Michael McElhatton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael McElhatton
McElhatton in 2018
Born	(1963-09-12) 12 September 1963 (age 61) Dublin, Ireland
Alma mater	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Terenure College
Occupation	Actor, writer
Years active	1987–present

Michael McElhatton is an Irish actor and writer. He was born on September 12, 1963. He is famous for playing Roose Bolton in the TV series Game of Thrones. He was on the show from 2012 to 2016.

Michael has also appeared in many other movies and TV shows. Some of his well-known roles include Chernobyl, The Wheel of Time, and Jack Ryan. He is also a talented writer.

Early Life and Acting Start

Michael McElhatton was born in Terenure, a part of Dublin, Ireland. He started acting when he was young. He studied drama at Terenure College. This school was known for its strong drama program.

After college, he moved to London. He spent eight years there. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1987. In the early 1990s, Michael returned to Ireland. He began his acting career in plays and on television.

Michael's Acting Journey

Michael McElhatton started his film career in 1990. He appeared in a short film called The Loser. In 1996, he played the main character in November Afternoon. This film was directed by John Carney.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Michael acted in several movies. These included I Went Down (1997) and Blow Dry (2001). He also became well-known for his roles in TV comedies. These were Paths to Freedom (2000) and Fergus's Wedding (2002).

Writing and Popular Roles

Besides acting, Michael is also a screenwriter. He wrote the scripts for all episodes of Paths to Freedom. His character, Rats, became very popular. This led to a full movie called Spin the Bottle (2003). He wrote and starred in this film.

He continued to play smaller roles in movies. He worked with directors like Lenny Abrahamson and John Boorman. In 2010, he wrote six episodes of the sitcom Your Bad Self.

Big Roles and Game of Thrones

In 2011, Michael started getting bigger roles. He was in the film Albert Nobbs. He also appeared in Death of a Superhero. In 2012, he was in the short film Pentecost. This film was nominated for an Academy Award.

The same year, Michael joined the cast of Game of Thrones. This was a very popular HBO TV series. He played the character of Roose Bolton. He started in the second season. By the fifth season, he became a regular cast member.

Recent Work

In 2013, Michael appeared in The Fall. He acted alongside Gillian Anderson. In 2015, he starred in the horror film The Hallow. This movie was shown at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

He was also in The Zookeeper's Wife (2017). This film told a true story from World War II. In 2019, he played Andrei Stepashin in the miniseries Chernobyl.

In 2020, he was in Das Boot and The Alienist: Angel of Darkness. In 2021, he played Tam al'Thor in The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime Video. More recently, he appeared in Jack Ryan (2022) and The Long Shadow (2023).

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Game Roles

Writing Projects

Michael McElhatton has written for several TV shows and films:

• Paths to Freedom
• Fergus's Wedding
• Spin the Bottle
• Your Bad Self

Stage Performances

Michael has also performed in many plays on stage. Here are some of his notable theater roles:

• The Night Alive, as Doc, in London and New York City
• The Seafarer, as Nicky Giblin, at the National Theatre, London
• Shining City, at the Royal Court Theatre, London
• The Wexford Trilogy, at the Tricycle Theatre
• An Ideal Husband, at the Gate Theatre
• The White Devil, Project at The Mint
• Car Show, at Corn Exchange
• Twenty Grand, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
• Greatest Hits, at the Project Arts Centre
• The Way of the World, at the Project Arts Centre
• A Decision Pure and Simple, at Riverside Studios
• An Enemy of the People, for Young Vic
• As You Like It, at Rose Theatre
• Midnight Court, at Project Theatre
• Wind in the Willows, at Sheffield Crucible
• Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs, at BAC
• Water Music, at Cockpit Theatre

Awards and Nominations

Michael McElhatton has been recognized for his acting and writing:

• 2003 IFTA Award nomination, Best Actor – Film for "Spin the Bottle"
• 2003 IFTA Award nomination, Best Script for "Spin the Bottle"
• 2007 IFTA Award nomination, Best Actor – Television for "Hide & Seek"
• 2013 IFTA Award nomination, Best Supporting Actor – Film for "Death of a Superhero"
• 20th Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

See also

In Spanish: Michael McElhatton para niños