# James McArdle

James John McArdle (born 3 April 1989) is a Scottish actor. He won the Ian Charleson Award for his role as Mikhail Platonov in Platonov and was nominated for an Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for portraying Louis Ironson in Angels in America.

## Early life

McArdle was born in Glasgow, growing up in the city's Darnley neighbourhood and attending St Ninian's High School, Giffnock. As a child he attended PACE Theatre Company in nearby Paisley. Having worked as a child actor in films, at 17 he made the decision to travel by bus to London to train as a professional without informing his parents; he was accepted to RADA after initially fluffing his audition lines but managing to return and impress the selectors. He left the course towards its end in 2010, and in the same year he appeared in Macbeth at The Globe and starred in the summer smash hit Spur of the Moment by Anya Reiss at the Royal Court Theatre in London. He was also well received in his role in A Month in the Country by Ivan Turgenev at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

## Career

In 2011, McArdle played the role of Agathon in Emperor and Galilean by Henrik Ibsen at the National Theatre. He was also Robin Hood in the 2011 RSC production of The Legend, adapted by Ella Hickson.
In 2012, he starred as Harold Abrahams in Chariots of Fire, Mike Bartlett's stage adaptation of the film of the same title, which opened at London's Hampstead Theatre on 9 May and transferred to the West End on 23 June, running through to 5 January 2013.
He portrayed King James I of Scotland in Rona Munro's King James I, which was performed at the National Theatre and the Edinburgh International Festival in 2014.
In 2016, McArdle won the Ian Charleson Award for his 2015 performance as Platonov in Platonov at the Chichester Festival Theatre
In 2017, McArdle's performance as Louis Ironson in Angels in America at the National Theatre Lyttleton in London earned him a nomination for the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In March 2018 he stayed with the production when it transferred to Broadway for an 18-week engagement at the Neil Simon Theatre and was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play.

## Acting credits
### Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Location |
| 2010 | Macbeth | Malcolm | The Globe |
| 2010 | Spur of the Moment | Daniel Mast | Royal Court Theatre |
| 2010 | A Month in the Country | Aleksei Belyaev | Chichester Festival Theatre |
| 2011 | Emperor and Galilean | Agathon | National Theatre |
| 2011 | The Heart of Robin Hood | Robin Hood | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 2012 | Chariots of Fire | Harold Abrahams | Hampstead Theatre |
| 2012 | Chariots of Fire | Harold Abrahams | Gielgud Theatre |
| 2014 | James I: The Key Will Keep The Lock | James I of Scotland | National Theatre |
| 2014 | James I: The Key Will Keep The Lock | James I of Scotland | Edinburgh International Festival |
| 2014 | James I: The Key Will Keep The Lock | James I of Scotland | National Theatre of Scotland |
| 2015 | Platonov | Mikhail Platonov | Chichester Festival Theatre |
| 2015 | Ivanov | Yevgeni Lvov | Chichester Festival Theatre |
| 2016 | Platonov | Mikhail Platonov | National Theatre |
| 2016 | Ivanov | Yevgeni Lvov | National Theatre |
| 2017 | Angels in America | Louis Ironson | National Theatre |
| 2018 | Angels in America | Louis Ironson | Neil Simon Theatre |
| 2019 | Peter Gynt | Peter Gynt | National Theatre |
| 2021 | The Tragedy of Macbeth | Macbeth | Almeida Theatre |
| 2024 | The Real Thing | Henry | Old Vic Theatre |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | Appropriate Adult | Stephen West | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Page Eight | Ted Finch | Television film |
| 2013 | Love and Marriage | Charlie McCallister | 6 episodes |
| 2014 | New Worlds | Will Blood | Miniseries |
| 2014 | Salting the Battlefield | Ted Finch | Television film |
| 2014 | Turks & Caicos | Ted Finch | Television film |
| 2014 | 37 Days | Alec | Miniseries |
| 2017 | Man in an Orange Shirt | Thomas March | Television film |
| 2021 | Mare of Easttown | Deacon Mark Burton | Miniseries |
| 2022 | Life After Life | Hugh Todd | Main cast |
| 2022 | Andor | Timm Karlo | 3 episodes |
| 2024 | Sexy Beast | Gal Dove | Main cast |
| 2025 | Playing Nice | Miles Lambert | Miniseries |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2012 | Private Peaceful | Lieutenant Buckland | |
| 2014 | '71 | Sergeant Mark McGowen | |
| 2015 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Niv Lek | |
| 2016 | On The Road | Joe | |
| 2016 | The Chamber | Parks | |
| 2018 | Mary Queen of Scots | James Stewart, Earl of Moray | |
| 2020 | Ammonite | Roderick Murchison | |
| TBA | Four Mothers | | In post-production |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
| 2010 | Ian Charleson Awards | Special Commendation | Macbeth | Nominated |
| 2010 | Ian Charleson Awards | Special Commendation | A Month in the Country | Nominated |
| 2010 | Evening Standard Awards | Outstanding Newcomer | Spur of the Moment | Nominated |
| 2015 | Ian Charleson Awards | 1st Place | Platonov | Won |
| 2016 | Evening Standard Awards | Best Actor | Platonov | Nominated |
| 2018 | Laurence Olivier Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Angels in America | Nominated |
| 2018 | Theatre World Award | | Angels in America | Won |
| 2018 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Angels in America | Nominated |
| 2018 | Drama Desk Awards | Best Actor in a Play | Angels in America | Nominated |
| 2019 | h100 Awards | Theatre & Performance | Peter Gynt | Nominated |