Paul John Ready (born 1977) is a British actor. In 2009 he played Dr Milligan in Doc Martin S4 ep5. In 2013–2014, he played Lee in Utopia. In 2016, he played Kevin in Motherland.[1] In 2018, he played the role of Rob MacDonald in the BBC television series Bodyguard, and Harry Goodsir in AMC's The Terror.[2] In 2019, Ready played journalist Nick Caplan in the BBC television series MotherFatherSon.[3] His film credits include The Death of Stalin. He received a commendation at the 2003 Ian Charleson Awards.
Paul Ready | |
|---|---|
| Born | Paul John Ready 1977 (age 46–47) Birmingham, England |
| Education | King Edward VI Five Ways |
| Alma mater | London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse | Michelle Terry |
| Children | 1 |
Early life
editReady was born in Birmingham and grew up in Harborne. He attended King Edward VI Five Ways school in Bartley Green, after which he trained at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Career
editAt the age of 17, Ready played Romeo in the National Youth Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet at London's Bloomsbury Theatre, opposite Rosamund Pike as Juliet.[4]
He is a regular at the National and Royal Court theatres. Recent appearances have included leading parts in Major Barbara and Saint Joan (both plays by George Bernard Shaw) and Time and the Conways by J.B. Priestley. His West End credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which starred Christian Slater. His most recent theatre role was Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (2018), opposite his wife Michelle Terry as Lady Macbeth. Of his role as Macbeth the Financial Times said: "Ready is a rare bird in that he has an actorly way with oratory, but instead of keeping us at a distance from his character, it clarifies nuances and levels and paradoxically allows us in deeper."[5]
Also appearing on television, Ready received notability in 2013 for his role in the television show Utopia. He is best known for his role as the special adviser to Keeley Hawes’ Home Secretary in the BBC series Bodyguard and Kevin in the BBC series Motherland.
In 2018 he featured as Harry Goodsir, one of the lead roles in The Terror, a 10-part series based on Dan Simmons' best-selling novel.[6] Vanity Fair said of his performance: "Ready’s character is the heart of the show: despite the various calamities that have befallen him and his comrades, he still sees hope."[7]
Personal life
editReady is married to actress and writer Michelle Terry. They have one daughter.
Filmography
edit| † | Denotes productions that have not yet been released |
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Angels & Insects | Tom | |
| 2000 | Maybe Baby | Student Doctor | |
| Doctors | Joseph Hyde | Episode: "Confidential Information" | |
| 2002 | Tipping the Velvet | Renter Alice | TV mini-series |
| 2003 | Evil Under the Sun | William | |
| 2005 | Pierrepoint | Anthony David Farrow | |
| 2006 | Holby City | Leon Harris | |
| 2010 | National Theatre Live: London Assurance | Charles Courtly | |
| 2012 | Private Peaceful | Captain Wilkins | |
| 2013 | The Tunnel | Benji Robertson | |
| 2013–2014 | Utopia | Lee | |
| 2013–2016 | Ripper Street | Frederick Treves | |
| 2015 | Cuffs | DI Felix Kane | |
| 2016 | The Circuit | Danny | TV movie |
| 2016–2022 | Motherland | Kevin | 20 episodes |
| 2017 | Fortitude | Mark Devlin | |
| The Death of Stalin | NKVD Officer Delov | ||
| 2018 | The Terror | Harry Goodsir | |
| Bodyguard | Rob | ||
| 2021 | The Dig | ||
| 2022 | The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself | Soul O'Brien | 8 episodes |
| 2023 | Heart of Stone | Max Bailey | |
| 2024 | Mandy | Cooper | Episode: "Destination: Dundee" |
| 2024 | A Gentleman In Moscow | Petrov |
Theatre
edit- Mother Clap's Molly House (2001–2002) — Martin
- Romeo and Juliet (2002) — Mercutio
- Crazyblackmuthafuckin'self (2002) — Colin
- Waves (2006) — Neville
- Attempts on her Life (2007) — Bob
- Love's Labour's Lost (Shakespeare's Globe, 2007–2009) — Don Armado
- Saint Joan (2007) — Dauphin
- Time and the Conways (2009) — Alan Conway
- London Assurance (2010) — Charles Courtly
- A Woman Killed with Kindness (2011)[8] — John Frankford
- Noises Off (The Old Vic, 2011–2012)[9] — Tim Allgood
- Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Exchange, Manchester, 2014) — Benedick
- Macbeth (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, 2018–2019) — Macbeth
- The Taming of the Shrew (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, 2020) — Petruchio
- The Duchess (of Malfi) (Trafalgar Theatre, 2024) — The Cardinal
- Three Sisters (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, 2025) — Aleksandr Vershinin
References
edit- ^ "When is Motherland back on TV?". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ "How The Terror Crafted Its Haunting, Perfect Series Finale". Vanity Fair. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ John, Emma (12 November 2018). "Motherland's Paul Ready: 'Michelle Terry and I are very much like the Macbeths!'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ "paul ready macbeth". Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ Shuttleworth, Ian (15 November 2018). "Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London — this is the one to see". Financial Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ Stanhope, Kate (29 September 2016). "Jared Harris to Star in AMC Anthology Series 'The Terror'". Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "Curtis Brown". www.curtisbrown.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ "A Woman Killed With Kindness - Cast credits". National Theatre. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
- ^ "Noises Off". The Old Vic. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.