# Scott Speedman
**Scott Speedman** (born Robert Scott Speedman, 1975) is a British-born Canadian actor known for playing Ben Covington on the drama series *Felicity* (The WB, 1998–2002), Michael Corvin in the *Underworld* films, and Baz Blackwell on the crime drama *Animal Kingdom*.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/scott_speedman) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005454/) He was born in London, England, to Scottish parents and raised in Toronto, Canada.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, London, England, UK; raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from age four[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) |
| Breakout role | Ben Covington, the title character's love interest on *Felicity* (The WB, 1998–2002), opposite Keri Russell[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/scott_speedman) |
| Franchise work | Michael Corvin, a werewolf-vampire hybrid, in *Underworld* (2003) and *Underworld: Evolution* (2006)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005454/) |
| Notable TV roles | Baz Blackwell on *Animal Kingdom* (TNT, from 2016); Dr. Nick Marsh on *Grey's Anatomy* (from 2018); Matthew on *You* season 3 (2021); James Chenoweth on *Teacup* (2024)[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) |
| Awards | Best Actor Genie nomination for *Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster*; Golden Wave award for *My Life Without Me*; Cinescape Face of the Future Award for *Underworld*[5](https://mediafiles.cineplex.com/cineplexmagazine-april2012.pdf) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) |
| Cannes films | Actor on three In Competition features: *Adoration* (2008), *Captives* (2014), and *Crimes of the Future* (2022)[6](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/p/scott-speedman/) |
| Current work | Title role in ABC's *R.J. Decker* (2026), a private-investigator series inspired by Carl Hiaasen's novel *Double Whammy*[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) |
## Early life and swimming
Speedman was born in London, England, to Scottish parents Roy Speedman, a department store buyer, and Mary Speedman (née Campbell), a primary school teacher; his mother was an Olympic track and field athlete.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005454/) The family moved to Toronto when he was four. He attended Earl Haig Secondary School and trained as a competitive swimmer, holding a Canadian national record in the 400-meter medley relay as part of a relay team at ages 12 and 14.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) • [7](https://www.tribute.ca/people/scott-speedman/5888/) As a member of the Canadian Junior National Swim Team, he placed ninth at the 1992 Olympic trials; a neck injury soon after ended his swimming career.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/)
He attended the [University of Toronto](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-toronto) in 1994–1996. On a dare, he appeared on *Speaker's Corner*, a viewer open forum run by Toronto's CityTV, and professed interest in auditioning for the role of Robin in *Batman Forever* (1995), which was being cast in Toronto. The appearance earned him an audition, though the part went to [Chris O'Donnell](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-odonnell); the exposure helped him land an agent.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005454/)
## Early career and Felicity
His television debut came in 1995 on the Canadian series *Net Worth* (CBC), followed by the syndicated *Nancy Drew* (1996), the CBS biopic *A Brother's Promise: The Dan Jansen Story* (1996), and the short film *Can I Get a Witness?*, which screened at the 1996 [Toronto International Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-international-film-festival).[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) He starred in the Canadian independent feature *Kitchen Party* (1997), which he has described as the start of a career now spanning nearly three decades.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) • [8](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/02/with-crimes-of-the-future-scott-speedman-goes-from-heartthrob-to-tortured-soul/)
**Felicity.** A call from an American casting agent led to his audition for *Felicity*, in which he played the brooding college student Ben Covington opposite [Keri Russell](https://www.edgepedia.org/keri-russell) across the show's four-season run from 1998 to 2002.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) • [4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) The series was Golden Globe-nominated, and its success opened the door to feature film work.[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) • [1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/scott_speedman) His feature debut came in the karaoke-themed comedy-drama *Duets* (2000) opposite [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://www.edgepedia.org/gwyneth-paltrow), in a role originally offered to [Brad Pitt](https://www.edgepedia.org/brad-pitt), who exited after splitting from Paltrow.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/)
## Film career
After *Felicity* ended, Speedman moved into features. He played an inexperienced LAPD detective opposite [Kurt Russell](https://www.edgepedia.org/kurt-russell) in the cop drama *Dark Blue* (2002/2003), and the husband of a terminally ill woman opposite [Sarah Polley](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-polley), his high school alum, in *My Life Without Me* (2003), for which he won a Golden Wave award.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/)
**Underworld.** His breakthrough film role was Michael Corvin, the human caught between vampire and werewolf factions, opposite [Kate Beckinsale](https://www.edgepedia.org/kate-beckinsale) in *Underworld* (2003), the first entry in a successful franchise; he received the Cinescape Face of the Future Award for the part and reprised the role in *Underworld: Evolution* (2006).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005454/) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) Other studio work followed in *xXx: State of the Union* (2005) and the home-invasion thriller *The Strangers* (2008) opposite [Liv Tyler](https://www.edgepedia.org/liv-tyler), a modest hit with audiences.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/scott_speedman) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/)
**Independent film.** Speedman consistently sought more nuanced roles, frequently in independent features, in a career aimed at longevity rather than marquee recognition.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/scott_speedman) He worked with Canadian director [Atom Egoyan](https://www.edgepedia.org/atom-egoyan) on *Adoration* (2008) and *The Captive* (2014), both of which screened in [Competition](https://www.edgepedia.org/competition) at Cannes.[6](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/p/scott-speedman/) He played the murdered best friend of [Paul Giamatti](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-giamatti)'s writer in *Barney's Version* (2010), and took the title role of bank robber Edwin Boyd in *Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster* (2011), earning a Best Actor Genie nomination.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/) • [5](https://mediafiles.cineplex.com/cineplexmagazine-april2012.pdf) Later independent work included *The Monster* (2016), his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes at 81 percent, and *Good Neighbours* (2010).[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/scott_speedman)
In 2022 he appeared in two high-profile releases: [David Cronenberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-cronenberg)'s *Crimes of the Future*, in Competition at Cannes, playing Lang Daughtery, leader of a cult that subsists on microplastics; and [Lena Dunham](https://www.edgepedia.org/lena-dunham)'s *Sharp Stick*, which debuted at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, in which he played Vance Leroy.[8](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/02/with-crimes-of-the-future-scott-speedman-goes-from-heartthrob-to-tortured-soul/) • [4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) Cronenberg personally emailed him to offer the part, an approach Speedman described as unusual for a job of that scale.[8](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/02/with-crimes-of-the-future-scott-speedman-goes-from-heartthrob-to-tortured-soul/)
## Television career
Speedman's television work after *Felicity* includes the ABC military drama *Last Resort* (2012), in which he co-starred as Lt. Cmdr. Sam Kendal.[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) In 2016 he joined TNT's *Animal Kingdom* as Baz Blackwell, the trusted second-in-command of Ellen Barkin's crime-family matriarch; he parted ways with the series in 2018.[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) • [8](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/02/with-crimes-of-the-future-scott-speedman-goes-from-heartthrob-to-tortured-soul/)
**Grey's Anatomy and recent series.** After a single-episode guest appearance as Dr. Nick Marsh in 2018, Speedman was invited back to *Grey's Anatomy* as an official cast member for season 18, playing the love interest of Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo); he has remained a recurring presence on the series.[8](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/02/with-crimes-of-the-future-scott-speedman-goes-from-heartthrob-to-tortured-soul/) • [4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) He appeared in season 3 of Netflix's *You* (2021) as Matthew Engler, a reserved neighbor, and headlined Peacock's thriller series *Teacup* (2024) opposite Yvonne Strahovski, inspired by Robert McCammon's novel *Stinger*.[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005454/) He guest-starred as Luke McShay, a member of a rival family owning Los Angeles's hockey team, in season 2 of Netflix's *Running Point* (2026).[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/)
He currently stars as the title character in ABC's *R.J. Decker* (2026), playing a former newspaper photographer and ex-con who reinvents himself as a private investigator in South Florida; he also serves as an executive producer on the series.[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005454/)
## Career pattern
Speedman has described a deliberate balance between television, features, and independent film, saying television suits him because he likes going to work every day, while film offers diverse material he once would have declined.[8](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/02/with-crimes-of-the-future-scott-speedman-goes-from-heartthrob-to-tortured-soul/) He has also spoken about discomfort with the public side of the profession, saying he was never fully at ease on red carpets, though that has improved with time.[8](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/02/with-crimes-of-the-future-scott-speedman-goes-from-heartthrob-to-tortured-soul/) He resides in Los Angeles.[4](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/)
## References
1. [Scott Speedman Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/scott_speedman)
2. [Scott Speedman, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005454/)
3. [Scott Speedman – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/scott-speedman/)
4. [Scott Speedman, ABC Press biography](https://www.detpress.com/abc/bios/scott-speedman/)
5. [Canadian Gangster: Scott Speedman talks about playing Edwin Boyd, Cineplex Magazine (April 2012)](https://mediafiles.cineplex.com/cineplexmagazine-april2012.pdf)
6. [Scott SPEEDMAN, Festival de Cannes](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/p/scott-speedman/)
7. [Scott Speedman Biography & Movies, Tribute.ca](https://www.tribute.ca/people/scott-speedman/5888/)
8. [With 'Crimes of the Future,' Scott Speedman goes from heartthrob to tortured soul, CityNews Toronto / The Canadian Press (June 2, 2022)](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/02/with-crimes-of-the-future-scott-speedman-goes-from-heartthrob-to-tortured-soul/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames R to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license