Charles Matthew Hunnam (/ˈhʌnəm/; born 10 April 1980) is an English actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Jax Teller in the FX series Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014). His portrayal was nominated twice for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor.
Charles Matthew Hunnam was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on 10 April 1980, the son of Jane Bell, a ballet dancer and business owner, and William Hunnam. One of his grandmothers was a portrait artist. He has said that his mother "did a very good job" of being a single parent. He has an older brother named William and two younger half brothers on his mother's side named Oliver and Christian.
Hunnam met actress Katharine Towne, daughter of actress Julie Payne and filmmaker Robert Towne, in 1999 when they both auditioned for roles on Dawson's Creek. After dating for three weeks, they married in Las Vegas; they divorced in 2002. He dated model Sophie Dahl, actress Stella Parker and film producer Georgina Townsley.
In 2011, Hunnam played the role of Gavin Nichols in the philosophical drama/thriller The Ledge by Matthew Chapman.
In 2012, he starred as the title character in the indie comedy 3,2,1... Frankie Go Boom alongside his Sons of Anarchy co-star Ron Perlman. Hunnam said he considered the day he filmed scenes with Perlman the best and funniest day of filming he's had in his career. He also appeared as Jay, an ex-boxer, in Stefan Ruzowitzky's crime drama Deadfall (2012).
In 2013, Hunnam mentioned he was developing a screenplay based on a 2011 Rolling Stone article that he optioned about Edgar Valdez Villareal, an American drug lord who ran one of the biggest cartels in Mexico. Another project he has in development is a film about gypsy culture in Britain, which he hopes to direct. He stated that it is "a part of English society that's really seldom been explored, but is one of the most colourful and interesting parts of British society."
Hunnam starred as Raleigh Becket in Guillermo del Toro's sci-fi film Pacific Rim, which opened in July 2013 and grossed $411 million worldwide. It was announced on 2 September 2013 that Hunnam would play the lead role of Christian Grey in the film adaptation of E. L. James' novel Fifty Shades of Grey. However, on 12 October 2013, Universal Pictures announced that Hunnam had withdrawn from the film due to conflicts with the schedule of his series Sons of Anarchy.
On 2 June 2014, Hunnam was awarded a Huading Award for Best Global Emerging Actor, for his role as Raleigh in Pacific Rim due to the film performing well in Asian markets. Hunnam reunited with del Toro in the horror film Crimson Peak, alongside Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, and Jessica Chastain. The film began shooting in February 2014 and was released on 16 October 2015.
Hunnam starred as geographer Percy Fawcett in James Gray's adaptation of author David Grann's 2009 book, The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Gray dubbed his adventure drama The Lost City of Z, which filmed from August–October 2015. The film had its world premiere 15 October 2016 as the closing night selection at the New York Film Festival. It was released in the United States on 14 April 2017. Hunnam played the eponymous title role in Guy Ritchie's action-adventure film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, which was filmed between March and July 2015. It was released in May 2017. He next starred in Guy Ritchie's 2019 film The Gentlemen alongside Matthew McConaughey.
In 2016, he began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Rigan Machado, and received his blue belt in October 2018.
Hunnam portrayed Charlie Waldo in the 2022 mystery/thriller Last Looks which also featured Mel Gibson. His first feature for Apple TV+, Shantaram, premiered 14 October 2022. Hunnam leads the cast of characters as Dale Conti/Lindsay "Linbaba" Ford. The series is based on Gregory David Roberts' 2003 autobiographical novel.
On 9 February 2023, Deadline Hollywood reported that Hunnam joined Zack Snyder's Netflix project Rebel Moon. The project reunited Hunnam with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword co-star Djimon Hounsou. The epic space opera, Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire had a limited theatrical release on 15 December 2023. On 21 December 2023, the film was released worldwide via Netflix's streaming service. Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver was released worldwide 14 April 2024 on Netflix.
In May 2024, Hunnam was cast in the lead role for Amazon Prime Video's adaptation of the comic series by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, Criminal. Hunnam will star as Leo, "a brilliant master thief."