Rob James-Collier

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ROB JAMES-COLLIER

Robert James-Collier (born 23 September 1976) is a British actor and model.

Having no experience as an actor, James-Collier auditioned for the series Down To Earth. Stars Ricky Tomlinson and Denise Welch were convinced by his talent, and he got the part of the womanising pub landlord. In 2006 he appeared in New Street Law and played a small part as Stud in Shameless series 3, episode 5 under the name of Rob Collier.

2006 he joined Coronation Street as one of the brothers buying a share of the local underwear factory. He left the show in October 2008. In an interview in early 2008, James-Collier announced he was leaving the soap but was planning to come back in the future. However, in June 2008, it was reported that the character of Liam was set to be 'brutally' killed off in the soap as part of a murder-mystery plotline where three well known residents would fall under suspicion for the crime. One of these would be Tony Gordon played by Gray O'Brien, who was in a relationship with Carla Connor played by Alison King in the show.

Since leaving Coronation Street, James-Collier has had a leading role in Downton Abbey and has appeared in the West End stage version of Calendar Girls.

James-Collier modeled for Argos, where he appeared in the Autumn/Winter 2007 and Spring/Summer 2008 catalogues.

He won the Sexiest Male award at the 2007 and 2008 British Soap Awards in addition to "Best Exit" at the 2009 British Soap Awards. He won Sexiest Male and Best Newcomer at the 2007 Inside Soap Awards.

Wikipedia

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Rob-James-Collier Admits He Said ‘F**k Yeah!’ To Downton Abbey Role

By Kayleigh Dray

January 9, 2013

Season 3 of Downton Abbey saw Rob’s character – Thomas, the unscrupulous yet devastatingly handsome butler – finally come to terms with his sexuality. Although, as seen in a powerful sequence of episodes – which James-Collier considers the best acting of his career – it seems as if not so many were quite accepting of his homosexuality. “It’s the series where we really come to grips with Thomas’s sexuality and the impact being gay must have had on him in Edwardian times.”

“If you’re including a gay character, there’s an onus and responsibility to at least show what the impact of the time will be on him, and of him on that time. Thankfully, we’ve done that, and I’m so proud that I’ve been used to tell that tale.”

“If you were gay in those times, the fact that you’re even functioning, how you’re not completely f****d up by that, is beyond me.”

We’re just happy Thomas got to stick around as, in the interview, Rob James-Collier admits that the villainous butler was penned in to die at the end of the series 1.

My agent said, “Listen, you’ve got the part that everyone in town wants –he’s a villain, he’s a great role, the only bad thing is that we dies at the end of the first [season]. I gave it 110 percent, and after the first couple of episodes, Liz, the producer, came to me and said, “We want you to stay on. Will you?’ And I was, like, F**k, yeah.’”

Thank goodness for that!

We can’t wait to see what next season of Downton Abbey has in story for Rob James-Collier’s complex character.

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nextnownext.com

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http://tv.yahoo.com/

"With facial scruff and shaggy hairdo, we're happy to see Rob James-Collier look a bit less evil

when he's not in character as scheming footman Thomas."

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Rob James-Collier: Downton Abbey Is All From The Eyes,

Love Life Means Loosening Up

October 3, 2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

Rob James-Collier has admitted he's enjoyed playing a more "likeable" character in a new TV drama.

The former Corrie actor has won a legion of fans playing Machiavellian gay footman Thomas in hit ITV show Downton Abbey.

Now, in his first lead role since Downton began, Rob plays 30-something builder Joe, who returns from his travels to find out his ex-girlfriend is pregnant after an affair, and who has to decide if he should step in to support her.

He admitted his latest role was a bit of a change from period drama. "It was weird because for the last year-and-a-half I've been schooled to keep my hands down by my side," he said.

"You have to completely neutralise your body language for Downton and it's all very much from the eyes. So when it comes to doing something contemporary, the shackles are off and you're free to express yourself.

"It was also nice to show something completely different from the dark character I play in Downton."

He's been offered similarly dark roles, but admitted he and his agent had cooked up a plan to pick something "completely worlds away from Thomas" to avoid being too typecast.

As for what Thomas gets up to in the third series of Downton, he's sworn to silence. Rob said: "He's definitely the same old guy, maybe he gets involved in a little bit of a relationship, but we'll have to wait and see. I want to talk about it, but Julian Fellowes will knock on my door and say 'What are you doing spoiling storylines?'

"Particularly the one about the flying saucer coming to Downton, I can't give that one away - it's a pearl of a story."

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That won't go down well in Downton!

Rob James-Collier ditches his trademark floppy locks in favour of a rugged shaved style

By Louise Saunders

June 11, 2013

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

He shot to fame playing scheming butler Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey.

But Rob James-Collier looked worlds away from his 1920s alter-ego as he debuted a rugged new look while attending an Evening With Downton Abbey event at the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, on Monday night.

Ditching his trademark floppy brown locks, the 36-year-old actor had completely shaved his head, transforming his 'do into a super-short buzz cut.

Although, the Mancunian star still looked every inch the dapper dude, his new look would undoubtedly raise eyebrows among Downton Abbey's wealthy aristocrats, most notably the fierce Dowager Countess.

Rob was joining his co-stars in the ITV1 period drama, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Phyllis Logan, Joanne Froggatt, as well as writer and creator Julian Fellowes and executive producer Gareth Neame, for the Downton event.

The cast and crew are currently filming the fourth series of Downton, which will see Lady Mary Crawley - played by Michelle Dockery - return as the mourning mother of six-month-old baby son George after her beloved husband, Matthew (Dan Stevens), was killed off in the Christmas special.

Speaking last month, Michelle told the LA Times: 'We're almost halfway through. We're filming episodes five and six.

'The predicament that Mary's in now is that she does need to find someone eventually. She has the heir to Downton, and she is under pressure to find someone. In that world, women had to find someone. It was all about marriage and who you'd spend the rest of your life with.'

However, Dockery still has no clue what series creator Julian Fellowes has in store for the upcoming season.

She added: 'Julian writes as he goes along, and the story develops from each set of rushes he watches. It's what's wonderful to play is the whole British, stiff-upper-lip thing. You keep calm and carry on. She's not weak. She's a survivor. So she will come through it.'

In addition to Dan Stevens' departure, Siobhan Finneran - who played maid O'Brien in the series - has also exited, with Tom Cullen, Nigel Harman, Julian Ovendon, Dame Harriet Walter and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa joining the show.

The fourth series of Downton Abbey will hit screens in the UK this autumn, before officially premiering in the US on January 5, 2014 on PBS' Masterpiece Classic.

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HAPPY 38TH BIRTHDAY, ROB!

 

     :dance:  

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Robert-James Collier Moved & Humbled by

Response to His Gay Character

 

 

 

 

‘Downtown Abbey’ hunk Robert-James Collier has been humbled by viewers’ positive response to the struggles of his gay character, under-butler Thomas Barrow.

 

The actor has played Thomas Barrowman since 2010 but the final series of the 1920s period drama will prove to be the most challenging yet as he comes to terms with his sexuality.

 

“We’ve dealt with Thomas’s sexuality and he always appeared to be happy, but we found out last year that he wasn’t,” Collier told reporters at International Business Times U.K. “He never resolved it last year — he thought he could cure it by injecting himself [a common “treatment” in the 1920s]. It’s always underlying that he always has to reconcile who he is with himself, good or bad. That’s what this series is all about for Thomas.”

 

Collier says he’s heard from closeted teens who identify with his Downton Abbey character, “The worry about getting exposed and they’re yet to come out to their families and friends, their insecurities like: ‘Am I going to get accepted, how are my family going to deal with this?’ It’s a huge thing.

 

“To see something on the TV in a main show that they can identify with is quite rare, so I really tapped into that. It’s really humbling when you see letters like that, because Thomas is moving people and that’s what drama’s supposed to do. It’s supposed to evoke emotion. It’s lovely when you get that, it’s the greatest compliment of all. Very humbling, poignant, and heartfelt.”

 

Collier also revealed his character will provide one of the drama’s most explosive storylines in the hotly anticipated final series.

 

“You are going to see Thomas right at the brink. He’s been worn down by years and years of society saying you can’t be who you are and this series deals with that tragic journey.” He went on: “He’s never been truly happy with himself which is why he is so conflicted and nasty. It’ll be as powerful as Downton can get.”

 

The sixth and final season of ‘Downton Abbey’ is to premiere on September 20.

 

 

 

 

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