Richard Griffiths

Film actor who also worked on television and on stage, Richard Griffiths was best known for playing the evil uncle Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter saga. “Because of his grit and sense of humor, it was a pleasure to work with Griffiths,” said his franchise co-star Daniel Radcliffe . “His presence of him anywhere made everything twice as fun. I’m proud to say that I met him,” says the young actor.

Born in Thornaby-on-Tees (Yorkshire), on July 31, 1947, Richard Griffiths was the son of deaf parents, so he learned sign language from a very young age to be able to communicate with them. At the age of 15, he dropped out of school and ran away from home, but his father convinced him to resume his studies. Finally, he took acting classes at a very young age at Stockton & Billingham College and later at Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama.

He began his career on stage, where he would perform on numerous occasions over the years, especially with the Royal Shakespeare Company, in works such as “The History Boys”, whose character he repeated in the film version. Since the late 1970s, she has played small roles in films such as Superman II , Chariots of Fire , The French Lieutenant’s Wife , and Ragtime .

In 1980, Griffiths married Heather Gibson, who remained with him until his death, although the marriage was childless. He was a judge in Sleepy Hollow , a nobleman in Forbidden Beauty , King George in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Monsieur Frick the Newsboy in The Invention of Hugo .

But his best-known role is undoubtedly Vernon Dursley, the ‘Muggle’ married to Petunia Evans, the bloody aunt who mistreats the orphan Harry Potter. He first appeared in 2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , and subsequently reprized in four of the sequels. He returned to accompany Daniel Radcliffe in “Equus”, on stage.