The Sandman continues to make waves on Netflix, proving hugely popular with fans of the original Neil Gaiman comics and newcomers alike.

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The series features plenty of big names in its cast including Doctor Who's Jenna Coleman, Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie and Star Wars' Mark Hamill – however, the show's lead star is someone whose screen roles have tended to fly slightly more under the radar.

The central character Dream/Morpheus is played by Tom Sturridge, an actor who has worked largely in theatre but has also appeared in both TV and film roles. So who is Sturridge, what has he been in before, and can you find him on social media?

Read on for everything you need to know about star of The Sandman, Tom Sturridge.

Who is Tom Sturridge?

Tom Sturridge
Tom Sturridge David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage/Getty

Tom Sturridge is an English stage and screen actor best known for playing Dream/Morpheus in The Sandman.

He first appeared on screen as a child actor in 1996's TV adaptation of Gulliver's Travels, and has since gone on to be nominated for two Tony Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award and more.

This year, alongside appearing in The Sandman, he also had a recurring role in Alicia Vikander series Irma Vep.

Sturridge has a daughter who was born in 2012, with his ex-girlfriend Sienna Miller.

How old is Tom Sturridge?

Tom Sturridge is 36 years old.

He was born on 21st December 1985.

What nationality is Tom Sturridge?

Tom Sturridge is English.

He was born in Lambeth in London and went to The Harrodian School – other actors to go there have included Robert Pattinson, Jack Whitehall, Will Poulter and George MacKay.

What has Tom Sturridge previously starred in?

Tom Sturridge as Eamonn in Irma Vep.
Tom Sturridge as Eamonn in Irma Vep. HBO

Sturridge has had a hugely successful stage career too, appearing on shows both on Broadway and in the West End.

On screen he has appeared in films including Richard Curtis's The Boat That Rocked, the 2014 adaptation of Far from the Madding Crowd and the Asa Butterfield war film Journey's End. In 2019, he appeared in Netflix black comedy Velvet Buzzsaw alongside Jake Gyllenhaal.

On TV he played Henry VI in The Hollow Crown, starred as Jake in American series Sweetbitter and is currently appearing in new Sky release Irma Vep, which originally aired in the US on HBO and stars Alicia Vikander.

What has Tom Sturridge said about his role in The Sandman?

Tom Sturridge stars as Dream in The Sandman.
Tom Sturridge stars as Dream in The Sandman. Netflix

Sturridge has said that the interview process for the role of Dream was exhaustive, lasting months and months.

However, he has said that he was glad the team had time to ponder before they made their decision, telling Collider: "To take on something that is so beloved, you really want to have confidence in the people who are making the decision, that they’ve had the opportunity to really think about it, and specifically it’s creator, Neil Gaiman.

"It definitely allayed some of the ocean of fear I had inside me."

Sturridge also spoke to RadioTimes.com about his role, saying that he's read the original Sandman comics "over and over again" and from that he felt "so familiar with each character".

He also said that in order to find the character's voice, he turned to Gaiman himself.

He said: "I asked Neil, 'What does he sound like?' And he told me that he is the voice inside of your head. He's the voice that lulls you to sleep and that guides you through your dreams, which means that it has to have an authority and even a danger, but it has to be seductive enough for you to accept the invitation to follow him."

Is Tom Sturridge on Instagram?

Tom Sturridge.
Tom Sturridge. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Tom Sturridge isn't currently on Instagram.

Is Tom Sturridge on Twitter?

Tom Sturridge isn't currently on Twitter.

Read more:

The Sandman is available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

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Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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