Sam Riley was the lead singer of a rock band before turning to acting, an unconventional path that has shaped his entire career.
The role that brought him international recognition was his portrayal of Ian Curtis, the legendary frontman of Joy Division, in Control (dir. Anton Corbijn, 2007), which earned him numerous awards, including a British Independent Film Award and a BAFTA Rising Star nomination.
It was also on that film set that he met his future wife, actress Alexandra Maria Lara.
Since then, Riley has built an impressive career, moving from the adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road (dir. Walter Salles, 2012) to playing Diaval in Disney blockbuster Maleficent (dir. Robert Stromberg, 2014) alongside Angelina Jolie, and later taking on the role of Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (dir. Burr Steers, 2016).
Among his most recent roles is his performance in Islands (dir. Jan-Ole Gerster, 2025), which screened at last year’s Transilvania IFF and was subsequently released in Romanian cinemas.
Audiences will have the opportunity to meet Ben Wheatley and Sam Riley at the screening of Bulk.