, Cake is an active athlete who enjoys playing rugby, cricket and basketball. He divides his time between London, England, and Venice, California.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
HOMETOWN Worthing, England
BIRTHDATE August 31

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