Paul Ready

Last updated

Paul Ready
Born
Paul John Ready

1977 (age 48–49)
Birmingham, England
Education King Edward VI Five Ways
Alma mater London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
OccupationActor

Paul John Ready (born 1977) is a British actor. He is known for appearing in British television series including Utopia , Ripper Street , Motherland and MotherFatherSon . [1] [2] In 2018, he played the role of Rob MacDonald in the BBC television series Bodyguard and Harry Goodsir in AMC's The Terror . [3] He received a commendation at the 2003 Ian Charleson Awards.

Contents

Early life

Ready 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. His first acting performance was in a primary school production of The Willow Pattern . [4] In secondary school, he would go on school trips to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit the theatre. [4]

Career

At 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. [5]

He is a regular at the National and Royal Court theatres. Past 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. In 2018 he starred as the titular character in 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." [6] In 2020, he and Terry returned to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse as Petruchio and Biondello respectively in The Taming of the Shrew , which had to close early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [7] Between January 31 and April 19 2025 he will star in Chekhov's Three Sisters as Aleksandr Vershinin, once again alongside Terry. [8]

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, Ready featured as Harry Goodsir, one of the lead roles in The Terror , a 10-part series based on Dan Simmons' novel, for which he was nominated for a Satellite Award. [9] [10] 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." [11]

Filmography

Key
†Denotes productions that have not yet been released
Year(s)TitleRoleNotes
1995 Angels and Insects Tom
2000 Doctors Terry HydeEpisode: "Confidential Information"
Maybe Baby Student Doctor
2001 Princess of Thieves Sheriff's servant
Poirot WilliamEpisode: "Evil Under the Sun"
2002Plain JaneClerk
Heartbeat Henry HarrisonEpisode: "A Girl's Best Friend"
Tipping the Velvet Renter AliceTV mini-series
Jeffrey Archer: The Truth Paul McCartney
2004 Life Begins MarkEpisode: "Maggie & Phil"
Blackpool WillEpisode 1.3
2005 Twisted Tales PhilEpisode: "Death Metal Chronicles"
Born and Bred Abel MarlEpisode: "The Great Leap Forward"
Pierrepoint Anthony David Farrow
Trial & Retribution Harry CranleyEpisode: "The Lovers: Part 1"
2006 Holby City Leon HarrisEpisode: "Yesterday Once More"
Dresden William
2008The Gravity of BeliefMr. BumpkinShort film
Pulling MikeEpisode 2.2
2011 Silk Tony PaddickEpisode: "All Plain Sailing"
2012 Private Peaceful Captain Wilkins
2013One Wrong WordTonyShort film
The Tunnel Benji Robertson
2013–2014 Utopia Lee
2013–2016 Ripper Street Frederick Treves3 episodes
2015 Cuffs DI Felix Kane8 episodes
2016The Complete Walk: Richard IIISecond MurdererShort film
The CircuitDannyTV movie
The Witness for the Prosecution Tripp
2016–2022 Motherland Kevin Brady
2017 Fortitude Mark Devlin2 episodes
Beside HimselfDevlinShort film
The Death of Stalin NKVD Officer Delov
2018 Endeavour Sebastian FenixEpisode: "Quartet"
Bodyguard Rob5 episodes
The Terror Harry Goodsir
2019Our Liam of LourdesTobyShort film
MotherFatherSon Nick Caplan7 episodes
2020MuseAdermanShort film
Flack Damien Paulson3 episodes
2021 The Dig James Reid Moir
2022 The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself Soul O'Brien
2023CaptureDadShort film
Heart of Stone Max Bailey
2024 Mandy CooperEpisode: "Destination: Dundee"
A Gentleman In Moscow Petrov
Bring Them Down Gary
2025 Rob & Romesh Vs GuestEpisode: "Shakespeare"
†All That GlittersShakespeare
Kafka's AppraisalFranz KafkaShort film
Ann Droid MichaelMain role

Radio

Year(s)TitleRoleStationNotesRef.
2011 A Tale of Two Cities Sydney Carton BBC Radio 4 4 episodes [12]
2012 Romeo and Juliet Mercutio BBC Radio 3 [13]
Twelfth Night Orsino [14]
2013Imo and BenBenjamin Britten [15]
Sword of Honour Guy CrouchbackBBC Radio 47 episodes [16]
2014The Once and Future KingArthur6 episodes [17]
2015 The Master and Margarita MasterBBC Radio 3 [18]
The Pumpkin EaterJake ArmitageBBC Radio 45 episodes [19]
2018 Home Front Johnnie Marshall [20]
2022He Do The Wasteland In Different VoicesThe PoetBBC Radio 3 [21]
Jason's MatesErnest MontagueBBC Radio 4 [22]
2023Christmas Miracle on Brighton PierWilliam McFadden [23]
2025 The History of Mr Polly Alfred Polly2 episodes [24]

Theatre

Year(s)TitleRoleTheatre
1999 The Beggar's Opera Filch Wilton's Music Hall
2000CuckoosTito Gate Theatre
2001 Twelfth Night Sebastian Liverpool Playhouse
2001–2002 Mother Clap's Molly House Martin Lyttelton Theatre
2002 Romeo and Juliet Mercutio Liverpool Playhouse
Crazyblackmuthafuckin'selfColin Royal Court Theatre
2003Black MilkLevchick
TerrorismVarious
The Comedy of Errors Dromio of Syracuse Bristol Old Vic
2003–2004World MusicTim/Young Geoff Donmar Warehouse
2004 Forty Winks CharlieRoyal Court Theatre
2005RomanceBernard Almeida Theatre
2006 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Billy Bibbit Garrick Theatre
WavesNeville National Theatre
2007Attempts on Her LifeVarious
Saint JoanDauphin
2008 Major Barbara Adolphys Cusins
2009 Love's Labour's Lost Don Armado Shakespeare's Globe
The Pillowman Michal Curve Theatre
Time and the Conways Alan ConwayNational Theatre
Three More Sleepless NightsPete
2010 London Assurance Charles Courtly
2011WastwaterMarkRoyal Court Theatre
A Woman Killed with Kindness [25] John FrankfordNational Theatre
2011–2012 Noises Off [26] Tim Allgood The Old Vic
2012–2013 In the Republic of Happiness BobRoyal Court Theatre
2014 Black Comedy Brindsley Chichester Festival Theatre
Much Ado About Nothing Benedick Royal Exchange, Manchester
2015 Measure for Measure Angelo Young Vic
2018/19 Macbeth Macbeth Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
2020 The Taming of the Shrew Petruchio
Macbeth: A ConjuringMacbeth
2022 King Lear King Lear (cover)Shakespeare's Globe
2022 The Contingency Plan Chris Casson Crucible Theatre
2023Twelfth Night: For One Night OnlySir Andrew AguecheekShakespeare's Globe
2024 The Duchess (of Malfi) The Cardinal Trafalgar Theatre
2025 Three Sisters Aleksandr VershininSam Wanamaker Playhouse
A Midsummer Night's Dream: For One Night OnlyTheseus/OberonShakespeare's Globe

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
2019 Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or TV Film The Terror Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "When is Motherland back on TV?". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ "How The Terror Crafted Its Haunting, Perfect Series Finale". Vanity Fair. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  4. 1 2 Adopt An Actor 2018: Macbeth: Macbeth (Paul Ready) , retrieved 19 February 2025
  5. ↑ "paul ready macbeth" . Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Shuttleworth, Ian (15 November 2018). "Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London — this is the one to see" . Financial Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Taming of the Shrew (2020): Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse | BBA Shakespeare". bbashakespeare.warwick.ac.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Three Sisters | What's On". Shakespeare's Globe. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  9. ↑ Stanhope, Kate (29 September 2016). "Jared Harris to Star in AMC Anthology Series 'The Terror'". Hollywood Reporter.
  10. ↑ "2018 Winners". International Press Academy. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "Curtis Brown". www.curtisbrown.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  12. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 Extra - Charles Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities, 2. The Old Order". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  13. ↑ "Drama on 3 - Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  14. ↑ "BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, Shakespeare on 3, Twelfth Night". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  15. ↑ "BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, Britten 100: Imo and Ben". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  16. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 - Classic Serial, Evelyn Waugh - Sword of Honour, Men at Arms". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  17. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 Extra - The Once and Future King, The Coming of Merlyn". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  18. ↑ "BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, The Master and Margarita". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  19. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 - 15 Minute Drama, Penelope Mortimer - The Pumpkin Eater, Episode 1". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  20. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 - Home Front - Johnnie Marshall". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  21. ↑ "BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, He Do The Waste Land in Different Voices". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  22. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, Jason's Mates". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  23. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, Christmas Miracle on Brighton Pier". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  24. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, The History of Mr Polly, Beginnings and the Bazaar". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  25. ↑ "A Woman Killed With Kindness - Cast credits". National Theatre. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  26. ↑ "Noises Off". The Old Vic. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
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