<P> Richard Crispin Armitage ( born 22 August 1971 ) is an English film , television , theatre and voice actor . He received notice in the UK with his first leading role as John Thornton in the British television programme North & South ( 2004 ) , but it was his role as dwarf prince and leader Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson 's film trilogy adaptation of The Hobbit that first brought him international recognition . Other notable roles include John Proctor in Yaël Farber 's stage production of Arthur Miller 's The Crucible , Francis Dolarhyde in the American TV series Hannibal , Lucas North in the British TV drama Spooks , John Porter in the British TV drama Strike Back , and Guy of Gisborne in the British TV drama Robin Hood . He more recently voiced Trevor Belmont in the Netflix adaptation of Castlevania . </P>
who plays the dwarf king in the hobbit
Richard Crispin Armitage