Tobias Menzies was born in North London, England, the son of Gillian (nÃ©e Simpson), a teacher, and Peter Menzies, a BBC radio producer. He has one younger brother, Luke, who is a solicitor.
Cinnabar is a toxic mercury sulfide mineral with a chemical composition of HgS. It is the only important ore of mercury. It has a bright red color that has caused people to use it as a pigment and carve it into jewelry and ornaments for thousands of years in many parts of the world.
Mercury is extracted from cinnabar by roasting it in air, followed by condensation of the mercury vapour. Mercury is toxic. Poisoning may result from inhalation of the vapour, ingestion of soluble compounds, or absorption of mercury through the skin.