Bio
Julian Ovenden is an English actor and singer best known for his role as Eric Burden, the husband of Zoe (played by Frances O'Connor), in the short-lived television series Cashmere Mafia, in 2008.
Cashmere Mafia marks Ovenden's second foray into U.S. television, his first being a recurring role in the television series Related for the WB network.
He starred opposite Nathan Lane in the Broadway production of the acclaimed play Butley, about a bitter English professor (Lane) at a London university in the early 1970s and his complicated relationship with a younger colleague (Ovenden).
The son of the chaplain to the Queen, Ovenden grew up a musically gifted child in London. At the age of seven he received a scholarship to sing in the choir at St. Paul's Cathedral, and by 13 was awarded a music scholarship to Eton College.
From Eton he attended Oxford University, winning a choral scholarship to sing with the world renowned choir of New College.
Apart from his studies and touring and recording with the choir, Ovenden directed the baroque opera King Arthur and toured the United States in a production of As You Like It.
Upon graduation from Oxford he attended The Webber-Douglas Academy of Performing Arts in London, where he was awarded an Arts Council Scholarship.
After finishing his post graduate studies he went straight into a contract with the Royal Shakespeare Company, working with the Japanese director Yukio Ninagawa and Sir Nigel Hawthorne in a production of King Lear.
Ovenden earned the distinction of being the youngest actor to play a leading role at the world famous Donmar Warehouse when director Michael Grandage cast him in the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along.
He also starred in another Michael Grandage production at the Donmar, The Grand Hotel, opposite Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Both plays received an Olivier Award for Best Musical Production.
Other theatre credits include a critically-acclaimed performance as the lead role in A Woman of No Importance for director Adrian Noble at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End.
Ovenden has been working consistently in other media as well. He first starred in Working Title's romantic comedy Come Together with James D'Arcy, and then won the hearts of women playing the young heartthrob doctor on The Royal.
He had starring roles opposite Damian Lewis and Gina McKee in the award-winning miniseries The Forsyte Saga for Granada, and as Andrew Foyle in the long running and BAFTA-nominated mini-series Foyle's War, opposite Michael Kitchen.
He was also seen opposite Kelsey Grammer in NBC's musical special A Christmas Carol for director Arthur Seidelman.
In addition, Ovenden makes time for concert performances, including several live recordings with the BBC concert orchestra, a Bernstein tribute concert for the BBC in Belfast and an appearance at New York's Metropolitan Room for his one-man show.
Ovenden presently divides his time between London, New York and Los Angeles.