If you're a fan of Call the Midwife, you'll no doubt recognise Daniel Laurie who has Down Syndrome and plays the kind-hearted Reggie Jackson in the hit BBC show. Scroll down to learn more about the actor including his TV roster and well-known dad.
Daniel Laurie's age
Born in 1995, Daniel is currently 29 years old.
Who are Daniel Laurie's parents?
You may remember Daniel's father Leslie Grantham who played "Dirty Den" Watts in Eastenders. Leslie has been vocal on multiple occasions about raising a son with Down Syndrome and how he is utterly proud and lucky to have been gifted a sweet boy like Daniel. After Daniel was born, Leslie became a fund-raiser for the Down's Syndrome Association and has also once shared that Daniel’s older brothers are great with him, a lot than most adults.
Daniel’s mother Jane Laurie has started in a number of 1980’s films such as The Return of the Soldier and Foreign Body. It was also his mum who introduced him to acting.
Leslie sadly died in 2018 at age 71 after a battle with lung cancer. Leslie and Daniel's mother, Australian actress Jane Laurie, shared three children and divorced in 2013, following which Daniel chose to take his mother's last name.
Who is Daniel Laurie's twin brother?
While we know Daniel has two older brothers, Spike and Jake Laurie, he is not known to have a twin.
Daniel Laurie net worth
Daniel Laurie has established a very successful acting career for himself and his estimated net worth as of June 2024 was £500,000 to £700,000.
Daniel Laurie's movies and TV shows
Daniel Laurie as Reggie in Call the Midwife
Daniel Laurie's most well-known role is that of Reginald "Reggie" Jackson that he's played since series six of Call the Midwife. Reggie is the surrogate son of Fred (his second cousin), played by Cliff Parisi and Violet Buckle. He goes to live with Fred Buckle, his uncle after his mother's death and works in his shop.
During his time on the show, Reggie's character captured the various nuances and stigmas attached to growing up as a child with Down's syndrome in the 1960s. Reggie’s inclusion as a character with his own interests, independence and friendships is pivotal when it comes to positive representations of people with Down Syndrome and other special needs.
His performance and the powerful storyline was very well received by fans worldwide, which paved his way in the industry as a talented actor. Daniel appeared in Call the Midwife season 13 which aired in 2024 and he reprised his role in that year's Christmas special too.
Daniel has previously spoken about how Call the Midwife offered him a safe space after he left school following bullying. "I hated school. I was badly bullied and that made me walk out of school, but because of that, acting found me when I was 17. Luckily my mum Jane found an acting career for me, she was an actress."
"I can’t forgive myself for walking out but because of [show creator] Heidi Thomas I have bonded and made friends with the cast. If it wasn’t for Call The Midwife, where else would I be?
"The whole entire show is run by women and I actually love being in Call The Midwife because of them, they make the show what it is. It’s a fantastic show. I love being in the show. We have all been bonded."
He was previously nominated for Best Actor at the TV Choice Awards, eventually losing out to Peaky Blinders Cillian Murphy.
Daniel has also starred in a radio adaption of Charles Dickens's Barnaby Rudge, in the British crime drama Vera as Adam Beecher and in the TV movie The Dark Tower. You may also have spotted him in Keeley Hawes' comedy-drama Finding Alice.
Features & Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert has been a journalist since 2016 and has worked across a variety of specialist and lifestyle brands both in print and online. Specialising in travel content and product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases, her favourite being gadgets for the home.