Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (born 4 November 1977) is an Irish actor. He is best known in Ireland for his roles as Nigel 'Nidge' Delaney in theRTÉ One seriesLove/Hate (2010–2014), and is known internationally for his role asEbony Maw inAvengers: Infinity War and its sequelAvengers: Endgame.^[1][2]

Vaughan-Lawlor was born inDundrum, Dublin, Ireland. His father, also named Tom, was an actor,^[3] and made a guest appearance onLove/Hate as a priest.^[4] He attendedDe La Salle College, Churchtown, a Roman Catholic day secondary school for boys, now co-educational since 2023, in Dublin 14. He graduated fromTrinity College, Dublin, with a degree in Drama Studies and continued his studies at theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England.^[5][6] He was the first ever Irish actor to receive theLaurence Olivier Bursary, an award of £7,500 for the actor in the United Kingdom judged to have the greatest potential.^[7]

After leaving theRADA Vaughan-Lawlor starred in many plays includingThe Quare Fellow directed byKathy Burke,This Lime Tree Bower, for theYoung Vic, and as Christy Mahon inThe Playboy of the Western World for theAbbey Theatre which toured North America. Also at the Abbey he played Len inEdward Bond'sSaved, Solyony inDavid Leveaux's production ofThree Sisters and as Arturo Ui inBertolt Brecht'sThe Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. In 2008 he played Lyngsrand inThe Lady from the Sea byHenrik Ibsen directed by Lucy Bailey. At the National Theatre London he played Yolland in Sean Holmes' production ofBrian Friel'sTranslations in 2005.

In 2008, Vaughan-Lawlor played the Dauphin inHenry V at theRoyal Exchange Manchester for which he received anIan Charleson Award commendation. For his performance inThe Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui he won the 2009Irish Times Best Actor Theatre Award. He won the award again in 2014 forHowie the Rookie.

He also had small roles inThe Tiger's Tail, which starred fellow Irish actorBrendan Gleeson andBecoming Jane which starredAnne Hathaway andJames McAvoy.^[6]

From 2010 to 2014, he began playing the lead role of Nigel "Nidge" Delaney in the critically acclaimed Irish televisioncrime dramaLove/Hate. For his portrayal of Nidge he has won the Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Television award at the2012 IFTA Awards, and the Best Actor for Television award at the2013 IFTA Awards.^[8] On playing the role of Nidge he said "One of the joys of playing the part is he's a different man in all four series, he's always changing and he's incredibly difficult to pinpoint, people are drawn to him because of his humour, the moments he has with his children and the moments he has with his own conscience."^[9][10][11]

DuringLove/Hate he continued working on stage in production such as the 2010West End production ofAll My Sons directed byHoward Davies. The next year he played Jerry Devine in Davies's production ofJuno and the Paycock. In 2013 Vaughan-Lawlor played both the Howie Lee and the Rookie Lee inMark O'Rowe'sHowie the Rookie. Originally written for two actors, O'Rowe re-imagined the play for one actor to play both parts, and directed the production himself forLandmark Productions. The production opened in Dublin, then toured to Cork, Galway, and the Edinburgh Festival. In 2014 the production was invited to theBarbican Centre London where it played in The Pit for 2 weeks, and then toured toBAM in New York.

In 2013, he appeared in the role of Byrne in fifth episode of theBBC2 crime dramaPeaky Blinders.^[12] In October 2013, he began filming in Dublin on a three-part political dramaCharlie which is based on the life of the late TaoiseachCharles Haughey.^[13] He played politicalspin doctorP. J. Mara in the drama.^[14][15]

Vaughan-Lawlor played McCabe inJim Sheridan's movieThe Secret Scripture withRooney Mara andJack Reynor which filmed in early 2015, and appeared in the 2016 filmThe Infiltrator withBryan Cranston andDiane Kruger, directed byBrad Furman.

He appeared in the three-part dramaTrial of the Century, where he played Patrick Pearse. In July 2016 Vaughan-Lawlor played Michaelis in the BBC's3-part television adaptation ofJoseph Conrad's 1907 novelThe Secret Agent.^[16]

In 2023, Vaughan-Lawlor appeared in theNational Theatre revival ofBrian Friel'smemory playDancing at Lughnasa, playing Michael, the narrator around whose memories the plot rotates. He plays Plummer in the HBO seriesA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026).^[17]

Vaughan-Lawlor currently lives inWhitstable, Kent with his wifeClaire Cox, who is an actress, and their son,^[18] who appeared as Nidge and Trish's second child John in the crime drama.^[19]

• Tom Vaughan-Lawlor atIMDb

• 1977 births
• Living people
• Irish male film actors
• Irish male television actors
• Male actors from Dublin (city)
• Alumni of Trinity College Dublin
• Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
• 21st-century Irish male actors
• Irish male stage actors
• Irish expatriates in England
• Irish expatriate actors

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