Liam Cunningham
Liam Cunningham | |
|---|---|
 Cunningham at the San Diego Comic-Con in July 2017 | |
| Born | 2 June 1961 |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | St Davids, Artane, Dublin |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse | Colette Cunningham |
| Children | 3 |
Liam Cunningham (born 2 June 1961) is an Irish actor. He is known for playing Davos Seaworth in the HBO epic-fantasy series Game of Thrones.[1]
Cunningham has been nominated for the London Film Critics' Circle Award, the British Independent Film Award, has won two Irish Film & Television Awards, and shared a BAFTA with Michael Fassbender, for their crime-drama short film Pitch Black Heist. His film roles include A Little Princess (1995), Jude (1996), Dog Soldiers (2002), The Crooked Man (2003), The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), Hunger (2008), The Escapist (2008), The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), Good Vibrations (2013), Let Us Prey (2014) and The Childhood of a Leader (2015). In 2020, he was listed at number 36 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.[2]
Early life
Cunningham was born in East Wall, which is an inner city area of the Northside of Dublin.[3] He grew up in Kilmore West with his three sisters and a brother. Cunningham left secondary school at 15 and pursued a career as an electrician.[4] In the 1980s, Cunningham moved to Zimbabwe for three years where he maintained electrical equipment at a safari park and trained Zimbabwean electricians.[5][6] After returning to Ireland, Cunningham became dissatisfied with his work as an electrician and decided to pursue his interest in acting. He attended acting classes and began to work in local theatre, including the Royal Shakespeare Company. He appeared in a production of Studs at The Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn, London.[7]
Career
Cunningham's debut film role came in Into the West (1992), where he played a police officer. His on-screen acting continued with roles in War of the Buttons (1994), and A Little Princess (1995),[8][9] before making his role as Phillotson in Jude (1996).[10] He continued with character roles in Falling for a Dancer (TV, 1998), RKO 281 (1999), Shooting the Past (TV, 1999), When the Sky Falls (2000) and Stranded (2002). Cunningham came to international prominence with his role as Captain Ryan in the critically acclaimed, independent horror film, Dog Soldiers (2002).[11]
Cunningham starred in well-received films such as The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival; Hunger; The Escapist (both 2008); The Guard; and Black Butterflies (both 2011). He also had roles in many high budget British and American films including The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005), The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), Harry Brown (2009), Clash of the Titans, Centurion (both 2010).[12] On television, he appeared as President Richard Tate in the BBC programme Outcasts.[13] Cunningham was producer Philip Segal’s first choice to portray the Eighth Doctor in the TV movie of Doctor Who (1996), but was vetoed by Fox executives.[14][15]
In 2012, Cunningham joined the main cast for the second season of HBO's Game of Thrones portraying former smuggler Davos Seaworth,[16] and in 2013 he starred in The Numbers Station alongside John Cusack.[17] He was also cast in season 5 of the BBC series Merlin as a sorcerer.[18] He featured in the music video for "High Hopes" by Irish alternative rock band Kodaline from their EP The High Hopes.[19] In April 2013, he appeared in the seventh series of the BBC One series Doctor Who in the episode "Cold War", where he played Captain Zhukov, the commander of a Russian submarine in 1983 facing one of the Ice Warriors.[20] In 2015, he played the father in Brady Corbet's directorial debut film, The Childhood of a Leader.[21]
In February 2020, it was announced that Cunningham would voice Man-At-Arms in the Netflix animated series Masters of the Universe: Revelation.[22]
Personal life
Cunningham resides in Dublin with his wife Colette, with whom he has three children, daughter Ellen and sons Liam Jr. and Sean.[23]
Politics
In 2015, Cunningham was one of over 100 artists who signed a letter to The Guardian announcing support for a cultural boycott of Israel.[24] In light of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, he was one of over two thousand to sign an Artists for Palestine letter calling for a ceasefire and accusing western governments of "not only tolerating war crimes but aiding and abetting them."[25]
Cunningham endorsed Solidarity–People Before Profit in the 2020 Irish general election.[26]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Public Toilet | Short film | |
| Heaven Only Knows | Paul Clarke | Short film | |
| Into the West | Police Officer | ||
| 1993 | The Sea | Short film | |
| 1994 | Undercurrent | Greg Laughton | |
| War of the Buttons | The Master | ||
| 1995 | A Little Princess | Capt. Crewe / Prince Rama | |
| First Knight | Sir Agravaine | ||
| 1996 | Jude | Phillotson | |
| 1997 | The Doherty Brothers | Connor Doherty | Short film |
| The Life of Stuff | Alex Sneddon | ||
| 1998 | The Tale of Sweety Barrett | Detective Bone | |
| 1999 | A Love Divided | Sean Cloney | |
| 2000 | When the Sky Falls | John Cosgrave (The Runner) | |
| The Second Death | James Mangan | Short film | |
| 2001 | Revelation | Father Ray Connolly | |
| The Island of the Mapmaker's Wife | John Wyndham | ||
| 2002 | Dog Soldiers | Capt. Ryan | |
| The Abduction Club | John Power | ||
| 2003 | Mystics | Sean Foley | |
| The Crooked Man | Hamilton | ||
| The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse | Director | ||
| 2004 | The Card Player | John Brennan | |
| Screwback | Harry | Short film | |
| 2005 | Breakfast on Pluto | 1st Biker | |
| 2006 | The Wind That Shakes the Barley | Dan | |
| 2008 | The Escapist | Brodie | |
| Hunger | Father Dominic Moran | ||
| Paris Noir | Douglas | ||
| The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor | Mad Dog Maguire | ||
| 2009 | Blood: The Last Vampire | Michael Harrison | |
| The Tournament | Powers | ||
| Perrier's Bounty | The Mutt | ||
| Harry Brown | Sid Rourke | ||
| 2010 | Centurion | Brick | |
| Clash of the Titans | Solon | ||
| The Whistleblower | Bill Hynes | ||
| 2011 | Pitch Black Heist | Liam | Short film Also executive producer |
| The Guard | Francis Sheehy-Skelfington | ||
| Black Butterflies | Jack Cope | ||
| The Silence of Joan | The English Captain | ||
| War Horse | The Army Doctor | ||
| 2012 | Safe House | Alec Wade | |
| 2013 | SLR | Elliot | Short film |
| The Numbers Station | Grey | ||
| Good Vibrations | Davy | ||
| 2014 | I Am Here | Father | Short film |
| Noble | Thomas | ||
| Let Us Prey | Six | ||
| 2015 | Ladygrey | Angus | |
| Dusha shpiona | Hillsman | ||
| The Childhood of a Leader | The Father | ||
| Pursuit | Fionn | ||
| 2017 | 24 Hours to Live | Wetzler | |
| 2021 | The Vault | Walter Moreland | |
| 2023 | The Last Voyage of the Demeter | Captain Elliot |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | A Handful of Stars | Stapler | Television film |
| Poor Beast in the Rain | Danger Doyle | Television film | |
| 1994–1995 | Roughnecks | Chris | 13 episodes |
| 1995 | Cracker | Stuart Grady | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Police 2020 | DCI Billy O'Connell | Pilot |
| 1998 | Falling for a Dancer | Mossie Sheehan | Television film |
| 1999 | Shooting the Past | Christopher Anderson | Television miniseries |
| Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke | Alec Cunningham-Reid | Television film | |
| RKO 281 | Gregg Toland | Television film | |
| 2000 | A Likeness in Stone | Bill Armstrong | Television film |
| 2001 | Rebel Heart | Michael Malone | Television film |
| Attila | Theodoric I | 2 episodes | |
| 2002 | Stranded | David Robinson | Television film |
| 2003 | Final Demand | David Milner | Television film |
| Prime Suspect | Robert West | Series 6, Episode: "Part 1" | |
| 2004 | Messiah | Pace Tierney | Episode: "The Promise" |
| 2005 | Showbands | Tony Golden | Television film |
| The Clinic | Malcolm Keown | 5 episodes | |
| 2006 | Hotel Babylon | Adrian McBride | Episode #1.8 |
| Showbands II | Tony Golden | Television film | |
| Murphy's Law | Drew Johnstone | 3 episodes | |
| 2007 | Afterlife | Jonathan | Episode: "Your Hand in Mine" |
| The Wild West | Wyatt Earp | Episode: "The Gunfight at the OK Corral" | |
| Northanger Abbey | Henry Tilney | Television film | |
| Anner House | Neil Barry | Television film | |
| The Catherine Tate Show | Father | Episode: "Christmas Special" | |
| 2009 | The Street | Thomas Miller | Episode #3.1 |
| 2011 | Outcasts | President Richard Tate | 8 episodes |
| Camelot | Colfur | Episode: "Justice" | |
| Strike Back: Project Dawn | Daniel Connolly | 2 episodes | |
| 2012 | Saving the Titanic | Narrator (voice) | Documentary |
| Titanic: Blood and Steel | Jim Larkin | 5 episodes | |
| Merlin | Ruadan | 2 episodes | |
| 2012–2019 | Game of Thrones | Davos Seaworth | 42 episodes |
| 2013 | Doctor Who | Captain Zhukov | Episode: "Cold War" |
| Vera | Sam Harper | Episode: "Prodigal Son" | |
| 2015 | The Musketeers | Belgard | Episode: "The Prodigal Father" |
| 2017 | Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams | General Olin | Episode: "Human Is" |
| 2019 | The Hot Zone | Wade Carter | Main role |
| Rick and Morty | Balthromaw (voice) | Episode: “Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim's Morty” | |
| 2020 | Solar Opposites | Pupa (voice) | Episode: "Retrace-Your-Step-Alizer" |
| 2021 | Masters of the Universe: Revelation | Man-At-Arms (voice) | |
| 2021 | Domina | Livius | |
| 2024 | 3 Body Problem | Thomas Wade | Upcoming series |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | "High Hopes" | By Kodaline |
Awards and nominations
References
- ^ "Liam Cunningham signs for next six series of Game of Thrones". Independent Women. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ^ Clarke, Donald; Brady, Tara. "The 50 greatest Irish film actors of all time – in order". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "Falling for an Irish Lad". Irish News, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 27 November 1999 – by Robert McMillen. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ^ "Game Of Thrones star Liam Cunningham talks to The Works Presents". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 21 March 2017.
- ^ "Liam Cunningham Talks About the End of 'Game of Thrones'". GQ. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "Liam Cunningham on his phenomenal success in 'Game of Thrones', his childhood in Coolock and getting married at 22". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ Nat (3 September 2017). "Five Things You Didn't Know About Liam Cunningham". TVOvermind. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "This 'Game of Thrones' character was in "A Little Princess" and you didn't even notice". HelloGiggles. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ Lewis, Anna (21 July 2016). "You'll never guess which Game Of Thrones actor played the dad in The Little Princess…". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ Rose, Lloyd (1 November 1996). "'Jude': Loss of Innocents". The Washington Post. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ Minns, Adam. "UK horror Dog Soldiers wins at Brussels festival". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham will lead this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin". JOE.ie. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "Television review: 'Outcasts'". Los Angeles Times. 18 June 2011. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "A Brief History Of Time (Travel): Doctor Who (1996)". Shannonsullivan.com. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "10 Things You Might Not Know About DOCTOR WHO: THE TV MOVIE". Warpedfactor.com. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "Game of Thrones Casts Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- ^ "The Numbers Station". Matador Pictures. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ^ "Liam Cunningham cast in BBC's Merlin". Irish Film and Television Network. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- ^ Kodaline – High Hopes. YouTube. 23 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
- ^ "Liam Cunningham, Matt Smith, David Warner, and Jenna-Louise Coleman in 'Cold War'". THE UNAFFILIATED CRITIC. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ Movieclips Indie (29 June 2016), The Childhood of a Leader Trailer 1 (2016) - Liam Cunningham Movie, archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 12 July 2019
- ^ "Mark Hamill Will Voice Skeletor on the New 'Masters of the Universe'". Screen Rant. 14 February 2020.
- ^ Goronja, Ariel (10 April 2019). "Is Liam Cunningham Married? Does the Game of Thrones Actor Have a Wife?". Heavy.com. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "Over 100 artists announce a cultural boycott of Israel | Letters". The Guardian. 13 February 2015. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ "Tilda Swinton among 2000+ artists calling for Gaza ceasefire". Artists for Palestine. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ "Our favourite Game of Thrones actor, Liam Cunningham - calling for your number 1 vote for Solidarity - People before Profit". People Before Profit. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Here's the full list of nominees for this year's Irish Film and Television Awards". Entertainment.ie. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
External links
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