This Life first entertained viewers 30 years ago, with the BBC series that followed a group of twenty-something lawyers at the start of their careers becoming a cult hit, despite only lasting for two seasons.
One of the show's main characters was Miles Stewart, an ambitious up-and-coming barrister born into privilege and wealth. The character, played by Jack Davenport, had one of the biggest arcs during the series, although several of his key storylines involved his romantic relationships.
This Life served as a launching point for Jack, who has since gone on to star as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as well as appearing in Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Morning Show.
Jack, now aged 53, came from an acting dynasty with both of his parents, Nigel and Maria, being in the industry, but on his mother's side, the star comes from a political dynasty, being the maternal nephew of a former MP.
The star also got married to acting royalty, with the pair walking down the aisle with actress Michelle Gomez back in 2000. Scroll down for all you need to know about Jack's famous relatives…
Famous wife
Michelle is a famous actress who rocketed to fame in the likes of The Acid House, The Book Group and Green Wing. In 2014, she joined the cast of Doctor Who as Missy, a female incarnation of The Master.
Since then, the 59-year-old has had major roles in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Doom Patrol and The Flight Attendant, the latter of which saw her nominated for a SAG Award.
© FilmMagicThe couple were reportedly introduced by Jack's This Life co-star Andrew Lincoln, but the star had his eyes on the actress since watching her in a performance of Trainspotting. Speaking to The Guardian in 2024, Jack recounted: "Michelle was in the stage production of Trainspotting in London, and I went to see it with a friend. She played all the female parts, and I was like, 'Who is that?'
"I didn't forget her and then, by sheer coincidence, a year later, I was in a bar doing some late-90s day-drinking and she walked in. I was with a friend who knew her and asked him to introduce me and, nearly 30 years later, here we are."
© GC ImagesThe couple share a son, Harry, who was born in 2010, and the family have since become naturalised American citizens. Jack rarely speaks about his son, but in 2025 interview with the Mirror about his role as James Forsyte in The Forsytes, he shared: "James is a pretty awful human being. But I have a son, I want the best for him.
"I understand that if I try to control my own child, I'm going to be on a hiding to nothing. He's going to make his own decisions and his own mistakes."
Famous parents
Jack's parents were both famous actors, with the star being the son of Nigel Davenport and Maria Aitken, who were married from 1972 until 1981. The actor has praised his parents for how they raised him, telling The Guardian he owed them "everything".
He added: "They were in the same line of work. They tried to do the right thing by saying, 'What about an alternative?' but they weren't actively discouraging, and they've always been very generous in their response to my efforts."
© Getty ImagesNigel, who died at the age of 85 in 2013, is best known for appearing in major films like Chariots of Fire and A Man for All Seasons. Nigel also acted in The Avengers, Howards' Way and he made a cameo appearance in Keeping Up Appearances as The Commodore.
Meanwhile, Maria is a BAFTA-nominated actress, with her role in A Fish Called Wanda earning her critical acclaim. The 80-year-old has also starred in Mary, Queen of Scots, The Fool and Fierce Creatures, the latter of which was the film her son made his professional debut.
Other famous relatives
Jack's mother comes from a political dynasty, and as such, Jack's uncle, Jonathan Aitken, and grandfather, Sir William Aitken, have served in the House of Commons. Jonathan was a Conservative MP between 1974 and 1997 and held positions including Minister for Defence Procurement and Chief Secretary to the Treasury under John Major. Meanwhile, William was the Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds between 1950 and 1964.
© Getty ImagesThe star's grandmother, Penelope Aitken, was part of the aristocracy as the daughter of Sir John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby, a civil servant and diplomat who served as the governor-general of Sudan between 1926 and 1934.
