Andrew Scott | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Scott at the 2025New York Film Festival | |
| Born | (1976-10-21)21 October 1976 (age 49) Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Awards | Full list |
Andrew Scott (born 21 October 1976[1][2]) is an Irish actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, hisaccolades include twoLaurence Olivier Awards, aBAFTA TV Award, and aSilver Bear, in addition to nominations for threePrimetime Emmy Awards and threeGolden Globe Awards.
Scott firstcame to prominence portrayingJames Moriarty in the BBC seriesSherlock (2010–2017), for which he won theBAFTA Television Award for Best Supporting Actor.[3] His role as the priest on the second series ofFleabag (2019) garnered him wider recognition and earned him theCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.[4][5] He is also known for his roles in the filmsPride (2014),Spectre (2015), and1917 (2019). He was nominated for aGolden Globe Award for Best Actor for his starring role in the romantic drama filmAll of Us Strangers (2023). In 2024, he starred asTom Ripley in the thriller seriesRipley, for which he received Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award nominations as well as aPeabody Award.[6]
On stage, Scott played the lead role ofGarry Essendine in a 2019 production ofPresent Laughter atThe Old Vic, for which he won theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.[7] He also won theLaurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre in 2005 for his role inA Girl in a Car with a Man at theRoyal Court Theatre.[8]
Andrew Scott was born on 21 October 1976[1][2] inDublin, the son of Nora and Jim Scott. His mother was an art teacher, while his father worked at an employment agency.[9] He is the second of three children; he has an older sister, Sarah, and a younger sister, Hannah.[9] Scott was raised as aCatholic, but no longer practises.[10]
He attendedGonzaga College while taking weekend classes at Ann Kavanagh's Young People's Theatre inRathfarnham,[11] and appeared in two ads on Irish television. At 17, Scott was chosen for a starring role in his first filmKorea. He won abursary to art school, but elected to study drama atTrinity College Dublin, leaving after six months to join Dublin'sAbbey Theatre and then moving to London when he was 22.[12][13] He once stated to the LondonEvening Standard that he always had a "healthy obsession" with acting.[14]
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In 1992 he portrayed Stan in theNeil Simon playBrighton Beach Memoirs at Andrew's Lane in Dublin. Scott made his film acting debut in the Irish dramaKorea (1995), which premiered at theToronto International Film Festival. Scott worked with film and theatre directorKarel Reisz in theGate Theatre, Dublin, production ofLong Day's Journey into Night (1998), playing the role of Edmund Tyrone, the younger son, inEugene O'Neill's play about a wealthy but tortured Irish family living in Connecticut in 1912. He won Actor of the Year at theSunday Independent Spirit of Life Arts Awards 1998 and received anIrish Times Theatre Award nomination in 1998 for Best Supporting Actor.
Scott had a small role as Michael Bodkin in the filmNora, and another small role in a television adaptation ofHenry James'sThe American, before making his London theatre debut inConor McPherson'sDublin Carol at theRoyal Court Theatre. He appeared briefly in the BAFTA-winning dramaLongitude (2000) opposite SirMichael Gambon, whom he called "a brilliant actor" and "the best actor in England". He also acted inSteven Spielberg's World War II miniseriesBand of Brothers (2001).
In 2004, he was named one of European Film Promotions' "Shooting Stars." After starring inMy Life in Film for the BBC, he received his firstLaurence Olivier Award for his role inA Girl in a Car with a Man at The Royal Court, and theTheatregoers' Choice Award for his performance in theRoyal National Theatre'sAristocrats. He also originated the roles of the twin brothers in the Royal Court's world premiere production ofChristopher Shinn'sDying City,[15] which was later nominated for aPulitzer Prize.[16] In 2006, he made hisBroadway debut in theMusic Box Theater production ofThe Vertical Hour written byDavid Hare and directed bySam Mendes. Scott starred alongsideBill Nighy andJulianne Moore.[17] He was nominated for aDrama League Award for this performance.[18]
Scott appeared as Col. William Smith in the historical miniseriesJohn Adams. In 2009, he appeared inSea Wall, a one-man show written especially for him by playwrightSimon Stephens.[13] Later that year, he starred in a sold-out run ofCock at the Royal Court, which won an Olivier Award in 2010. His role in an episode ofFoyle's War, in which he plays a prisoner determined to allow himself to hang for a crime he may not have committed, was described inSlant as a "standout performance".[19] His film appearances include a role inChasing Cotards (a short film made for IMAX); a role in the short film,Silent Things; and the role ofPaul McCartney in the BBC filmLennon Naked. He also stars in the critically acclaimed 2010 filmThe Duel.[20]
He gained prominence for his role asSherlock Holmes' nemesisJim Moriarty oppositeBenedict Cumberbatch in the drama seriesSherlock, which he played from 2010 to 2017.[12] He starred alongsideBenedict Cumberbatch andMartin Freeman. For his performance he received theBritish Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor. In an interview withThe Independent, Scott stated "Sherlock has changed all our careers, and I'm really pleased about that. It gives you the benefit of the doubt because executives like to see recognisable faces ... It was overwhelming to be on a TV show that is quite so popular. That took me totally by surprise. People had an instant affection for it from the first episode. The reaction was extraordinary".[21]
He had a guest role in the second series ofGarrow's Law playing a gay man on trial for sodomy. In 2010, he appeared in the Old Vic production ofNoël Coward'sDesign for Living directed byAnthony Page.[13] In 2011, he played the lead role ofJulian inBen Power's adaptation ofHenrik Ibsen's epicEmperor and Galilean at the Royal National Theatre in London.[22] He had a part in the dramaThe Hour as Adam Le Ray, a failed actor. The series starredDominic West andRomola Garai. In addition to his stage and TV work, Scott is known for his voice acting in radio plays and audiobooks, such as the roles ofJay Gatsby inF. Scott Fitzgerald'sThe Great Gatsby andStephen Dedalus inJames Joyce'sUlysses.
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In November 2013, Scott took part in theRoyal National Theatre's50 Years on Stage, a theatrical event which consisted of excerpts from many plays over the National's fifty-year run and was broadcast live on television. AlongsideDominic Cooper, Scott performed a scene fromTony Kushner's epic playAngels in America about theAIDS crisis in New York City.[23] In 2014 Scott took to the stage inBirdland, written by Simon Stephens and directed byCarrie Cracknell at the Royal Court Theatre, playing the central character of Paul, a rock star on the verge of a breakdown. Scott received positive reviews for the performance, with comments such as "beautifully played"[24] and [he] "pulls off the brilliant trick of being totally dead behind the eyes and fascinating at the same time, an appalling creature who's both totem and symptom".[25]
In 2015, he appeared in theJames Bond filmSpectre as Max Denbigh, a member of the British government intent on shutting down the Double-0 section.[12] Of the experience, Scott stated, "I was thrilled to be asked. I found it difficult to be in that film. I think I could've just been a bit better. I think I allowed myself to be a little intimidated by the budget and the history of the franchise, and I don't think I attempted enough to be original".[26] The following year he appeared in the romantic drama filmThis Beautiful Fantastic (2016), directed and written by Simon Aboud.[27]
Also in 2016, he portrayed solicitorAnthony Julius in the filmDenial alongsideRachel Weisz,Timothy Spall andTom Wilkinson.
In 2017, Scott's performance in the title role ofHamlet won critical acclaim and earned him the nomination forLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play.[28] The play was directed byRobert Icke and first produced at theAlmeida Theatre.[29][30] Michael Billington ofThe Guardian praised Scott's performance, writing, "Scott's Hamlet is most memorable for his charm, self-mockery and ability to speak directly to the audience."[31] The production was filmed and broadcast on BBC Two at Easter 2018.[32] Scott also voiced Obake inBig Hero 6: The Series (2017).
Scott portrayed Edgar in the television adaptation ofWilliam Shakespeare'sKing Lear (2018). Scott starred alongsideAnthony Hopkins,Emma Thompson, andFlorence Pugh. The following year, he portrayed The Priest in series two of the comedy-dramaFleabag (2018), created byPhoebe Waller-Bridge. For his performance, he received acclaim and nominations for aGolden Globe Award andScreen Actors Guild Award, and won aCritics' Choice Television Award. In 2019, he appeared in the anthology seriesBlack Mirror, as the lead character Chris in the Season 5 episode "Smithereens" for which he was nominated for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Also in 2019, he acted in theSam Mendes drama1917, which received acclaim as well as anAcademy Award for Best Picture nomination.
In June to August 2019, Scott starred as the matinee idol Garry Essendine inMatthew Warchus's revival of Noël Coward'sPresent Laughter at the Old Vic in London. He received acclaim for the role as well as theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor. He portrayed Colonel John Parry/Jopari/Stanislaus Grumman in an adaptation ofPhilip Pullman'sHis Dark Materials from 2019 to 2022. He played Lord Merlin in the miniseriesThe Pursuit of Love (2021). Also that year, he portrayedTerje Rød-Larsen in the filmOslo (2021). The following year, he acted in the comedyCatherine Called Birdy (2022).
In 2023, Scott starred oppositePaul Mescal in the romantic dramaAll of Us Strangers.[33] His performance earned him a nomination for theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama at the81st Golden Globe Awards.[34] He also starred inVanya, a one-man production ofAnton Chekhov'sUncle Vanya, which earned him acclaim.[35]
Scott next starred asTom Ripley inRipley, a television series adapted fromPatricia Highsmith'sRipley novels.[36][37][38] For the role, he received nominations for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film.[39][40]
In June 2025, Scott was invited to join theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[41]
Scott publicly came out as gay in an interview withThe Independent in November 2013.[42] Scott was ranked at No. 22 onThe Independent's Rainbow List 2014,[43] and No. 4 on the newspaper's Pride List for 2024. In 2023, he said that when he first started out as an actor, people had encouraged him not to disclose his sexual orientation.[44]
Scott worked with the charityIdeasTap, mentoring young actors and helping them to start their careers,[12] until the charity closed in June 2015 due to a lack of funds.[45]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Korea | Eamonn Doyle | |
| 1997 | Drinking Crude | Paul | |
| 1998 | Saving Private Ryan | Soldier on the Beach | |
| The Tale of Sweety Barrett | Danny | ||
| 2000 | Nora | Michael Bodkin | |
| 2001 | I Was the Cigarette Girl | Tim | Short film |
| 2003 | Dead Bodies | Tommy McGann | |
| 2009 | The Duel | Ivan Andreich Laevsky | |
| 2010 | Chasing Cotards | Hart Elliot-Hinwood | Short film |
| Silent Things | Jake | Short film | |
| 2012 | Sea Wall | Alex | Short film |
| The Scapegoat | Paul | ||
| 2013 | Legacy | Viktor Koslov | |
| The Stag | Davin | ||
| 2014 | Locke | Donal | Voice |
| Pride | Gethin Roberts | ||
| Jimmy's Hall | Father Seamus | ||
| 2015 | Spectre | C (Max Denbigh) | |
| Victor Frankenstein | Inspector Roderick Turpin | ||
| 2016 | Alice Through the Looking Glass | Addison Bennett | |
| Swallows and Amazons | Lazlow | ||
| Denial | Anthony Julius | ||
| This Beautiful Fantastic | Vernon Kelly | ||
| Handsome Devil | Dan Sherry | ||
| 2017 | The Hope Rooms | Sean | Short film |
| The Delinquent Season | Chris | ||
| 2018 | A Dark Place | Donald Devlin | akaSteel Country |
| 2019 | Cognition | Elias | Short film |
| 1917 | Lieutenant Leslie | ||
| 2022 | Catherine Called Birdy | Lord Rollo | |
| 2023 | All of Us Strangers | Adam | |
| 2025 | Back in Action | Baron | |
| Blue Moon | Richard Rodgers | ||
| Wake Up Dead Man | Lee Ross | ||
| TBA | Pressure | James Stagg | Post-production |
| A Place in Hell | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Budgie | Peter | TV film |
| 1998 | Miracle at Midnight | Michael Grunbaum | TV film |
| 1998 | The American | Valentin de Bellegarde | TV film |
| 2000 | Longitude | John Campbell | 4 episodes |
| 2001 | Band of Brothers | Pvt. John "Cowboy" Hall | Episode: "Day of Days" |
| 2003 | Killing Hitler | Sniper | Documentary film |
| 2004 | My Life in Film | Jones | 6 episodes |
| 2005 | The Quatermass Experiment | Vernon | TV film |
| 2007 | Nuclear Secrets | Andrei Sakarov | Episode: "Superbomb" |
| 2008 | John Adams | Col. William Smith | 4 episodes |
| 2008 | Little White Lie | Barry | TV film |
| 2010 | Foyle's War | James Devereaux | Episode: "The Hide" |
| 2010 | Lennon Naked | Paul McCartney | TV film |
| 2010–2017 | Sherlock | James "Jim" Moriarty | 8 episodes |
| 2010 | Garrow's Law | Captain Jones | Episode: "Episode #2.2" |
| 2011 | The Hour | Adam Le Ray | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Blackout | Dalien Bevan | 3 episodes |
| 2012 | The Scapegoat | Paul Spencer | TV film |
| 2012 | The Town | Mark Nicholas | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Dates[46] | Christian | Episode: "Jenny and Christian" |
| 2016 | The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses | King Louis | Episode: "Henry VI, Part 2" |
| 2016 | Earth's Seasonal Secrets | Narrator | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Quacks | Charles Dickens | Episode: "The Lady's Abscess" |
| 2017–2021 | School of Roars | Narrator / various voices | Main cast |
| 2017–2018 | Big Hero 6: The Series | Obake (voice) | 11 episodes |
| 2018 | King Lear | Edgar | TV film |
| 2019 | Fleabag | The Priest[47] | 6 episodes[48] |
| 2019 | Black Mirror | Christopher Michael Gillhaney | Episode: "Smithereens" |
| 2019 | Modern Love | Tobin | Episode: "Hers Was a World of One" |
| 2019–2022 | His Dark Materials | Colonel John Parry / Jopari | 7 episodes |
| 2021 | The Pursuit of Love | Lord Merlin | 3 episodes |
| 2021 | Oslo | Terje Rød-Larsen | TV film |
| 2024 | Ripley | Tom Ripley | 8 episodes; also producer |
| 2025 | Too Much | Jim Wenlich Rice | 2 episodes |
| Year | Artist | Song | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sam Fender | "People Watching" | Jack |
| Year | Title | Character | Director | Company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Brighton Beach Memoirs | Stan | Rita Tieghe | Andrew's Lane, Dublin |
| 1996 | Six Characters in Search of an Author | The Son | John Crowley | Abbey Theatre |
| 1996 | The Marriage of Figaro | Cherubino | Brian Brady | Abbey Theatre |
| 1996 | A Woman of No Importance | Gerald Arbuthnot | Ben Barnes | Abbey Theatre |
| 1997 | The Lonesome West | Father Welsh | Garry Hynes | Druid Theatre Co. |
| 1998 | Long Day's Journey into Night | Edmund | Karel Reisz | The Gate, Dublin |
| 2000 | Dublin Carol | Mark | Ian Rickson | The Old Vic/Royal Court Theatre |
| 2000 | The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde | Lord Alfred Douglas | Patrick Mason | Abbey Theatre/Barbican, RSC |
| 2001 | The Coming World | Ed/Ty | Mark Brickman | Soho Theatre |
| 2001 | Crave | B | Vicky Featherstone | Royal Court Theatre |
| 2002 | Original Sin | Angel | Peter Gill | Sheffield Crucible |
| 2002 | The Cavalcaders | Rory | Robin Lefevre | Tricycle Theatre |
| 2003 | Playing the Victim | Valya | Richard Wilson | Told by an Idiot |
| 2004 | A Girl in a Car with a Man | Alex | Joe Hill-Gibbins | Royal Court Theatre |
| 2005 | Aristocrats | Casimir | Tom Cairns | National Theatre Company |
| 2006 | Dying City | Craig/Peter | James McDonald | Royal Court Theatre |
| 2006–07 | The Vertical Hour | Philip Lucas | Sam Mendes | The Music Box, NY |
| 2008, 2018 | Sea Wall | Alex | George Perrin | The Bush Theatre and The Old Vic |
| 2009 | Roaring Trade | Donny | Roxana Silbert | Soho Theatre |
| 2009 | Cock | M | James McDonald | Royal Court Theatre |
| 2010 | Design for Living | Leo | Anthony Page | The Old Vic |
| 2011 | Emperor and Galilean | Julian | Jonathan Kent | Royal National Theatre |
| 2014 | Birdland | Paul | Carrie Cracknell | Royal Court Theatre |
| 2015 | The Dazzle[49] | Langley Collyer | Simon Evans | Found111 |
| 2016 | Letters Live[50][51][52] | Reader | Freemasons' Hall | |
| 2017 | Hamlet[53][54] | Hamlet | Robert Icke | Almeida Theatre &Harold Pinter Theatre |
| 2019 | Present Laughter | Garry Essendine | Matthew Warchus | The Old Vic |
| 2020 | Three Kings[55] | Patrick | Matthew Warchus | The Old Vic (Old Vic: In Camera) |
| 2023, 2025 | Vanya[56][57] | All characters | Sam Yates | Duke of York's Theatre &Lucille Lortel Theatre |
Scott has received numerous accolades including aBAFTA TV Award, twoLaurence Olivier Awards, aCritics' Choice Television Award, and aBritish Independent Film Award as well as nominations for threePrimetime Emmy Awards, threeGolden Globe Awards and threeScreen Actors Guild Awards.
Before he landed the breakthrough part of Moriarty in 2009, the 39-year-old Dubliner
