Steve Speirs

Biography

Steve Speirs (born Steven Roberts in Troed-y-rhiw, Wales, on 22 February 1965) is a Welsh actor and writer. His career spans film, television and theatre, and he is known both for larger productions and for British comedy.

Born Steven Roberts, he grew up in a village now within the borough of Merthyr Tydfil. He developed an interest in drama at school, joined the National Youth Theatre of Wales and studied drama at Loughborough University. He has said that he took his stage name from the surname of a college lecturer.

After university, he appeared in Eragon (2006) as Sloan and in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) as Captain Tarpals. Comedy work followed, including Burke and Hare (2010), directed by John Landis, and Cemetery Junction (2010), a part written with him in mind by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. On television he has worked on Big School and Upstart Crow, where he plays Richard Burbage. He also wrote and starred in Caught in the Act (2008), drawn from his memories of growing up in south Wales.

Beyond acting, he has created, written and starred in The Tuckers for BBC Wales. His career shows a steady presence in British comedy on both the big and small screens. He now lives in Rhiwbina, Cardiff.

Key films

• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), as Captain Tarpals
• Eragon (2006), as Sloan
• Burke and Hare (2010), as the bouncer at Mother McOakley's Tavern
• Cemetery Junction (2010), a part written for him