David Matthew Macfadyen was born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, to Meinir (Owen), a drama teacher and actress, and Martin Macfadyen, an oil executive. He is of Scottish and Welsh descent. Because of his father's career, he spent at least part of his childhood in Indonesia, before finishing his education back in England and winning a place at RADA in 1992. He won critical acclaim in the UK with his work with the stage company Cheek By Jowl in the 1990s and was well established as a stage actor when he made his first TV appearance in Wuthering Heights (1998). A couple more TV roles followed but it was his role as Tom Quinn, head of Section D, in the hit BBC series Spooks (2002) that really made his name at home. And, indeed, established his home - he met his wife, Keeley Hawes, while working on the show. A steady stream of TV and film work followed, with his performance as Mr Darcy in Pride & Prejudice (2005) firmly establishing his name worldwide.
Known For
Credits
Cast Credits
Succession (2018)
Starring as Tom Wambsgans
(39 episodes)
- Episode 4x10: With Open Eyes (May 28, 2023)
- Episode 4x09: Church and State (May 21, 2023)
- Episode 4x08: America Decides (May 14, 2023)
- Episode 4x07: Tailgate Party (May 7, 2023)
- Episode 4x06: Living+ (Apr 30, 2023)
- Episode 4x05: Kill List (Apr 23, 2023)
- Episode 4x04: Honeymoon States (Apr 16, 2023)
- Episode 4x03: Connor's Wedding (Apr 9, 2023)
- Episode 4x02: Rehearsal (Apr 2, 2023)
- Episode 4x01: The Munsters (Mar 26, 2023)
- Episode 3x09: All the Bells Say (Dec 12, 2021)
- Episode 3x08: Chiantishire (Dec 5, 2021)
- Episode 3x07: Too Much Birthday (Nov 28, 2021)
- Episode 3x06: What It Takes (Nov 21, 2021)
- Episode 3x05: Retired Janitors of Idaho (Nov 14, 2021)
- Episode 3x04: Lion in the Meadow (Nov 7, 2021)
- Episode 3x03: The Disruption (Oct 31, 2021)
- Episode 3x02: Mass in Time of War (Oct 24, 2021)
- Episode 3x01: Secession (Oct 17, 2021)
- Episode 2x10: This Is Not For Tears (Oct 13, 2019)
- Episode 2x09: DC (Oct 6, 2019)
- Episode 2x08: Dundee (Sep 29, 2019)
- Episode 2x07: Return (Sep 22, 2019)
- Episode 2x06: Argestes (Sep 15, 2019)
- Episode 2x05: Tern Haven (Sep 8, 2019)
- Episode 2x04: Safe Room (Sep 1, 2019)
- Episode 2x03: Hunting (Aug 25, 2019)
- Episode 2x02: Vaulter (Aug 18, 2019)
- Episode 2x01: The Summer Palace (Aug 11, 2019)
- Episode 1x10: Nobody Is Ever Missing (Aug 5, 2018)
- Episode 1x09: Pre-Nuptial (Jul 29, 2018)
- Episode 1x08: Prague (Jul 22, 2018)
- Episode 1x07: Austerlitz (Jul 15, 2018)
- Episode 1x06: Which Side Are You On? (Jul 8, 2018)
- Episode 1x05: I Went to Market (Jul 1, 2018)
- Episode 1x04: Sad Sack Wasp Trap (Jun 24, 2018)
- Episode 1x03: Lifeboats (Jun 17, 2018)
- Episode 1x02: Sh*t Show at the F**k Factory (Jun 10, 2018)
- Episode 1x01: Celebration (Jun 3, 2018)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)
Guest starring as Matthew Macfadyen
- Episode 2021-10-08: Brian Cox; Sarah Snook; Kieran Culkin; Alan Ruck; Nicholas Braun; Matthew Macfadyen; J. Smith-Cameron (Oct 8, 2021)
The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015)
Guest starring as Matthew Macfadyen
- Episode 2020-06-08: From His Garage: Matthew Macfadyen, Jessie Ware (Jun 8, 2020)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014)
Guest starring as Matthew Macfadyen
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2021-10-12: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Matthew Macfadyen, Ricky Velez (Oct 12, 2021)
- Episode 2020-08-04: Jake Tapper, Matthew Macfadyen, Foster The People (Aug 4, 2020)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014)
Guest starring as Matthew Macfadyen
- Episode 2023-01-12: Chelsea Handler, Matthew Macfadyen, Ralph Barbosa (Jan 12, 2023)
Ripper Street (2012)
Starring as Det. Insp. Edmund Reid
(36 episodes)
- Episode 5x06: Occurrence Reports (Oct 12, 2016)
- Episode 5x05: A Last Good Act (Oct 12, 2016)
- Episode 5x04: The Dreaming Dead (Oct 12, 2016)
- Episode 5x03: All the Glittering Blades (Oct 12, 2016)
- Episode 5x02: A Brittle Thread (Oct 12, 2016)
- Episode 5x01: Closed Casket (Oct 12, 2016)
- Episode 4x06: Edmund Reid Did This (Feb 19, 2016)
- Episode 4x05: No Wolves in Whitechapel (Feb 12, 2016)
- Episode 4x04: Men of Iron, Men of Smoke (Feb 5, 2016)
- Episode 4x03: A White World Made Red (Jan 29, 2016)
- Episode 4x02: Some Conscience Lost (Jan 22, 2016)
- Episode 4x01: The Strangers' Home (Jan 15, 2016)
- Episode 3x08: The Peace of Edmund Reid (Dec 26, 2014)
- Episode 3x07: Live Free, Live True (Dec 19, 2014)
- Episode 3x06: The Incontrovertible Truth (Dec 12, 2014)
- Episode 3x05: Heavy Boots (Dec 5, 2014)
- Episode 3x04: Your Father, My Friend (Nov 28, 2014)
- Episode 3x03: Ashes and Diamonds (Nov 21, 2014)
- Episode 3x02: The Beating of Her Wings (Nov 14, 2014)
- Episode 3x01: Whitechapel Terminus (Nov 14, 2014)
- Episode 2x08: Our Betrayal (2) (Dec 16, 2013)
- Episode 2x07: Our Betrayal (1) (Dec 9, 2013)
- Episode 2x06: A Stronger Loving World (Dec 2, 2013)
- Episode 2x05: Threads of Silk and Gold (Nov 25, 2013)
- Episode 2x04: Dynamite and a Woman (Nov 18, 2013)
- Episode 2x03: Become Man (Nov 11, 2013)
- Episode 2x02: Am I Not Monstrous? (Nov 4, 2013)
- Episode 2x01: Pure as the Driven (Oct 28, 2013)
- Episode 1x08: What Use Our Work (Feb 24, 2013)
- Episode 1x07: A Man of My Company (Feb 17, 2013)
- Episode 1x06: Tournament of Shadows (Feb 3, 2013)
- Episode 1x05: The Weight of One Man's Heart (Jan 27, 2013)
- Episode 1x04: The Good of This City (Jan 20, 2013)
- Episode 1x03: The King Came Calling (Jan 13, 2013)
- Episode 1x02: In My Protection (Jan 6, 2013)
- Episode 1x01: I Need Light (Dec 30, 2012)
The Pillars of the Earth (2010)
Starring as Prior Philip
(8 episodes)
- Episode 1x08: The Work of Angels (Aug 27, 2010)
- Episode 1x07: New Beginnings (Aug 27, 2010)
- Episode 1x06: Witchcraft (Aug 20, 2010)
- Episode 1x05: Legacy (Aug 13, 2010)
- Episode 1x04: Battlefield (Aug 6, 2010)
- Episode 1x03: Redemption (Jul 30, 2010)
- Episode 1x02: Master Builder (Jul 23, 2010)
- Episode 1x01: Anarchy (Jul 23, 2010)
Ashes to Ashes (2008)
Guest starring as Gil Hollis
- Episode 1x07: Charity Begins at Home (Mar 20, 2008)
Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial (2006)
Starring as Narrator
(3 episodes)
- Episode 1x03: Rudolf Hess (Oct 9, 2006)
- Episode 1x02: Hermann Goering (Oct 2, 2006)
- Episode 1x01: Albert Speer (Sep 25, 2006)
The One Show (2006)
Guest starring as Matthew Macfadyen
- Episode 2018-08-07: 07/08/2018 (Aug 7, 2018)
Agatha Christie's Marple (2004)
Guest starring as Insp. Neele
- Episode 4x01: A Pocket Full of Rye (Sep 6, 2009)
Spooks (2002)
Starring as Tom Quinn
(18 episodes)
- Episode 3x02: Episode 2 (Oct 18, 2004)
- Episode 3x01: Episode 1 (Oct 11, 2004)
- Episode 2x10: Episode 10 (Aug 11, 2003)
- Episode 2x09: Episode 9 (Aug 4, 2003)
- Episode 2x08: Episode 8 (Jul 28, 2003)
- Episode 2x07: Episode 7 (Jul 21, 2003)
- Episode 2x06: Episode 6 (Jul 14, 2003)
- Episode 2x05: Episode 5 (Jul 7, 2003)
- Episode 2x04: Episode 4 (Jun 23, 2003)
- Episode 2x03: Episode 3 (Jun 16, 2003)
- Episode 2x02: Episode 2 (Jun 9, 2003)
- Episode 2x01: Episode 1 (Jun 2, 2003)
- Episode 1x06: Episode 6 (Jun 17, 2002)
- Episode 1x05: Episode 5 (Jun 10, 2002)
- Episode 1x04: Episode 4 (Jun 4, 2002)
- Episode 1x03: Episode 3 (May 27, 2002)
- Episode 1x02: Episode 2 (May 20, 2002)
- Episode 1x01: Episode 1 (May 13, 2002)
Murder Rooms (2000)
Guest starring as Waller
(2 episodes)
- Episode 1x02: Dr Bell & Mr Doyle: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes, Part Two (Jan 5, 2000)
- Episode 1x01: Dr Bell & Mr Doyle: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes, Part One (Jan 4, 2000)
The Emmy Awards (1949)
Guest starring as Matthew Macfadyen
- Episode 2022-09-12: The 74th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards 2022 (Sep 12, 2022)