Alexander Hanson

Alexander Harald St John Hanson-Akins (born 28 April 1961) is a Norwegian-English stage actor who has appeared in numerous plays and musicals in the West End, and also on Broadway.

Hanson was born in Oslo, Norway.

His mother, Ellen, was half-French, half-Norwegian, and his father was English.

After his parents' divorce, his mother remarried George Akins, a Nottingham businessman.

He initially prepared for a career in hotels and catering, but then decided on a career in acting, and entered drama school.

Hanson is an alumnus of Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Hanson has been married since 1989 to actress Samantha Bond, and has two children with her, Molly and Tom.

in 1995, Hanson played Joe Gillis, the male lead in Sunset Boulevard, opposite Elaine Paige and then Petula Clark at the Adelphi Theatre.

Hanson played Captain Macheath in the Royal National Theatre production of The Villain's Opera, Nick Dear and Stephen Warbeck's updating of The Beggars Opera in 2000.

Hanson starred in the high-profile West End revival of The Sound of Music in 2006 as Captain Georg von Trapp.

He was brought in to replace Simon Shepherd, who bowed out of the show during previews.

Hanson originated the role of Khashoggi in London's We Will Rock You, leaving the production after seven months.

He starred in the West End production of A Little Night Music, and also appeared in the transfer of that production to Broadway in 2009–2010.

Hanson appeared in the West End production of An Ideal Husband in November 2010, opposite his wife Samantha Bond.

He played Pilate in the 2012 UK arena tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's popular musical Jesus Christ Superstar, and reprised the role in the 2013 leg of the tour.

In 2013, Hanson was cast in the title role in Stephen Ward the Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical telling the story of the Profumo scandal.