Skip to content
MovieCove
Hans Matheson

Hans Matheson

Actor · Born August 7, 1975 (51) · Stornoway, UK

Hans Matheson – Scottish actor and musician, born 7 August 1975 in Stornoway, Scotland. Son of folk musician Iain (Ado) Matheson and therapist Sheena Matheson. Trained at Italia Conti Academy. Also a singer and guitarist/violinist who released an album in 2019. His most notable film roles include Marius in Les Misérables (1998, Bille August), Private Jack Hawkstone in Deathwatch (2002), Angus McCullough in Half Light (2006, opposite Demi Moore), Caravaggio in Bathory (2008), Lord Coward in Sherlock Holmes (2009, Guy Ritchie), Ixas in Clash of the Titans (2010), and Aeschylus in 300: Rise of an Empire (2014). On television he is best known for Yuri Zhivago in Doctor Zhivago (2002, opposite Keira Knightley and Sam Neill), Mordred in The Mists of Avalon (2001), Earl of Essex in The Virgin Queen (2005), Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in The Tudors (2008), Alec Stoke-d'Urberville in Tess of the d'Urbervilles (2008), and Johnny Jackson in Jericho (2016, ITV). He also starred as Nero in Imperium: Nero (2004). His late younger brother William Matheson was also an actor.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 7, 1975 (51)
From
Stornoway, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 28 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 13% in 30 days

What are Hans Matheson's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
22%
Morality
19%
Survival
17%
Power
17%
Self
16%
Society
8%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 3 · Serious 2 · Dark 6

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 7 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 7

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 7 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 7
Hero
2 of 7
Shadow
2 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
10
Tense
7
Dread
5
Contemplative
4
Romantic
3
Other
12

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Hans Matheson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Hans Matheson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

28 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page.

  • Jericho(2016)

    Show 8 episodes · as Johnny Jackson

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • 300: Rise of an Empire(2014)

    as Aesyklos

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Christmas Candle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as David Richmond

  • Clash of the Titans(2010)

    as Ixas

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Sherlock Holmes(2009)

    as Lord Coward

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Tess of the D'Urbervilles(2008)

    Show 4 episodes · as Alec D'Urberville

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Bathory: Countess of Blood(2008)

    as Merisi Caravaggio

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Tudors(2007)

    Show 10 episodes · as Thomas Cranmer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The Virgin Queen(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Robert Devereux - Earl of Essex

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Half Light(2006)

    as Angus McCulloch

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Imperium: Nero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Nerone

  • Nero(2004)

    as Nero

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Comfortably Numb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Jake

  • Doctor Zhivago(2002)

    Show 3 episodes · as Yuri Andreyevich Zhivago

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Deathwatch(2002)

    as Pvt. Jack Hawkstone

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • I Am Dina(2002)

    as Tomas

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Bodywork (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Virgil Guppy

  • The Mists of Avalon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mordred

  • Making Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Jeno Varga

  • Tube Tales(1999)

    as Boy (segment "Steal Away")

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Still Crazy(1998)

    as Luke Shand

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Les Misérables(1998)

    as Marius Pontmercy

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Stella Does Tricks(1996)

    as Eddie

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Mojo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Silver Johnny

  • Family Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 4 episodes · as Jake

  • Poldark(1996)

    as Ben Carter

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Future Lasts A Long Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Jimmy

  • Wycliffe(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Gary Creed

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 28 titles from 1994 to 2016; peak year 1999.

Biggest box office

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

$524M worldwide

Highest rated

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Midcredits 92nd

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19942016

Peak 1999 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1998Screen debut· Les Misérables
  • 2000First top-billed film· Making Love
  • 2000Breakout· Making Love
  • 2007Career best· The Tudors

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting28 of 28: 28 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58th

By decade

1990s9 · acting2000s15 · acting2010s4 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 18% of 11 roles
9803

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Hans Matheson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th9

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 19 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Poldark (1996)

73rd percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Midcredits 92nd · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Hans Matheson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity7 titles29–71 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 43 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 47 · moderateMedian of all films: 33

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Hans Matheson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Hans Matheson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Kelly Reilly shares the most, 2.

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles