Charles Matthew Hunnam was born on April 10, 1980, in Newcastle, England, to Jane Bell, a business owner, and William Hunnam, a scrap metal merchant. At the tender age of 18, he made a guest appearance in the popular television series Byker Grove, marking the beginning of his acting journey.
As he grew older, Hunnam gained fame in Britain through his television role as the lovestruck Nathan Maloney in Queer as Folk, a character that earned him widespread recognition. This early success paved the way for his entry into the world of independent movies and television series, where he auditioned for roles in blockbusters such as Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.
However, it wasn't until 2002 that Charlie Hunnam started to attract international attention, when he supported Katie Holmes in the suspense thriller Abandon. This was followed by his first lead role in a film, Nicholas Nickleby, and a pivotal character in the strongly cast, adapted drama Cold Mountain, a role that he has named as one of his "trilogy of mad men."
The two other films that completed his trilogy of mad men were Green Street Hooligans and Children of Men, both released in the mid-2000s. His role in Green Street Hooligans caught the eye of Kurt Sutter, who chose him to play the protagonist in his television show Sons of Anarchy, which became FX's most popular show ever and a critical success.
Following his fame on American television, Charlie Hunnam had his first starring part in a film that was a commercial success, Pacific Rim, released in 2013.
