Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill (born 5 May 1983) is a British actor best known for playing Superman in the DC Extended Universe from 2013 to 2023. He first appeared as Superman in Man of Steel (2013) and returned for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017). He also made cameo appearances in Black Adam (2022) and The Flash (2023).
Cavill started his television career in 2002 with a role in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. He later played Charles Brandon in the Showtime series The Tudors (2007–2010), earning critical acclaim. More recently, he starred as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s The Witcher (2019–2023).
Cavill’s film career began in 2001 with a role in Laguna. He went on to play Theseus in Immortals (2011), Napoleon Solo in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015), Sherlock Holmes in the Enola Holmes films (2020–present), and Gus March-Phillipps in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024). His other credits include Night Hunter (2018), Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018), and Argylle (2024).
Profile Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Henry Cavill |
| Birth Name | Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill |
| Date of Birth | 5 May 1983 (age 43) |
| Place of Birth | St Helier, Jersey |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years Active | 2001–present |
| Partner | Natalie Viscuso (2021–present) |
| Children | 1 |
Age
Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill was born on 5 May 1983 in St Helier, Jersey. He is 43 years old.
Biography & Early Life
Cavill was born on 5 May 1983 as the fourth of five sons in a Catholic family in Saint Helier, Jersey, in the Channel Islands. His mother, Marianne (Dalgliesh), is from Jersey and has Scottish, English, and Irish roots. She worked as a bank secretary. His father, Colin Cavill, is from Chester, England, and worked as a stockbroker. Cavill attended St Michael’s Preparatory School in Saint Saviour, Jersey, and later went to Stowe School in Buckinghamshire.
While at Stowe, Cavill was involved in both sports and drama. He played a T-Bird in a 1999 school production of Grease and took the lead in Dogg’s Hamlet, which his Grafton house entered in a school drama festival. He also played field hockey for the 1st XI and rugby for the 3rd XV.
In 2000, when Cavill was 16 and playing rugby, he met actor Russell Crowe, who was filming Proof of Life at Stowe. Crowe gave him some acting advice and later sent him a package. Years later, they worked together on Man of Steel.
Philanthropy
Cavill has supported many charitable causes during his career. He is an ambassador for The Royal Marines Charity, which helps former Royal Marines and their families with financial support, mental health services, and transition assistance. He also launched the running phase of the Royal Marines 1664 Challenge and took part in The Gibraltar Rock Run in 2014.
He has also supported the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, showing his commitment to animal welfare. Cavill has joined fundraising campaigns with Omaze to help veterans and conservation efforts. He has also participated in charity runs and hospital visits, especially to support military veterans and children.
Personal life
Cavill lives in South Kensington, London. He was engaged to English show jumper Ellen Whitaker from 2011 to 2012. In May 2021, he shared that he was in a relationship with Natalie Viscuso, an American TV executive. On 15 April 2024, they announced they were expecting their first child. In July 2025, Cavill told British GQ that they had a daughter.
In 2016, Cavill began practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu and trained at Roger Gracie’s academy in London. He supports the Jersey Rugby Club. While living in the United States, he started following American football and became a fan of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.
Cavill has been a passionate gamer since he was a child. He once missed a call from Zack Snyder offering him the Superman role because he was playing World of Warcraft. He prefers PC gaming, a hobby he picked up from his father, and enjoys building his own computers. Playing The Witcher video games inspired him to pursue the role of Geralt. He also likes the Total War strategy games, and in May 2020, a character honoring Cavill and his Witcher role was added to Total War: Warhammer II as Cavill, Loremaster of Hoeth. Cavill is also a fan of the Warhammer 40,000 games and stories, saying he “genuinely can’t get enough of the lore they have built over the decades.”
Cavill has sectoral heterochromia and is 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall.
