The cast of The History Boys captured the hearts of the nation in the 2006 British comedy-drama.
Originally created by Alan Bennett as a play, which opened at the National Theatre in 2004, it was later adapted into a film in 2006, starring the original cast.
The film followed eight boys who were all hoping to get into either Oxford or Cambridge, as Hector fired up their minds with his quirky lessons.
The movie launched the careers of many successful stars such as James Corden, Dominic Cooper, Jamie Parker and Russell Tovey who played the students from fictional school Cutlers’ in Sheffield, while Richard Griffiths, who died in 2013, played their inspirational teacher Hector.
Almost two decades later, some of the cast members remain close with James Corden and Dominic Cooper spotted catching up this weekend after the Late Late Show host returned to the UK, while Andrew Knott and Russell Tovey both starred in Gavin and Stacey alongside Corden.
Here FEMAIL takes a look at what the cast members are doing now after finding career success in the wake of the film.
James Corden
Almost two decades later, some of the cast members remain close with James Corden and Dominic Cooper spotted catching up this weekend after the Late Late Show host returned to the UK
The most successful member of the cast is James Corden who played the cheeky, chubby Timms
The History Boys launched the careers of many successful stars such as James Corden, (pictured) Dominic Cooper, Jamie Parker and Russell Tovey. FEMAIL takes a look at what the cast are doing now
The most successful member of the cast is James Corden who played the cheeky, chubby Timms.
The star, who is originally from Buckinghamshire, built a very successful career from appearing in British comedy sketch shows and co-writing his own sitcoms to becoming a much loved figure in American households as he successfully hosted the Late Late Show.
The star’s first acting roles featured parts in British soap opera Hollyoaks, Little Britain and Teachers. He also appeared in a commercial for soft drink brand Tango in 1998.
The actor turned TV host also had a role as a BBC reporter, which saw him interview American rock singer Meat Loaf.
One of Corden’s best known pieces of work is his creation of the iconic British sitcom Gavin and Stacey which he co-wrote with actress Ruth Jones in 2007.
James starred in the comedy series as Smithy, who is Gavin’s best mate in the hit TV show which won several awards including the Best New British Television Comedy at the 2007 British Comedy Awards and BAFTA’s Audience Award for Programme of the Year.
One of Corden’s best known pieces of work is his creation of the iconic British sitcom Gavin and Stacey which he co-wrote with actress Ruth Jones in 2007
James was also recognised for his role as Smithy and secured the Best Comedy Performance at the 2008 BAFTA awards, while in 2015 he was given an OBE for services to drama.
After first finding fame on British TV with roles in Hollyoaks and Gavin & Stacey, Corden schmoozed his way into LA life,amassing a £50million fortune showing off his glitzy life while interviewing Prince Harry on a bus.
Corden, who has three children with his wife Julia Carey, found further success in the US on The Late Late Show – which features him singing with stars in Carpool Karaoke.
He interviewed huge stars including Michelle Obama, Harry Styles, Adele, Mariah Carey and Madonna.
The TV personality ended his run on US late night television last month and returned to the UK.
The actor and presenter said he decided to quit the show and wanted to spend more time with his family after a heartfelt conversation with his son, Max.
PR experts have claimed Corden could be set for a big-money move to ITV and even replace rival Jonathan Ross as part of a charm offensive to ‘win back the British public’ after a slew of negative headlines while in the US.
The TV personality ended his run on US late night television last month and returned to the UK (pictured with Harry Styles)
Away from the screen, Corden has recently been beset with negative press about his life away from the show, including a bust-up with the owner of a restaurant who banned him for being rude to staff for which he has since apologised.
The father-of-three from High Wycombe bid a tearful farewell to the States, where his wife Julia has set up a global interior design business that counts the Beckhams and the Clooneys among its clientele.
Reputation gurus have suggested James could attempt to re-launch his career in the UK by returning to the stage, appearing on reality shows or even accepting a talk show on ITV.
This could involve a return to the stage, where he made a name for himself in The History Boys and One Man, Two Guvnors, and James himself previously told Variety he would ‘love’ to go back to Broadway shortly after announcing his decision to quit.
Dominic Cooper
Dominic who is from Greenwich, played leader of the boys Dakin in The History Boys (pictured with Richard Griffiths as Hector)
The History Boys gave Dominic Cooper his breakthrough, a launch pad from which he has been propelled into stardom
Dominic Cooper, who is from Greenwich, played leader of the boys Dakin in The History Boys.
The History Boys gave Cooper his breakthrough, a launch pad from which he has been propelled into stardom.
When the play opened, Cooper was a relative unknown – a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art with a critically well-received role in Band Of Brothers under his belt.
The star shared a flat with James Corden for many years and the pair are still close friends today.
Dominic has also had a successful career including a role as Hippolytus opposite Helen Mirren at the National Theatre, and Sky in the screen version of the Abba musical Mamma Mia!
Cooper’s performance in the film and his origination of the role on London’s West End led to a steady stream of work in BBC co-productions.
He also landed supporting roles in period dramas on both the big and small screen, ranging from The Duchess in 2008, to Sense and Sensibility, and the charming 1960s coming-of-age feature, An Education in 2009.
It comes after it was reported that Dominic’s latest series The Gold has been renewed for a second series
Dominic played Sky in the screen version of the Abba musical Mamma Mia! alongside Amanda Seyfried
Dominic portrayed rock drummer Ben in the film Tamara Drewe in 2010.
While in 2011, he played the leading roles of Latif Yahia and Uday Hussein in the biographical film The Devil’s Double.
The film was criticized for whitewashing. In 2011, he also appeared as Howard Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
However most of the world knows him for his roles in the comic book realm, with his portrayal of a young Howard Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and his memorable take on the Reverend Jesse Custer in AMC’s Preacher TV series.
In 2015, he acted in two films: romantic comedy-drama Miss You Already and comedy-drama The Lady in the Van.
The latter film was directed by Nicholas Hytner, who had previously directed Cooper in the stage adaption of His Dark Materials.
He was able to replicate his success in theater as well and acted in several memorable stage productions, including the Royal National Theater’s adaptation of the His Dark Materials trilogy, in which he played the lead role.
It comes after it was reported that Dominic’s latest series The Gold has been renewed for a second series.
The crime series is based on the infamous £26 million Brink’s-Mat heist in 1983 and stars Jack Lowden and Hugh Bonneville.
Jack plays Kenneth Noye, the ambitious crook who arranged for most of the £26million in gold bars to be melted down and sold.
Russell Tovey
L-R: Russell Tovey as Rudge, Samuel Anderson as Crowther, James Corden as Timms, Andrew Knott as Lockwood, Dominic Cooper as Dakin, Samuel Barnett as Posner, Jamie Parker as Scripps, Sacha Dhawan as Akhtar in The History Boys
Russell Tovey, who is from Billericay, Essex, played the hardworking Rudge in The History Boys
Russell Tovey, 41, who is from Billericay, Essex, played the hardworking Rudge in The History Boys.
In the wake of The History Boys, he was tipped to take over from David Tennant as Dr Who, but when the role went to Matt Smith, he boosted his profile in the cult sitcom Him and Her, and George the Werewolf in Being Human – perhaps his best known role.
In 2014 he starred as a closetedly gay footballer in The Pass at the Royal Court, but didn’t start taking on gay roles until three years later.
Russell came out when he was 18 but didn’t begin to take on homosexual acting roles until he was aged 30 – a decision which he said ‘made his career’.
‘It wasn’t a conscious decision,’ he told The Guardian in 2017. ‘And it was only the other day that I realised it had been important somehow.
‘For so long, as a young actor, I had this anxiety about making sure I could get straight roles, and now I know that’s not necessary. The gay roles are the best for me. Being gay has made my career,’ he added.
He was nominated for a 2020 Critics’ Choice award for best supporting actor in Years and Years.
He also played Steve in the BBC Three sitcom Him & Her alongside Sarah Solemani as Becky
He is best known for playing the role of werewolf George Sands in the BBC’s supernatural comedy-drama Being Human
In 2018, the art lover launched the podcast Talk Art with gallerist Robert Diament co-hosting.
He appeared as Henry Knight on BBC shows Sherlock and The Job Lot, as well as playing Harry Doyle in US TV show Quantico.
He voiced The Ray in Freedom Fighters: The Ray and played the titular role in Shane The Chef.
He is best known for playing the role of werewolf George Sands in the BBC’s supernatural comedy-drama Being Human.
He also played Steve in the BBC Three sitcom Him & Her alongside Sarah Solemani.
He most recently starred in Neil Cross’s gripping drama The Sister on ITV in 2020.
The actor is in a relationship with Steve Brockman. The happy couple rekindled their romance in 2019 after they spent a year apart following a brief engagement.
Russell was engaged to the former adult film star and rugby coach in February 2018 before splitting.
While they try to keep their relationship private, Russell has expressed an interest in having a family of his own as, shortly after they split, he previously told Gay Times: ‘I wanted to be an actor, a history teacher and a dad.’
‘Now I’m 36, I’m giving myself three years. If I haven’t met someone that wants kids, I’m going to do it by myself.’
Samuel Barnett
Originally created by Alan Bennett as a play, which opened at the National Theatre in 2004, it was later adapted into a film in 2006, starring the original cast
Samuel Barnett, who was born in Whitby, spent his 20s playing Posner in Nicholas Hytner’s production of The History Boys (pictured in 2016)
Samuel Barnett, 43, who was born in Whitby, spent his 20’s playing Posner in Nicholas Hytner’s production of The History Boys.
He was involved from the first reading, did the play at the National and in the West End, toured with it to Broadway – where he was nominated for a Tony award – as well as to Australia and Hong Kong, and starred in the 2006 film, also directed by Hytner.
He was nominated for an Evening Standard Best Supporting Actor award in 2002 for his performance in The Marriage of Figaro.
In 2009 Barnett played John Everett Millais in the BBC series Desperate Romantics and Joseph Severn in the film.
He later appeared in Mark Rylance’s acclaimed all-male Twelfth Night and Richard III at Shakespeare’s Globe and in New York, and in Desperate Romantics and Penny Dreadful on TV.
Other notable credits for Samuel include roles in the BBC comedy Twenty Twelve
In 2016 he played the main character – a detective who relies on coincidence to solve cases – in Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, based on the books by Douglas Adams.
He later starred in Neil McKay’s BBC drama about the multiple police failings in the case of Stephen Port, who killed four young gay men.
Other notable credits include roles in the BBC comedy ‘Twenty Twelve’ and he also starred as Renfield in Showtime’s ‘Penny Dreadful’ (available on Now TV)
He won Best Newcomer & Best Supporting Actor in a play at the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers Choice Awards for his work on the original production of The History Boys.
In 2022 he starred as Ryan Edwards in BBC One’s crime drama ‘Four Lives’, based on the true story of the Barking murders, alongside Stephen Marchant and Sheridan Smith.
Jamie Parker
L to R: Samuel Anderson, James Corden, Stephen Campbell Moore, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Andrew Knott, Russell Tovey, Jamie Parker, Dominic Cooper, Samuel Barnett, Sacha Dhawan
Jamie Parker’s ability to play the piano saw him cast as the musical Scripps in The History Boys (pictured in 2019)
Jamie Parker’s ability to play the piano saw him cast as the musical Scripps in The History Boys.
Following The History Boys, he starred in The Revenger’s Tragedy, Proof and Assassins.
The star has built a successful stage career, playing Henry IV and Henry V at Shakespeare’s Globe and in 2015, he starred in High Society at the Old Vic.
While he also put his vocal talents to good use in musicals from Guys and Dolls to High Society.
However he is best known for his role as Harry Potter in the original cast for the West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, for which he received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play and a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Play.
Outside of the theatre, Parker has acted in various television shows including Endeavour, Silent Witness and the historical thriller film Valkyrie.
However he is best known for his role as Harry Potter in the original cast for the West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, for which he received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play and a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Play
James is due to play Benjamin Button in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at Southwark Playhouse Elephant later this year.
He performed several of Frank Sinatra’s songs for the BBC Prom in 2015 at the Prom 30: The John Wilson Orchestra Performs Frank Sinatra.
Speaking to the Evening Standard About being a ‘triple threat’ he said: ‘I like being able to turn my hand but I’m always aware of not being good enough at any of them. I miss the generation of actors such as John Mills, where it doesn’t surprise you at all when he crops up in a film tap-dancing.’
However he previously worried about getting typecast as a stage performer.
He said: ‘I think you need to be very careful of getting ‘stuck’ in musical theatre, people in the industry like to know what product it is that you’re selling.’
Sacha Dhawan
L to R: Samuel Anderson, James Corden, Stephen Campbell Moore, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Andrew Knott, Russell Tovey, Jamie Parker, Dominic Cooper, Samuel Barnett, Sacha Dhawan
Sacha, from Stockport, played the Muslim student Akhtar in The History Boys, who eventually becomes the headmaster of a school
Sacha, from Stockport, played the Muslim student Akhtar in The History Boys, who eventually becomes the headmaster of a school.
Dhawan has since played Paul Jatri in the BBC One comedy-drama Last Tango in Halifax in 2012.
He also played Waris Hussein in the BBC Two docudrama An Adventure in Space and Time in 2013.
While he played Davos in the Marvel series Iron Fist in 2018 and later Orlo in The Great in 2021 on Hulu, and The Master in the science fiction series Doctor Who in 2022.
He first played The Master back in 2020 in the Spyfall specials.
Sacha previously starred in Line of Duty as Prasad, who was one of the Central Police officers who were involved with Tommy Hunter’s criminal underworld.
Sacha is also known for his starring role in the 2017 film The Boy with the Topknot.
Andrew Knott
Andrew Knott was cast as Lockwood, the thoughtful student who also participates in the class’s irreverent joking, in The History Boys
Andrew also played Conrad Davies in the ITV drama Strangers in 2018 alongside John Simm as Jonah Mulray
Andrew, from Salford, was a successful child actor playing roles in Black Beauty and Coronation Street.
He is known for portraying Dickon Sowerby in 1993 film adaptation, The Secret Garden, based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and as Henry Green in the television drama series Where the Heart Is.
He was later cast as Lockwood, the thoughtful student who also participates in the class’s irreverent joking, in The History Boys
He has also appeared in the sitcom, Gavin & Stacey as Dirtbox.
He had a recurring role this year in Casualty and starred alongside Rachel Weisz and Sam Claflin in Roger Michell’s film of Daphne du Maurier’s My Cousin Rachel.
Andrew recently also branched out into writing for TV shows.
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