Al Weaver

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title: "Al Weaver" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1981-births", "alumni-of-the-guildhall-school-of-music-and-drama", "english-male-film-actors", "english-male-stage-actors", "english-male-television-actors", "english-male-video-game-actors", "english-male-voice-actors", "living-people", "english-male-shakespearean-actors", "male-actors-from-bolton", "21st-century-english-male-actors"] description: "English actor (born 1981)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Weaver" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary English actor (born 1981) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Al Weaver
birthname	Alexander Paul Weaver
birth_date
birth_place	Bolton Borough, Greater Manchester, England
yearsactive	2004–present
::

| name = Al Weaver | birthname = Alexander Paul Weaver | birth_date = | birth_place = Bolton Borough, Greater Manchester, England | yearsactive = 2004–present

Alexander Paul Weaver (born 3 January 1981) is an English actor, writer and part-time director, best known for his role as curate Leonard Finch in the ITV series Grantchester (2014-present). He is also known as the voice actor of Rex in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (2017).

Background

Weaver was born in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. He went to Rivington and Blackrod High School and studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Career

Weaver's first paid theatre role was in Trevor Nunn's 2004 production of Hamlet, at the Old Vic theatre in London. Weaver played the title role on Monday evenings and at all matinees, whilst Ben Whishaw took on the role for evening performances, from Tuesday to Saturday.

British politician Michael Portillo lauded Weaver's interpretation of Hamlet in The New Statesman: "He [Weaver] gave meaning to the poetry, refusing to be rushed in the soliloquies or intimidated by them, varying volume and pace well. Frame by frame, he made credible Hamlet's progression from self-indulgence to nobility, so we could nearly believe Fortinbras' remark that 'he was likely, had he been put on,/To have proved most royally'."

Weaver has appeared in minor roles in films such as Colour Me Kubrick (2005) (uncredited), The Merchant of Venice (2004), Marie Antoinette (2006), and Unmade Beds (2009); Me and Orson Welles (2009 film). he also played "The Kid" in Doom, "Schwob" in Colette, and an uncredited Gulf War soldier in Armistice (2014).

His television credits include D.C. Billy Slaven in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (episodes "In Pursuit of a Proper Sinner" and "A Cry for Justice") and National Antiquities Museum employee Andy Galbraith in Sherlock episode "The Blind Banker". Weaver has been in Five Days (TV miniseries) as Josh Fairley. He has also been in Five Daughters (TV miniseries) played Tom Alderton. Weaver also has been in Secret State as Josh Leyton. Weaver also appeared in Southcliffe (TV miniseries), where he played Anthony. Weaver was in Life in Squares (TV miniseries) and played Young Leonard Woolf. He was also in The Smoke where he played Tom. Weaver was in The Nativity, in which he played Thomas. Weaver was in Personal Affairs playing Crawford Crawford.

His theatre credits include Meshak in the Royal National Theatre's 2006-07 production of Helen Edmundson's Coram Boy.

Weaver plays fledgling Anglican curate Leonard Finch in the TV series Grantchester (since 2014), who assists the Vicar of Grantchester, Sidney Chambers, and later, Will Davenport. He also directed the third episode of season 8.

Radio credits include Bach: The Great Passion, a 2017 biographical radio play by the English writer James Runcie, where he played Christian Henrici. Weaver also presents radio shows at a pub called the Boogaloo based in north London. One is called Film And Telly Stuff, which he presents with actor Luke Neal and the other is called The Theme's Of Our Youth, which he presents with actor Jack Whitam.

In September 2017, the BBC announced he had joined the cast of the mini-series PRESS.

Weaver is also known for his role as protagonist Rex in the game Xenoblade Chronicles 2, released in December 2017. He reprised the role for the character's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as well as the trailer revealing Pyra and Mythra as playable characters.

In 2019, a fourth series of Grantchester aired, with Weaver reprising his role as Leonard Finch.

In 2020, Weaver starred in a choose-your-own-adventure style sci-fi thriller video game The Complex as Dr. Rees Wakefield.

Filmography

Film

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	The Merchant of Venice	Stephano
2005	Planespotting	Steve	Television film
Colour Me Kubrick	Darren	Uncredited
Doom	Mark "Kid" Dantalian
2006	Marie Antoinette	Charles, Count of Artois
Viva Blackpool	Vibe	Television film
2008	Me and Orson Welles	Sam Leve
2009	Unmade Beds	Kevin
2010	Spoiler	Tom	Short film
Honeymooner	Jon
2011	Powder	Helmet
2012	Chemistry	Johan	Short film
The Frontier	Ben	Television film
2013	The Theory of Everything	Hugo John Ellis	Short film
Armistice	Gulf war soldier	Uncredited
Things He Never Said	Paul	Short film
2015	Kill Your Friends	Bill
2016	Love Is Thicker Than Water	Adam Berliner
2017	We Are Tourists	Edward
The Last Photograph	Colin
2018	Colette	Schwob
Macbeth	Banquo
Blue Iguana	Tommy Tresham
Peterloo	Magistrate Hulton
2020	The Complex: Lockdown	Rees Wakefield
2021	I'm Not in Love	Rob Lloyd
2024	Torch Song	Gabe Alexander
::

Television

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2002	Brum	Yellow Team	Episode: "Brum the Soccer Hero"
2004	The Inspector Lynley Mysteries	Billy Slaven	2 episodes
2007	Five Days	Josh Fairley	Recurring role; 5 episodes
2008	The Devil's Whore	Christian	Mini-series; 2 episodes
2009	Personal Affairs	Crawford	Mini-series; 4 episodes
2010	Survivors	Kevin	2 episodes
Five Daughters	Tom Alderton	Mini-series; 2 episodes
Sherlock	Andy Galbraith	Episode: "The Blind Banker"
The Nativity	Thomas the Apostle	Mini-series; 4 episodes
2012	Secret State	Joss Leyton	Mini-series; 4 episodes
2013	Southcliffe	Anthony	Mini-series; 4 episodes
2014	The Smoke	Tom	Mini-series; 1 episode
2014 - present	Grantchester	Leonard Finch	Series regular; 66 episodes
2015	Life in Squares	Young Leonard Woolf	Mini-series; 2 episodes
2016	The Hollow Crown	Rivers	2 episodes
2018	Press	James Edwards	Series regular; 6 episodes
2019	The Mallorca Files	Richard Webb	Episode: "Number One Fan"
2022	The Chelsea Detective	Simon Turnball	Episode: "The Wages of Sin"
2024	Miss Scarlet and the Duke	Delaware	Episode: "Elysium"
::

Video games

::data[format=table]

Year	Game	Role	Notes
2017	Xenoblade Chronicles 2	Rex	English version
2020	The Complex	Rees Wakefield
2021	Super Smash Bros. Ultimate	Rex	English version
2022	Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus?	Toby
::

Theatre credits

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Role	Venue	Notes
2004	Hamlet	Prince Hamlet	The Old Vic, London
2005	All the Ordinary Angels	Lino Raffa	Royal Exchange, Manchester
2006	Malvolio and His Masters	Sir Andrew Aguecheek	Southwark Playhouse, London
Coram Boy	Meshak	Olivier Theatre, London
2007	The Waltz of the Toreadors	Gaston	Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
How to Curse	Nick	Bush Theatre, London
2009	Toyer	Peter	Arts Theatre, London
2010	House of Games	Billy Hahn	Almeida Theatre, London
Bea	Not Gay Ray	Soho Theatre, London
2011	The Seagull	Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev	Arcola Theatre, London
Inadmissible Evidence	Jones	Donmar Warehouse, London
2013	Rough Cuts		Royal Court Theatre, London
The Pride	Oliver	Trafalgar Theatre, London
2018	Moonlight	Jake	Harold Pinter Theatre, London
::

References

References

1. "Xenoblade Chronicles 2".
2. (2004-05-19). "If it's Monday I must be Hamlet".
3. Young, Bill. (2025-07-15). "‘Grantchester’ streets to be safe one final time".
4. "Al Weaver Directs Episode 3".
5. "BACH: The Great Passion".
6. "Charlotte Riley, Ben Chaplin and David Suchet lead cast of BBC's Press". IMDb.
7. "Grantchester series 4 confirmed – but it's set to be James Norton's last".

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