Ronan David Jackson Vibert (23 February 1964 – 22 December 2022) was an English actor who was known for his appearances in films and on British and American television.

Early life

He was born in Cambridge, on 23 February 1964, the son of Dilys (née Jackson) and David Vibert, both artists and brother Cevn Vibert. He lived in Penarth, South Wales, until he was 18, then attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), graduating in 1985.

Career

Vibert had a long career in theatre, radio, television and film.

Vibert appeared in episodes of Lovejoy, Chandler & Co, Between the Lines and the BBC's The Buccaneers, in ITV's Cadfael, Inspector Lewis and in Van der Valk. He appeared in Jeeves and Wooster as Wilmot, Lord Pershore ('Motty').

Stage credits included plays at the Bush Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, The Gate, Manchester Royal Exchange, Bristol Old Vic, The Barbican for the RSC, The Almeida and The Savoy West End. In 1996, Vibert appeared at the National Theatre for the third time, as Prince Andre in Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. He played Maximilien Robespierre in the BBC's adaptation of The Scarlet Pimpernel with Richard E. Grant.

Vibert appeared in the Midsomer Murders episode "Death in Chorus". He also appeared in episodes of Waking The Dead and The Mrs Bradley Mysteries.

He also appeared in such TV series as Rome, ITV's Poirot, The Borgias, Emmy award winning miniseries Hatfields and McCoys with Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton, Penny Dreadful, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, NCIS LA, Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams and Carnival Row.

Among his many films are Shadow of the Vampire with John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe, The Cat's Meow directed by Peter Bogdanovich, the Oscar-winning The Pianist directed by Roman Polanski, Tomb Raider 2, Tristan and Isolde, The Snowman with Michael Fassbender and Saving Mr Banks with Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, portraying the literary agent Diarmuid Russell. He also appeared in The Grass Arena with Mark Rylance.

Illness and death

Vibert died at a Florida hospital on 22 December 2022, aged 58, following a brief illness.

Filmography

Film and television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987On the Black HillJim Watkins
1989TraffikLee
1990Birds of a FeatherMartinEpisode: "Love on the Run"
1991Van der ValkMartin LepwegEpisode: "Dangerous Games"
1992Jeeves and WoosterWilmot, Lord Pershore ('Motty')"Bertie Sets Sail"
1993LovejoyLindsey Parry Davies"Second Fiddle"
1995CadfaelLe GaucherEpisode: "The Virgin in the Ice"
The BuccaneersLord Richard Marabel
1996Tales from the CryptEpisode: "Horror in the Night"
1998Tale of the MummyYoung
Big WomenBull
1999Gimme Gimme GimmeVinceEpisode: "I Do, I Do, I Do"
Highlander: The RavenSir Trevor Benton"The Frame"
1999–2000The Scarlet PimpernelMaximilien Robespierre
2000The Mrs Bradley MysteriesDouglasEpisode: "Laurels Are Poison"
Shadow of the VampireMuller
2001The Cat's MeowJoseph Willicombe
2002ShearingStewartshort film
2002The PianistJanina's Husband
2002The Princess and the PeaLaird
2003Keen EddieCraig Booth"The Amazing Larry Dunn"
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of LifeMI6 Agent Calloway
2004LondonJoseph Conrad
GladiatressCaesar
2005HexMephistopheles
Waking The DeadDr Jonathan Lynch"Subterraneans"
2006Ultimate ForceGriffin"Violent Solutions"
2006Midsomer MurdersGiles Armitage"Death in Chorus"
2007TaggartJames ForsythEpisode: "Users and Losers"
RomeLepidusEpisode: "Philippi"
2008The Sarah Jane AdventuresProfessor SkinnerThe Last Sontaran
2009The BillCurtis Jensen
LewisSimon Monkford"The Quality of Mercy"
2010The Last SevenIsaac
Agatha Christie's PoirotCaptain Dacres"Three Act Tragedy"
1066Sweyn
2011The BorgiasGiovanni Sforza
The Man Who Crossed HitlerWalther Stennes
2012Hatfields & McCoysPerry Cline
2013Saving Mr. BanksDiarmuid Russell
2013New TricksRay Barlow"Roots"
2014Dracula UntoldSimion "The Wise"
2015Jonathan Strange & Mr NorrellThe Duke of Wellington
2015Penny DreadfulSir Geoffrey HawkesEpisodes: "The Nightcomers", "Little Scorpion"
2015The CoronerGavin DrakeSeries 1 Episode 3 "That's The Way To Do It"
2017The SnowmanDCI Gunnar Hagen
2017Philip K. Dick's Electric DreamsChief JudgeEpisode: "Human Is"

Radio

YearPlayRoleNotes
2008A Dance to the Music of TimePeter TemplerBBC Radio 4

External links