Oliver Dench is one of the stars in ITV’s beautifully-shot show Hotel Portofino, but is he related to Oscar-winner Dame Judi?
The series is set, as the name suggests, in the beautiful village of Portofino on the Italian Riviera.
And the series is a must for fans of period drama such Downton Abbey and Bridgerton.
It’s set in the Roaring ’20s and oozes a glamour and decadence of a bygone age….
Here’s everything you need to know about Hotel Portofino star Oliver Dench!
Who plays Lucian Ainsworth in Hotel Portofino?
One of the breakout stars of Hotel Portofino is Oliver Dench.
He plays Lucian Ainsworth in the ITV drama, which previously aired exclusively on BritBox.
Lucian’s overbearing father Cecil wants his son to marry Rose Drummond-Ward, a young woman with enough money to make all his dreams come true.
However, Lucian dreams of a different life, one where he can pursue his passion for painting and a love of his choosing.
On top of that, he’s still dealing with physical and mental scarring from WWI, something he tries to hide from the family.
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What else has Hotel Portofino star Oliver Dench been in?
Oliver Dench is a British-born actor currently starring as Lucian in Hotel Portofino.
He made his acting debut back in 2013 when he starred in a short film called One Night at the Aristo.
Before landing the role of Lucian, Oliver made his name in cult US sci-fi show Pandora.
He played a character called Xander Duvall, the love interest of the main star, Jax.
Sadly, the show was cancelled in 2020 after two seasons.
As well as Pandora, Oliver starred in Ride, a teen drama based in an equestrian boarding school.
His character had the extremely British moniker of Will Palmerston.
The show centred around Katherine Bridges, known as Kit to her friends, who was forced to relocate to England.
Sadly, Ride only lasted for one series, but you can watch it on Prime Video.
Oliver has also played Sam Warner in The Athena, and Anthony in Noughts + Crosses.
He recently popped up in likeable crime drama Whitstable Pearl as Max Azarov.
Is Oliver Dench related to Dame Judi Dench?
Oliver obviously shares a surname with a very famous British actress.
So, for everyone wondering if Oliver is related to Dame Judi Dench, the answer is yes!
Dame Judi is Oliver’s great-aunt.
That’s a pretty impressive mentor to have.
Oliver’s maternal grandfather was theatre actor Jeffery Dench, also an actor, although not quite as famous as his sister Judi.
How old is Hotel Portofino actor Oliver Dench? Where is he from?
Oliver was born in Reading, Berkshire, on September 9, 1992.
That means he is currently 30 years of age.
He attended The Henley College, and admits to an obsession with Shakespeare as a child thanks to his granddad.
Read more: Who stars alongside Natascha McElhone in Britbox show Hotel Portofino?
Hotel Portofino starts on ITV at 9pm on Friday, February 03, 2023.
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