Sam Underwood

{{Short description|English actor}} {{Infobox person | name = Sam Underwood | image = Sam Underwood by Gage Skidmore.jpg | alt = | caption = Underwood at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con | birth_name = Sam Lewis Underwood | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|08|04|df=yes}} | birth_place = Woking, Surrey, England | death_date =  | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Actor | years_active = 2010–present | known_for = | spouse = {{marriage|Valorie Curry|2016|2023|end=divorce}} }} '''Sam Lewis Underwood''' (born 4 August 1987)<ref>[http://samunderwoodusa.blogspot.co.uk/ My 21st Birthday weekend] (blog) dated 7 August 2008, retrieved 15 October 2013. This date is also repeated in official British birth registration records.</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Happy Birthday, Sam Underwood! |work=Darkly Dexter |date=4 August 2013 |url=http://darklydexter.com/articles/happy-birthday-sam-underwood |accessdate=9 October 2013 |archive-date=11 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011012948/http://darklydexter.com/articles/happy-birthday-sam-underwood/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> is an English actor who portrayed the twins Luke and Mark Gray in the Fox thriller drama ''The Following'',<ref name="Jeffery" /> Jake Otto in the AMC series ''Fear the Walking Dead'' (2017), and Adam Carrington in The CW series ''Dynasty'' (2019–2022).

==Early life and education== Underwood was born in Woking, Surrey<ref name="Richardson">{{Cite news |last=Richardson |first=Jay |title=Beam me up, Edinburgh festival ... Alec Baldwin takes on virtual Hamlet |work=The Guardian |date=21 April 2011 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/apr/21/alec-baldwin-hamlet-edinburgh-festival |accessdate=8 October 2013}}</ref> and attended the Winston Churchill School. He trained at the Karen Clarke Theatre Group (now Summerscales Performing Arts), was taught by vocal coach Phil Wisdom and attended Songtime Theatre Arts.<ref>{{cite news |last=Duffell |first=Beth |date=18 October 2013 |title=Homeland role as young Woking actor heads for big time |url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/film-tv/homeland-role-young-woking-actor-6201747 |work=getSurrey |accessdate= 28 December 2014}}</ref>

He moved to the United States in October 2006 where he studied at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. He graduated in February 2008.<ref name="Panarello">{{Cite news |last=Panarello |first=Joseph |title=BWW Interviews: VERITAS' Sam Underwood |work=Broadway World |date=16 August 2010 |url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interviews-VERITAS-Sam-Underwood-20100816| accessdate=28 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="AMDA">{{Cite web |url= http://www.amda.edu/blog/alumnus-sam-underwood-on-the-following |title= Alumnus Sam Underwood on The Following! |date= 30 Jan 2014 |website= The American Musical and Dramatic Academy Blog |accessdate= 28 December 2012 |archive-date= 4 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044626/http://www.amda.edu/blog/alumnus-sam-underwood-on-the-following |url-status= dead }}</ref>

He co-founded the Fundamental Theater Project in New York with Nicola Murphy in April 2010.<ref name="Muldoon">{{cite news |last= Muldoon |first= Molly |date= 12 June 2013 |title= In Focus: Nicola Murphy, native of Dublin, brings her many talents to New York City|url= http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/in-focus-nicola-murphy-native-of-dublin-brings-her-many-talents-to-new-york-city-211250811-237596751.html|work= Irish Central|location= New York|accessdate= 28 December 2012}}</ref>

==Career== While appearing as Marchbanks in George Bernard Shaw's ''Candida'' at the Irish Repertory Theatre, New York, in April 2010,<ref name="Candida">{{cite news |date= 7 March 2010 |last1= Jones|first1=Kenneth | last2=Gans |first2=Andrew |title= Errico, Murray, O'Reilly and Underwood Star in Irish Rep's Candida, Opening March 7 in NYC|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/errico-murray-oreilly-and-underwood-star-in-irish-reps-candida-opening-marc-166524 |work=Playbill |location=New York |accessdate=28 December 2014}}</ref> Underwood was asked to play the part of Alan Strang in a production of ''Equus'' at the John Drew Theater at Guild Hall of East Hampton, co-starring alongside Alec Baldwin.<ref name="Panarello" /><ref name="Equus">{{cite news |date= 28 May 2010 |title= Van Dyck, Larson et al. Join Baldwin & Underwood in EQUUS, 6/8 - 7/13|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Van-Dyck-Larso-et-al-Join-Baldwin-Underwood-in-EQUUS-68-713-20100528 |work=Broadway World |location=New York |accessdate=28 December 2014}}</ref>

In 2013, Underwood was cast in the eighth season of television series ''Dexter'' in the recurring role of Zach Hamilton, Dexter Morgan's "protégé".<ref name="Jeffery">{{Cite news |last=Jeffery |first=Morgan |title= 'The Following' season two adds 'Dexter's Sam Underwood |work=Digital Spy |date=7 August 2013 |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/s202/the-following/news/a504665/the-following-season-two-adds-dexters-sam-underwood.html |accessdate=7 August 2013}}</ref> He subsequently joined the third season of ''Homeland'' as Leo Carras.<ref name="Jeffery" />

Beginning in February 2014, Underwood took on the dual roles of twins Mark and Luke Gray in the second season of the Fox murder mystery ''The Following''. But after the death of Luke, he was left playing Mark - who had split identities - in its third and final season.<ref name="Jeffery" />

As of 2017, Underwood joined the cast of the AMC thriller series ''Fear the Walking Dead'' in its third season as Jake Otto, the enigmatic son of the colony leader.

In 2019, Underwood was cast as Adam Carrington in The CW television series ''Dynasty'', a reboot of the 1980s series of the same name.

In 2025, Underwood starred in the play Ivanov at the Unadilla Theatre in Calais, Vermont.

== Personal life == Underwood married actress Valorie Curry on May 13, 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://wwd.com/eye/people/tiff-2016-valorie-curry-american-pastoral-blair-witch-project-10541805/|title=TIFF 2016: Valorie Curry Breaks Out in 'American Pastoral' and 'Blair Witch Project'|last=Scharf|first=Lindzi|date=2016-09-13|work=WWD|access-date=2017-09-17|language=en-US}}</ref> They separated in 2022 and divorced in April 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radaronline.com/p/sam-underwoods-ex-wife-valorie-curry-not-domestic-battery-victim-arrest/|title='Fear the Walking Dead' Star Sam Underwood's Ex-Wife Valorie Curry Not Alleged Victim in Felony Domestic Battery Arrest|first=Whitney|last=Vasquez|work=Radar Online|date=October 16, 2023|accessdate=February 2, 2026}}</ref>

On October 7, 2023, Underwood was arrested on felony domestic battery charges after he allegedly got into a physical altercation with an unidentified woman. He was released after approximately 10 hours in custody.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/sam-underwood-fear-the-walking-dead-actor-arrested-for-domestic-battery-8361933|title=''Fear the Walking Dead'' Star Sam Underwood Arrested After Alleged Domestic Battery Incident|website=People|first=Esther|last=Kang|date=October 16, 2023|access-date=January 17, 2024}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year(s) ! Title ! Role(s) ! class="unsortable" | Description |- | {{Hs|2013-07-06}}2013 | ''Zero Hour'' | {{sortname|Martin|Krupp|nolink=1}} | Season 1 |- | {{Hs|2013-07-28}}2013 | ''Dexter'' | {{sortname|Zach|Hamilton|nolink=1}} | Season 8 |- | {{Hs|2013-10-06}}2013 | ''Homeland'' | {{sortname|Leo|Carras|nolink=1}} | Season 3 |- | {{Hs|2014-01-21}}2014–2015 | ''{{sortname|The|Following}}'' | {{sortname|Luke and Mark|Gray|List of The Following characters#Luke and Mark}} | Main cast (seasons 2–3) |- | 2017 | ''Fear the Walking Dead'' | Jake Otto | Main role (season 3); 12 episodes |- |2018 |''Madam Secretary'' |Andrew Hill |Season 4, episode 19: “Thin Ice” |- | 2019–2022 | ''Dynasty'' | Adam Carrington | Guest star (Episode: "Parisian Legend Has It...")<br>Series regular (season 2–5) |- | 2023 | ''The Rookie: Feds'' | Roman Griffith | Season 1, episode 21: "Bloodline" |}

=== Film === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Description |- | {{Hs|2013-04-25}}2013 | ''The Last Keepers'' | {{sortname|Oliver|Sands|nolink=1}} | Feature film (debut) |- | 2017 | ''Hello Again'' | Leocadia | |- | 2021 | ''The Drummer'' | Darien Cooper | |- |}

== Theatre == {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year(s) ! Title ! Role ! Director(s) ! class="unsortable" | Location |- | {{Hs|2010-03-07}}2010 | ''Candida'' | Marchbanks | {{sortname|Tony|Walton}} | Irish Repertory Theatre |- | {{Hs|2010-06-06}}2010 | ''Equus'' | {{sortname|Alan|Strang|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Tony|Walton}} | John Drew Theater at Guild Hall of East Hampton |- | {{Hs|2010-08-20}}2010 | ''Veritas'' | {{sort|Joseph|Lumbard|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Ryan J.|Davis}} | HERE Arts Center |- | {{Hs|2011-08-05}}2011 | ''Hamlet'' | Hamlet | | theSpace on the Mile, Edinburgh Festival |- | {{Hs|2012-08=10}}2012 | ''{{sortname|The|Picture of Dorian Gray}}'' | {{sortname|Dorian|Gray|nolink=1}} | Quin Gordon | The Pershing Square Signature Center |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|3862996}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Underwood, Sam}} Category:Living people Category:English male television actors Category:English expatriate male actors in the United States Category:1987 births Category:Male actors from Woking Category:21st-century English male actors Category:English male film actors Category:English male stage actors