Martin Compston
{{short description|Scottish actor}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Martin Compston
| image = Martin Compston 2019 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Compston in 2019
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1984|05|08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.list.co.uk/news/27137/profile-martin-compston|last=The List|title=Profile: Martin Compston|date=30 March 2022|accessdate=12 March 2025}}
| birth_place = Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland
| nationality =
| occupation = Actor, former professional footballer
| yearsactive = 2002–present
| known_for = Line of Duty
| spouse = {{marriage|Tianna Chanel Flynn|2016}}
| children = 1
| module = {{Infobox football biography
| embed = yes
| name =
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| height =
| position = Defender
| youthyears1=
| youthclubs1= Aberdeen
| youthyears2=
| youthclubs2= Greenock Morton
| years1 = 2001–2002
| clubs1 = Greenock Morton
| caps1 = 2
| goals1 = 0
| years2 =
| clubs2 = Greenock Juniors
}}
}}
Martin Compston is a Scottish actor and former professional footballer. He played Anti-Corruption Unit Detective Inspector Steve Arnott in the BBC drama Line of Duty, Liam in Ken Loach's Sweet Sixteen, Paul Ferris in The Wee Man, Ewan Brodie in Monarch of the Glen, and Dan Docherty in The Nest.
Early life and education
Born to a Catholic family, Martin Compston, the younger of two brothers,{{cite web |title=Martin Compston: 'Who would play me in the film of my life? Vicky McClure' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/mar/05/martin-compston-line-of-duty-vicky-mcclure |website=the Guardian |access-date=12 March 2022 |language=en |date=5 March 2022}} was brought up in Greenock, Scotland, and attended St Columba's High School in neighbouring Gourock.{{cite web |title=Martin Compston: Plucked to stardom from a school corridor |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-60707536 |website=BBC News |access-date=12 March 2022 |date=12 March 2022}}
== Football career ==
A promising footballer, he was a youth player with Aberdeen as a teenager,{{cite news|url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/line-of-footy-how-telly-star-compston-went-from-dons-starlet-to-ds-arnott/|title=How Line of Duty star Martin Compston went from Dons starlet to DS Arnott|newspaper=Evening Express|date=1 May 2017|access-date=6 February 2018}} and after leaving school signed for his local professional club Greenock Morton.{{cite web|last1=Pierce|first1=Nev|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/09/26/martin_compston_sweet_sixteen_interview.shtml|title=Martin Compston: Sweet Sixteen|publisher=BBC|date=26 September 2002|access-date=4 July 2013}}
Compston made two first-team appearances in the 2001–02 season, in which the team was relegated to the Third Division. In both matches he appeared as a substitute and Morton lost 4–0, to Alloa Athletic and Queen of the South.{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player11/martincompston.htm |title=MARTIN COMPSTON |publisher=Neil Brown |access-date=14 April 2017}} After leaving Morton, he briefly played in junior football for Greenock Juniors.{{cite news |last1=Hossack |first1=Brian |title=Greenock actor Martin Compston backs Ravenscraig club |url=https://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news/15555560.greenock-actor-martin-compston-backs-ravenscraig-club/ |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=Greenock Telegraph |date=26 September 2017}}
Acting career
Having never acted before, Compston successfully auditioned for the lead role in Ken Loach's Sweet Sixteen, which was being filmed locally.{{cite news |last1=Clarke|first1=Cath|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/26/martin-compston-soulboy|title=How Martin Compston Shimmied from Football to Films |work=The Guardian|date=26 August 2010|access-date=4 July 2013}} The film's success at the Cannes Film Festival gave him instant celebrity status in Scotland. Both he and his co-star William Ruane were nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards, with Compston winning the category.{{cite web |url=https://www.bifa.film/awards/film/sweet-sixteen |title=Profile and awards: Sweet Sixteen (2002) |date=11 October 2002 |publisher= BIFA |access-date=13 March 2017 }}
He had a regular role in the BBC TV serial Monarch of the Glen. He then appeared in three films: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (Jury Prize and Best Ensemble Cast at the Sundance Festival) with Robert Downey, Jr.; Red Road (Jury Prize at Cannes), shot in Scotland with Kate Dickie and Tony Curran, for which he was nominated as Best Supporting Actor at the Scottish BAFTAs; and True North with Peter Mullan and Gary Lewis, for which he was nominated as Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards.{{cn|date=November 2024}}
Compston starred in the 2010 film Soulboy, alongside Craig Parkinson, playing the role of Joe McCain. He also made a cameo appearance in a low-budget web series, Night is Day.{{cn|date=November 2024}}
Compston appeared in The View's music video for "Grace" and "How Long".{{cite news|last1=English|first1=Paul|title=Line of Duty Star Martin Compston: Glass Ceiling for Actors Who Aren't Posh Enough is Holding Back Talent |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/line-duty-star-martin-compston-7617820#0jgHGljuE6EubVTW.97|access-date=17 April 2016|work=Daily Record|date=23 March 2016}}
In 2012, Compston starred in the lead role of Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott, a detective on an anti-corruption squad, in the BBC police drama Line of Duty, acting alongside Craig Parkinson once more. In the same year, he also starred in the violent thriller Piggy.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/martin-compston-opens-heart-about-love-1119262|last1=Millar|first1=John|title=Martin Compston Opens Heart about Love Split and Death of Beloved Gran|work=Daily Record|date=15 April 2012|access-date=4 July 2013}} Going back to his Scottish roots, he then appeared in the lead role in The Wee Man, directed by Ray Burdis, a film depicting the life of the Glasgow gangster Paul Ferris.{{cite web|last1=Black|first1=Claire|url=http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/scotland/interview-martin-compston-talks-about-his-new-film-the-wee-man-1-2734435 |title=Interview: Martin Compston Talks about His New Film The Wee Man|work=The Scotsman|date=13 January 2013|access-date=4 July 2013}} It was released in the UK in January 2013.
In April 2013, Compston starred in the ITV miniseries The Ice Cream Girls.{{cite web |last1=Rampton |first1=James |date=15 April 2013 |title=Actor Martin Compston Makes Waves as Leading Man |url=http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/scotland/actor-martin-compston-makes-waves-as-leading-man-1-2896044 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512212830/http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/tv-radio/actor-martin-compston-makes-waves-as-leading-man-1-2896044 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |access-date=4 July 2013 |work=The Scotsman}} He appeared as Roy James in The Great Train Robbery.{{cite news|last1=Wednesday|first1=Monkey|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2013/mar/06/martin-compston-great-train-robber|title=Martin Compston to Play Great Train Robber in BBC1 Drama|work=The Guardian|date=6 March 2013|access-date=4 July 2013}}
In 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021, Compston reprised his lead role of Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott in five more series of police drama Line of Duty, which moved from BBC Two to BBC One at the start of its fourth series.{{cite web|last1=Hadlow|first1=Janice|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/line-of-duty2.html|title=Media Centre – Line of Duty to Return for Second Series|publisher=BBC|date=25 July 2012|access-date=4 July 2013}}{{cite web|last1=Barker|first1=Adam|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/line-of-duty-recommission|title=Media Centre – Line of Duty to Return for Further Two Series|publisher=BBC|date=4 September 2014}}
In 2016, he starred in the three-part Scottish television series In Plain Sight as serial murderer Peter Manuel.{{cite news|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-12-22/who-was-peter-manuel-the-real-story-of-in-plain-sights-notorious-serial-killer|title=How Historically accurate is In Plain Sight? The True Story of Serial Killer Peter Manuel Played by Martin Compston|last=Bley Griffiths|first=Eleanor|date=21 December 2016|work=Radio Times|access-date=2 January 2017}} In 2020, he starred alongside Sophie Rundle in the television series The Nest.{{Cite web|url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/nest-martin-compston-sophie-rundle-mirren-mack-and-shirley-henderson-scotlands-new-tv-thriller-2449029|title=The Nest: Martin Compston, Sophie Rundle, Mirren Mack and Shirley Henderson on Scotland's new TV thriller|first=Brian|last=Ferguson|date=13 March 2020|website=Edinburgh Evening News|language=en|access-date=15 March 2020}}
In 2021, Compston was cast to star as Fulmer Hamilton in the Amazon Prime Video thriller The Rig,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/schitts-creek-emily-hampshire-amazon-series-the-rig-scotland-1234716527/|title='Schitt's Creek' Star Emily Hampshire Joins Amazon UK Series 'The Rig'; Scotland Shoot To Begin This Month|website=Deadline|date=17 March 2021|access-date=24 November 2022}} which was released in January 2023.{{cite web |last1=Buchan |first1=Sophie |title=The Rig fans are all saying the same thing after Martin Compston drama launches |url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/tv/rig-fans-saying-same-thing-25910861?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target |website=GlasgowLive |access-date=9 January 2023 |language=en |date=6 January 2023}}
In March 2022, Compston starred in Our House.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/mar/07/tv-tonight-martin-compston-stars-in-psychological-drama-our-house|title=TV tonight: Martin Compston stars in psychological drama Our House|website=The Guardian|date=7 March 2022|access-date=7 March 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/07/our-house-viewers-fume-as-itv-goes-down-during-debut-episode-16233956/|title=Our House viewers fume as ITV goes goes off-air during opening episode: 'Trying to work out what I've missed'|website=Metro|last=Adejobi|first=Alicia|date=7 March 2022|access-date=7 March 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/martin-compston-interview-line-of-duty-accents-new-show-our-house-svl7dqmkl|title=Martin Compston on Line of Duty, accents and his new show Our House|website=The Times|date=7 March 2022|access-date=7 March 2022}} The drama series is based on the novel Our House by Louise Candlish.{{cite web|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/house-itv-what-its-about-23314576|title=Our House on ITV: What it's about, cast and where you've seen them before|website=Manchester Evening News|last=Sansome|first=Jessica|date=7 March 2022|access-date=7 March 2022}}
Personal life
Compston married American actress Tianna Chanel Flynn in 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14566851.line-of-i-do-actor-martin-compston-marries-actress-tianna-chanel-flynn/|title=Line of I Do: Actor Martin Compston marries actress Tianna Chanel Flynn|first=Stacey |last=Mullen |date=20 June 2016|website=The Herald|location=Glasgow|access-date=27 February 2020}} They have a son.{{cite web |title=Martin Compston on 'horrors' of child labour after visit to Bangladesh |url=https://news.stv.tv/west-central/actor-martin-compston-tells-of-horrors-of-child-labour-after-unicef-visit-to-bangladesh#:~:text=Compston%2C%20who%20was%20born%20in,widespread%20child%20labour%20in%20Bangladesh. |website=STV News |access-date=13 September 2024 |date=7 June 2023}}
Compston is a supporter of Scottish independence and the Scottish National Party.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/martin-compston-sturgeon-snp-election-b1841067.html|title=Line of Duty's Martin Compston urges Scots to vote for Nicola Sturgeon|work=The Independent|date=2 May 2021|access-date=3 May 2021}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Film ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2002
| Liam | |
| 2004
| Niceland (Population. 1.000.002) | Jed | |
| rowspan="2"|2005
| Tickets | Jamesy | |
| Wild Country
| Lee | |
| rowspan="3"|2006
| A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints | Mike O'Shea | |
| Red Road
| Stevie | |
| True North
| Sean | |
| rowspan="3"|2008
| Doomsday | Joshua | |
| Freakdog
| Sean | |
| The Prayer
| Stevie | Short |
| rowspan="3"|2009
| |
| The Disappearance of Alice Creed
| Danny | |
| Spunkbubble
| Togs | Short |
| rowspan="5"|2010
| Pimp | Zeb | |
| Soulboy
| Joe McCain | |
| Donkeys
| Stevie Blantyre | |
| Village on the Roof
| Allen | Short |
| Paris/Sexy
| Seamus | Short |
| rowspan="5"|2011
| Ghosted | Paul | |
| 7 Lives
| Rory | |
| Four
| Lover | |
| How to Stop Being a Loser
| Adams | |
| Hit and Run
| Daz | Short |
| rowspan="4"|2012
| Mr. Price | |
| Sister
| Mike | |
| Strippers vs Werewolves
| Scott | |
| Piggy
| Joe | |
| rowspan="2"|2013
| |
| Filth
| Gorman | |
| rowspan="2"|2015
| The Legend of Barney Thomson | Chris Porter | |
| Scottish Mussel
| Ritchie | |
| 2017
| Metzger | |
| 2018
| |
| 2019
| Burnham | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|2003
| Jeffrey Carpenter | Episode: "Snakes and Ladders" |
| Rockface
| Jason Farinelli | 2 episodes |
| 2003–2005
| Ewan Brodie | Series regular |
| 2004
| Casualty | Matty Howell | Episode: "Lock Down" |
| 2007
| Night Is Day | Head Gangster | Episode: "Sacrifices" |
| 2009
| Eadar-Chluich | | Episode: "Bha Mi'n Raoir san Taigh-Osta" |
| 2010
| Jon | 1 episode |
| 2012–2021
| DS Steve Arnott | Series regular |
| rowspan="3"|2013
| Marcus Hansley | Mini-series |
| Agatha Christie's Marple
| Alfred Pollock | Episode: "Greenshaw's Folly" |
| The Great Train Robbery
| Roy James | Mini-series |
| rowspan="3"|2014
| DS Jason Ross | Episode: "In a Lonely Place" |
| Masterpiece Mystery
| Alfred Pollock | Episode: "Agatha Christie's Miss Marple VII: Greenshaw's Folly" |
| Ripper Street
| Edwin Havelock | Episode: "Live Free, Live True" |
| rowspan="2"|2016
| Dexter Allen | Episode: "Dishing Up Murder" |
| In Plain Sight
| Mini-series |
| 2017
| Victoria | Dr. Traill | Episode: "Faith, Hope & Charity" |
| 2018
| Midge Ure | Episode: "Backstage at Live Aid" |
| 2019
| Phone Shop Assistant | Episode: "Local Hero" |
| 2019–2022
| Traces | Daniel MacAfee | Series regular |
| 2020
| The Nest | Dan Docherty | Mini-series |
| 2021
| Vigil | CPO Craig Burke | Series 1: Series regular |
| rowspan="3"| 2022
|Our House | Bram Lawson | |
| Martin Compston's Scottish Fling
| Himself |
| Mayflies
| Jimmy |
| 2023–present
| The Rig | Fulmer Hamilton | |
| 2024
| Martin Compston's Norwegian Fling | Himself |
| 2025
| Fear | Martyn |
| TBA
| Red Eye | TBA |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Compston, Martin}}
Category:Male actors from Inverclyde
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Aberdeen F.C. players
Category:Greenock Morton F.C. players
Category:Scottish male television actors
Category:Scottish male film actors
Category:Scottish Football League players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Scottish Junior Football Association players