Family ties
Jack was born with acting in his blood. He is the only son of Nigel Davenport, star of TV series Howards Way and Trainer, and Maria Aitken, who appeared in the films A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures. Jack's parents were initially reluctant for him to go into acting as he might consider their successful careers to be typical of the acting profession and might not realise how hard it is.

Drifting into drama
18-year-old Jack took a gap year before studying English Literature and Film Studies at the University of East Anglia. It was during this gap year that Jack
took a summer course in drama and was spotted by the director of the Welsh
National Theatre while playing a rapper in a skit. As a result, he moved to Wales to play bit parts in their production of Hamlet.

This Life
After graduating from university, Davenport made his small screen debut in 1996 with This Life, a series about five young lawyers sharing a house in Southwark, South London. Jack had had six auditions for his part and started calling the production team daily, on the seventh audition he finally got the
part. Jack became an instant star thanks to his portrayal of the sarcastic, immature but sexy barrister Miles Stewart.

Talented Mr Davenport
In 1999, Jack landed the plum role of Peter Smith-Kingsley the gentle, gay conductor who falls for Matt Damon in the critically acclaimed film The Talented Mr Ripley. Jack told the Daily Telegraph: "There was Jude Law, Matt, Gywneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett. And then you had me. I was kind of crowded out, even though I had a lovely time making that film."

Coupling
Jack has also tried his hand at TV comedy, starring since 2000 in Coupling, a sitcom based around the lives and loves of six friends. Dubbed by some critics as the British Friends, Jack plays the awkward and hapless Steve.