Benjamin Walker Bio
Benjamin Walker Scodelario-Davis, born on June 21, 1982, is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is widely recognized for his portrayal of President Andrew Jackson in the Broadway musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and for his title role in the 2012 action film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Over the course of his career, Walker has built a reputation for commanding stage presence in Broadway revivals and a wide range of film and television projects. He received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his work in the 2019 revival of All My Sons.
Beyond his dramatic work, Walker has performed stand-up comedy at well-known venues in New York City and Los Angeles. He continues to balance work in theatre, film, and streaming television, including his role in the high-profile fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Early Life and Background
Benjamin Walker Scodelario-Davis was born in Cartersville, Georgia, the younger of two brothers. His mother, Jeannine, worked as a music teacher, and his father, Greg Davis, owned a movie rental store before moving into financial services. Growing up in a household shaped by music and film, Walker was exposed to storytelling and performance from an early age. He later adopted his mother’s maiden name, Walker, as his professional stage name because another actor named Benjamin Davis was already registered with the Screen Actors Guild.
Walker attended Cartersville High School in his hometown before continuing his training at the Interlochen Arts Academy near Traverse City, Michigan. He went on to study at the Juilliard School in New York City, one of the most respected conservatories in the United States. He graduated from the Juilliard Actor Training Program in 2004, completing a formal education that would lay the foundation for his professional career in acting and comedy.
Path to Acting
Walker’s earliest professional steps came shortly after graduating from Juilliard. He appeared in workshop productions at the Atlantic Theatre Company and Lincoln Center Theater, including a 2005 staging of The Arrangements and a workshop of Spring Awakening. He also took on roles in classical pieces such as Lady Windermere’s Fan in 2005 and Romeo and Juliet in 2006. These early experiences allowed him to develop a strong stage foundation in both contemporary and traditional theatre.
In February 2007, Walker made his Broadway debut as Bertram Cates in the revival of Inherit the Wind at the Lyceum Theatre. The production ran for ten weeks to full houses and earned four Tony nominations, including Best Revival. The following year, he appeared in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. These early Broadway and Off-Broadway credits established Walker as a rising stage actor with a growing presence in New York theatre.
Benjamin Walker Career
Early Career (2004–2010)
After completing his training at Juilliard in 2004, Walker spent several years building his résumé in regional and Off-Broadway productions. He appeared in numerous theatre workshops and developed his craft through classical and contemporary work. His stage work during this period included roles at the Atlantic Theatre Company and Lincoln Center Theater, helping him earn recognition within the New York theatre community.
In 2007, Walker appeared in the short film All Saint’s Day, which won the narrative short category at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Two years later, he appeared in the independent films Coach and The War Boys. In 2010, he was cast as Beast in X-Men: First Class but stepped away from the film to take on the lead role in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, a decision that helped define his Broadway career.
Breakthrough (2010–2016)
Walker’s breakthrough came with Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, a musical that premiered in Los Angeles in 2007 before moving to the Public Theater and eventually Broadway in 2010. Walker starred as Andrew Jackson at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, earning strong critical reviews. The show closed in early January 2011, but Walker’s performance cemented his reputation as a leading Broadway actor.
In 2011, Walker was cast as Abraham Lincoln in the film adaptation of the novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The film was released in June 2012, and Walker immersed himself in research, reading multiple biographies of the former president. He also starred in Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight in 2013 as Kevin Connolly. On stage, he portrayed Brick in a 2012 revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and later took on the role of Patrick Bateman in the 2016 musical adaptation of American Psycho.
Television and Streaming (2019–Present)
Walker expanded his presence on television with a starring role as Erik Gelden in the third and final season of the Netflix series Jessica Jones in 2019. That same year, he appeared in the miniseries Traitors. In 2021, he was featured in the limited series The Underground Railroad. Since 2022, he has played the High King of the Ñoldorin Elves, Ereinion Gil-galad, in the Amazon Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Notable Works and Milestones
Walker’s most recognized works include the title role in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, his Tony-nominated performance in All My Sons, and his starring role in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. His film credits also include Kinsey, Flags of Our Fathers, and In the Heart of the Sea. In stand-up comedy, he created and performs Find the Funny, a show featuring live comedians and short taped segments, performed regularly in New York City.
Benjamin Walker Award Nominations
Benjamin Walker received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as Chris Keller in the 2019 Broadway revival of All My Sons. Earlier in his career, he appeared in productions that earned multiple Tony nominations, including Inherit the Wind in 2007 and Les Liaisons Dangereuses in 2008. His stage work has consistently placed him in productions recognized by the Broadway community.
Benjamin Walker Awards Won
There are no major award wins from major industry bodies on record for Benjamin Walker based on verified sources. His most notable recognition remains a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role in All My Sons.
Benjamin Walker Family
Walker was raised in Cartersville, Georgia, by his mother Jeannine, a music teacher, and his father Greg Davis, who owned a movie rental store and later worked in financial services. He has one older brother. He adopted the Walker surname from his mother’s maiden name for his professional career.
Personal Life
Walker became engaged to actress Mamie Gummer in 2009, and the two married in 2011. They separated in March 2013 and later divorced. He began dating actress Kaya Scodelario in April 2014, and the two became engaged in December 2014. They married in late 2015 and adopted the shared surname Scodelario-Davis. The couple welcomed a son in November 2016 and a daughter in December 2021. In February 2024, the couple announced their separation.
