Mark Strong, the talented British actor, is renowned for his portrayal of complex, calculating villains, as seen in his roles in the 2011 remake of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and other films. However, before he became a famous actor, Strong had initially intended to pursue a career in law.
Born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia in London, England, to an Austrian mother and an Italian father, Strong's father left the family shortly after his birth, and his mother worked as an au pair to raise him on her own. His mother had his name legally changed, by deed poll, when he was young to help him assimilate better with his peers, and he became Mark Strong.
Strong attended Wymondham College in Norfolk and later studied at the university level in Munich, with the intention of becoming a lawyer. However, after a year, he returned to London to study English and Drama at Royal Holloway, and further honed his craft at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Although Americans are more familiar with Strong's roles in films like Green Lantern, Kick-Ass, and Sherlock Holmes, British audiences are familiar with his extensive history as a television actor. He has also starred in numerous British stage productions, including plays at the Royal National Theatre and the RSC.
Strong's most notable television roles include Inspector Larry Hall in Prime Suspect 3 and Prime Suspect: The Last Witness, as well as starring roles in the BBC Two dramas Our Friends in the North and The Long Firm, which earned him a BAFTA nomination. He also played Mr. Knightley in the 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen's classic tale Emma.
Strong resides in London with his wife Liza Marshall, with whom he has two sons, one of whom is the godson of his longtime friend Daniel Craig.
