Rolf's early life began at Fort Belvoir in Alexandria, Virginia, where he was born. Following his father's service in the Armed Forces, the family relocated to California, eventually settling in the San Francisco Bay Area. This marked the beginning of Rolf's fascination with the performing arts, as he went on to graduate from the American Conservatory Theatre's Young Conservatory.
Rolf's passion for theatre led him to become a founding member of both the California Shakespeare Theatre and the Berkeley Mime Troupe. He also honed his skills at the Renaissance and Dickens Fairs, where he mastered the art of tightrope walking, juggling, and blowing fire.
In pursuit of classical training, Rolf auditioned and was accepted into the esteemed Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. During his time at Guildhall, he joined the Omphalos Street Theatre Company as an actor and director, performing throughout the UK, including the City of London Festival and the Edinburgh Festival, where they received a Fringe First Award nomination. Upon graduating, Rolf was awarded the Gold Medal, Guildhall's highest honor for graduating students.
After completing his studies, Rolf decided to stay in the UK and began working in television, film, and theatre. His television credits include starring roles in three UK television series, as well as guest appearances in numerous sitcoms, dramas, and TV movies. Some of his notable TV credits include starring roles in Pulaski, Capital City, and Love Hurts, as well as guest appearances in Poirot, Dirty Dozen: Next Mission, and The Affair.
Rolf's stage credits include two seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company and starring roles in the West End, including Chicago, The Seven Year Itch, The Graduate, the British/European premieres of Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers and Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and Donald Margulies' Dinner With Friends. He has also had leading roles with numerous UK repertory companies and on several tours, including title roles in Frankie and Johnnie in the Claire de Lune and Jerry Springer - The Opera.
In addition to his stage work, Rolf's voice has been featured in several notable projects. He was the Narrator for the popular children's show Teletubbies and has lent his voice to the award-winning video game series Broken Sword as George Stobbart.
Rolf has appeared in over 20 major films, including Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Lords of Discipline, the first Mission Impossible, and Woman in Gold. He will reprise his role as William Donloe in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part Two in 2024.
