Desmond Eastwood

Born in Lisburn, the son of Mary and Desmond Eastwood, he attended Friends' School, Lisburn. He graduated with a law degree from Queen's College, Belfast in 2014, before moving to Dublin to study acting at the Gaiety School of Acting. He has five siblings. His brother Colum is a film maker.{{cite web|url=https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/entertainment/normal-people-lisburn-actor-desmond-eastwoods-star-on-the-rise-thanks-to-latest-tv-role/39193507.html|first=Maureen|last=Coleman|date=11 May 2020|accessdate=14 April 2024|website=Belfast Telegraph|title= Normal People: Lisburn actor Desmond Eastwood's star on the rise thanks to latest TV role }}{{cite web|url=https://alumni.qub.ac.uk/desmond-eastwood--normal-people-|website=alumni.qub|accessdate=14 April 2024|title= MEET DESMOND EASTWOOD – NOT JUST ANOTHER 'NORMAL' QUEEN’S LAW GRADUATE|date=14 May 2020}}

He has appeared in television productions including Krypton, Vikings and Blood, working alongside Adrian Dunbar, and worked on Game Of Thrones. He also appeared in his brother's first feature film Black Medicine, which starred Antonia Campbell-Hughes.

He could be seen in 2020 television series Normal People playing Niall who befriends the character Connell, played by Paul Mescal.{{cite web|url=https://planetradio.co.uk/cool-fm/entertainment/television/normal-people-ending/|website=Planet Radio|accessdate=14 April 2024|title= Fans are totally divided over the ending of Normal People|first=Alex|last=Ross|date=4 May 2020}} For his role in the series he was nominated for best supporting actor at the 17th Irish Film & Television Awards.{{cite web|website=RTE|accessdate=14 April 2024|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2021/0701/1232447-olivia-colman-and-mark-hamill-to-present-ifta-awards/|title= Olivia Colman, Mark Hamill and Colin Farrell to present IFTA awards|date=1 July 2021}}{{cite web|url= https://www.screendaily.com/news/dating-amber-normal-people-head-irish-film-and-television-awards-nominations/5160511.article|website=Screen Daily|accessdate=14 April 2024|title= ‘Dating Amber’, ‘Normal People’ head Irish Film and Television Awards nominations|first=Esther|last=McCartney|date=15 June 2021}} Eastwood and Mescal were performing in The Lieutenant of Inishmore together on stage in Dublin when the production was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|first=Shauna|last=Corr|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/normal-peoples-sound-nordie-desmond-18211562|date=6 May 2020|title= Normal People Lisburn actor Desmond Eastwood says his parents were 'delighted' to see him in BBC hit|accessdate=14 April 2024}} Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee labelled his Normal People character "the soundest one",{{cite web|first=Shauna|last=Corr|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/derry-girls-writer-feeling-smug-18174057|website=Belfast Live|accessdate=14 April 2024|title= Derry Girls writer feeling "smug cos the soundest person in Normal People is a Nordie"|date=2 May 2020}} and Eastwood later appeared in her series as Benny.{{cite web|url= https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/derry_girls/episodes/2022/1/|website=Comedy.co.uk|accessdate=14 April 2024|title=Derry Girls}}

He has roles in 2023 Liam Neeson film In the Land of Saints and Sinners,{{cite web|url= https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/news/co-antrim-blue-lights-star-ive-no-interest-in-televisual-tropes-about-catholics-and-protestants/a1164031704.html|website=Belfast Telegraph|accessdate=14 April 2024|title= Co Antrim Blue Lights star: ‘I’ve no interest in televisual tropes about Catholics and Protestants'|first=Maureen|last=Coleman|date=14 April 2024}} and Pierce Brosnan film The Last Rifleman.{{cite web|url= https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a40716622/james-bond-pierce-brosnan-unrecognisable-the-rifleman/|website=Digital Spy|accessdate=14 April 2024|title= James Bond star Pierce Brosnan is unrecognisable in first look at new movie|first=Tasha|last=Hegarty|date=22 July 2022}}{{cite web|url= https://www.irishnews.com/arts/film/2023/11/08/news/on_the_road_with_pierce_brosnan_the_last_rifleman-3749657/|date=8 November 2023|title=On the road with Pierce Brosnan|accessdate=14 April 2024|website=Irish News}}

He plays Detective Murray Canning in the first two series of the BBC One Northern Ireland police drama Blue Lights.{{cite web|url= https://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/BBC1/view/388564/|website=Press Party|accessdate=14 April 2024|title= Interview with Desmond Eastwood who plays Detective Murray Canning in Blue Lights|date= April 15, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/blue-lights-season-2-first-look-newsupdate/|website=Radio Times|accessdate=14 April 2024|title= Blue Lights confirms new and returning cast in first look at season 2|first=Katelyn|last=Mensah|date=16 February 2024}}

He can be seen in 2024 Finnish drama Stormskerry Maja{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2022/film/global/amanda-jansson-normal-people-desmond-eastwood-stormskerry-maja-1235382576/|website=Variety|accessdate=14 April 2024|date= September 24, 2022|title= Amanda Jansson, ‘Normal People’s’ Desmond Eastwood to Star in ‘Stormskerry Maja’ (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Marta|last= Balaga}} and Christoph Waltz comedy action film Old Guy.{{Cite web|website=The Irish News|title= Lucy Liu says cheese as star spotted filming in Belfast city centre|first=Paul|last=Ainsworth|date=April 18, 2023|url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2023/04/18/news/lucy_liu_says_cheese_as_star_spotted_filming_in_belfast_city_centre-3219800/|access-date=April 14, 2024}}

==Partial filmography==

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• {{IMDb name|5708540}}

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Category:Date of birth unknown

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast

Category:Male film actors from Northern Ireland

Category:Male stage actors from Northern Ireland

Category:Male television actors from Northern Ireland

Category:Actors from Belfast

Category:Actors from Lisburn