Matt Barber (actor)

Matthew Barber is an English actor.

Early life and education

Born in Hammersmith, London, he grew up in Hampshire, training classically as a chorister at Winchester Cathedral before receiving academic and music scholarships to Bradfield College, where he was head boy.
Barber read Classical Studies and Philosophy at St Cuthbert's Society, Durham, and graduated there in 2005.
He trained as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and finished in 2007.

Career

He is best known for his role as Atticus Aldridge in Downton Abbey. His previous roles include Freddie Eynsford-Hill in Peter Hall's Pygmalion, opposite Michelle Dockery at the Old Vic, and internationally as Lysander in Jonathan Kent's The Fairy-Queen at Glyndebourne.
In 2011, he acted in Edward II, as the main character. Stet Journal said: "Barber is an excellent Edward – naive, excitable, and ultimately pitiable... mesmerising".