Aidan Murphy (born 24 April 1968), known professionally as Aidan Gillen (), is an Irish actor. He is the recipient of three Irish Film & Television Awards and has been nominated for a British Academy Television Award, a British Independent Film Award, a Tony Award, and a Drama Desk Award.
Gillen is known to television audiences for his roles as Stuart Alan Jones in Queer as Folk (1999–2000); Tommy Carcetti in The Wire (2004–2008); John Boy Power in Love/Hate (2010–2011); Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish in Game of Thrones (2011–2017); Aberama Gold in Peaky Blinders (2017–2019); Milo Sunter in Mayor of Kingstown (2021–2024); and Frank Kinsella in Kin (2021–2023).
His film roles include Lord Nelson Rathbone in Shanghai Knights (2003), as 'CIA' in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Dr. Frank Harte in Calvary (2014), Janson in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) and Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018), Robert in Sing Street (2016), and John Reid in Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
Early life and education
Gillen was born Aidan Murphy in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, the youngest of six children born to Patricia (née Gillen) and Denis Murphy, on 24 April 1968. He was educated at St. Vincent's C.B.S. in Dublin's Glasnevin neighbourhood.
Gillen joined the National Youth Theatre at the age of fourteen, and also joined Dublin Youth Theatre in his teens. His career began when he was 16, with the role of Nick Bottom in the Dublin Youth Theatre's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Project Theatre in 1983.
He obtained his Equity card straight after leaving school, and began getting small professional roles at 17. The name Aidan Murphy was already registered so he began using his mother's maiden name as a stage name.
In 2008, Gillen played Teach in the Dublin Gate Theatre's 2007 production of David Mamet's American Buffalo.
Screen
During the 1990s, Gillen played a number of roles in television dramas and series, including a TV adaptations of the Wexford Trilogy.
In 1997, he appeared alongside playwright Harold Pinter in Mojo
In 2000, he starred in The Low Down, director Jamie Thraves' first feature film. The film was named among the "neglected masterpieces" of film history by The Observer in its rundown of 50 Lost Movie Classics.
In 2003, he played the villain in the Shanghai Noon sequel, Shanghai Knights.
In 2011, Gillen began playing Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish on the HBO series Game of Thrones, for which he received his second Irish Film & Television Award nomination. He appeared in seven seasons, until his character's death in the season 7 finale "The Dragon and the Wolf". He starred as cop killer Barry Weiss in the British crime-thriller Blitz and in the British horror film Wake Wood. Gillen played crime boss John Boy in the acclaimed Irish crime-drama Love/Hate, for which he received his third Irish Film & Television Award nomination and second win.
In 2012, he played CIA operative Bill Wilson (the character's name is from the novelisation; his name is not directly said in the film's script) in The Dark Knight Rises, his first role in a major Hollywood film. Gillen said he enjoyed playing the role, but preferred low-budget lead roles to blockbuster bit-parts. which references the dialogue between Wilson and Tom Hardy's character Bane in said scene. The same year, Gillen also starred in the British spy-drama Shadow Dancer, and was announced as the new host of the music show Other Voices.
He starred in the BBC five-part thriller Mayday in 2013, and the Irish comedy-drama film Calvary the following year. He shared a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination with the cast of Game of Thrones for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Gillen also starred in the short film Ekki Múkk, created for the Valtari Mystery Film Experiment by Icelandic band Sigur Rós, as well as Janson in the second film, The Scorch Trials, and third film, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, in the Maze Runner trilogy.
Gillen played Queen's manager John Reid in the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, which was released on 2 November 2018. He starred as Aidan in the short film titled I Didn't...I Wasn't...I Amn't, written and directed by Irish actress Laoisa Sexton.
He starred in The History Channel's two-season series Project Blue Book from 2019 to 2020. Gillen played Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a brilliant and underappreciated college professor who is recruited by the U.S. Air Force to spearhead an operation named Project Blue Book. He is joined by his partner Air Force Capt. Michael Quinn as they investigate UFO sightings around the country.
Gillen co-wrote the script of and starred in Jamie Thraves' fourth feature film, Pickups (2017). This was the third collaboration with Thraves.
He plays Frank Kinsella, a member of a prominent Irish crime family, in the RTÉ One crime drama Kin (2021–2023).
Personal life
Gillen resides in his native Dublin. He met Olivia O'Flanagan when they were teenagers. They have two children.
| Master
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| You're Ugly Too
| Will
|
|-
| Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
| Janson
|
|-
| 2016
| Sing Street
| Robert
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2017
| The Lovers
| Robert
|
|-
| King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
| Goosefat Bill
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2018
| Maze Runner: The Death Cure
| Janson
|
|-
| Bohemian Rhapsody
| John Reid
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2019
| I Didn't...I Wasn't...I Amn't
| Aidan
| Short film
|-
| Rose Plays Julie
| Peter
|
|-
| 2021
| Those Who Wish Me Dead
| Jack Blackwell
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2023
| Barber
| Val Barber
|
|-
| Dance First
| James Joyce
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2024
| Amongst The Wolves
| Power
|
|-
| London Calling
| Freddy Darby
|
|-
| 2025
| Re-creation
| Hamilton Barnes
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2026
|Gorky Resort
|Vasily Zarubin
|
|-
|Cold War 1994
| F.M.
|Hong Kong film
|-
| 2027
| Panic Carefully
|
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1982
| Wanderly Wagon
| Shadow
|
|-
| 1990
| The Play on One
| Harry
| Episode: "Killing Time"
|-
| 1992
| An Ungentlemanly Act
| Marine Wilcox
| rowspan="3" | Television film
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1993
| A Handful of Stars
| Tony
|-
| Belfry
| Dominic
|-
|The Bill
| Jeff Barratt
| Episode: "Play the Game"
|-
| Screenplay
| Gypo
| Episode: "Safe"
|-
| 1994
| In Suspicious Circumstances
| James Crozier
| Episode: "To Encourage the Others"
|-
| 1999–2000
| Queer as Folk
| Stuart Alan Jones
| 10 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2000
| The Darkling
| Jeff Obold
| rowspan="2" | Television film
|-
| Lorna Doone
| Carver Doone
|-
| 2001
| Dice
| Glenn Taylor
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2002
| First Communion Day
| Seamus
| Television film
|-
| 2003
| Agatha Christie's Poirot
| Amyas Crale
| Episode: "Five Little Pigs"
|-
| 2004–2008
| The Wire
| Thomas J. "Tommy" Carcetti
| 35 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2005
| Law & Order: Trial by Jury
| Jimmy Colby
| Episode: "Vigilante"
|-
| The Last Detective
| Steve Fallon
| Episode: "Willesden Confidential"
|-
| Walk Away and I Stumble
| Paul
| rowspan="2" | Television film
|-
| 2009
| Freefall
| Gus
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2010
| Thorne
| Phil Hendricks
| 6 episodes
|-
| Identity
| DI John Bloom
| 6 episodes
|-
| 2010–2011
| Love/Hate
| John Boy Power
| 10 episodes
|-
| 2011–2017
| Game of Thrones
| Petyr Baelish
| 41 episodes
|-
| 2011–2013
| Other Voices
| Himself (host)
|
|-
| 2013
| Mayday
| Everett Newcombe
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2015
| Charlie
| Charles J. Haughey
| 3 episodes
|-
| 2017
| Urban Myths
| Timothy Leary
| Episode: "Cary Grant and Timothy Leary"
|-
| 2017–2019
| Peaky Blinders
| Aberama Gold
| 10 episodes
|-
| 2018
| Dave Allen at Peace
| Dave Allen
| Television film
|-
| 2019–2020
| Project Blue Book
| J. Allen Hynek
| 20 episodes
|-
| 2021–2023
| Kin
| Frank Kinsella
| 16 episodes
|-
| 2021
| Killers of the Cosmos
| Gumshoe detective (voice)
| 6 episodes
|-
| 2021–2024
| Mayor of Kingstown
| Milo Sunter
| 22 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2"|2022
| That Dirty Black Bag
| Butler
| 2 episodes
|-
| Chicago Party Aunt
| Small Man (voice)
| Episode: "St. Patrick's Day"
|-
|2024
|Rock Paper Scissors
|Steven Shadowwhispers (voice)
|Episode: "Trash"
|-
|TBA
|Saviour
|Eddie
|Main role
|}
Music video appearances
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Artist
! class="unsortable" |
|-
| 2012
| "Ekki múkk"
| Sigur Rós
|
|-
| 2014
| "Valentine"
| I Draw Slow
|
|-
| 2016
| "Cameo"
| Mick Flannery
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2019
| "When We Go Out"
| Vinci
|
|-
| "Lived Through This Before"
| Barry McCormack
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2020
| "A Hero's Death"
| Fontaines D.C.
|
|-
| "Distant Shores"
| Barry McCormack
|
|}
Audiobooks
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1994
| Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1995
| Felicia's Journey
|
|-
| The Barrytown Trilogy: The Commitments
|
|-
| 1998
| Irish Short Stories
|
|-
| 2010
| The Poetry of Ireland
|
|-
| 2015
| The Art of War
|
|}
Video games
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! voice role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 2016
| Quantum Break
| Paul Serene
| Also motion capture
|}
Stage credits
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Venue(s)
|-
| 1981
| The Do-It-Yourself Frankenstein Outfit
| Robot
| rowspan="2" | Dublin Youth Theatre
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1985
| Our Day Out
| Andrews
|-
| A Midsummer Night's Dream
| Nick Bottom
| National Youth Theatre
|-
| 1988
| The Wexford Trilogy: A Hand of Stars
| Tony
| Bush Theatre
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1989
| Juno and the Paycock
| Soldier
| Royal National Theatre
|-
| Blue
| Ed Ache / Fred
| National Theatre Studio
|-
| The Long Way Round
| Albin
| Royal National Theatre
|-
| The Water Engine
| Bernie
| Hampstead Theatre
|-
| 1990
| Lovers Meeting
| Joe Hession
| Druid Theatre Company
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1991
| The Patriot Game
| Pearse
| Abbey Theatre
|-
| The Wexford Trilogy: Belfry
| Dominic
| Bush Theatre
|-
| 1992
| Drama at Inish
| Eddie Twohig
| rowspan="2" | Abbey Theatre
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1993
| The Wexford Trilogy
| Tony / Dominic
|-
| rowspan="2" | Marvin's Room
| rowspan="2" | Hank
| Hampstead Theatre
|-
|Comedy Theatre
|-
| 1994
| The Playboy of the Western World
| Christopher Mahon
| Almeida Theatre
|-
| 1995
| Mojo
| Skinny
| Royal Court Theatre
|-
| 2000
| The Tempest
| Ariel
| rowspan="2" | Almeida Theatre
|-
| 2001
| Platonov
| Platonov
|-
| 2003
| The Caretaker
| Mick
| Roundabout Theatre
|-
| 2005
| Someone Who'll Watch Over Me
| Edward
| New Ambassadors Theatre
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2007
| American Buffalo
| Teach
| Gate Theatre
|-
| Glengarry Glen Ross
| Richard Roma
| Apollo Theatre
|-
| 2015
| The Dead
|
| Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
|-
| 2021–22
| Faith Healer
| Frank Hardy
| Abbey Theatre
|}
Radio appearances
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 2013
| The Last Tycoon
| BBC Radio 4
|}
Awards and nominations
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Work
!Award
!Result
|-
| 2000
|Queer as Folk
|British Academy Television Award for Best Actor
|
|-
| 2000
|The Low Down
|Edinburgh International Film Festival for Best British Newcomer
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2004
| rowspan="3" | The Caretaker
|Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
|
|-
|Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
|
|-
|Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play
|
|-
|2008
|American Buffalo
|Irish Theatre Award for Best Actor
|
|-
| 2009
|The Wire
|Irish Film and Television Award for Actor in a Lead Role Television
|
|-
| 2010
| rowspan="2" | Treacle Jr.
|British Independent Film Award for Best Performance by an Actor
|
|-
| 2011
|Milan International Film Festival Award for Best Actor
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2012
|Love/Hate
|Irish Film and Television Award for Actor in a Lead Role Television
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |Game of Thrones
|Irish Film and Television Award for Actor in a Supporting Role Television
|
|-
|Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
|
|-
| 2014
|Irish Film and Television Award for Actor in a Supporting Role Television
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Charlie
|Irish Film and Television Award for Actor in a Lead Role Television
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | Game of Thrones
|Empire Hero Award
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2016
|Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
|
|-
| Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
| Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain
|
|-
| 2017
| Quantum Break
| NAVGTR Award for Supporting Performance in a Drama
|
|-
| 2018
| Maze Runner: The Death Cure
| Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain
|
|}
Footnotes
References
External links
- The Guardian profile, 2012