Anatol Yusef
Encyclopedia
Anatol Yusef is a British
stage, film and television actor best known for his work in Last Orders
, at The Royal Shakespeare Company and most recently for his portrayal of Meyer Lansky
in the television series Boardwalk Empire.
, East London
, UK into a Turkish
family. As a teen, he found early work in television shows including Jeeves and Wooster
, Grange Hill
, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
, and also the movies Batman
, and Aliens.
He then trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
. While in school he worked on a television show, Thief Takers and was a finalist in the BBC
Carleton Hobbs Radio Award. He graduated in 2000.
Upon gradation, Anatol was offered a role in Fred Schepisi's award winning film, Last Orders, playing the younger self of Bob Hoskins
"Ray" and working with British actors Sir Michael Caine, Dame Helen Mirren, Ray Winstone
, David Hemmings
, and Tom Courtenay
.
He became a resident company member with the Royal Shakespeare Company
. In the RSC's production of King Lear
, Nicholas de Jongh
of the London Evening Standard claimed "Anatol Yusef's tremendeous Cornwall, the best [he] [had] ever seen".
At the Birmingham Rep, as Mercutio in Bill Bryden's Romeo and Juliet
, Anatol was heralded as, "sparkl[ing]", and as being a "promisingly imaginative Mercutio". He continued to work extensively in UK Theatre, Television and Film.
In 2008, Anatol appeared in the title role of a New York off-off Broadway production of Richard III
, and was described by Backstage as, "a superlative actor", and "magnetic". Anatol has remained in New York City ever since. He has worked both throughout New York City, and at The Studio Theatre in Washington D.C..
His most recent production being "A Movement Of The Soul", playing Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet
, for which he learned American Sign Language
.
In 2010 he was cast as Meyer Lansky
in HBO's Boardwalk Empire, first appearing in Episode 7 of Season 1: "Home
". He is recurring throughout Season 2.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
stage, film and television actor best known for his work in Last Orders
Last Orders
Last Orders is a 1996 Booker Prize-winning novel by British author Graham Swift. In 2001 it was adapted for the film Last Orders by Australian writer and director Fred Schepisi.-Plot summary:...
, at The Royal Shakespeare Company and most recently for his portrayal of Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
in the television series Boardwalk Empire.
Biography
Anatol was born in BarkingBarking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
, East London
East London
East London is a city on the southeast coast of South Africa, situated at 32.97°S and 27.87°E in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of the Eastern Cape province. The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River, and is the country's only river...
, UK into a Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
family. As a teen, he found early work in television shows including Jeeves and Wooster
Jeeves and Wooster
-External links:*—An episode guide to the series, including information about which episodes were adapted from which Wodehouse stories.*—Episode guides, screenshots and quotes from the four series....
, Grange Hill
Grange Hill
Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4, 1992, to July 24, 1993. The series explores the childhood and youth of the fictional character Indiana Jones and primarily stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier as the title character, with...
, and also the movies Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, and Aliens.
He then trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, opened by Laurence Olivier in 1946, is an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama, an organisation securing the highest standards of training in the performing arts, and is an associate school of the Faculty of Creative Arts of the University of the...
. While in school he worked on a television show, Thief Takers and was a finalist in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Carleton Hobbs Radio Award. He graduated in 2000.
Upon gradation, Anatol was offered a role in Fred Schepisi's award winning film, Last Orders, playing the younger self of Bob Hoskins
Bob Hoskins
Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr. is an English actor known for playing Cockney rough diamonds, psychopaths and gangsters, in films such as The Long Good Friday , and Mona Lisa , and lighter roles in family films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hook .- Early life :Hoskins was born in Bury St...
"Ray" and working with British actors Sir Michael Caine, Dame Helen Mirren, Ray Winstone
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over...
, David Hemmings
David Hemmings
David Edward Leslie Hemmings was an English film, theatre and television actor as well as a film and television director and producer....
, and Tom Courtenay
Tom Courtenay
Sir Thomas Daniel "Tom" Courtenay is an English actor who came to prominence in the early 1960s with a succession of films including The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner , Billy Liar , and Dr. Zhivago . Since the mid-1960s he has been known primarily for his work in the theatre...
.
He became a resident company member with the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
. In the RSC's production of King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
, Nicholas de Jongh
Nicholas de Jongh
Nicholas de Jongh is a British theatre critic and playwright. He served as the senior drama critic of the Evening Standard from 1991 to 2009. Prior to that, he worked for the Guardian newspaper for almost 20 years...
of the London Evening Standard claimed "Anatol Yusef's tremendeous Cornwall, the best [he] [had] ever seen".
At the Birmingham Rep, as Mercutio in Bill Bryden's Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
, Anatol was heralded as, "sparkl[ing]", and as being a "promisingly imaginative Mercutio". He continued to work extensively in UK Theatre, Television and Film.
In 2008, Anatol appeared in the title role of a New York off-off Broadway production of Richard III
Richard III (play)
Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
, and was described by Backstage as, "a superlative actor", and "magnetic". Anatol has remained in New York City ever since. He has worked both throughout New York City, and at The Studio Theatre in Washington D.C..
His most recent production being "A Movement Of The Soul", playing Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet
Reverend Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, LL.D., was a renowned American pioneer in the education of the Deaf. Along with Laurent Clerc and Mason Cogswell, he co-founded the first institution for the education of the Deaf in North America, and he became its first principal...
, for which he learned American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
.
In 2010 he was cast as Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
in HBO's Boardwalk Empire, first appearing in Episode 7 of Season 1: "Home
Home (Boardwalk Empire)
"Home" is the seventh episode of the first season of HBO's crime drama Boardwalk Empire. The episode aired on October 31, 2010. The episode was written by executive producer Tim Van Patten and Paul Simms and directed by Allen Coulter. Nucky purges some bad childhood memories...
". He is recurring throughout Season 2.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Jeeves and Wooster Jeeves and Wooster -External links:*—An episode guide to the series, including information about which episodes were adapted from which Wodehouse stories.*—Episode guides, screenshots and quotes from the four series.... (Series 1 & 3) |
Sydney Blumenfield |
| 1993 | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4, 1992, to July 24, 1993. The series explores the childhood and youth of the fictional character Indiana Jones and primarily stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier as the title character, with... |
Hubert Van Hook |
| 1995 | Grange Hill Grange Hill Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television... |
Mark |
| 1999 | Thief Takers | Aziz |
| 2000 | Second Sight: Kingdom of the Blind | Sandwich Shop Owner |
| 2001 | Last Orders Last Orders Last Orders is a 1996 Booker Prize-winning novel by British author Graham Swift. In 2001 it was adapted for the film Last Orders by Australian writer and director Fred Schepisi.-Plot summary:... |
Young Ray |
| 2002 | The Bill The Bill The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work... |
Rick Lesailles |
| 2003 | Ten Minutes Ten Minutes "Ten Minutes" is the first single from Kansas City, Missouri band The Get Up Kids' album Something to Write Home About. The single was released as part of the Sub Pop Records Singles Club. 1300 pressings were black, with only 100 pressings of the single on clear vinyl... (Short) |
Peter |
| Unconditional Love Unconditional Love Unconditional Love is the title of a comedy film released in 2002. The film follows Grace Beasley who in the face of her failing marriage, and the death of her favorite pop star, learns the value and limitations of unconditional love, and the evils of sexism and homophobia. The film was directed... |
Security Guard | |
| Trial and Retribution | PC Barry Skinner | |
| The Afternoon Play: Turkish Delight | Ahmed | |
| The Gathering The Gathering - Film and television :* The Gathering , a made-for-TV drama starring Edward Asner and Maureen Stapleton* The Gathering , a thriller/horror film starring Christina Ricci... |
The Gathering | |
| 2006 | The Bill The Bill The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work... |
Kevin Mann |
| O Jerusalem O Jerusalem O Jerusalem! is a history book by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins which seeks to capture the events and struggles surrounding the creation of the state of Israel.-Introduction:... |
Major Tell | |
| 2009 | The Reward The Reward The Reward is a 1965 American Western film directed by Serge Bourguignon based on a novel by Michael Barrett and starring Max von Sydow, Yvette Mimieux and Efrem Zimbalist Jr..... (Short) |
Felix |
| 2010 | Boardwalk Empire (Season One) | Meyer Lansky |
| 2011 | Corner Shop (Short) | Danny |
| Boardwalk Empire (Season Two) | Meyer Lansky | |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The Mysteries The Mysteries The Mysteries is a version of the medieval English mystery plays presented at London's National Theatre in 1977. The cycle of three plays tells the story of the Bible from the creation to the last judgement.... |
Herod/Cain |
| Under Milk Wood Under Milk Wood Under Milk Wood is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, adapted later as a stage play. A movie version, Under Milk Wood directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released during 1972.... |
Rev. Eli Jenkins/ Dai Bread | |
| After Miss Julie After Miss Julie After Miss Julie is a play which relocates August Strindberg's naturalist tragedy, Miss Julie , to an English country house in July 1945... |
John | |
| 2002 | Blackbird (play) Blackbird (play) Blackbird is a one-act, ninety-minute play written in 2005 by Scottish playwright David Harrower. It was inspired in part by the crimes of sex offender Toby Studebaker and depicts a young woman meeting a middle-aged man fifteen years after having a sexual relationship, when she was twelve.-... |
Sarhad |
| 2004 | Best of Motives | Ahmed |
| 2005 | King Lear King Lear King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological... |
Duke of Cornwall |
| Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a... |
Sampson | |
| Macbeth Macbeth The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607... |
Banquo | |
| 2006 | Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a... |
Mercutio |
| 2007 | Startled Response | Umut |
| 2008 | Richard III Richard III (play) Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified... |
Richard III |
| 2009 | Moonlight (play) Moonlight (play) Moonlight is a play written by Harold Pinter, which premiered at the Almeida Theatre, in London, in September 1993.-Setting:THREE MAIN PLAYING AREAS:rehashes his youth, loves, lusts, and betrayals with his wife, [Bel], while simultaneously his two sons [Fred and Jake] — clinical, conspiratorial,... |
Jake |
| 2010 | The Science of Guilt | Kevin |
| 2011 | A Movement of The Soul | Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet Reverend Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, LL.D., was a renowned American pioneer in the education of the Deaf. Along with Laurent Clerc and Mason Cogswell, he co-founded the first institution for the education of the Deaf in North America, and he became its first principal... |