Michiel Huisman

Michiel Huisman
Huisman at the 2015 premiere of Game of Thrones in San Francisco
Born	(1981-07-18) 18 July 1981 Amstelveen, Netherlands
Residence	New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Nationality	Dutch
Occupation	Actor, musician, singer-songwriter
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Tara Elders (m. 2008)
Children	1

Michiel Huisman (Dutch pronunciation: [miˈɣil ˈɦœysmɑn]; born 18 July 1981) is a Dutch actor, musician, and singer-songwriter, who has acted in both Dutch and English-language TV series and films. Huisman played Ellis Jones in the fantasy romance film The Age of Adaline (2015), Sonny on the television series Treme (2010–2013), and Daario Naharis on Game of Thrones (2014–present). He has also played recurring roles on television such as Liam McGuinnis on Nashville (2012–2014) and as Cal Morrison on Orphan Black (2014–2015).

Huisman began his career on Dutch television, in the Dutch soap opera Goede tijden, slechte tijden (1998). He later played starring roles in the Dutch TV series De co-assistent (2007–2010) and Bloedverwanten (2010), supporting roles in the Dutch films Costa! (2001) and Full Moon Party (2002), and leading roles in Phileine Says Sorry (2003) and Floris (2004). He also played a supporting role in Black Book (2006). During the early years of his acting career, Huisman was also part of a band called Fontane.

Huisman's first international acting experience came in 2006, when he guest-starred in an episode of the British TV series Dalziel and Pascoe. He subsequently appeared in The Young Victoria (2009), World War Z (2013), Wild (2014), The Invitation (2015) and The Age of Adaline (2015).

Early life and personal life

Michiel Huisman was born on 18 July 1981 in Amstelveen, a town near Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.

Huisman is married to Dutch actress Tara Elders.^[1] They have a daughter born in 2007.^[2] The couple currently lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.^[1]

Music career

Huisman was singer and guitarist in the Dutch band Fontane, which he formed together with Roland van der Hoofd, Gilles Tuinder, Bas van Geldere, and Donny Griffioen.^[3] The band released the singles "1+1=2" (2001), "Slapeloos" (2002), and "Neem Me Mee" (2003).^[4] The first single was on the soundtrack of the film Costa! (2001) and the second was on the soundtrack of Full Moon Party (2002), both in which Huisman played a starring role. The band also recorded a version of Willeke Alberti's song "Telkens weer" for the soundtrack of the movie Love to Love (2003).^[5]

After two members left the band, Fontane split up and Huisman decided to pursue music on his own.^[5] Huisman released the singles "Deel Van Mij" (2005) and "Geef Je Over" (2006), and the album Luchtige Verhalen (2005) as a solo artist.^[6] Huisman said in interview about his solo career: "It doesn't feel like a new start, but as if I've started just now." and "It is personal and closerby. Also the sound of the album."^[5]

Acting career

Huisman began his acting career with a supporting role on Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden – the longest-running soap opera on Dutch television – where he played Rover, a 14-year old model who accuses his employers of engaging in child pornography. He was then cast in the made-for-TV films Suzy Q and Uitgesloten.

He played supporting roles in the Dutch films Costa! and Volle Maan, both of which were directed by Johan Nijenhuis and aimed at a teenaged audience. At the same time, he also had a recurring role on the Dutch police series Spangen. Huisman moved into leading man territory in 2003 with the film Phileine Says Sorry, which was an adaptation of Ronald Giphart's book of the same title. He also starred as medieval knight Floris in the film Floris, based on the Dutch TV series.

In the years that followed he played a leading role in football comedy Johan, recurring guest roles in the comedy series Meiden van De Wit and the first season of the drama series Bloedverwanten, and the leading role in the medical drama series De Co-Assistent. He also played a small supporting role in the 2006 film Zwartboek by Paul Verhoeven, which became the most successful Dutch film of all time.^[7]

In 2006, Huisman made his first foray into the international acting world with a supporting role in an episode of the British TV series Dalziel and Pascoe. He followed this with a role as Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in The Young Victoria, and the BBC made-for-TV drama Margot in which he portrayed Rudolf Nureyev. He then joined the main cast of the HBO series Treme, as Sonny, a Dutch busker who plays keyboards and guitar. He was taught New Orleans piano by Davis Rogan.^[8] During his time on Treme, Huisman also played a small supporting role in the apocalyptic action film World War Z and started recurring as Liam McGuinnis on Nashville.

Huisman replaced British actor Ed Skrein in the role of Daario Naharis for the fourth season (2014) of Game of Thrones.^[9] Huisman was promoted to series regular for the fifth season (2015) of the series.^[10] Huisman also recurred on seasons 2 and 3 of Orphan Black, portraying Cal Morrison, a rugged outdoorsman who crosses paths with the clones.^[11]

In 2014, Huisman appeared in the Academy Award-nominated biographical drama film Wild^[12] and starred in the advertising campaign for Chanel No.5's The One That I Want, which was directed by Baz Luhrmann.^[13] In 2015, Huisman appeared in the thriller The Invitation,^[14] and played the leading role in the 2015 fantasy romance film The Age of Adaline.

Huisman has been signed to star in the thriller film 2:22 which is set to be released sometime in 2016.^[15] In 2016, Huisman was also cast as the lead role in the upcoming war-drama The Ottoman Lieutenant which will tell the story of a Turkish officer (Huisman) who falls in love with an idealistic American nurse during World War I. The film will also star Hera Hilmar as Huisman's love interest, as well as Josh Hartnett and Ben Kingsley. The film will be released for an Oscar-qualifying run in December 2016 before releasing wide in February 2017.^[16]

In 2016, Huisman was cast to play Walter Davidson in a new Discovery Channel limited series titled Harley and the Davidsons which told the origin story of Harley-Davidson Inc..^[17] The three-part series premiered in September 2016, and gained reasonable reviews from critics^[18] and from Harley-Davidson themselves.^[19]

Discography

Singles with Fontane

• "1+1=2" (2001)^[4]
• "Slapeloos" (2002)^[4]
• "Neem Me Mee" (2003)^[4]

Solo singles

• "Deel Van Mij" (2005)^[6]
• "Geef Je Over" (2006)^[6]

Solo albums

• Luchtige Verhalen (2005)^[20]

Filmography

Films

TV series

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michiel Huisman.

• Michiel Huisman at the Internet Movie Database
• Michiel Huisman at the TCM Movie Database
  
• Michiel Huisman at AllMovie