Kenneth Campbell Stott (born 19 October 1954) is a Scottish stage, television, and film actor. His most notable roles include the title character DI John Rebus in the crime fiction-mystery series Rebus (2006–2007) and DCI Red Metcalfe in Messiah (2001–2005). Stott also appeared as the dwarf Balin in The Hobbit film trilogy (2012–2014).

Stott received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the 1995 play Broken Glass at the Royal National Theatre. For his role as Ian Garrett in the 2014 BBC TV mini-series The Missing alongside James Nesbitt, Stott was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor and the BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actor in Television, winning the latter.

Early life and education Kenneth Campbell Stott was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 19 October 1954. His mother, Antonia (née Sansica), was a Sicilian lecturer, his father, David Stott, was a Scottish teacher and educational administrator. Stott was educated at George Heriot's School in Lauriston, Edinburgh. For three years in his youth he fronted a pop band, but left to pursue his career in acting.

After attending Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, Stott began working in the theatre for the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), but for some years his earnings from acting were minimal and he was forced to support himself by also working as a double glazing salesman.

Career Theatre Stott's career began in 1974 at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast. His early work in theatre included a notable leading role in the dramatisation of Dominic Behan's play about the Northern Ireland troubles The Folk Singer, where he also played the part of Judas in the first regional production of Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Michael Poynor (1973).

In 1996, he created the leading role in The Prince's Play, a translation and adaptation by Tony Harrison of Victor Hugo's Le Roi s'amuse, for the National Theatre, London, 1996. In 1997, he was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his role in the Yasmina Reza play Art, in which he appeared with Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay at Wyndham's Theatre.

In 2008 Stott starred in another West End production of a Reza play, this time God of Carnage, alongside Tamsin Greig, Janet McTeer and Ralph Fiennes at the Gielgud Theatre. He starred in a revival of Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge at the Duke of York's Theatre in early 2009, and reprised his role of Michael in God of Carnage on Broadway (as a replacement for James Gandolfini) at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in New York.

He returned to the Duke of York's Theatre in 2016 to play " Sir" (alongside Reece Shearsmith) in Ronald Harwood's The Dresser.

Television and Film Stott appeared in BBC series Secret Army (1977), The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare (King Lear, 1982), and Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective (1986). He also featured in an advert for the British COI's "Drinking And Driving Wrecks Lives" campaign, playing a fireman.

His television roles have included hospital radio DJ Eddie McKenna in BBC Scotland's Takin' Over The Asylum, the leading character, DCI Red Metcalfe, in the BBC crime drama series Messiah (BBC One, 2001–05); DI Chappell in ITV police drama The Vice (1999–2003); as a drunk who fantasises about finding redemption by joining the Salvation Army in Promoted to Glory (ITV, 2003); as Adolf Hitler in Uncle Adolf (ITV, 2005), and as a fictional Chancellor of the Exchequer in Richard Curtis's The Girl in the Café (BBC One, 2005). 2006 saw him take over the title character in detective series Rebus, a television adaptation of the Ian Rankin novels which had previously starred John Hannah. In 2021, he appeared as Chief Superintendent Bob Toal in the police procedural Crime.

In 2008 Stott was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA for his performance as comedian Tony Hancock in BBC Four's Hancock and Joan. He played the father of cookery writer Nigel Slater in the BBC One adaptation of Slater's autobiographical novel Toast, opposite Helena Bonham Carter and Freddie Highmore. In 2015, Stott played Arthur Birling in Helen Edmundson's BBC TV adaptation of J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls.

On the big screen, he has tended to play mostly supporting parts, such as DI McCall in Shallow Grave (1994), Ted in Fever Pitch (1997), Marius Honorius in King Arthur (2004), an Israeli arms merchant in Charlie Wilson's War (2007), and Trufflehunter, a badger loyal to Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). However, he has had occasional starring roles in the cinema, most notably opposite Billy Connolly and Iain Robertson in The Debt Collector (1999), and Plunkett and Macleane of the same year. Most recently, he has starred as Balin in the live-action adaptation of The Hobbit, and played the role to critical acclaim. Stott played a supporting role as Dexter Mayhew's father in One Day (2011) starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.

He narrated for the series Send in the Dogs, following the work of UK Police Officers and their canine partners.

Personal life Stott has a son, David (born 1985), by his first marriage, which ended in divorce. He married his long-time partner, the artist Nina Gehl, in 2016.

Stott is a supporter of Heart of Midlothian Football Club.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1988 For Queen and Country Civil Servant 1993 Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life Woland the Knifeman Short film Being Human Gasper Diez 1994 Shallow Grave DI McCall 1996 Saint-Ex Prevot A Mug's Game McCaffrey 1997 The Boxer Ike Weir Fever Pitch Ted, the Headmaster 1999 The Debt Collector Gary Keltie Plunkett & Macleane General Chance 2000 The Miracle Maker Simon Peter Voice only2003 I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Frank Turner 2004 King Arthur Marius Honorius Spivs Jack 2005 Casanova Dalfonso The Girl in the Café Chancellor The Mighty Celt Good Joe 2007 Charlie Wilson's War Zvi Rafiah 2008 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Trufflehunter Voice only2011 The Runaway Joey Pasqualino One Day Steven Mayhew 2012 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Balin 2013 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 2014 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Man Up Bert 2016 Café Society Marty Dorfman 100 Streets Terence 2018 The Mercy Stanley Best Strike The Boss Animated film; voice only 2021 The Dig Charles Phillips

Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1977Secret ArmyBarojaEpisode: "Child's Play"1982BBC Television ShakespeareCuranEpisode: King Lear1985TaggartDr. MacNaughtenEpisode: "Murder in Season"1986The Singing DetectiveUncle John2 episodes1988London's BurningCyrilFirst episode1990Your Cheatin' HeartFraser BoyleMiniseries1991All Good ThingsLawrence Wilson5 episodes1993Anna LeeBernie SchillerTV film1994Takin' Over the AsylumEddie McKenna1995The BillBrianEpisode: "The Lives of Brian"1996Silent WitnessSergeant Bob ClaireEpisode: "Darkness Visible"RhodesBarney Barnato6 episodes1997Screen TwoRedfernEpisode: "Stone, Scissors, Paper"1999DockersTommy WaltonTV filmVicious CircleMartin Cahill1999–2003The ViceDI Pat Chappel22 episodes Nominated-British Academy Television Award for Best Actor2000–2007RebusDI John Rebus10 episodes2001MessiahDCI Red MetcalfeMiniseries2002Messiah 2: Vengeance is Mine2004Messiah 3: The Promise2005Messiah: The HarrowingUncle AdolfAdolf HitlerTV film2008Hancock and JoanTony HancockTV film Scottish BAFTA for Best Acting Performance in Television

Nominated–British Academy Television Award for Best Actor2010ToastAlan SlaterTV film2014The MissingIan Garrett5 episodes Nominated–British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor2015An Inspector CallsArthur BirlingTV film2016War & PeaceBazdeev2 episodes2017FortitudeErling MunkSeason 22021-2023CrimeChief Superintendent Bob Toal

Awards and nominations

BAFTA TV Awards 0 win, 3 nominations

+ British Academy Television Awards Year Nominated work Category Result Ref. 2001 The Vice 2001 British Academy Television Award for Best Actor 2009 Hancock and Joan 2009 British Academy Television Award for Best Actor 2015 The Missing2015 British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor

BAFTA Scotland Awards 2 win, 2 nominations

+ BAFTA Scotland Year Nominated work Category Result Ref. 2009 Hancock and Joan 2009 British Academy Scotland Awards for Best Actor in Television 2015 The Missing 2015 British Academy Scotland Awards Best Actor in Television

Laurence Olivier Awards 1 win, 4 nominations

+ Laurence Olivier Award Year Nominated work Category Result Ref. 1992 The Recruiting Officer at the National Theatre 1992 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1995 Broken Glass at the National Theatre Lyttelton / Duke of York's 1995 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1997 Art at Wyndham's TheatreLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor 2010 A View from the Bridge as Eddie Carbone at the Duke of York's 2010 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actor in a Lead Role

Royal Television Society

0 wins 1 nomination

+ Royal Television Society Year Nominated work Category Result 2002 The Vice Royal Television Society Award Best Actor

References

External links