Most popularly known for his work on the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan is an English actor who spent his first few years of life in Berlin, Germany. He was born on December 8, 1976, and at the age of 4, relocated with his family to Heaton Moor, Stockport, England. He earned his diploma from St. Anne’s RC High School and pursued his studies in English Literature, Drama and Geography at Aquinas College. While he was completing his tertiary education, Monaghan landed the role of Geoffrey Shawcross on the BBC program, Hetty Wainthrop Investigates.
Following the success of the Lord of the Rings franchise, Monaghan was cast in the role of Charlie Pace on the popular television series, Lost. The role has earned him several individual and group recognitions, including a 2005 Prism Award Nomination for Performance in a Drama Series Storyline and a 2005 Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor on Television.
His character on Lost has been known for wearing makeshift finger rings with different letters, and Monaghan said that he originated that particular character trait because he felt Charlie would find a way to express his artistic side, even while stranded on a mysterious island.
His other acting credits include Hostile Waters, This is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, Monsignor Renard, An Insomniac’s Nightmare, Spivs, The Purifiers, Shooting Livien and I Sell the Dead. In addition, he is the voice behind Ringers: Lord of the Fans.
In his efforts to protect and preserve the environment, Monaghan has gotten involved in several tree planting and forest preservation projects. He is also the owner of a small forest in India, and has participated in a PETA awareness campaign regarding the handling of wildlife.
In 2008, he was cast in film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a superhero movie based on the Marvel Comics character. Following his stint on Lost, he returned to the small screen as Simon Campos on the TV series Flash Forward. When the series was cancelled, he went on to appear on the show Goodnight Burbank as well as the movie Soldiers of Fortune in 2011.
- He kept three pet chameleons during the filming of Lost, one for each of the seasons he was in. He let all of them go at the end of each year. One of which was named Karma.
- He studied karate as a child and he loves insects.
- He lists Radiohead, Coldplay, The Beatles, and The Smiths as his favorite bands.
- His favorite movie is Star Wars while his favorite actor is Harrison Ford.
- He is a video game fanatic and often hosts gaming parties at his house.
- He is an big fan of the Manchester United Football Club.
"I have been heartbroken once and it has affected all my relationships from there on. But now I look at it as a occupational hazard. If you are in the meat market at some point you are gonna get mad cows disease."
"I've always had itching feet. I like being on the move every couple of years."
"I do quite like all the screaming crowds. I'm a big fan of the ladies, so to have them come to me without any real effort is amazing."