Richard Crispin Armitage (born 22 August 1971) is an English actor famous for his roles as John Thornton in North and South, Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood, and Lucas North in Spooks.

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He is currently cast as Thorin Oakenshield in the two-film adaptation of The Hobbit.

Born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, Richard Armitage attended Huncote Primary School in Huncote, Leicestershire. Later at Brockington College in Enderby he studied music, playing the cello in school and local orchestras as well as learning how to play the flute. He pursued this interest to Pattison College in Coventry, where his education expanded to include dance and acting. He gained A Levels in music and English.
Richard Armitage describes himself as a method actor. «In a way it's slightly lazy because it means you don't have to pretend – you just have to believe. As much as it's possible to be like that I suppose I kind of do step in and out, I'm not one of these people that can't talk to other people because I'm in my character, but I kind of do stay with the character, yeah. He's always there. It's like marinating something – you're sitting in a marinade the whole time.«

He frequently speaks of being drawn to and developing dualism in his characters.