# Eddie Marsan

Edward Maurice Charles Marsan (born 9 June 1968) is an English actor. He won the London Film Critics Circle Award and the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film Happy-Go-Lucky (2008).

## Early life and education

Marsan was born on 9 June 1968 in the Stepney district of London to a working-class family; his father was a lorry driver and his mother was a school dinner lady and teacher's assistant. He was brought up in Bethnal Green and attended Raine's Foundation School. He left school at 16 and initially served an apprenticeship as a printer before beginning his career in theatre.
He trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating in 1991, and went on to study under Sam Kogan at the Kogan Academy of Dramatic Arts, now known as The School of the Science of Acting, of which Marsan is now a patron. His first year at drama school was funded by Mr Benny, a bookmaker who ran a menswear shop where Marsan worked; he obtained scholarships for the rest of the course. It took many attempts for Marsan to get a place at drama school.

## Career

Marsan's first television appearance was in 1992 as a "yob" in the London Weekend Television series The Piglet Files. One of his more significant early television appearances was in the popular mid-1990s BBC sitcom Game On as an escaped convict who was an old flame of Mandy's. Marsan went on to have roles in Casualty, The Bill, Grass, Kavanagh QC, Grange Hill, Silent Witness, Ultimate Force, Southcliffe, and more. He also voiced the Manticore in the Merlin episode "Love in the Time of Dragons".
In 2011, he starred alongside Olivia Colman and Peter Mullan, all three actors relatively unknown at that time, in the British drama film Tyrannosaur.
In 2013, he began portraying Terry Donovan, brother to the lead character in 7 series and 82 episodes of Showtime's drama series Ray Donovan. The same year he played Ludwig Guttmann in the television film The Best of Men. In May 2015, Marsan appeared as the practical magician Gilbert Norrell in the BBC period drama Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Marsan's film roles include the main villain in the 2008 superhero film Hancock alongside Will Smith and as Inspector Lestrade in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes. His other films include Sixty Six, Gangs of New York, 21 Grams, The Illusionist, V for Vendetta, Gangster No. 1, Miami Vice, Mission: Impossible III, I Want Candy, Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky, Filth, Tyrannosaur and Heartless.
In 2021, Marsan appeared as anti-Fascist activist Soly Malinovsky in the television adaptation of the novel Ridley Road. In 2022, he played the real-life role of John Darwin in ITV's drama series The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe.
Marsan appeared as Mitch Winehouse, father of Amy Winehouse, in the biopic Back to Black, which was released in 2024.

## Personal life

Marsan married make-up artist Janine Schneider in 2002. They have four children. Marsan is a humanist and was appointed a patron of Humanists UK in 2015. He was critical of the lack of representation of working-class people in the arts in 2015 on BBC Radio 5 Live in which he stated too much drama is written from "the white, privileged, middle class perspective". In 2024 he was interviewed on HARDtalk with an episode entitled "Do the arts neglect working-class people?".
Marsan was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 New Year Honours for service to drama.

## Filmography

Key :
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | The Man Who Knew Too Little | Mugger No. 1 | |
| 1999 | This Year's Love | Eddie | |
| 1999 | Janice Beard | Mr Tense | |
| 2000 | Gangster No. 1 | Eddie Miller | |
| 2001 | The Emperor's New Clothes | Louis Marchand | |
| 2001 | The Bunker | Pfc Kreuzmann | |
| 2002 | Gangs of New York | Killoran | |
| 2003 | AfterLife | Jez Walters | |
| 2003 | 21 Grams | Reverend John | |
| 2004 | The Rocket Post | Heinz Dombrowsky | |
| 2004 | Vera Drake | Reg | |
| 2005 | The Secret Life of Words | Victor | |
| 2005 | Beowulf & Grendel | Father Brendan | |
| 2005 | The New World | Eddie | |
| 2005 | The Headsman | Fabio | |
| 2006 | V for Vendetta | Brian Etheridge | |
| 2006 | Mission: Impossible III | Brownway | |
| 2006 | Miami Vice | Nicholas | |
| 2006 | Sixty Six | Manny Reuben | |
| 2006 | The Illusionist | Josef Fischer | |
| 2006 | Pierrepoint | James "Tish" Corbitt | |
| 2007 | I Want Candy | Doug Perry | |
| 2007 | Grow Your Own | Little John | |
| 2008 | Happy-Go-Lucky | Scott | |
| 2008 | Hancock | Kenneth "Red" Parker Jr. | |
| 2008 | Me and Orson Welles | John Houseman | |
| 2008 | Faintheart | Richard | |
| 2009 | Red Riding | Jack Whitehead | |
| 2009 | Sherlock Holmes | Inspector Lestrade | |
| 2009 | The Disappearance of Alice Creed | Vic | |
| 2009 | Heartless | Weapons Man | |
| 2010 | London Boulevard | DI Bailey | |
| 2011 | Junkhearts | Frank | |
| 2011 | Tyrannosaur | James | |
| 2011 | Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows | Inspector Lestrade | |
| 2011 | War Horse | Sgt Fry | |
| 2012 | I, Anna | DI Kevin Franks | |
| 2012 | Snow White and the Huntsman | Duir | |
| 2012 | A Running Jump | Perry | Short |
| 2013 | Jack the Giant Slayer | Crawe | |
| 2013 | The World's End | Peter Page | |
| 2013 | Filth | Bladesey | |
| 2013 | Still Life | John May | |
| 2014 | God's Pocket | Smilin' Jack Moran | |
| 2014 | X+Y | Richard | |
| 2015 | Concussion | Steven DeKosky | |
| 2016 | A Kind of Murder | Marty Kimmel | |
| 2016 | The Limehouse Golem | Uncle | |
| 2016 | Their Finest | Sammy Smith | |
| 2016 | The Exception | Heinrich Himmler | |
| 2017 | Atomic Blonde | Spyglass | |
| 2017 | Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House | Agency Man | |
| 2018 | Entebbe | Shimon Peres | |
| 2018 | Deadpool 2 | The Headmaster | |
| 2018 | White Boy Rick | Art Derrick | |
| 2018 | Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle | Vihaan | Voice and motion capture role |
| 2018 | Vice | Paul Wolfowitz | |
| 2019 | Hostage Radio | Jarvis Dolan | |
| 2019 | The Professor and the Madman | Muncie | |
| 2019 | Hobbs & Shaw | Professor Andreiko | |
| 2019 | Abigail | Jonathan Foster | |
| 2019 | Pets United | The Cyborg / The Mayor / Frank Stone | Voice role |
| 2019 | The Gentlemen | Big Dave | |
| 2021 | Wrath of Man | Terry | |
| 2021 | The Virtuoso | The Loner | |
| 2021 | Flag Day | Mr. Emmanuelle | |
| 2021 | Charlotte | Albert Salomon | Voice role |
| 2022 | The Contractor | Virgil | |
| 2022 | Choose or Die | Hal | |
| 2022 | Vesper | Jonas | |
| 2023 | Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre | Knighton | |
| 2023 | Fair Play | Campbell | |
| 2023 | Firebrand | Edward Seymour | |
| 2024 | Back to Black | Mitch Winehouse | |
| 2024 | Midas Man | Harry Epstein | |
| TBA | Emperor † | Martin Luther | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | The Piglet Files | Yob | Episode: "Sex, Spies and Videotape" |
| 1992–1996 | The Bill | Martin Price/Roy Kilby/Dean Stacey/Gary Vaughan | 4 episodes |
| 1996 | Casualty | Rick Grant | Episode: "Chain Reactions" |
| 1996 | EastEnders | Roddy | 1 episode |
| 1996 | Game On | Stoat | Episode: "Heavy Bondage & Custard Creams" |
| 1996–1998 | Grange Hill | Andy Sutcliffe/Eddie Sutcliffe | 3 episodes |
| 1997 | Get Well Soon | Brian Clapton | Main cast, 6 episodes |
| 1997 | Kavanagh QC | Ian Vincent | Episode: "The Ties That Bind" |
| 1999 | The Vice | Rhys | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | The Mrs Bradley Mysteries | Ronald Quincy | Episode: "The Worsted Viper" |
| 2001 | The Monkey King | Pigsy | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Ultimate Force | Badger | Episode: "The Killing House" |
| 2002 | Judge John Deed | Ed Hay | Episode: "Nobody's Fool" |
| 2003 | Grass | Sunshine | 3 episodes |
| 2003 | Charles II: The Power and the Passion | Titus Oates | Episode #1.4 |
| 2004 | Coming Up | Martin | Episode: "The Baader Meinhoff Gang Show" |
| 2004 | Quite Ugly One Morning | Stephen Lime | Television film |
| 2004 | Silent Witness | Derek Portnoy | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Friends and Crocodiles | Martin Butterworth | Television film |
| 2008 | God on Trial | Lieble | Television film |
| 2008 | Little Dorrit | Pancks | Miniseries, 12 episodes |
| 2008 | The 39 Steps | Scudder | Television film |
| 2009 | Criminal Justice | Saul | Main cast, 5 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Law & Order: UK | Jason Peters | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Merlin | The Manticore (voice) | Episode: "Love in the Time of Dragons" |
| 2010 | The Sarah Jane Adventures | Mr White | 2-part story: Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith |
| 2011 | Moby Dick | Stubb | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Playhouse Presents | The Intruder | Episode: "Walking the Dogs" |
| 2012 | The Best of Men | Ludwig Guttmann | Television film |
| 2013 | Southcliffe | Andrew Salter | 4 episodes |
| 2013–2020 | Ray Donovan | Terry Donovan | Main cast, 80 episodes |
| 2015 | Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell | Gilbert Norrell | Miniseries, 7 episodes |
| 2015 | River | Thomas Neill Cream | Miniseries, 6 episodes |
| 2015 | Hunted | Narrator (voice) | Reality television series |
| 2016 | Galavant | Death | Episode: "Love and Death" |
| 2017 | Urban Myths | Bob Dylan | Episode: "Bob Dylan: Knockin' on Dave's Door" |
| 2018 | Indian Summer School | Narrator (voice) | Reality television series, 3 episodes |
| 2021 | The Pact | Arwel Evans | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 2021 | Deceit | Paul Britton | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 2021 | Ridley Road | Soly Malinovsky | 4 episodes |
| 2022 | Ray Donovan: The Movie | Terry Donovan | Television film |
| 2022 | The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe | John Darwin | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 2023 | The Power | Bernie Monke | Main role |
| 2023 | The Winter King | Uther Pendragon | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Franklin | John Adams | Miniseries |
| 2024 | Inside No. 9 | Nathaniel | Episode: "The Curse of the Ninth" |
| 2024 | Suspect | Alistair Underwood | Series 2 |
| 2024 | Supacell | Ray | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Heartstopper | Geoff | 3 episodes |
| TBA | Lockerbie † | | Filming |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2020 | Deathtrap Dungeon | Narrator |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Awards | Category | Work | Result |
| 2004 | 7th British Independent Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor/Actress | Vera Drake | Won |
| 2005 | London Film Critics' Circle Awards | British Supporting Actor of the Year | Vera Drake | Nominated |
| 2007 | London Film Critics' Circle Awards | British Supporting Actor of the Year | The Last Hangman | Nominated |
| 2008 | 11th British Independent Film Awards | BIFA for Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Won |
| 2008 | Alliance of Women Film Journalists EDA awards | EDA Best Actor in Supporting Role | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2008 | Alliance of Women Film Journalists EDA awards | EDA Best Seduction (shared with: Sally Hawkins) | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2008 | Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards 2008 | DFWFCA Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Won |
| 2008 | Detroit Film Critics Society Awards | DFCS Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2008 | IndieWire Critics Poll | ICP Best Supporting Performance | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2008 | Village Voice Film Poll | VVFP Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2008 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | LAFCA Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2009 | Chlotrudis Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Won |
| 2009 | Central Ohio Film Critics Association awards | COFCA Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2009 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2009 | International Cinephile Society Awards | ICS Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2009 | International Online Cinema Awards | INOCA Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2009 | London Film Critics' Circle Awards | British Supporting Actor of the Year | Happy-Go-Lucky | Won |
| 2009 | National Society of Film Critics | NSFC Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association | OFTA Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2009 | Online Film Critics Society Awards | OFCSA Best Supporting Actor | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2009 | Evening Standard British Film Awards | Peter Sellers Award for Comedy | Happy-Go-Lucky | Nominated |
| 2011 | Evening Standard British Film Awards | Best Actor | The Disappearance of Alice Creed | Nominated |
| 2011 | 14th British Independent Film Awards | BIFA for Best Supporting Actor | Tyrannosaur | Nominated |
| 2012 | Moscow International Film Festival | Silver St. George - Best Actor | Junkhearts | Won |
| 2013 | 16th British Independent Film Awards | BIFA for Best Supporting Actor | Filth | Nominated |
| 2014 | Art Film Festival | Blue Angel award for Best Male Performance | Still Life | Won |
| 2014 | Edinburgh International Film Festival | Best Performance in a British Feature Film | Still Life | Won |
| 2015 | 5th VOICES Film Festival, Vologda, Russia | Best Actor | Still Life | Won |
| 2022 | BAFTA Cymru | Best Actor | The Pact | Nominated |