John Macmillan (actor) facts for kids

John Macmillan is a talented British actor. He is known for his work in both theatre and on screen. He was nominated for an Ian Charleson Award early in his career for his roles in famous plays like Hamlet and Macbeth. Later, he received a Satellite Award nomination for his acting in the TV movie King Lear in 2018.

John has appeared in many popular TV shows. These include the BBC One drama Silk (2011–2014) and the Netflix comedy Chewing Gum (2015–2017). He also starred in the Channel 4 comedies Back (2017–2021) and Hang Ups (2018).

John Macmillan's Early Life

John Macmillan grew up in different places around the world. He attended the Waterford Kamhlaba United World College in Mbabane, which is now Eswatini. He also lived in Johannesburg, Malawi, Zambia, and Oxford. John studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In 2011, he helped open a garden at Chatsworth Baptist Church School in West Norwood.

John Macmillan's Acting Career

John Macmillan started his acting journey in theatre. In 2007, he went on an international tour with the play Cymbeline. The next year, he performed in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and Piranha Heights. His strong performances in Hamlet and Macbeth in 2009 earned him an Ian Charleson Award nomination. This award recognizes young actors for their classical theatre work.

First Screen Roles and TV Shows

John made his first appearances on screen in 2009. He had small roles in the horror film Heartless and the TV crime drama Hustle. In 2011, he was in the short film Friend Request Pending and the action movie Hanna. That same year, he began a main role as Joe Bright in the BBC One drama Silk.

In 2015, John played staff nurse Joe Costello in the medical drama Critical. He also joined the cast of the Netflix comedy Chewing Gum as Ronald. He played Victor in the play Yerma in 2016 and 2017 alongside actress Billie Piper. The cast and crew of Yerma even won an Obie Award for their amazing work.

Later TV and Film Success

John Macmillan continued to take on interesting roles. He starred in the one-man play Killer in 2017. He also played Troye King Jones in the mockumentary film Carnage. He began playing Julian in the Channel 4 comedy Back. In 2018, he was nominated for a Satellite Award for his role as Edmund in the TV film King Lear. He also starred in the comedy Hang Ups and the sketch comedy Famalam.

One of John's most well-known roles is playing Laenor Velaryon in the first season of the HBO fantasy series House of the Dragon. This show is a prequel to Game of Thrones and is based on George R. R. Martin's book Fire and Blood.

Voice Acting in Video Games

Beyond live-action roles, John Macmillan has also lent his voice to popular video games. He voiced the character Varl in the critically acclaimed game Horizon Zero Dawn in 2017. He returned to voice Varl again in the sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, released in 2022. He also voiced Aiden in Overkill's The Walking Dead in 2018 and James Henry "Hank" Mitchell in Amnesia: Rebirth in 2020.

Awards and Nominations

John Macmillan has been recognized for his acting talent with several awards and nominations.

• In 2009, he was nominated for an Ian Charleson Award for his performances in Macbeth and Hamlet.
• In 2018, the play Yerma, in which he starred, won an Obie Award for Special Citations.
• Also in 2018, he was nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in King Lear.