2013 is drawing to an end – an appropriate time to reflect on the memorable faces television has brought us over the past year.
It’s certainly been an unforgettable year for Jamie Dornan, who made his British TV debut this year in chilling BBC crime drama series The Fall. He played bereavement-counselor-turned-murderer Paul Spector, who despite being an involved father and husband operates a double life, preying on young women as soon as darkness falls. The series was a huge success, attracting millions of viewers per episode and was reported as the highest rated drama launched within the last eight years. A second series is predicted to start filming in early 2014.
Previously known for his appearance in acclaimed fantasy drama Once Upon a Time as both the Sheriff and the Huntsman, Dornan has overcome his character being killed-off and has been able to bounce back off the back of the appearance in the prestigious BBC drama.
Dornan has recently been the subject of extensive media attention after confirming his upcoming role as the infamous Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey. His role in the widely anticipated film will keep Dornan in the public spotlight for the foreseeable future; the women of Britain no doubt eager to see how he will rise to the challenge of enacting Mr. Grey.
It’s clear that Dornan is here to stay and we’re excited to see what the future holds for him.
2013 has also been an eventful year for Lena Dunham, the creator and star of HBO series, Girls. This year, Dunham was presented with eight nominations for Emmy Awards and went on to win two Golden Globe awards for the addictive comedy-drama series. In the past twelve months, Girls has risen to fame within the UK, many immediately warming to Dunham and not just as a result of her comedic value. Dunham admirably challenges the Hollywood stereotype, unconcerned about revealing her non-skinny, non-glossy body on screen. A woman of many talents, she has achieved a lot at just twenty-seven and it’s clear that Girls is just the start for her.
Before this year, AnnaSophia Robb was best known for her role in Tim Burton’s remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as gum-chewing Violet Beauregarde. Now she has stepped into Sarah Jessica Parker’s Manolo Blahniks and Jimmy Choos to star as a young, bushy-haired Carrie Bradshaw in The Carrie Diaries. Premiering in January this year and just beginning its second series, the show focuses on Carrie as she makes her way through high school in the eighties and finds her feet in New York. With the notoriety of the original series Sex and the City, it was obvious that whoever was cast as main character Carrie would be instantly projected into stardom.
This has certainly proved true with Robb, who since landing the role has starred in The Way Way Back with Steve Carell and also won the Young Hollywood Award this year for ‘Superstar of Tomorrow’. They were big Manolos to fill, but Robb has easily stepped into them, with her easy charm, sense of humour and cute looks.
Whilst Aaron Paul has been known to viewers of Breaking Bad since it began in 2008 as dropout Jesse Pinkman, it was only really this year that the show became such a huge phenomenon. Over 10.3 million people watched the final episode when it aired on September 29th this year, the highest number of viewers ever achieved by
the show.
Prior to this year, Paul’s list of acting credits, whilst long, mainly consisted of bit-parts and secondary characters (as well as the obligatory stint on CSI: Miami and Criminal Minds). Since Breaking Bad ended, Paul has landed leading roles in four films due for release next year, including Ridley Scott-directed Exodus, which also stars Christian Bale and Sigourney Weaver, showing he is finally getting the recognition he deserves. A good year all round for new talent in television.