Rory Keenan (born 9 June 1980) is an Irish actor. On film and television he has starred in Somewhere Boy, The Duchess, Birdsong, Versailles, War & Peace, The Guard and Peaky Blinders.

Rory Keenan
Born (1980-06-09) 9 June 1980 (age 44)
Dublin, Ireland
Alma materTrinity College Dublin
OccupationActor
Years active1999–present
Spouse
(m. 2019)
Children1

Career

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Keenan has performed in many National Theatre productions,[1] as well as at BAM, New York and Wyndhams Theatre in the West End as Jamie in Long Day's Journey into Night, directed by Sir Richard Eyre.[1] He starred at The Donmar Warehouse in Saint Joan and Welcome Home Captain Fox![2]

Previous work at The Royal National Theatre includes The Kitchen, Damned By Despair and Liola, and Philadelphia, Here I Come![3] and Dublin Carol at the Donmar Warehouse.[1]

He has performed many leading roles in Ireland, having worked from an early age at The Abbey Theatre, as well as the title roles in Hamlet and Macbeth, the latter of which landed him Best Actor at 11th The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards.[4]

In 2010, Keenan appeared in the short film The Crush, which was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Live Action Short Film.[5]

On television he was seen in Channel 4's Somewhere Boy, Netflix's The Duchess, BBC's Versailles, War & Peace and Peaky Blinders.[1]

In 2022, Keenan wrote and directed his debut film Bump, which starred his wife Gemma Arterton, and was screened at the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival in San Jose, California, and Cleveland International Film Festival.[6] He was awarded Best Director at the British Short Film Awards 2022.

Personal life

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In 2019, he married actress Gemma Arterton.[7]

The couple’s first child, a son, was born in December 2022.[8][9]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 Aristocrats George TV mini series
2001–02 On Home Ground Kevin King 16 episodes
2003 The Clinic Michael 6 episodes
2005 Showbands Keith TV mini series
2011 Primeval Michael 1 episode
2012 Birdsong Brennan TV mini series
2014 Peaky Blinders Donal Henry 3 episodes
2016 Stan Lee's Lucky Man Simon 2 episodes
War & Peace Bilibin 4 episodes
2017 Versailles Leopold 8 episodes
Come Home Tomlinson 2 episodes
2017–18 Striking Out Eric 10 episodes
2020 The Duchess Shep 6 episodes
2021 Rules Of The Game Hugh 3 episodes
2022 Somewhere Boy Steve 8 episodes
2024 Blackshore Garda Cian Furlong 6 episodes

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2002 Reign of Fire Devon
2003 Intermission Anthony Lowry
Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor Malitiaman TV movie
2004 Ella Enchanted Otto
2005 Showbands Keith TV movie
Still Life Man Short film
2006 Pride and Joy Rory Lawlor
2009 One Hundred Mornings Mark
Zonad Guy Hendrickson
2010 Windows Terry Short film
The Crush Boyfriend nominated Academy Award Best Live Action Short Film[5]
2011 National Theatre Live: The Kitchen Kevin
The Guard McBride
2012 Earthbound Gordon
Keys to the City Paul
2016 The Young Messiah Lucifer
Grimsby James Thurbeck

Theatre

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Year Title Role Theatre Notes
2007 Don Carlos Don Carlos Rough Magic
Saved Fred Abbey Theatre
2009 Macbeth Macbeth Siren Productions/The Empty Space Best Actor In Supporting Role, Irish Times Theatre Awards
The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger Ronan Olympia Theatre
2010 The Big Fellah Ruairi Lyric Hammersmith
The Importance of Being Earnest Jack Rough Magic/ Gaiety Theatre
2011 The Kitchen Kevin Royal National Theatre
Lakeboat/Prairie du Chien Fred Arcola Theatre
2012 Damned by Despair Pedrisco Royal National Theatre
Philadelphia Here I Come Gar Private Donmar Warehouse
Dublin Carol Mark Donmar Warehouse
2013 Liola Liola Royal National Theatre
2015 Someone Who'll Watch Over Me Edward Chichester Festival Theatre
2016 Saint Joan The Inquisitor Donmar Warehouse
The Seagull Trigorin Dublin Theatre Festival
Welcome Home Captain Fox Gene Donmar Warehouse
2018 Long Day's Journey Into Night James Tyrone Jr. Wyndham's Theatre / BAM, New York
2019 Plenty Raymond Brock Chichester Festival Theatre [10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Spotlight - Rory Keenan". spotlight.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  2. ^ "Rory Keenan Interview". londoncalling.com. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
  3. ^ "Review Round-Up: Critics crow for Philadelphia, Here I Come". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  4. ^ "New talent saluted and new awards - for best supporting dad and feng shui". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  5. ^ a b "NI film 'The Crush' is shortlisted for an Oscar". BBC News. 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  6. ^ "Bump". mubi.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  7. ^ Bond Girl Gemma Arterton secretly marries Irish Peaky Blinders star Rory Keenan in exclusive Co Wicklow ceremony, 15 September 2019
  8. ^ "Gemma Arterton pregnant with first child", Yahoo, 4 November 2022
  9. ^ "Gemma Arterton reveals she welcomed her first child in December", Yahoo, 8 February 2023
  10. ^ Supercool (2019-09-25). "Plenty". Chichester Festival Theatre. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
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