{{Short description|Scottish actor (born 1977)}} {{BLP sources|date=March 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Use British English|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox person | image = | name = Steven Robertson | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1977|1|1}} | birth_place = Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland | alma_mater = Guildhall School of Music and Drama | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1992–present | notable_works = ''Being Human'' <br /> ''Shetland'' <br /> ''Inside I'm Dancing'' <br /> ''Luther'' | spouse = Charlotte Allam | awards = }}
'''Steven Robertson''' (born 1 January 1977) is a Scottish actor who is best known for his role as Detective Sandy Wilson in the drama series ''Shetland''. He portrayed Michael Connelly, a young man with cerebral palsy, in ''Inside I'm Dancing'', and played Dominic Rook in the popular BBC Three comedy-drama series ''Being Human''. He has had roles in numerous television programmes including ''Luther'' and ''The Bletchley Circle''.
==Personal life== Robertson grew up in the small village of Vidlin in the Shetland Islands of Scotland, with his two sisters. In his childhood, Robertson battled and overcame severe dyslexia. Before pursuing an acting career, he worked as an odd-job man in his village. Growing up, he was close to the Shetland poet Rhoda Bulter. He stated that she was the trigger for him pursuing a career in performing by telling him old Shetland tales.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/steven-robertson-interview-writing-his-own-story-1-1038262|title=Up and Coming: Steven Robertson: Writing his own story |first=Susan |last=Mansfield |work=The Scotsman |date=16 May 2009 |accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref> Robertson attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. While there he met his wife, actress Charlotte Allam.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/02/11/isles-actor-reflects-on-neds-role-as-he-stays-busy-with-film-and-tv/|title=Isles actor reflects on Neds role as he stays busy with film and TV - The Shetland Times|date=11 February 2011|website=Shetlandtimes.co.uk|accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lep.co.uk/what-s-on/tv/great-scot-it-s-steven-robertson-in-shetland-1-5481706|title=Great Scot, it's Steven Robertson in Shetland|website=Lep.co.uk|accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref> He is also a member of Aya Theatre and has starred in their adaptation of George Orwell's ''Burmese Days'' as Flory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ayatheatre.com/aya/StevenRobertson.html|title=StevenRobertson|website=Ayatheatre.com|accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref> He currently lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and daughter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swarbrick |first=Susan |date=2018-02-11 |title=Shetland star Steven Robertson on his rural childhood and island homeland |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/15986694.shetland-star-steven-robertson-rural-childhood-island-homeland/ |access-date=2020-09-16 |website=Herald Scotland}}</ref>
==Career== Robertson's first major film role came in 2004 when he starred alongside fellow Scottish actor James McAvoy in ''Inside I'm Dancing''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/102148/inside.i.m.dancing|title=Inside I'm Dancing - Film - The Guardian|date=21 July 2008|website=Theguardian.com|accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref>
He then went on to play a small part in the 2005 film ''Kingdom of Heaven'' as an Angelic Priest. Following this, he had a big role in the 2005 French war film ''Joyeux Noël'' in which he played Jonathan, a young man whose brother was shot dead during WW1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/joyeux_noel/|title=Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas)|date=14 November 2006 |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref> Robertson then went on to play characters in numerous TV dramas, including ''Luther'', where he played both of the Millberry twins, a murderous duo who decided their victim's fate on the roll of a dice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.craveonline.com/tv/reviews/176614-luther-204|title=LUTHER 2.04 'Episode 4' - CraveOnline|date=21 October 2011|website=Craveonline.com|accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref>
Robertson then played Dominic Rook, a government leader whose department protects the world from supernaturals in series 5 of the British supernatural drama ''Being Human''.
He later worked on series 2 of ''Utopia'', a British conspiracy thriller for Channel 4 where he played the role of Terrence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/jan/12/utopia-dennis-kelly|title=Utopia: inside Channel 4's new unsettling thriller|first=Ben|last=Arnold|date=12 January 2013|accessdate=13 October 2017|website=Theguardian.com}}</ref>
===''Shetland''=== Robertson returned to Shetland to film the TV series of the same name, where he starred as Constable Sandy Wilson in the BBC One adaptation of the popular Ann Cleeves book series. The show was criticised for its lack of Shetland accents, with Robertson being the only main cast member born and brought up on the islands. However, the series attracted over 6 million viewers and a second series was commissioned featuring, alongside Douglas Henshall and Robertson, actors Brian Cox, Julie Graham and Alex Norton, with Robertson's character now a detective.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/shetland-series2-casting.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713054150/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/shetland-series2-casting.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 July 2013|title=BBC - Brian Cox and Julie Graham join cast of BBC One drama, Shetland - Media Centre|website=Bbc.co.uk|accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref> Robertson stated to Digital Spy that his portrayal of Wilson was a "nice break from playing killers and creeps". A third series, telling a single story, aired in 2016.
Robertson returned as DC Wilson for the fourth series, which was broadcast in early 2018, the fifth series, broadcast in early 2019, the sixth in 2021 and the seventh in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=David |date=2022-08-06 |title=INTERVIEW: Steven Robertson on what the new series of Shetland holds for Sandy Wilson |url=https://www.grampianonline.co.uk/news/interview-steven-robertson-on-what-the-new-series-of-shetla-283621/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Grampian Online |language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== *''Inside I'm Dancing'' (2004) (also released under the title ''Rory O'Shea Was Here'') as Michael Connolly *''Kingdom of Heaven'' (2005) as the Angelic Priest<ref>{{cite news|last=Dougan|first=Andy|title=Big challenge for young Scot in film debut|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/712642401.html?dids=712642401:712642401&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+14%2C+2004&author=ANDY+DOUGAN&pub=Evening+Times&desc=Big+challenge+for+young+Scot+in+film+debut&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201124130/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/712642401.html?dids=712642401:712642401&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+14,+2004&author=ANDY+DOUGAN&pub=Evening+Times&desc=Big+challenge+for+young+Scot+in+film+debut&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 February 2013|newspaper=Evening Times|date=14 October 2004}}</ref> *''Joyeux Noël'' (2005) as Jonathan *''True North'' (2006) as The Cook * ''Elizabeth: The Golden Age'' (2007) as Francis Throckmorton *''Neds'' (2010) as Mr Bonetti *The Tourist (2010) as Junior Technician Pinnock *''5 Days of War'' (2011) as Davit Kezerashvili *''The Somnambulists'' (2012) as Man 12 *''T2 Trainspotting'' (2017) as Francis Begbie's lawyer *''Tell It to the Bees'' (2018) as Jim
===TV=== * ''E=mc²'' (2005) as Michael Faraday * ''He Kills Coppers'' (2008) as Tony Meehan * ''Tess of the d'Urbervilles'' (2008) as Cuthbert Clare * ''Shameless'' (2009) as Padraig Maguire, deceased father of Paddy Maguire seen in a nightmare * ''Red Riding'' (2009) as Sergeant Bob Fraser * ''Hustle'' (2009) * ''Ashes to Ashes'' (2010) as Paul Thordy * ''Luther'' (2011) as Robert/Nicholas Millberry * ''Parade's End'' as Colonel Bill Williams, CO (2012)<ref>{{cite news|last=Davies|first=Serena|title=Parade's End, final episode, BBC Two, review|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9558694/Parades-End-final-episode-BBC-Two-review.html|website=Telegraph.co.uk|date=21 September 2012}}</ref> * ''Being Human'' (2012-Guest, 2013-Regular) as Dominic Rook * ''The Bletchley Circle'' (2012) as Malcolm Crowley * ''Shetland'' (2013–present) as Detective Constable Sandy Wilson * ''New Tricks'' (2013) as Tim Belgrade * ''Utopia'' (2014) as Terrence<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/steven-robertson//works/|title=Curtis Brown|website=Curtisbrown.co.uk|accessdate=13 October 2017}}</ref> * ''In the Flesh'' (2014) as John Weston * ''Doctor Who'' (2015) as Richard Pritchard<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/webarchive/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fblogs%2Fdoctorwho%2Fentries%2Fe03e1e3f-c5c3-4d48-8212-6bf6d1ad9608 |title=Filming Begins on Doctor Who, Series 9 |author=The Doctor Who Team |date=14 January 2015 |website=Doctor Who |publisher=BBC One |access-date=14 January 2015 }}</ref> * ''Harlots'' (2017) as Robert Oswald * ''Vera'' (2018) as Tom Naresby * ''The Bay'' (2021) as Mark Bradwell
===Stage=== *''King Lear'' (2002) as Kent (Royal Shakespeare Company Academy) *''The Seagull'' (2003) as Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplyov (Royal Exchange, Manchester) *''Antony and Cleopatra'' as Octavian (Royal Exchange, Manchester) *''The Tempest'' (2007) as Ariel (Royal Exchange, Manchester) *''Ghosts'' (2009) as Oswald Alving (Citizens Theatre)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|1663788}} *[http://www.shetlopedia.com/Steven_Robertson Shetlopedia.com – Steven Robertson page]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Steven}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:People from Shetland Category:People educated at Anderson High School, Lerwick Category:Scottish male film actors Category:Scottish male stage actors Category:Scottish male television actors Category:Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Category:British male film actors Category:21st-century Scottish male actors