Mark Holden (actor)

Mark Adrian Holden-Aikhomu (né Cortis; 21 September 1962) is a British-born Canadian actor of Nigerian descent, who works in film, television, theatre and voice. He has worked extensively throughout Canada, UK, Europe and South Africa.[1][2] He is best known for playing CIA handler John Lynn in the Fox Networks Group television series Deep State[3] and playing James Morse on stage in the original London cast of Pretty Woman: The Musical at the Savoy Theatre in the West End. Most recently his voice can be heard playing Doctor Paradox in the 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077, developed by CD Projekt,[4] and playing Nikolas in another eagerly awaited video game Dying Light 2: Stay Human developed by Techland.

Mark Holden
Born
Mark Adrian Cortis

(1962-09-21) 21 September 1962
Plymouth, England
NationalityBritish – Nigerian - Canadian
Occupation(s)Actor, voice actor, producer
Years active1991–present
Spouse
Patsy McKay
(m. 2008)
Children4

Early life

Holden was born in Plymouth, Devon, England on 21 September 1962, son of the late Admiral Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu, former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1986 to 1993 and the late Shirley Anne Holden (née. Cortis). He attended Burrington Secondary Modern School in Manadon from 1974 to 1979. His mother planted the acting bug, by frequently taking him to live theatre performances and movies at the local cinemas. At approximately 10 or 11 years of age, he began to tread the boards at a local amateur theatre company. He also started competing in sprint events and the high jump at the City of Plymouth Athletics Club, which was based at the Brickfields Recreation Grounds in Devonport, Plymouth.

Career

In his late 20s, he began his acting career, and was cast as Villac Umu in 1992 in The Royal Hunt of the Sun by the late Robin Phillips, Director General at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He was cast in a further six productions over the next three years at the Citadel Theatre, La Bête, Wait Until Dark, Oliver!, Macbeth, Caesar and Cleopatra and The Cherry Orchard.

His film credits include World War Z, Bang Bang You're Dead, The Infiltrator, Stalled[5] and Final Destination. He played William Rios in the 2013 biographical drama-thriller film Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi and Catherine Keener.

His television credits include Riviera, Stargate SG-1, 24: Live Another Day, Doctors, The X-Files, Casualty, Andromeda, Millennium and MythQuest.

From 2018 to 2019, he played the role of CIA handler John Lynn in the Fox Networks Group television drama series Deep State.

In 2014, Holden wrote and produced his own international award-winning short film, called The Double Deal, in which he also starred as the lead character, Matthew Calder, alongside Captain Phillips castmates Vincenzo Nicoli and David Webber. It can be viewed on YouTube.

Prior to Holden becoming an actor, he was a police officer in two different countries. He served in the Metropolitan Police Service, London, United Kingdom from 1981 to 1987, and the Edmonton Police Service, Alberta, Canada from 1987 to 1996. Whilst Holden served as a police officer he was also an international bobsledder in two man and four man bob, and competed on the Great Britain Bobsleigh Team (1985-1987) on the World Cup Circuit, European Bobsleigh Championships 1986 in Igls, Innsbruck, Austria and achieved 16th place in GB3 in the 1986 World Bobsleigh Championships FIBT World Championships 1986 in Koenigsee, West Germany in the two man bob as the brakeman behind driver Peter Brugnani. Holden also competed on the Canadian Bobsleigh Team (1990-1991 season) on the World Cup Circuit.

Holden continued policing whilst he gained experience taking acting classes, and performing in productions and eventually gaining his Canadian Equity card at the Citadel Theatre, Edmonton, before moving to the West Coast of Canada to work in the film and television industry in Vancouver, British Columbia. He subsidised his income working as a licensed private investigator.

Personal life

Holden emigrated to Canada in 1987, where he now has two daughters from a previous marriage, and five grandchildren. In 2003 he returned back to the United Kingdom to further his acting career. After meeting Patsy McKay in 2005, he decided to stay in the UK. They were married 3 years later and have twin boys, and currently reside in London.

In 2004, Holden climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for the charity Voluntary Services Overseas. He succeeded in reaching the summit Uhuru Peak at mid morning, after leaving Kibo Huts Camp Site around midnight. His many hikes over the years in the Canadian Rockies and West Coast Mountains prepared him for this amazing adventure.

In 2009, Holden hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with his wife Patsy for the charity World Vision. One of the highlights is waiting in the early morning at the Sun Gate for the mist to clear across the valley to reveal the ancient ruins of the city of Machu Picchu.

Filmography

Film (selected)

Year Title Role Notes
2021 Override Mitchell a.k.a. "R.I.A."
2020 Satori [Awakening] Warren Rogers Short film
2018 Mars 1001 Commander Robert McGee Planetarium Full Dome
Feature
2017 The Prince Story: Icon, Genius...Slave John Lewis Nelson docu-drama
2016 The Infiltrator Eric Wellman
2014 The Double Deal Matthew Calder Short film
writer/producer
2013 World War Z UN Delegate
2013 Captain Phillips William Rios
2013 Stalled Jeff From I.T.
2009 Knife Edge Alfred
2006 The Road to Guantanamo Kandahar Interrogator No. 2
2002 The Stickup Roy Freeman
2002 Bang Bang You're Dead Officer Willow
2001 Mindstorm Agent Mark Taft
2000 Final Destination Co-Pilot
2000 Epicenter Grant
1997 Misbegotten Captain

Television (selected)

Year Title Role Notes
2022 His Dark Materials Customs Officer Alexander Season: 3
2021 A Discovery of Witches Wilf Season: 2
2020 The Show Must Go Online[6] Aaron/Mark Antony "Titus Andronicus" & "Antony & Cleopatra"
2018–2019 Deep State John Lynn (CIA handler) Episode: Seasons 1 & 2
2018 Riviera Martin Sinclair Episode: Season 2
2018 No Easy Days Evan Clark Episode: 6 episodes
2014 24: Live Another Day CIA Security Guard Mini-series: "11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m."
2014 50 Ways to Kill Your Lover Dr. Chase Episode: "Heavy Metal"
2007 Hustle Bouncer Episode: Season 4 "A Designers Paradise"
2007 Casualty Mr. Paolo Santoni Episode: Season 21 "The Personal Touch"
2005 Doctors Mr Julian Carter Episode: "Season 7 Eps. 95, 96, 104"
2002 Killer Bees Fire Chief TV movie
2002 Dead in a Heartbeat Vice Principal TV movie
2001 MythQuest Kabaila Episode: 12 "The Blessing"
2001 Andromeda Brother Thaddeus Blake Episode: 18 "The Devil Take the Hindmost"
2001 Love and Treason Major Harkey TV movie
2000 The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence Hunter TV movie
1999 Stargate SG-1 Korra Episode: Season 3 Ep. 7 "Deadman Switch"
1999 Aftershock: Earthquake in New York Firefighter Outside Station Mini-series "Part 1" and "Part 2"
1999 Cold Squad Ted Millman Episode: Season 2 Ep. 7 "The Kowalchuck Boy"
1998 Millennium Amadou Episode: Season 2 Ep. 15 "Owls"
1997 Medusa's Child Bill Andrews TV movie
1997 The X-Files Agent Eugene Chandler Episode: Season 4 Ep. 16 "Unrequited"
1997 Millennium Agent Clark Episode: Season 1 Ep. 14 "The Thin White Line"
1997 All The Winters That Have Been Deputy Marshall TV movie
1996 Gone in a Heartbeat Officer Kline TV movie

Theatre (selected)

Year Title Role Venue Notes
2021 - 2023 Pretty Woman: The Musical James Morse Piccadilly Theatre & Savoy Theatre, West End, London UK Original West End cast/Ambassador Theatre Group
2016 The Bodyguard Bill Devaney Dominion Theatre, West End, London UK West End revival/David Ian & Michael Harrison Entertainment
2009 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Aslan Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea, Essex UK Bruce James Productions
2006 The Jungle Book Baloo UK National Tour Birmingham Stage Company
2004 Fame My Myers UK National Tour Adam Spiegel Productions
1997 Othello Othello Way Off Broadway Theatre Company, Edmonton, AB Canada Michael Wener
1996 Much Ado About Nothing Conrad Bard on the Beach, Vancouver, BC Canada Director: Christopher Gaze
1996 The Merchant of Venice Prince of Morocco Bard on the Beach, Vancouver, BC Canada Director: Douglas Campbell
1994 Caesar and Cleopatra First Porter Citadel Theatre, Edmonton, AB Canada Director: Robin Phillips
1993 Macbeth Seyton Citadel Theatre, Edmonton, AB Canada Director: Robin Phillips
1993 Wait Until Dark 1st Policeman Citadel Theatre, Edmonton AB Canada Director: Stephen Heatley
1993 La Bête Servant Citadel Theatre Edmonton, AB Canada Director: Robin Phillips
1992 The Royal Hunt of the Sun Villac Umu Citadel Theatre Edmonton, AB Canada Director: Robin Phillips
1992 Titus Andronicus Aaron, a Moor Onion Theatre Company, Edmonton AB Canada Director: Michael Clarke

Video games (selected)

Year Title Role Developer
2022 Dying Light 2: Stay Human Nikolas Techland
2020 Cyberpunk 2077[7] Doctor Paradox[8] / Various CD Projekt
2017 Ghost Recon: Wildlands Boyer 'Boston' Reed Ubisoft
2016 Galaxy on Fire: Manticore Kyrrk Tast Fishlabs
2016 Battlefield 1 US Soldier EA DICE
2016 Homefront: The Revolution Sidney Cook & James Johnson Dambuster Studios
2013 Killzone: Mercenary ISA Assault Captain Guerrilla Games
2010 So Blonde: Back to the Island Guama Wizarbox
2007 Crysis US Soldier Crytek

Awards

Year Participation Film Festival Category Nominee Result
2016 Producer San Francisco Black Film Festival Best Short Huey & Louis Nominated
2016 Producer San Diego Black Film Festival Best Short Film Phalure Inc. Nominated
2016 Writer/Producer Canada International Film Festival Award of Excellence The Double Deal Won
2015 Writer/Producer San Diego Black Film Festival Best Short Film The Double Deal Won
2015 Writer/Producer I Filmmaker International Film Festival Special Mention The Double Deal Won
2014 Writer/Producer International Film Festival of Spirituality, Religion and Visionary Award of Excellence The Double Deal Won

References

  1. "Hollywood actor Mark Holden speaks about his career". uk.blastingnews.com. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  2. "Former Policeman and Athlete Mark Holden is Now a Rising Star in Hollywood". www.essex-tv.co.uk. EssexTV. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  3. "'Deep State' has it all, says actor Mark Holden, who plays a CIA handler in Fox show". meaww.com. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  4. Holden, Mark (10 December 2020). "It was a blast being involved with the video game Cyberpunk 2077 as Doctor Paradox & a few other characters. Directed by the fabulous Justin Villiers". www.twitter.com. Twitter. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  5. https://www.film-news.co.uk/review/UK/896/Read/ "Mark Holden Interview" 24 February 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2020
  6. "Lockdown reviews: The Shows Must Go Online – Titus Andronicus" LouReviews Retrieved 23 September 2020
  7. Garrett, Eric (17 May 2020). "Cyberpunk 2077 Voice Actors We Know So Far". www.dontfeedthegamers.com. DFTG. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  8. Holden, Mark (11 December 2020). "Well here he is... Doctor Paradox, the wonderfully crazy mad character that I portray in Cyberpunk 2077". www.twitter.com. Twitter. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
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