Henry Ian Cusick is a Peruvian actor and director, born in Trujillo, Peru, to a Peruvian mother, Esperanza Chávez, and a Scottish father, Henry Cusick. At the tender age of two, his family relocated to Madrid, Spain, before making a significant move to Trinidad and Tobago, where they resided for a decade. During his time in Trinidad and Tobago, Cusick attended Presentation College, San Fernando, and developed fluency in both English and Spanish.
Cusick's early stage career flourished at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland, where he landed leading roles in productions such as 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' alongside Rupert Everett, 'The Marovitz Hamlet,' and 'The Country Wife.' His outstanding performances in 'Torquato Tasso' and 'Oedipus' earned him a special commendation at the 1995 Ian Charleson Awards for his impressive portrayal of a young actor in a classical theatre role.
After starring as Jesus Christ in the 2003 film 'The Gospel of John,' Cusick was cast as Desmond Hume in the ABC series 'Lost' in 2004. The role came about when he met Carlton Cuse, the executive producer of 'Lost,' while staying at the home of his friend Brian Cox, who lived next door to Cuse. Cusick believes that the encounter planted a seed, as they had been seeking either a Scottish or Irish character for the role.
As a director, Cusick has credits that include the short film 'dress' (2013),which won the Best Short Film award at the 2013 Peace on Earth film festival and the 2013 Hawaii International Film Festival. He has also directed episodes of 'The 100' in 2014.
In addition to his work in 'Lost,' Cusick has starred in other notable roles, including Marcus Kane in 'The 100' (2014),Stephen Finch in 'Scandal' (2012),Dr. Jonas Lear in 'The Passage' (2019),and Russ Taylor in 'MacGyver' (2016).
