Alun Armstrong, standing at a commanding 5ft 10 (177.8 cm), is an English actor whose solid stature perfectly suits his portrayals of tough, authoritative characters. Born in Annfield Plain, County Durham, to a coal miner father and Methodist lay preacher parents, his height enhances his gritty screen presence in key roles like the fierce warrior in Braveheart, the villain in Krull, the archaeologist in The Mummy Returns, and the no-nonsense detective Brian Lane in TV's New Tricks.