Sean Biggerstaff (born 15 March 1983) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for playing Oliver Wood in the Harry Potter film series, appearing in Philosopher's Stone (2001), Chamber of Secrets (2002), and Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011).

Biggerstaff began acting as a child actor at the age of five and made his screen debut in the television miniseries The Crow Road (1996). He won a BAFTA Scotland Award for playing Jeremy Wolfenden in the television film Consenting Adults (2007). He also appeared in the feature films Cashback (2006) and Mary Queen of Scots (2013).

Early life Biggerstaff was born on 15 March 1983 in Glasgow, Scotland, growing up with his parents in Maryhill. He went to Parkview Primary School in Summerston and joined the local drama group, the Maryhill Youth Theatre, when he was seven.

Career Biggerstaff gained his first professional acting role at ten, playing the son of MacDuff in a Michael Boyd production of Macbeth at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow. He then joined the Scottish Youth Theatre and spent six years with the group. In 1996, at the age of 13, Biggerstaff secured his first major TV role, playing Young Darren in the BBC production of The Crow Road. At 14, he was cast by future fellow Harry Potter actor Alan Rickman in his new movie, The Winter Guest, as Tom, a mischievous schoolboy. In a 2002 interview, Biggerstaff recalled: "It was while at the Scottish Youth Theatre that I was chosen for The Winter Guest. Alan Rickman (known to most of the kids as "the bad guy from Die Hard") popped along one day looking for two boys to accompany him to the coldest place on Earth, Fife, for two months to make a film. Myself and the suspicious character that is Douglas Murphy were the lucky ones."

Rickman later recommended Biggerstaff to the London acting agency International Creative Management and Paul Lyon-Maris. Within a week, the Harry Potter castings were being distributed. During auditions, the directors suggested that Biggerstaff consider the part of Oliver Wood, and he played the role in the first two films, returning for a brief appearance in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

Biggerstaff's career since the first two Harry Potter films has included playing Henry, Duke of Gloucester in the 2004 television mini-series Charles II: The Power and The Passion;Charlotte Cripps: "Preview: Glasgow Film Festival, Various Venues, Glasgow – Local Hero Joins Global Movie Stars", The Independent Online, 12 February 2007. Matt in the world premiere of Sharman MacDonald's stage play The Girl With Red Hair; and Ben Willis in the short film Cashback for which extra scenes were recorded, and the piece was adapted into a feature released in 2006.

In 2007, Biggerstaff played Jeremy Wolfenden in the BBC 4 television film Consenting Adults which was nominated for BAFTA Scotland's Best Drama Award on 18 November 2007, and won him the BAFTA Scotland's Award for Best Actor – Television. He appeared in the film Hippie Hippie Shake.Larry Richman: "Sean Biggerstaff in Obscenity Drama, Hippie Hippie Shake", Pro-Networks.org, 20 September 2007. and appeared in Whisky Galore! (2016) directed by Gillies MacKinnon and co-starring Eddie Izzard.

In 2016, Biggerstaff played the lead role in French-Canadian Catherine-Anne Toupin's Right Now, a translation by Chris Campbell of À présent, directed by Michael Boyd, which was critically and commercially well received in Bath, London, and Edinburgh.

In 2017, it was announced that he would star opposite Georgia Tennant in the Big Finish audio series Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter, taking the role of Noah.

List of credits

Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 The Winter Guest Tom 2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Oliver Wood 2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 2004 Cashback Ben Willis Short (18 minutes) 2006 Cashback Feature based on the 2004 short 2009 X on a Map Paul Short (13 minutes) Voices Herb Wallace Short (20 minutes) 2010 Hippie Hippie Shake 2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Oliver Wood Cameo, Uncredited 2013 Mary Queen of Scots Earl of Bothwell 2016 Whisky Galore! Sergeant Odd 2018 Super November Mikey 2020 Sockdown Sean Short film

Television Year Title Role Network Notes 1996 The Crow Road Young Darren BBC Scotland Mini-series 1998 Bright Sparks CBBC 2003 Doctor Who: Shada Chris Parsons Voice for webcast animation Charles II: The Power and The Passion Henry, Duke of Gloucester BBC One Mini-series 2007 Consenting Adults Jeremy Wolfenden BBC Four Drama 2009 Agatha Christie's Marple Bobby Attfield ITV Series 4 Episode 4 "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" Garrow's Law Tom BBC One Series 1 Episode 3 2019–2020 Urban Myths Billy 2 episodes 2023Good OmensMr. DalrympleSeries 2

Radio Year Title Role Notes 2003 Shada Chris Parsons Big Finish Doctor Who audio drama Shada, Big Finish Productions.2008 The Skull of Sobek Snabb The Skull of Sobek at the Doctor Who Reference Guide Time Reef The Ruhk Time Reef & A Perfect World, Big Finish Productions. 2009 In a Land Far Away Jamie 'Bullet' McQueen BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama 2011 Good With People Jack BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play BBC – Afternoon Play – Good With People Rebus: The Black Book DS Brian Holmes BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial BBC – Classic Serial – Rebus: The Black Book2013Bernice Summerfield: New FrontiersAntonio TullochBig Finish Doctor Who audio 2014 Heart and Soul Ivor Confessions of Dorian Gray, BigFinish.2018Jenny: The Doctor’s DaughterNoah 2021Jenny: The Doctor’s Daughter - Still Running2024Jenny: The Doctor’s Daughter - Saving Time

Theatre Year Title Role Theatre 1993 Macbeth Macduff's son Tron Theatre, Glasgow 2005 The Girl With Red Hair Matt Royal Lyceum Theatre, EdinburghHampstead Theatre, London 2012 Appointment with the Wicker Man Rory National Theatre of Scotland, Tour 2016 Right Now (A Présent) Ben Ustinov Studio, Bath 2017 Brothers Karamazov Ivan Tron Theatre, Glasgow

Awards Year Group Award Result Film 2007 BAFTA Scotland Best Actor – Television Consenting Adults

References

External links Sean Biggerstaff Official site

EyeForFilm.co.uk – Interview about Cashback and Harry Potter