James McArdle

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 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.

In 2024 McArdle played the lead role in the comedy Four Mothers, an Irish-set adaptation of the Gianni Di Gregorio 2008 Italian film Mid-August Lunch, playing a gay young adult fiction writer taking care of his widowed mother. The film won the BFI London Film Festival Audience Award in 2024.

Acting credits

Theatre

Television

Film

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. "Statutory registers". [[National Records of Scotland]] and the [[Court of the Lord Lyon]].
2. [https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity-interviews/scots-actor-james-mcardle-tells-3561670.amp Scots actor James McArdle tells how roughing it in London slum helped him with role as King James I in new stage show], Daily Record, 18 May 2014
3. [https://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/15413735.i-wont-let-a-bunch-of-posh-boys-stop-me-angels-in-america-co-star-james-mcardle-on-theatrical-class-war-the-trouble-with-gay-plays-and-why-he-owes-it-all-to-his-glasgow-granny/ 'I won’t let a bunch of posh boys stop me': Angels In America co-star James McArdle on theatrical class war, the trouble with 'gay plays' and why he owes it all to his Glasgow granny] The Herald, 16 July 2017
4. [https://www.renfrewshire24.co.uk/2020/01/24/star-of-stage-and-screen-and-new-pace-patron-james-mcardle-reveals-paisley-location-of-scotlands-first-dedicated-young-peoples-theatre/ Star of stage and screen, and new pace patron, James McArdle reveals Paisley location of Scotland’s first dedicated young people's theatre] {{Webarchive. link. (13 December 2022 , Renfrewshire News, 24 January 2020)
5. [https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/paisleys-pace-leading-way-opening-21351017.amp Paisley's PACE is leading the way by opening Scotland's first dedicated children and young people's theatre], Daily Record, 24 January 2020
6. he was accepted to [[RADA]] after initially fluffing his audition lines but managing to return and impress the selectors.[https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/13257435.amp/ James McArdle - from drama school drop-out to sitcom star] {{Webarchive. link. (8 July 2023 , Evening Times, 4 June 2013)
7. Snow, Georgia. (24 June 2016). "James McArdle wins 2015 Ian Charleson award". The Stage.
8. (4 May 2017). "Angels in America review – Garfield and Lane excel in Kushner's surreal epic". The Guardian.
9. (6 March 2018). "Olivier awards 2018: complete list of nominations". The Guardian.
10. (28 May 2018). "Angels in America, Starring Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield, Opens on Broadway March 25". Playbill.
11. (26 April 2018). "'Carousel,' 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Lead 2018 Drama Desk Nominations (Full List)". Variety.
12. (26 November 2024). "BFI London Film Festival award winner ‘Four Mothers’ picked up for UK-Ireland". Screen Daily.
13. (21 August 2010). "Macbeth". The Globe.
14. (21 August 2010). "Spur of the Moment". The Royal Court Theatre.
15. "A Month in the Country". Chichester Festival Theatre.
16. "Emperor and Galilean". Royal National Theatre.
17. "The Heart of Robin Hood". RSC.
18. (2012). "Chariots of Fire". Hampstead Theatre.
19. (2014). "The James Plays". National Theatre of Scotland.
20. (2016). "Young Chekhov: Three-play day". Royal National Theatre.
21. (7 September 2017). "London's Angels in America Will Transfer to Broadway". Playbill.
22. (2018). "Autumn Press Conference: 2019 and Beyond". Royal National Theatre.
23. "The Tragedy of Macbeth".
24. "The Real Thing".
25. "Bacchae {{!}} National Theatre".