Scott Speedman is a Canadian film and television actor. He is best known for playing Ben Covington in the coming-of-age drama television series Felicity and Lycan-Vampire Hybrid Michael Corvin in the horror-action Underworld films.
Background[]
Speedman's film and television career began when he auditioned for the role of Robin in Batman Forever. Though he didn't get the part, he did gain the exposure necessary to appear on the TV movie, Net Worth. Speedman was then approached to appear on the show Felicity, which was the base that launched him into stardom. He won a Golden Wave Award for his work in the independent film My Life Without Me. In 2008, Speedman appeared in the horror film The Strangers.
Underworld[]
Speedman began to make a name for himself with his appearance opposite Kate Beckinsale in Underworld. For his role as Michael Corvin, he won a Saturn Award. He appeared again in the sequel, Underworld: Evolution, reprising the role of Michael. Archive footage of Speedman appeared in the 2012 Underworld: Awakening, and his facial likeness was digitally imposed onto a stand-in for shots at the beginning and end of the film. Producer Richard Wright has stated that Speedman will return to the series if a fifth film is made, but this has not been the case in Underworld: Blood Wars.
Trivia[]
- In the Director and Cast Commentary on the Blu-ray of Underworld, Speedman confessed his embarrassment that, during the Subway Station scene, he had accidentally groped the shot woman his character was rendering medical aid to.
- In the special features for Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, Len Wiseman talks about how Speedman insisted on doing as many stunts as he could.
- Speedman insisted that Kate Beckinsale throw him against the wall as hard as possible when Selene attacks Michael in his apartment, even after the director offered to let a stunt double perform the sequence.
- Speedman was given a concussion during the scene where Michael is thrown through a wall by Vampire Elder Viktor.
- The only Underworld film that neither Speedman nor his likeness appeared in is Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.
Quotes[]
- I fight like a girl so I had to. It was fun. I was really cranked to do that stuff, more the wire training than the hitting people. That was really fun to get pulled up in the air and pretend you know what you’re doing. I wasn’t so bad. I’ve got some scars on my back from being dragged along. There was a nail on the ground once and they were pulling me on wires. The stunt guys are so macho that I went and showed it to them and they’re like, ‘Yeah, whatever.’ You don’t get any sympathy.
- I get to carry a gun once in the movie and I didn’t know what I was doing, and that was appropriate. I’m the ‘girlfriend’. Every time I’ve got this shocked look on my face and she throws me to the ground. I’m screaming in terror. When I was watching it I was like, ‘Wow, how weird.’ I’m fine with it. I’m glad I didn’t have to know what I was doing with guns. That was easy for me.
- (About the Hybrid make up) That was a challenge. It was cool though. They were worried because I’m kind of hyper. Everyone was worried I was going to go nuts and freak out in the chair. I got to control the music; I drank a lot of coffee. Watching these guys work, they were talking about me when I was sitting right there like I’m a piece of art - molding me and stuff. These guys are really artistic with it. If you move, they get kind of nervous. I was pretty fascinated watching [the make-up artists]. It was really fun because you know I spent a lot of time on television doing stuff like that so it was fun to go into another thing where it wasn’t about this mask.
- Probably the most difficult things were my favorite parts. The make-up and the big fight sequence at the end of the movie were very difficult but really fun and challenging. That’s why I wanted to do it. I’ve never done anything like this and I didn’t think I would, unless it was good. It took me a long time to rest and get over it. It’s grueling and I kind of get obsessive about things so I worked really hard and did as good a job as I could. I would if it was right, I’d do it in a second.
- You know, it wasn’t a matter of that. It was just time to do different things. I wasn’t very involved in the script anyway so it was an easy one to say, ‘You guys go do this thing. I’m going to do that.’
- Buy, yeah, no. I’m not averse to doing those types of movies or even that franchise. I just want to have a pretty exciting, dynamic part if I’m going to do it.
External links[]
- Scott Speedman Talks About "Underworld"
- Scott Speedman Talks "Underworld" and the Moth "Diaries"
- Scott Speedman at IMDb
v · e |
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Actors |
Major Actors |
Kate Beckinsale - Scott Speedman - Shane Brolly - Bill Nighy - Sophia Myles - Michael Sheen - Kevin Grevioux |
Other Actors |
Zita Görög - Erwin Leder - Scott McElroy - Richard Cetrone - Mike Mukatis - Wentworth Miller - Jázmin Dammak - Todd Schneider - Dennis J. Kozeluh - Robbie Gee - Sándor Bolla - Hank Amos - Danny McBride - Ildikó Kovács - Judit Kuchta - Attila Pinke |
Direction |
Len Wiseman |
Production |
Gary Lucchesi - Robert Bernacchi - Tom Rosenberg |
Writing |
Danny McBride - Kevin Grevioux - Len Wiseman |
Music |
Paul Haslinger |
v · e |
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Actors |
Major Actors |
Kate Beckinsale - Scott Speedman - Tony Curran - Derek Jacobi - Brian Steele - Shane Brolly - Steven Mackintosh |
Other Actors and Stunts |
Bill Nighy - Zita Görög - Michael Sheen - Christine Danielle - Kaja Gjesdal - John Mann - Andrew Kavadas - Sophia Myles - Scott McElroy - Kayla Levins - Lily Mo Sheen - Mike Mukatis - Richard Cetrone - Todd Schneider |
Direction |
Len Wiseman |
Production |
Gary Lucchesi - Len Wiseman - Danny McBride - Kevin Grevioux - Tom Rosenberg |
Writing |
Danny McBride - Len Wiseman |
Music |
Marco Beltrami |