Biography of Cosmo Jarvis
The talented actor knew from childhood that he was meant to be a star. But he found his way to serious movie roles through his passion for music: in the early 2010s, Cosmo Jarvis released four albums in the pop-rock genre.In 2012, he broke into the film world by writing and directing the dark indie film "The Naughty Room." Over the past ten-plus years, the actor has captivated British and Irish audiences with his roles in "Armadillo" and "It's In Us All." Then he set his sights on global fame, starring in the hit series "Shogun" in 2024.
Early Years
Harrison Cosmo Krikoryan Jarvis was born on September 1, 1989, in the New York suburb of Ridgewood. His father is English, and his mother is American with Armenian roots; her parents were refugees from Armenia who settled in the United States. Cosmo also has a younger brother, Fletcher, with whom he has a great relationship.A few years after their first child was born, the family moved to the father's homeland, the United Kingdom. In 1998, Cosmo's parents divorced. He and his brother stayed with their mother, and the three settled in the town of Totnes in Devon, in southwest England.
Jarvis attended Ivybridge School, where he struggled academically but loved the arts, from music (he wrote his own songs) to filmmaking. In 2001, Cosmo picked up a camera for the first time to shoot a video for his single. At 16, he left school to focus on music.
Music
Jarvis first got attention performing with his band Pull My Finger, mainly in Plymouth clubs. In 2006, the group reached the finals of the Battle of the Bands music competition (in the "under 18" category).In 2009, Jarvis released his debut solo double album, Humasyouhitch/Sonofabitch. He wrote all the songs himself in his bedroom using a computer and a cheap microphone. His lyrics explored the "dark side" of life, teenage crushes on TV stars, and his personal experiences growing up in a small town.
A year later, the singer performed at Germany's Hurricane and Southside festivals. In 2011, the musician's second album, Is the World Strange or Am I Strange?, was released. The album opened with the song Gay Pirates, inspired by life in the slums.
Film Career
In 2011, Cosmo moved to London but quickly realized he couldn't afford the rent even on the city's outskirts. He returned to Devon and rented an apartment above a shop in the coastal town of Paignton with his childhood friend Dave Egan. This was when he began working on his first feature film.In 2012, Cosmo announced in an interview that he was working on his own film titled "The Naughty Room." Jarvis wrote the script and music, directed, produced, and edited the film, and also played the lead role. He was supported by friends, including his brother Fletcher. The film's budget was only £8,000, and Cosmo's grandmother generously provided the shooting location.
This filmmaking experience inspired Jarvis so much that he decided to pursue acting over music. He eventually moved to London and started actively attending auditions. In 2015, he appeared in the film "Spooks: The Greater Good," but the turning point came the following year when he landed six projects, including supporting roles.
These included minor roles in the series "Moving On," "Humans," and "My Mother and Other Strangers," as well as in films "Monochrome" and "The Habit of Beauty," plus a significant role in the drama "Lady Macbeth," where Cosmo played Sebastian, the lover of Florence Pugh's character, a worker on her husband's country estate.
"I was equally excited and terrified by the opportunity to work on something like this," Jarvis said about the experience. The following year, Jarvis was nominated for the British Independent Film Awards as "Most Promising Newcomer" for this role.
During this period, he also tried his hand at theater, performing in "The Hairy Ape" at Park Avenue Armory and "The Twilight Zone" at Almeida Theatre.
Another career breakthrough came in 2019 when he landed a role in the crime drama "Calm with Horses." He played a former boxer who, desperate and broke, agrees to work for a drug dealer clan. For the role, Jarvis had to master an Irish accent. Barry Keoghan, an Irish actor, played another central role.
Critics praised Jarvis's performance, and in 2020, he earned nominations for the British Independent Film Awards as Best Actor and the London Critics' Circle Film Awards.
"We filmed in places where locals lived, who didn't care about the film. You'd just sit in a pub and chat with anyone, so all the necessary context was there," Cosmo recalled.
In 2020, Jarvis also guest-starred in the fifth season of "Peaky Blinders" as a character named Barney. He also appeared in the series "Raised by Wolves," the drama "The Evening Hour," and the thriller "Funny Face." The latter was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Jarvis also appeared in the Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen's novel "Persuasion." He played one of the main characters, Captain Frederick Wentworth, while his love interest, Anne Elliot, was portrayed by Dakota Johnson. Critics gave the film mixed reviews, with Cosmo's performance drawing harsh criticism from critic Christy Lemire: "It's impossible to care whether Anne and Frederick end up together because Cosmo Jarvis's portrayal is so stiff and lacking charisma."
Cosmo Jarvis's Personal Life
From his very first major roles, the actor built up a huge female fanbase. He was rumored to have dated his co-stars, including Florence Pugh and Dakota Johnson. But in rare interviews, Jarvis made it clear that his heart was already taken and that he dreams of becoming a father someday.In early 2024, several sources reported that the actor married a woman named Emily, whom he'd reportedly been dating for several years. However, this information hasn't been confirmed (or denied).
Cosmo Jarvis Now
In 2021, it was announced that Jarvis would play a central role in the miniseries "Shōgun," the second television adaptation of James Clavell's bestselling novel. The FX project premiered in February 2024. Cosmo took on the role of John Blackthorne, an English sailor who lands on the Japanese archipelago and immediately gets caught up in the political struggle against Lord Toranaga.After the first episodes aired, critics released glowing reviews, praising Jarvis's performance. The Washington Post wrote that he brilliantly captured his role, while Empire described the actor as "irresistible." The Evening Standard emphasized that Cosmo demonstrated an incredible ability to transform, recalling his previous characters in "Calm with Horses" and "Persuasion."
2024 also saw the premiere of the Australian drama "Inside," with Jarvis in the lead role. The plot follows a prisoner forced to murder the country's most notorious criminal. Cosmo starred alongside Guy Pearce.
Jarvis also worked with Robert De Niro on the gangster drama "Alto Knights." The film had been in development since the 1970s, with studios constantly passing the script around. The story focuses on rival bosses in the Italian-American mafia. The film is slated for release in March 2025.
Interesting Facts
- Critics often compare Cosmo to Marlon Brando and Tom Hardy. However, the actor disapproves of such comparisons, insisting that no one can be put on the same level as these stars.
- Jarvis doesn't have social media accounts. He only got a smartphone in 2020 because his agent insisted.
- The actor has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He regularly takes insulin injections and follows a strict diet.
Important Dates
- 2009 – Released the debut album Humasyouhitch/Sonofabitch
- 2011 – Released the second album Is the World Strange or Am I Strange?
- 2012 – Released the album Think Bigger
- 2016 – Acted in the drama "Lady Macbeth"
- 2017 – Made his stage debut in "The Hairy Ape" and "The Twilight Zone"
- 2019 – Appeared in the movie "The Shadow of Violence"
- 2022 – Starred in the series "This Is in Us All" and the film "Persuasion"
- 2024 – Appeared in the series "Shogun"