Appeared in Moby's video for "We Are All Made of Stars". [2002]
Appeared in UK adult comic Viz (issue 76, Feb/Mar 1996) in a spoof photo-love story called "I've Bean to Paradise".
Appears in "Game of Thrones (2011)"(Qv) with Peter Vaughan. Vaughan had previously played Denethor in the BBC Radio production of The Lord of the Rings, while Bean played Boromir - Denethor's son - in Peter Jackson's films.
Applied successfully for a grant to study at RADA where he won a Silver Medal and two fencing medals.
Auditioned for the role of James Bond in The Living Daylights (1987). He later played Bond's nemesis in GoldenEye (1995).
Daughter, Evie Natasha born, with Abigail Cruttenden. [6 November 1998]
Graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, England.
Has a scar over his eye given to him by Harrison Ford while shooting his death scene in Patriot Games (1992). Ford accidentally hit him with a boat hook. In the Sharpe series, this was emphasised with makeup to add credibility to his character.
Has a younger sister called Lorraine Bean.
Has three children as of July 2005: Lorna Bean (b. October, 1987; mother is Melanie Hill), Molly Bean (b. September, 1991; mother is Melanie Hill) and Evie Natasha Bean (b. November, 1998; mother is Abigail Cruttenden).
Has worked opposite two Aragorns. Prior to working with Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings, he appeared in The Field (1990) with John Hurt, who had voiced Aragorn in Ralph Bakshi's animated film. Also, in Sharpe's Challenge (2006) (TV), he works with Toby Stephens, whose father, Robert Stephens, played Aragorn in the BBC Radio Adaptation.
He has a "100% BLADE" tattoo on his left shoulder, in honour of his favourite football team, Sheffield United whose nickname is "The Blades". The tattoo is frequently converted (with makeup) into a scar - or a different tattoo - when he is filming.
He has retained his Sheffield accent.
He has two scars. He got one when he was a child and the other from Harrison Ford during the filming of Patriot Games.
He is a devoted follower of the Sheffield United Football Club.
He was a presenter at the 1995 BAFTA Awards.
His dislike for flying is so intense that during the filming of the "Mount Caradhras" scene in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), he hiked in costume to the shooting site while his fellow cast members were ferried in by helicopter.
His father, Brian, owned a fabric shop and his mother, Rita, worked as a secretary.
His fear of flying was cured during the filming of Lord of the Rings.