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Andrew Scott
Andrew Scott at Berlinale 2025 (cropped).jpg
Scott in 2025
Born (1976-10-21) 21 October 1976 (age 48)
Dublin, Ireland
Occupation Actor
Years active 1994–present
Awards Full list

Andrew Scott (born October 21, 1976) is a talented actor from Ireland. He is well-known for his exciting roles in movies, TV shows, and plays. Andrew has won many important awards, including a British Academy Television Award and two Laurence Olivier Awards. He has also been nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

Andrew Scott first became famous for playing the clever villain James Moriarty in the BBC series Sherlock from 2010 to 2017. For this role, he won a British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor. Later, his role as the Priest in the second season of Fleabag (2019) made him even more popular. He won a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for this part.

You might also know Andrew from movies like Pride (2014), Spectre (2015), and 1917 (2019). In 2023, he starred in the romantic drama All of Us Strangers, which earned him a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. In 2024, he played Tom Ripley in the thriller series Ripley, receiving more Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.

On stage, Andrew has also achieved great success. He won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his lead role in the play Present Laughter in 2019. He also won another Olivier Award in 2005 for his performance in A Girl in a Car with a Man.

Early Life and Acting Start

Andrew Scott was born in Dublin, Ireland, on October 21, 1976. His mother was an art teacher, and his father worked at an employment agency. Andrew is the middle child, with an older sister named Sarah and a younger sister named Hannah.

He went to Gonzaga College and also took acting classes on weekends. When he was 17, Andrew got his first main role in a film called Korea. He decided to study drama at Trinity College Dublin but left after six months to join the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Later, when he was 22, he moved to London to continue his acting career. Andrew has said he always had a strong interest in acting.

Andrew Scott's Acting Journey

Early Roles and Stage Work

Andrew Scott began his acting career in 1992, playing Stan in the play Brighton Beach Memoirs in Dublin. His first movie role was in the Irish drama Korea in 1995. He also worked with director Karel Reisz in the play Long Day's Journey into Night in 1998, where he played Edmund Tyrone. For this role, he won an award and was nominated for another.

He had small parts in the film Nora and a TV show called The American. Andrew made his London theatre debut in Dublin Carol. He also appeared in the drama Longitude (2000) and the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers (2001).

In 2004, Andrew was recognized as one of Europe's "Shooting Stars" for his acting talent. He won his first Laurence Olivier Award for his role in A Girl in a Car with a Man. He also received an award for his performance in Aristocrats at the Royal National Theatre. In 2006, he performed on Broadway in the play The Vertical Hour, starring alongside Bill Nighy and Julianne Moore.

Andrew played Col. William Smith in the historical miniseries John Adams. In 2009, he starred in Sea Wall, a play written just for him. He also appeared in an episode of Foyle's War and played Paul McCartney in the BBC film Lennon Naked.

Becoming a Star: Sherlock and Beyond

Andrew Scott became widely known for his role as Sherlock Holmes' enemy, Jim Moriarty, in the TV series Sherlock. He played this role from 2010 to 2017, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. His performance earned him a British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor. Andrew said that Sherlock changed all their careers and that the show's popularity was a big surprise.

He also had a guest role in Garrow's Law in 2010. In 2011, he played the main character, Julian, in the play Emperor and Galilean at the Royal National Theatre. Andrew also did voice acting for radio plays and audiobooks, including The Great Gatsby and Ulysses.

Pride 03 (15272506675)
Scott in 2014

In 2013, Andrew took part in a special event called National Theatre Live: 50 Years On Stage. He performed a scene from the play Angels in America about the AIDS crisis in New York City. In 2014, he starred in the play Birdland, where he played a rock star. Critics praised his performance, calling it "beautifully played."

In 2015, Andrew appeared in the James Bond film Spectre as Max Denbigh. He later said he found it challenging to be in such a big film. The next year, he was in the romantic drama This Beautiful Fantastic (2016) and played lawyer Anthony Julius in the film Denial.

In 2017, Andrew's performance in the main role of Hamlet received great praise. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for this play. The production was filmed and shown on BBC Two. Andrew also voiced Obake in Big Hero 6: The Series (2017).

Recent Successes and New Projects

Andrew Scott at Berlinale 2025-1

In 2018, Andrew played Edgar in the TV version of William Shakespeare's King Lear, acting alongside famous stars like Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. The following year, he played the popular character of The Priest in the second season of Fleabag (2019). This role brought him even more awards and nominations, including a Critics' Choice Television Award.

In 2019, he also appeared in an episode of the series Black Mirror called "Smithereens", for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. That same year, he acted in the war drama 1917, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

From June to August 2019, Andrew starred as Garry Essendine in the play Present Laughter at the Old Vic in London. He won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for this role. He also played Colonel John Parry in the TV series His Dark Materials from 2019 to 2022. In 2021, he played Lord Merlin in the miniseries The Pursuit of Love and Terje Rød-Larsen in the film Oslo. In 2022, he was in the comedy Catherine Called Birdy.

In 2023, Andrew Scott starred with Paul Mescal in the romantic drama All of Us Strangers. His performance earned him a nomination for a Golden Globe Award. He also starred in Vanya, a one-man play based on Uncle Vanya, which was highly praised.

Most recently, Andrew starred as Tom Ripley in the TV series Ripley in 2024. For this role, he received nominations for both a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In June 2025, Andrew was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is a big honor in the film world.

Awards and Recognitions

Andrew Scott has received many important awards for his acting. These include a BAFTA TV Award, two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Critics' Choice Television Award, and a British Independent Film Award. He has also been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

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