Richard Dormer

{{Short description|Irish actor, playwright and screenwriter (born 1969)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Richard Dormer

| image =

| other names =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1969|11|11}}

| birth_place = Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| occupation = Actor, playwright

| years_active = 1991–present

| spouse = Rachel O'Riordan (divorced)

| nationality = Northern Irish

}}

Richard Dormer (born 11 November 1969) is an actor and playwright from Northern Ireland. He is best known for his roles as Beric Dondarrion in the HBO television series Game of Thrones and Dan Anderssen in Sky Atlantic's Fortitude.

Early life

Dormer was born into a Protestant family in Portadown, Northern Ireland.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/24/belfast-cop-show-blue-lights-changed-northern-ireland-bomb-gunfire |title=‘We lived on our nerves’: how Belfast cop show Blue Lights captured a changed Northern Ireland |last=Jones |first=Ellen E. |date=24 March 2023 |website=The Guardian |language=English |access-date=4 May 2024}} He studied at the RADA school of acting in London.{{Cite news |date=29 December 2023 |title=Richard Dormer: 'I didn't work because I wouldn't play terrorists' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-67787434 |access-date=2 May 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=9 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809075144/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-67787434 |url-status=live}} After living and working in London, he returned to Northern Ireland.{{Cite news |date=8 January 2011 |title=Hurricane, the story of Alex Higgins, back in Belfast |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-12136440 |access-date=2 May 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=6 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106114418/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-12136440 |url-status=live}}

Career

=Stage and radio=

Dormer gained recognition following his performance as Northern Irish snooker star Alex Higgins in the 2003 play Hurricane, which he wrote and starred in. Dormer won The Stage award for Best Actor in 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsD/dormer-richard.php |title=Richard Dormer- Playwright Dramatist |publisher=Doollee.com |access-date=1 August 2015}}{{cite web|last=Fisher|first=Phillip|title=British Theatre Guide|url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews|access-date=3 March 2012|archive-date=19 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719121158/http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews|url-status=live}} In 2004, Dormer won the Irish Times Best Actor Award for his performance in Frank McGuinness's Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme and in 2005 completed a season with Sir Peter Hall at the Theatre Royal and starred in Bath as Angelo in William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, Jean in August Strindberg's Miss Julie and in a production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.{{cite news|author=Michael Billington |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/aug/26/theatre |title=Waiting for Godot, Theatre Royal, Bath | Stage |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=1 August 2015}}

Dormer has written a number of plays including The Half and Gentleman's Tea Drinking Society which were produced through Belfast's Ransom theatre company. In 2012, Dormer was commissioned by the Abbey Theatre to write a play. Set in Brooklyn in the summer of 1969, Dormer's Drum Belly gives an insight into the dark edgy underworld of New York's Irish gangsters and opened in April 2013 to mainly positive reviews and was published by Bloomsbury Publishing.{{cite web |url=http://www.bloomsbury.com/(X(1)S(wrkoij5533iulx45ih2jo5ee)A(ADMO0IS0zAEkAAAAZDE5YzdkODUtYzJkYS00MGFiLTk4YTAtMjhjZGJlNzkwNmU3JIrA0ql6KEvfbmf1mxTWrJtDLIU1))/au/drum-belly-9781472513755/ |title=Drum Belly (Modern Plays) Richard Dormer: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama |publisher=Bloomsbury.com |access-date=13 October 2022 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923192437/http://www.bloomsbury.com/(X(1)S(wrkoij5533iulx45ih2jo5ee)A(ADMO0IS0zAEkAAAAZDE5YzdkODUtYzJkYS00MGFiLTk4YTAtMjhjZGJlNzkwNmU3JIrA0ql6KEvfbmf1mxTWrJtDLIU1))/au/drum-belly-9781472513755/ |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://studentstandard.ie/drum-belly-theatre-review/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130702084434/http://studentstandard.ie/drum-belly-theatre-review/|url-status=dead|title=Drum Belly (Theatre Review) - The Student Standard|date=2 July 2013|archive-date=2 July 2013|website=archive.is}}{{cite web |url=http://www.thepublicreviews.com/tag/drum-belly/ |title=Drum Belly |publisher=The Public Reviews |access-date=13 October 2022 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404052559/http://www.thepublicreviews.com/tag/drum-belly/ |url-status=usurped}}{{cite web |last=Weaver |first=Jesse |url=http://www.irishtheatremagazine.ie/Reviews/Current/Drum-Belly.aspx |title=Irish Theatre Magazine | Reviews | Current | Drum Belly |publisher=Irishtheatremagazine.ie |date=11 May 2013 |access-date=13 October 2022 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402183801/http://www.irishtheatremagazine.ie/Reviews/Current/Drum-Belly.aspx |url-status=live}}

Dormer has provided the voices for over twenty BBC Radio 4 plays, documentaries and advertising campaigns.{{cite web|last=United Artists|title=United Artists|url=http://unitedvoices.tv/richard-dormer|access-date=4 March 2012|archive-date=3 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503013902/http://unitedvoices.tv/richard-dormer|url-status=live}} In 2020, he played the Director of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat in the Sky drama series, COBRA, starring Robert Carlyle as the British Prime Minister.{{cn|date=October 2022}}

Dormer has described his early career as difficult owing to his Northern Irish accent, which he said "everybody associated with terrorism". He refused to play roles he described as "terrorists or thugs", which limited his opportunities in film and television, although he felt the decision to focus on stage acting had sharpened his acting skills.

=Film=

Following a run of film castings playing secondary characters, he was cast as the lead in the 2012 Good Vibrations which tells the story of Northern Ireland personality and punk rock visionary Terri Hooley. The film premièred at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, was awarded Best Film at the Galway film awards, best screenplay, Dinard and was nominated for the Outstanding Debut award at the 2014 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25652324 |title=Bafta Film Awards 2014: NI writers nominated for Good Vibrations |work=BBC News Online |date=8 January 2014 |access-date=13 October 2022}} The film was well received by critics gaining consistent reviews, most of which highlighted Dormer's performance as a strength.{{cite news |author=Anthony Quinn |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/film-review-good-vibrations-15-8553957.html |title=Film review: Good Vibrations (15) - Reviews - Films |newspaper=The Independent |date=28 March 2013 |access-date=13 October 2022 |archive-date=16 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816124723/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/film-review-good-vibrations-15-8553957.html |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=138077 |title=Empire's Good Vibrations Movie Review |publisher=Empireonline.com |access-date=13 October 2022 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135200/http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=138077 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|author=Peter Bradshaw |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/mar/28/good-vibrations-review |title=Good Vibrations – review | Film |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=13 October 2022}}{{cite web |last=Andrews |first=Kernan |url=http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/53634/good-vibrations-scoops-film-fleadh-award |title=Good Vibrations scoops Film Fleadh award |publisher=Advertiser.ie |date=19 July 2012 |access-date=13 October 2022 |archive-date=7 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107113642/http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/53634/good-vibrations-scoops-film-fleadh-award |url-status=live}} Dormer's portrayal of Terri Hooley saw him nominated in the Best Actor award in the 2013 Irish Film and Television Awards. He has since played roles in Yann Demange's critically acclaimed film '71 alongside Jack O'Connell. In 2019, Dormer portrayed Curtis Welch, town physician of Nome, Alaska, in the Disney film Togo.{{Cite web|title=History vs. Hollywood: Togo|url=https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/togo/|access-date=1 July 2021|website=History vs. Hollywood|archive-date=9 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809075248/https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/togo/|url-status=live}}

=Television=

Dormer has become a well known television actor, more recently playing key roles in the Cinemax drama series Hunted and BBC One's Hidden.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2069449/|title=Hunted (2012– )|publisher=IMDb.com|access-date=1 August 2015|archive-date=9 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809075150/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2069449/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1967685/|title=Hidden (2011)|publisher=IMDb.com|access-date=1 August 2015|archive-date=25 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325015253/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1967685/|url-status=live}} 2012 also saw Dormer taking over the role of Lord Beric Dondarrion, known as the "Lightning Lord", the leader of the "Brotherhood Without Banners", for the third season of the HBO series Game of Thrones.{{cite web |url=http://www.slashfilm.com/game-thrones-announces-casting-return-date-season-3-comiccon-2012/ |title='Game of Thrones' Announces Casting and Return Date for Season 3 [Comic-Con 2012] - /Film |publisher=Slashfilm.com |date=14 July 2012 |access-date=1 August 2015 |archive-date=7 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907034633/http://www.slashfilm.com/game-thrones-announces-casting-return-date-season-3-comiccon-2012/ |url-status=live}} In 2016, Dormer reprised his role as Dondarrion in the sixth season of the series and returned for the seventh season, airing in 2017 as well as the eighth and final season, airing in 2019.{{cite web|url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/405667-game-of-thrones-season-8-filming-will-continue-up-until-summer-2018#/slide/1|title=Game of Thrones Season 8 Filming Will Continue Up Until Summer 2018|last=Perry|first=Spencer|date=6 October 2017|publisher=SuperHeroHype|access-date=25 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125193645/http://www.superherohype.com/news/405667-game-of-thrones-season-8-filming-will-continue-up-until-summer-2018#/slide/1 |archive-date=25 January 2018 |url-status=live}}

Dormer is the voice of the Dad on the children's animated series Lily's Driftwood Bay. The series aired in May on the Nick Jr. Channel in the UK and on Sprout in the US. It also airs on RTÉ in Ireland, ABC Australia, KiKa in Germany, MTV in Finland, NRK in Norway, SVT in Sweden, and HOP! in Israel. Broadcasters in Australia and the US are keeping the original voices to the series.{{cite web|url=http://northernirelandscreen.co.uk/news/3515/top-actors-set-sail-for-driftwood-bay.aspx |title=Top actors set sail for Driftwood Bay |publisher=Northern Ireland Screen |date=3 February 2014 |access-date=1 August 2015}}

In 2014, Dormer began filming on Sky Atlantic's Fortitude. Described as "their most ambitious project to date", he takes the role of Sheriff Dan Anderssen and stars alongside Stanley Tucci, Michael Gambon, Christopher Eccleston and The Killing's Sofie Gråbøl.{{cite magazine |author=Lesley Goldberg |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/stanley-tucci-michael-gambon-christopher-673663 |title=Stanley Tucci, Michael Gambon, Christopher Eccleston to Star in Sky's 'Fortitude' |magazine=Hollywood Reporter |date=23 January 2014 |access-date=1 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924161022/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/stanley-tucci-michael-gambon-christopher-673663 |url-status=live}} Fortitude aired on 29 January 2015.{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/fortitude-pivot-scripted-arctic-drama-watch-stanley-tucci-video-1201383331/ |title=Pivot Sets Jan. 29 Premiere for Stanley Tucci Drama 'Fortitude' |magazine=Variety |date=19 December 2014 |access-date=26 December 2014 |author=Wagmeister, Elizabeth |archive-date=26 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126185254/https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/fortitude-pivot-scripted-arctic-drama-watch-stanley-tucci-video-1201383331/ |url-status=live}} The series is set in the fictional Arctic Norwegian settlement of Fortitude. On 9 April 2015, Sky Atlantic recommissioned the show for a second series consisting of 10 episodes.

Also in 2015, Dormer starred in the BBC drama We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story as TV producer David Croft..{{cite magazine |url=http://radiotimes.com/news/2015-12-22/were-doomed-the-dads-army-story---review/ |title=We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story - review |magazine=Radio Times |date=22 December 2015 |access-date=23 December 2015}} The comedy-drama retells the creation of the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army as well as the relationship between Croft and Jimmy Perry who became successful TV comedy writers.

In 2020, Dormer appeared in the lead role of Captain Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch in the BBC series The Watch, based on the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett.{{Cite web|title=IMDb - Richard Dormer|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0233807/|access-date=1 July 2021|website=IMDb.com|archive-date=30 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630075627/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0233807/|url-status=live}} He also has played Fraser Walker, Director of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat, in two series of COBRA.

In 2023, Dormer appeared as Gerald 'Gerry' Cliff in the BBC1 drama, Blue Lights.{{cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/blue-lights-bbc-release-date/ |title=Blue Lights: Release date, cast and latest news for BBC police drama |access-date=29 March 2023 |archive-date=28 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328122531/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/blue-lights-bbc-release-date/ |url-status=live}}

In August 2024, it was reported that Dormer had joined the cast of the crime thriller television series The Assassin.{{cite web |last=Creamer |first=Jon |date=22 August 2024 |title=Two Brothers' The Assassin lands at Prime Video |url=https://www.televisual.com/news/two-brothers-the-assassin-lands-at-prime-video/ |website=Televisual |access-date=5 January 2025}}

Personal life

He lives in Belfast and is divorced from director Rachel O'Riordan.

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"\|Notes
2000 \| A Further Gesture \| Joe \|
2001 \| Mapmaker \| Harry Hawcett \|
rowspan="2"\|2002 \| Puckoon \| Arthur Faddington \|
The Escapist \| Denis' Brief \|
rowspan="2"\|2005 \| Mrs Henderson Presents \| Comic \|
The Mighty Celt \| Ronan \|
2006 \| Middletown \| Ned \|
rowspan="4"\|2009 \| Scapegoat \| Narrator \|
Five Minutes of Heaven \| Michael \| Featured at Sundance Film Festival
Pumpgirl \| Hammy \|
Best: His Mother's Son \| Ad Director \|
2010 \| Ghost Machine \| Taggert \|
rowspan="2"\|2012 \| Jump \| Johnny \|
Good Vibrations \| Terri Hooley \| Nominated for IFTA best actor award
2013 \| Dark Touch \| Henry \|
rowspan="3"\|2014 \| Hyena \| Nick Taylor \|
Shooting for Socrates \| Arthur \|
'71 \| Eamon \|
2015 \| 11 Minutes \| Director Richard Martin \|
2019 \| Togo \| Dr. Curtis Welch \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable"|Notes

2000

| A Further Gesture

| Joe

2001

| Mapmaker

| Harry Hawcett

rowspan="2"|2002

| Puckoon

| Arthur Faddington

The Escapist

| Denis' Brief

rowspan="2"|2005

| Mrs Henderson Presents

| Comic

The Mighty Celt

| Ronan

2006

| Middletown

| Ned

rowspan="4"|2009

| Scapegoat

| Narrator

Five Minutes of Heaven

| Michael

| Featured at Sundance Film Festival

Pumpgirl

| Hammy

Best: His Mother's Son

| Ad Director

2010

| Ghost Machine

| Taggert

rowspan="2"|2012

| Jump

| Johnny

Good Vibrations

| Terri Hooley

| Nominated for IFTA best actor award

2013

| Dark Touch

| Henry

rowspan="3"|2014

| Hyena

| Nick Taylor

Shooting for Socrates

| Arthur

'71

| Eamon

2015

| 11 Minutes

| Director Richard Martin

2019

| Togo

| Dr. Curtis Welch

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"\|Notes
1991 \| Casualty \| Rick Tomlinson \|
1992 \| Soldier Soldier \| Cpt David Lutchens \|
1993 \| The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles \| Civilian \|
2003 \| Holy Cross \| Seamus \|
2007 \| My Boy Jack \| Corporal John O'Leary \| ITV film with Daniel Radcliffe
2008 \| Last Man Hanging \| James Brown \|
2010 \| An Crisis \| Kyle Braid \|
rowspan="3"\|2011 \| Brendan Smyth: Betrayal of Trust \| Chris Moore \|
Justice \| George \|
Hidden \| Frank Hanna \|
2012 \| Hunted \| Lewis Conroy \|
2013, 2016–2019 \| Game of Thrones \| Beric Dondarrion \| Recurring role
2014 \| Lily's Driftwood Bay \| Dad \|
2015 \| We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story \| David Croft \| Documentary television film
2015–2018 \| Fortitude \| Sheriff Dan Anderssen \| Lead role
2016 \| The Musketeers \| Christophe \|
2017 \| Rellik \| DCI Gabriel Markham \|
rowspan="2"\|2020 \| The Watch \| Captain Sam Vimes \|
COBRA \| Fraser Walker \| Recurring role
rowspan="2"\|2023 \| Blue Lights \| Gerry Cliff \| 5 episodes
Secret Invasion \| Agent Prescod \| Episode: "Resurrection"
2023–2025 \| Castlevania: Nocturne \| The Abbot (voice) \| Main role
2024 \| The Day of the Jackal \| Norman Stoke \| 3 episodes
{{TableTBA}} \| The Assassin \| {{TableTBA}} \| In production
2025 \|Gangs of London \|Cornelius Wallace

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable"|Notes

1991

| Casualty

| Rick Tomlinson

1992

| Soldier Soldier

| Cpt David Lutchens

1993