Colin Morgan (born 1 January 1986) is an actor from Northern Ireland.^[1] He is known for playing thetitle character in the BBC fantasy seriesMerlin (2008–2012), Leo Elster inHumans (2015–2018), and Billy Clanton inKenneth Branagh'sBelfast (2021).

Colin Morgan
Morgan in 2018
Born	(1986-01-01)1 January 1986 (age 39) Armagh, Northern Ireland
Education	Integrated College Dungannon, Belfast Institute for Further and Higher Education
Alma mater	Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2007–present

Morgan made his London theatre debut in 2007 as the title character inDBC Pierre'sVernon God Little. He went on to appear in the theatre productionsPedro Almodóvar'sTodo sobre mi madre ("All About My Mother") in 2007,Thomas Babe'sA Prayer for My Daughter in 2008, Pedro Miguel Rozo'sOur Private Life in 2011,Step in Time at TheOld Vic 24 Hour Musicals Celebrity Gala in 2012,Shakespeare'sThe Tempest in 2013, andJez Butterworth'sMojo during 2013 and 2014.

In July 2008,Screen International named Morgan as a "Star of Tomorrow".^[2] For his performance inMerlin, Morgan was nominated for Outstanding Actor (Drama) in theMonte Carlo TV Festival Awards in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and Best Actor in Drama Performance: Male in theNational Television Awards in 2013.

Morgan was born on 1 January 1986^[3] inArmagh, Northern Ireland, the son of Bernard, a painter and decorator, and Bernadette, a nurse.^[4] He is the younger of two brothers; they were both raisedRoman Catholic.^[5]

In 1997, Morgan began studies atIntegrated College Dungannon.^[6] Morgan starred in several college productions includingSurgical Sensations at St. Senapods andBad Day at Black Frog Creek.^[7]

Morgan was awarded aNational Diploma in Performing Arts from theBelfast Institute of Further and Higher Education in 2004. He graduated from theRoyal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2007. During his undergraduate course, he was discovered by theatre directorRufus Norris and left three-quarters of the way through his final year to make his LondonWest End theatre debut as the title character inVernon God Little. Morgan's performance was well received and used as part of his assessment for his final grade.^[4][8]

In November 2010, theBelfast Metropolitan College honoured Morgan with an Award of Distinction for his contribution to the Arts.^[9]

Morgan made his stage debut in London as the titular characterVernon God Little mounted at theYoung Vic in 2007.^[8]The Telegraph said that Morgan "captures all the vulnerability, confusion and gallows humour of the adolescent hero who finds himself in no end of trouble".^[10] That same year, Morgan played the role of Esteban, an aspiring teenage writer, in the Old Vic stage adaptation ofPedro Almodóvar'sAll About My Mother. For both of these roles, Morgan was nominated for the 2007London Newcomer of the Year in theWhatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, Morgan appeared in the Young Vic production ofThomas Babe'sA Prayer for My Daughter.^[11]The Independent noted Morgan brought Jimmy to life through "twisting, twitching mood-swings and mix of half-druggy cackling punk and half-angelic visionary."Variety also singled out his "remarkable level of twitchy intensity."^[12]

In 2011, Morgan performed in theRoyal Court Theatre production of Pedro Miguel Rozo's playOur Private Life to favourable reviews as Carlos, a "bipolar compulsive fantasist" homosexual who suspects he was molested by his father as a child.^[13][14] On 9 December 2012, Morgan performed the role of Gary, a flamboyant dance instructor trying to win the heart of one of his students, inStep in Time at The Old Vic 24 Hour Musicals Celebrity Gala in aid of The Old Vic Trust.^[15]

He playedAriel in the 2013Globe Theatre production ofThe Tempest, which was later broadcast to cinemas as part ofGlobe On Screen in May 2014, with a subsequent DVD release in July 2014 and then was also later released online via the Globe's online platform in 2022.^{[16][17][18][19]} For this role, Morgan sought to imbue his portrayal of Ariel with "ethereal stillness" and "acrobatic precision".^[20]The Washington Post critic said that he "can't remember a better Ariel," and that Morgan's portrayal was "mysterious, in a way I've never quite experienced before – also wonderfully vulnerable".^[21]

From 2013 to 2014, Morgan played Skinny Luke inJez Butterworth's dark comedyMojo at theHarold Pinter Theatre.^[22]Radio Times described Morgan's performance as "an accomplished study in human weakness ... played with precision and pathos."^[23] In 2017, Morgan returned to London theatre, appearing in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins'Gloria, a comic drama.^[24] Morgan made hisNational Theatre debut in May 2018, starring in the new production ofBrian Friel'sTranslations, directed byIan Rickson.^[25]

In 2019, he appeared inArthur Miller'sAll My Sons atthe Old Vic as Chris Keller, a production that was screened in cinemas and later made available through the National Theatre's online streaming platform in 2021.^[26][27][28]

He performed at theBridge Theatre in early 2020, forCaryl Churchill'sA Number.^[29]

In television, Morgan first appeared in 2007 as the embarrassed gay son John Leary in sketches onThe Catherine Tate Show's "Christmas Special." In 2008, he portrayed the conflicted teenager Jethro Cane in the fan-favouriteDoctor Who episode "Midnight".^[30]

Morgan played the title role inBBC TV seriesMerlin from 2008 to 2012.^[31] The series chronicles the adventures of a young warlock who serves as Arthur's servant and Gaius' ward; Merlin must secretly develop his magical gifts under the gaze of Kings Uther and Arthur, both of whom despise the art.

The show was loosely based on theArthurian legends of Merlin and his relationship with King Arthur. Morgan was nominated for and won multiple acting awards, including the Caron Keating Outstanding Newcomer Award in the 56th annual Variety Club Showbiz Award ceremony on 16 November 2008 (at the start of the series) and the Best Actor in Drama Performance: Male award in the 2013National Television Awards (at the conclusion of the series).^[32]

The role of Merlin proved difficult to cast, according to co-creator and executive producer Johnny Capps. "We had to find an actor who has a broad playing range, someone with the lightness of touch who will be able to deal with action and magic", Capps said in a 2011 interview. "We had an instinct about Colin. At first we weren't sure about him but then saw him again and again and we watched back his final auditions and said, 'He's perfect for the part.'"^[33] Before auditioning for the role, Morgan received the script for Prince Arthur by mistake. He only had five minutes before his audition to read over the correct part.^[34][35]

After spending 2013 in back-to-back stage productions, Morgan reappeared on television as an ambitious journalist in an episode of the 1950s Irish crime dramaQuirke, based on the books byJohn Banville.^[36]

Later that year, he took on the role of detective sergeant in the second series ofThe Fall.^[37] Morgan was approached to play the role, meeting with writerAllan Cubitt and lead actressGillian Anderson in London to discuss his involvement. To prepare for his performance, Morgan read up on police procedures and spoke to the set's police advisor. He also did an impromptu interview of two police officers he saw in the street in London.^[38]

In June 2015, Morgan began his role as the mysterious fugitive Leo Elster inHumans, a British-AmericanAMC /Channel 4 eight-part science fiction drama.^[39]Humans was Channel 4's highest-rated drama sinceThe Camomile Lawn (1992).^[40] Reviewer Paul Simpson described Morgan as one who "always rises to strong material, and [whose] performance has become increasingly engaging as the series has progressed".^[41]

In mid-2016, Morgan starred in theBBC One Victorian era ghost hunter seriesThe Living and the Dead as the central character Nathan Appleby.^[42] Later that year, he reprised his roles inThe Fall's third series^[43] and in the second series ofHumans.^[44]

Morgan portrayed a homeless drug-addict in the 2010 independent Irish filmParked, for which he spent several weeks in Dublin researching drug addiction and homelessness.^[45][46][47] Morgan's performance was praised by multiple critics and director Darragh Byrne.^{[47][48][49][50]}

In 2011, Morgan appeared in the filmIsland, an independent adaptation ofJane Rogers' novelIsland.^[51][52]

Morgan next portrayedWWI British soldierVictor Richardson, in aBBC Films andHeyday Films feature adaptation ofVera Brittain's World War I memoirTestament of Youth.^[53] To prepare for the role of the soldier, Morgan read Brittain's works, as well as personal letters exchanged between Vera, Victor, and their friends. He also contacted a Blind Veterans Charity inBrighton, which allowed him to interview blind people.^[54] TheBritish Film Institute's brochure said, "Shining brightly and lingering long in the mind afterwards, are the performances of three rising British stars – Colin Morgan,Taron Egerton andKit Harington".^[55]

In the fourth quarter of 2015, Morgan was featured as Frankie Shea, brother-in-law and personal driver of lead characterReggie Kray, in the 1960s London gangster filmLegend.^[56]

For two days in Blackpool, from 9 to 10 May 2015, Morgan filmedThe Laughing King, a short film by White No Sugar TV and Funky Films in support of the UK charityCampaign Against Living Miserably's (CALM) push to raise awareness regarding depression, mental illness and male suicide.^[57] He played the role of Jake, a young man who arrives in Blackpool, the seaside town of his childhood, determined to end his life.^[58] It was released on 12 January 2016, in the London Short Film Festival.^[59][60]

In 2015, he was attached to play the lead role ofSeán Mac Diarmada in a planned film about the 1916Easter Rising in Ireland.^{[61][62][63][64]} In 2020, the film producer said he was still seeking additional financing for the project.^[65]

Morgan filmedWaiting for You from May to June 2015.^[66][67] In April 2016, Morgan portrayed the Duke of Blackwood in theSnow White and the Huntsman spin-off,The Huntsman: Winter's War.^[68][69] In the fourth quarter of 2016, Morgan filmed theOscar Wilde biopicThe Happy Prince in Bavaria, Germany.^[70] In mid-2017, Morgan played the title role inBenjamin, a film written and directed bySimon Amstell.^[71]

In 2021, Morgan appeared inKenneth Branagh's filmBelfast, based on the director's childhood duringthe Troubles. The film was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Picture.^[72][73] In 2022, he appeared in the filmCorsage, which was short-listed for theAcademy Award for Best International Feature Film as a submission from Austria.^[74][75] In 2022, he completed filming on an adaptation ofEugene O'Neill'sLong Day's Journey into Night, an independent production that has faced financing challenges.^[76][77]

Morgan took part in BBC Radio playCry Babies byKim Newman onBBC Radio 4 in March 2009, playing the part of Roger.^[78] In December 2014, he starred as Newton Pulsifer in the first audio dramatisation of the popular bookGood Omens, written byNeil Gaiman andTerry Pratchett, and directed and adapted byDirk Maggs, also onBBC Radio 4.^[79]

On 4 December 2016, Morgan readAutumn Journal onBBC Radio 3, which was aboutLouis MacNeice's poetic testament of life in 1938, written against the turbulent backdrop of theMunich Agreement, the fall of Barcelona and Britain's preparations for an inevitable war.^[80]

For the 100th anniversary of theTitanic's sinking on 14 April 2012, Morgan performed readings from survivor accounts and testimonials duringTitanic: A Commemoration in Music and Film, broadcast live onBBC2 fromBelfast'sWaterfront Hall.^[81]

On 27 August 2014, Morgan narrated Big Mountain Productions'Addicts Symphony onChannel 4. The one-off documentary followed composer, musician and recovering alcoholic James McConnel as he brought together ten classical musicians whose lives had been blighted by addiction for a spectacular concert.^[82][83]

Since 2018, Morgan has narratedThe Chronicles ... series for BBC NI, which takes a year-long look at areas in Northern Ireland. Starting withThe Chronicles of Mourne, each episode covers a season in the year, starting with spring and moving to winter. In 2020,The Chronicles of Mourne was followed byThe Chronicles of Erne, withThe Chronicles of Belfast in 2023. In 2024, the series will expand withThe Chronicles of Armagh, detailing Morgan's home county.^[84]

Morgan voiced Merlin's game sequences in 2012'sMerlin: The Game.^[85][86]

Morgan has advocatedethical consumerism and practises yoga.^[35] He is lactose intolerant and vegetarian.^[87]

Morgan does not participate in social media, saying: "There's no social media or googling yourself. You only have to do it once to learn never to do it again."^[88]

Morgan has also criticisedcelebrity culture:

Something has been lost somewhere along the way with the craft of story-telling ... When the creativity is overshadowed by the "business" I often feel disappointed by that. We have some amazing filmmakers who are keeping the spirit of the craft alive and that's a hub of excitement I want to be in.^[89]

From October 2009 until its conclusion in March 2011, Morgan was an ambassador for theA Night Less Ordinary scheme in whichArts Council England offered free theatre tickets to anyone under 26 years old.^[90][91][92] He contributed a painting from theMerlin: Colin and Bradley Quest series to the 2010BBC Children in Need auction. It sold for £620.^[35]

On 9 April 2011, Morgan collected funds for theGreat Ormond Street Hospital.^[35] On 9 December 2012, he was a part of the24 Hour Musicals at the Old Vic Theatre, which brought together more than 30 actors, directors, writers and composers to create four short musicals in just 24 hours. The process culminated in four world premieres presented to an audience of more than 1,000, and raised £182,000 towards the work that the theatre does with emerging talent, schools and the community.^[93]

• Colin Morgan atIMDb  
• Colin Morgan at United Agents