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Brían F. O'Byrne

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For other people with similar names, see Brian O'Byrne.
Brían F. O'Byrne
Born (1967-05-16) 16 May 1967 (age 58)
Mullagh, County Cavan, Ireland
EducationTrinity College
OccupationActor
Years active1994–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2007; sep. 2024)​
Children2

Brían Francis O'Byrne (born 16 May 1967) is an Irish actor who works and lives in the United States. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his role in the miniseries Mildred Pierce (2011) and won a BAFTA TV Award for his role in the drama series Little Boy Blue (2017).

O'Byrne has received five Tony Award nominations and won Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the 2004 production of Frozen.

Early life and education

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O'Byrne was born in Mullagh, a village in the south-east of County Cavan, on 16 May 1967. He attended the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College (T.C.D.) in Dublin. He moved to New York City in 1990, and was cast in the Irish Repertory Theatre production of Philadelphia, Here I Come![1]

Career

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O'Byrne first attracted notice for his performances in two plays by Martin McDonagh, The Beauty Queen of Leenane (1996) as Pato Dooley (for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play) and The Lonesome West (1997). He is known for taking on serious and dramatic roles, such as a serial killer in Frozen (1998) (for which he won a Tony Award) and a priest accused of child molestation in Doubt: A Parable (2004), for which he received a Tony Award nomination. O'Byrne also appeared as a priest in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. In May 2007, O'Byrne was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance as Alexander Herzen in Tom Stoppard's 2002 trilogy The Coast of Utopia. He appeared in the play Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley on Broadway in 2014, and received a nomination for the 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Actor in a Play.[2]

In 2011, O'Byrne was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his performance in Mildred Pierce as Bert Pierce. O'Byrne was featured in the 2009–2010 ABC series FlashForward, in which he played Aaron Stark. The show was not renewed. FlashForward began airing in Ireland on 4 January 2010.[3]

In 2012, O'Byrne was cast in the ABC drama pilot Gilded Lilys created and produced by Shonda Rhimes.[4]

In 2017, O'Byrne appeared in Little Boy Blue as Steve Jones, the father of Rhys Jones who was murdered by gang members in 2007.

Personal life

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O'Byrne was married to American actress Heather Goldenhersh, with whom he co-starred in the Broadway play Doubt: A Parable as well as Three Women.[5] The couple has two daughters. They separated in 2024.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 Avenue X 'Sonny' Short film
1997 Electricity Graham Crouch
The Fifth Province Timmy
The Last Bus Home Jessop
2000 An Everlasting Piece George
2001 Bandits Darill Miller
Disco Pigs Gerry
The Grey Zone SS-Untersturmfuhrer
Mapmaker Richie Markey
2003 Easy Mick McCabe
Intermission Mick
2004 Million Dollar Baby Father Horvak
2005 In an Instant The Man
The New World Lewes
2006 Bug Dr. Sweet
2007 Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Bobby
No Reservations Sean
2009 The International The Consultant
2010 Brooklyn's Finest Detective Ronny Rosario
2011 Season of the Witch Grandmaster Uncredited
2013 Medeas Ennis
2014 Jimmy's Hall Commander O’Keefe
Queen and Country RSM Digby
2020 Sergio Gil Loescher
My Salinger Year Hugh
2022 The Wonder John Flynn
2024 Conclave Monsignor Raymond O'Malley
2025 The Dead of Winter TBA Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Amongst Women Luke 4 episodes
2001 Oz Padraig Connolly 3 episodes
2004 The Blackwater Lightship Larry TV film
2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Liam Connors Episode: "Ghost"
2007 American Experience Alexander Hamilton Episode: "Alexander Hamilton"
2007–08 Brotherhood Colin Carr 18 episodes
2009–10 FlashForward Aaron Stark 17 episodes
2010 Medium Clark Kerwin Episode: "The People in Your Neighborhood"
2011 Mildred Pierce Bert Pierce 5 episodes
2011–12 Prime Suspect Detective Reg Duffy 13 episodes
2013 Gilded Lilys Edwin Lily Unsold TV pilot
2013–14 Love/Hate D.I. Mick Moynihan 11 episodes
2015 The Bastard Executioner Baron Ventris 3 episodes
Exposed Quigg Unsold TV pilot
The Last Ship Seán Ramsey 8 episodes
Saints & Strangers John Billington, Sr. 2 episodes
2015–16 Aquarius Ken Karn 22 episodes
2016–19 The Magicians Mayakovsky 4 episodes
2017 Little Boy Blue Steve Jones 4 episodes
Mercy Street Allan Pinkerton 5 episodes
Manhunt: Unabomber Frank McAlpine 6 episodes
2018 Nightflyers Auggie Main role
2019 Hatton Garden Basil 4 episodes
2020 Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector Peter Taylor / The Bone Collector Main role
2024 Three Women Mark Wilkin 5 episodes
TBA The Abandons TBA Upcoming TV series

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1998 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play The Beauty Queen of Leenane Nominated [6]
1999 Best Actor in a Play The Lonesome West Nominated [6]
2004 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play Frozen Won [6]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Nominated [7]
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Nominated [8]
2005 Tony Award Best Actor in a Play Doubt Nominated [6]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Won [9]
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Won [10]
2006 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Shining City Nominated [11]
2007 Tony Award Best Actor in a Play The Coast of Utopia Nominated [6]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Nominated [12]
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Nominated [13]
Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Cast Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Won [14]
Satellite Awards Best Cast – Motion Picture Won [15]
2011 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Mildred Pierce Nominated [16][17]
2013 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet Nominated [18]
2014 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Outside Mullingar Nominated [19]
2018 British Academy Television Awards Best Supporting Actor Little Boy Blue Won [20]
2025 Irish Film and Television Awards Best Supporting Actor Conclave Won [21]

References

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  1. ^ Harty, Patricia. "What Are You Like? Brían F. O’Byrne" irishamerica.com, April/May 2014
  2. ^ Gans, Andres (22 April 2014). "64th Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards Nominations Announced; A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Leads the Pack". Playbill.
  3. ^ RTÉ.ie (29 December 2009). "FlashForward star talks about coming home". RTÉ.ie.
  4. ^ Wightman, Catriona (20 February 2012). "Brian O'Byrne joins ABC's 'Gilded Lilys' pilot". Digital Spy.
  5. ^ Chapman, Wilson; Grantham-Philips, Wyatte (11 February 2022). "Netflix Shares First Look at 'Russian Doll' Season 2; Showtime's 'Three Women' Adds New Cast (TV News Roundup)". Variety. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Winners and nominees: Brian F. O'Byrne". Tony Awards. Archived from the original on 30 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  7. ^ Gans, Andrew; Simonson, Robert (16 May 2004). "Wicked, Assassins, Henry IV, Wife Win Drama Desk Awards". Playbill. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  8. ^ Hernandez, Ernio (2 May 2004). "Wicked, Wonderful Town, I Am My Own Wife Top 2004 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  9. ^ Jones, Kenneth; Ku, Andrew (23 May 2005). "Doubt, Spamalot, Twelve Angry Men, La Cage Win 2005 Drama Desk Awards". Playbill. Archived from the original on 25 April 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  10. ^ Hernandez, Ernio (8 May 2005). "Doubt and Spamalot Top Outer Critics Awards; O'Byrne, Jones, Butz and Clark Among Winners". Playbill. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Drowsy Chaperone and History Boys Big Winners at the 2006 Drama Desk Awards". Playbill. 22 May 2006. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Drama Desk Award winners 2007". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on 30 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  13. ^ Gans, Andrew (24 May 2007). "Outer Critics Circle Awards Are Presented by Clark, Young and Mitchell May 24". Playbill. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  14. ^ "2007 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  15. ^ Maxwell, Erin (17 December 2007). "Satellite Award winners announced". Variety. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  16. ^ "63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Winners" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 18 September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  17. ^ "2011 Primetime Emmy Nominations" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  18. ^ "Drama Desk Award winners 2013". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on 30 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  19. ^ Gans, Andrew (12 May 2014). "64th Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; Gentleman's Guide Wins Four Awards". Playbill. Archived from the original on 6 April 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  20. ^ Bakare, Lanre (13 May 2018). "Bafta TV awards 2018: full list of winners". The Guardian.
  21. ^ "IFTA AWARDS 2025 WINNERS ANNOUNCED". IRISH film and Television Academy. 13 February 2025. Archived from the original on 3 June 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
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