Sharper, better, faster, stronger: Performing Northern masculinity and the legacy of Sean Bean’s Sharpe

Abstract

This article examines the career of Sheffield-born actor Sean Bean through an analysis of his starring role in the ITV historical drama Sharpe (1993–2008). I chart the ways in which the adaptation capitalizes on Bean’s public identity as a Northern English, working-class actor, as well as providing a specific emphasis on regionality through a focus on how the characterization speaks to a popular understanding of Yorkshire, and a consideration of how Bean’s subsequent roles have engaged with Sharpe’s legacy. I posit that this performance catalyses Bean’s star persona, and offers a revealing insight into the preconceptions about Northern English identity and culture on-screen.