Stephen Rea
{{Short description|Irish actor (born 31 October 1946)}}
{{For|the English-born American movie critic|Steven Rea}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Stephen Rea
| image = Stephen Rea at JDIFF 2012.jpg
| caption = Rea at JDIFF 2012
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|October|31}}
| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| education = {{ubl|Queen's University Belfast|Abbey Theatre School}}
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1962–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Dolours Price|1983|2003|end=div.}}
| children = 2
}}
Stephen Rea ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɹ|eɪ}} {{respell|ray}}; born October 31, 1946) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he began his career as a member of Dublin's Focus Theatre, and played many roles on the stage and on Irish television. He came to the attention of international film audiences in Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan's 1992 film The Crying Game, and subsequently starred in many more of Jordan's films, including Interview with the Vampire (1994), Michael Collins (1996), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), and Greta (2018). He also played a starring role in the Hugo Blick 2011 TV series The Shadow Line.
As a stage actor, he is known for his performances at The Gate and Abbey theatres in Dublin, and the Royal Court Theatre in London. He is a co-founder of the Field Day Theatre Company with Brian Friel.
He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Crying Game (1992), and won a BAFTA Award for his role in The Honourable Woman in 2015. In 2020, The Irish Times ranked Rea the 13th greatest Irish film actor of all time.
Early life and education
Rea was born in Belfast in 1946. His father was a bus driver and his mother a housewife.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/actors/stephen-rea-interview-i-never-wanted-to-be-a-polite-actor/ |title=Stephen Rea: 'I never wanted to be a polite actor' |author=Auld, Tim |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=25 March 2016 |access-date=22 August 2016 |archive-date=2 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802005154/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/actors/stephen-rea-interview-i-never-wanted-to-be-a-polite-actor/ |url-status=live }} His family was Protestant but sympathetic to Irish nationalism.{{Cite news |title=Stephen Rea: 'I can't imagine teams of loyalists rolling up to watch it' |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/stephen-rea-i-can-t-imagine-teams-of-loyalists-rolling-up-to-watch-it-1.2522706 |access-date=16 November 2023 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}
He studied English at the Queen's University Belfast and drama at the Abbey Theatre School in Dublin.
Career
= Stage =
Rea's association with playwright Stewart Parker began when they were students together at the Queen's University Belfast.{{Cite journal |last=Lojek |first=Helen Heusner |date=2019 |title="Too Clever for Belfast"? Stewart Parker's Joyce in June |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/48670344 |journal=New Hibernia Review / Iris Éireannach Nua |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=77–94 |jstor=48670344 |issn=1092-3977}} In the late 1970s, he acted in the Focus Company in Dublin with Gabriel Byrne and Colm Meaney.{{Cite web |title=From Angel to Devil: The Real Byrne |url=https://www.irishamerica.com/2023/03/the-real-byrne/ |access-date=23 November 2024 |website=www.irishamerica.com}}
Rea helped establish the Field Day Theatre Company in 1980 with Tom Paulin, Brian Friel, Seamus Heaney, and Seamus Deane.{{cite web|title=Queen's prepares for graduation week |url=http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/TheUniversity/GeneralServices/News/ArchivesPressReleases-CampusNews/2004PressReleases/06-2004PressReleases/#d.en.5950 |publisher=Queen's University Belfast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040815020023/http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/TheUniversity/GeneralServices/News/ArchivesPressReleases-CampusNews/2004PressReleases/06-2004PressReleases/ |date=June 2004 |archive-date=15 August 2004 |access-date=11 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}
Rea's friendship with American playwright and actor Sam Shepard dates back to the early 1970s, and he starred in Shepard's directorial début of his play Geography of a Horse Dreamer at the Royal Court Theatre in 1974. In 2007, Rea began a successful and acclaimed relationship with both the Abbey Theatre and Sam Shepard, appearing in Kicking a Dead Horse (2007) and Ages of the Moon (2009), both penned by Shepard and also both transferred to New York.{{cite web |url=http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats_on/event/27 |title=Ages of the Moon by Sam Shepard, 24 February – 4 April 2009 |publisher=Abbey Theatre |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003034554/http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats_on/event/27 |date=2009 |archive-date=3 October 2009 |access-date=11 June 2011 }} Rea returned to the Abbey in 2009 to appear in the world première of Sebastian Barry's Tales of Ballycumber.{{cite web |url=http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats_on/event/657 |title=Tales of Ballycumber |publisher=Abbey Theatre |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706073527/http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats_on/event/657 |date=2009 |archive-date=6 July 2009 |access-date=11 June 2011 }}
Rea starred in Enda Walsh's 2014 play Ballyturk and portrayed Jordan in Out of the Dark,{{cite news |url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/videos/3333472/scare-comes-dark-exclusive-clip/ |title=Scare comes from Out of the Dark in this exclusive clip |work=Bloody Disgusting |date=24 February 2012 |access-date=2 April 2012 |archive-date=25 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225003510/http://bloody-disgusting.com/videos/3333472/scare-comes-dark-exclusive-clip/ |url-status=live }} in which he co-stars alongside Julia Stiles, Scott Speedman and Alejandro Furth.{{cite news |url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/91102/first-clips-emerge-dark/ |title=First clips emerge Out of the Dark |first=Steve |last=Barton |work=Dread Central |date=26 February 2015 |access-date=26 February 2015 |archive-date=26 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226214405/http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/91102/first-clips-emerge-dark/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/81587/dark-2015/ |title=Out of the Dark (2015) |first=Matt |last=Boiselle |work=Dread Central |date=27 February 2015 |access-date=27 February 2015 |archive-date=2 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302161625/http://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/81587/dark-2015/ |url-status=live }}
= Screen =
Rea came to international attention when he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for Irish film-maker Neil Jordan's film The Crying Game in 1992.{{Cite web |last=Szalai |first=Georg |date=6 March 2024 |title=Stephen Rea to Receive Irish Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/stephen-rea-irish-academy-award-lifetime-achievement-2024-1235844101/ |access-date=23 November 2024 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=21 February 2017 |title=How we made The Crying Game |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/feb/21/how-we-made-the-crying-game-neil-jordan-stephen-rea-miranda-richardson |access-date=23 November 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} He is a frequent collaborator with Jordan, starring in his other films Interview with the Vampire (1994), Michael Collins (1996), The End of the Affair (1999), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), and Greta (2018).{{cn|date=November 2024}}
In 2011, Rea featured in the BBC crime drama The Shadow Line, playing antagonist Gatehouse.{{cn|date=November 2024}}
In 2023, Rea appeared as Frank, husband to Eileen (played by Kathy Bates) in the film The Miracle Club.{{cn|date=November 2024}}
=Voice =
Rea was hired to speak the words of Gerry Adams when Sinn Féin was under a broadcasting ban from 1988 to 1994.{{cite news |title=Actors lose jobs as ban on IRA voices is lifted |work=Austin American-Statesman |date=17 September 1994 |last=Wolf |first=Matt |page=A3 }}
In April 2012, Rea read James Joyce's short story The Dead on RTÉ Radio 1.{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0402/reas.html |title=Rea reads The Dead on RTÉ Radio |work=RTÉ Ten |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |date=2 April 2012 |access-date=2 April 2012 |archive-date=4 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404200350/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0402/reas.html |url-status=live }}
He also narrated for the BBC Radio 4 production of Ulysses for Bloomsday, 16 June 2012.{{cn|date=November 2024}}
Recognition and awards
Rea is an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Tony Award nominee, a two-time BAFTA Award winner, and a three-time Irish Film and Television (IFTA) Award winner.{{cn|date=November 2024}}
He was nominated for a BAFTA Award{{cn|date=November 2024}} and for the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Crying Game (1992).
In 2004, in recognition for his contribution to theatre and performing arts, Rea was given honorary degrees from both the Queen's University Belfast and the Ulster University.{{cite web |url=http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2004/1459.html |title=Honour for Stephen Rea |publisher=Ulster University |date=15 December 2004 |access-date=11 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719124701/http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2004/1459.html |archive-date=19 July 2011}}
He won a BAFTA Award for his role in The Honourable Woman in 2015.{{Cite web | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-32686651 | title = Stephen Rea wins Best Supporting Actor Bafta TV award | date = 11 May 2015 | access-date = 21 June 2024| publisher = BBC News}}
In 2020, The Irish Times ranked Rea the 13th greatest Irish film actor of all time.{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/the-50-greatest-irish-film-actors-of-all-time-in-order-1.4271988|title=The 50 greatest Irish film actors of all time – in order|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=13 June 2020|first1=Donald|last1=Clarke|first2=Tara|last2=Brady|url-access=subscription|access-date=14 June 2020|archive-date=5 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805112424/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/the-50-greatest-irish-film-actors-of-all-time-in-order-1.4271988|url-status=live}}
Other activities
{{as of |2012}}, Rea was an Ambassador for UNICEF Ireland.{{cite web|url=http://www.unicef.ie/Ambassadors-High-profile-Supporters-24.aspx|title=UNICEF Ireland Ambassadors & High Profile Supporters|publisher=UNICEF|access-date=5 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712065142/http://www.unicef.ie/Ambassadors-High-profile-Supporters-24.aspx|archive-date=12 July 2013}}
Personal life
From 1983 to 2003 Rea was married to Dolours Price, a former Provisional Irish Republican Army bomber and hunger striker who later became a critic of Sinn Féin.Radden Keefe, Patrick (2018). Say Nothing. Penguin Random House. Pages 188, 252{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/dolours-price-former-ira-terrorist-and-exwife-of-actor-stephen-rea-dies-of-suspected-overdose-29022340.html |title=Dolours Price, former IRA terrorist and ex-wife of actor Stephen Rea, dies of suspected overdose |first1=Ken |last1=Foy |first2=Cormac |last2=Murphy |work=Irish Independent |date=24 January 2013 |access-date=8 October 2013 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925022040/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/dolours-price-former-ira-terrorist-and-exwife-of-actor-stephen-rea-dies-of-suspected-overdose-29022340.html |url-status=live }} They have two sons.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21181174 |title=Ex-IRA woman Dolours Price is found dead in Dublin |work=BBC News Online |date=24 January 2013 |access-date=24 January 2013 |archive-date=8 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008230124/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21181174 |url-status=live }} They divorced in 2003.Radden Keefe 252{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jan/28/stephen-rea-dolours-price-funeral |title=Stephen Rea carries Dolours Price's coffin at funeral in Belfast: Former IRA hunger striker is buried after mass attended by Hollywood actor ex-husband |first=Henry |last=McDonald |work=The Guardian |date=28 January 2013 |access-date=8 October 2013 |archive-date=2 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502032825/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jan/28/stephen-rea-dolours-price-funeral |url-status=live }}
Ten years before the marriage, Price attended a performance of Rea's at the Court Theatre in London in 1973, the night before she participated in a car bombing which injured 200 people.{{Cite book|title=Say Nothing|last=Radden Keefe|first=Patrick|publisher=Penguin Random House|year=2018}}
{{as of |2012}}, Rea was an Ambassador for UNICEF Ireland.{{cite web|url=http://www.unicef.ie/Ambassadors-High-profile-Supporters-24.aspx|title=UNICEF Ireland Ambassadors & High Profile Supporters|publisher=UNICEF|access-date=5 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712065142/http://www.unicef.ie/Ambassadors-High-profile-Supporters-24.aspx|archive-date=12 July 2013}}
{{as of |2020}}, Rea lives in County Donegal.{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/02/13/actor-stephen-rea-reveals-he-has-found-peace-living-in-donegal/|title=Actor Stephen Rea reveals he has found peace living in Donegal|date=13 February 2020|access-date=13 February 2020|archive-date=13 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213184047/https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/02/13/actor-stephen-rea-reveals-he-has-found-peace-living-in-donegal/|url-status=live}}
Filmography
=Film=
class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
1970
| Villager | |
1982
| Angel | Danny | |
1984
| Young Groom | |
1985
| {{sortname|The|Doctor and the Devils}} | Timothy Broom | |
1985
| Harry | |
1990
| Patsy | |
1992
| {{sortname|The|Crying Game}} | Fergus | |
1993
| Gerry McAllister | |
1994
| Angie | Noel | |
1994
| Gutch | |
1994
| Santiago | |
1994
| Milo O'Brannigan | |
1995
| Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea | Nikos | |
1995
| Fosca | |
1995
| Lt. Viktor Burakov | |
1996
| Ned Broy | |
1996
| Eddie "Trojan Eddie" | |
1996
| Cab Driver | |
1997
| Ray | |
1997
| {{sortname|The|Butcher Boy|The Butcher Boy (1997 film)}} | Benny Brady | |
1997
|{{sortname|The|Break|nolink=1}} | Sean Dowd | |
1997
| Double Tap | Cypher | |
1997
| Hacks | Brian | |
1998
| Mission Priest | Cameo |
1998
| Tony Costello | |
1999
| Dr. Silverman | |
1999
| Connie Fitzpatrick | |
1999
| P.J. Doran | |
1999
| {{sortname|The|Life Before This}} | Brian | |
1999
| {{sortname|The|End of the Affair|The End of the Affair (1999 film)}} | Henry Miles | |
2000
| The King's Wake | King Connor Mac Neasa | (Voice) Short subject |
2001
| {{sortname|The|Musketeer}} | |
2001
| Dr. Figure | |
2002
| Alistair Pratt | |
2002
| Evelyn | Michael Beattie | |
2003
| Bloom | |
2004
| {{sortname|The|I Inside}} | Dr. Newman | |
2004
| The Halo Effect | "Fatso" | |
2004
| {{sortname|The|Confessor|The Confessor (film)}} | McCaran | |
2004
| Fluent Dysphasia | "Murph" | Short subject |
2004
| Proud | Barney Garvey | |
2004
| Control | Dr. Arlo Penner | |
2005
| Bertie Vaughan | |
2005
| Francis | |
2005
| Colm Maguire | |
2006
| Chief Inspector Eric Finch | |
2006
| Sisters | Dr. Philip Lacan | |
2006
| Dr. Barrie | |
2007
| Gabriel Callaghan | |
2007
| {{sortname|The|Reaping}} | Father Michael Costigan | |
2007
| Stuck | Thomas Bardo | |
2008
| {{sortname|The|Devil's Mercy}} | Tyler | |
2008
| Kisses | "Down Under" Dylan | Uncredited cameo |
2009
| Spy(ies) | M. Palmer | |
2009
| Child of the Dead End | Patrick MacGill | |
2009
| Martin | |
2009
| {{sortname|The|Heavy|The Heavy (film)}} | Jameson Anawalt | |
2009
| Ondine | Priest | |
2011
| MacKinley | |
2011
| Brendan McSweeney | |
2012
| Dr. Jacob Lane | |
2012
| Werewolf: The Beast Among Us | Doc | Direct-to-DVD |
2013
| Walter | |
2014
| Asylum | McGahey | |
2014
| Styria | Dr. Hill | |
2014
| Jordan | |
2015
| Ruby Strangelove Young Witch | Danforth | |
2015
| {{sortname|An|Enchanted Ruby|nolink=1}} | Danforth | |
2018
| Conneely | |
2018
| Greta | Brian Cody | |
2018
| Narrator | Documentary about the Troubles |
2021
| Nightride | Joe | Voice |
2023
| Frank Dunne | |
=Television=
class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
1964
| Pepe Costa | |
1967
| Second Mate | Episode: "They Arrive" |
1967
| Sanctuary | Stephen Moriarty | Episode: "The Voice of His Calling" |
1969
| Z-Cars | Kenny | Episode: "Snout: Part 2" |
1970
| Philip Conner | Episode: "Trust a Woman" |
1971
| Omnibus | Hubert Page | Episode: "Hail and Farewell-George Moore" |
1972
| Major Frayne | Episode: "1.1" |
1974
| Thriller | Arden Buckley | Episode: "K is for Killing" (US Title: "Color Him Dead") |
1974–1979
| Peter / Chas / Shay | 3 episodes |
1975–1976
| Carter Brandon | 13 episodes - (series 1 & 2 only; not in series 3 & 4) |
1977
| BBC2 Play of the Week | Hollar | Episode: "Professional Foul" |
1978
| Constantin | Episode: "The Seagull" |
1978
| {{sortname|The|Professionals|The Professionals (TV series)}} | Pellin | Episode: "In the Public Interest" |
1978
| Thank You, Comrades | Mayakovsky | TV film |
1980
| Caleb Williams | Tyrell | Episode: "1.1" |
1982
| Joyce in June | Stanislaus Joyce / McIntosh | TV film |
1984
| Minder | Roddy Allan | Episode: "Windows" |
1984
| Dixie | TV film |
1986
| Boon | Frank Warren | Episode: "Fools Rush In" |
1986
| Frankie | Episode: "Shergar" |
1987
| Lost Belongings | Lenny | 2 episodes |
1987
| Scout | Marshall | TV film |
1989
| 4 Play | Paul | Segment: "Not As Bad as They Seem" |
1989
| Endgame | Clov | TV film |
1990
| Colin Garrity | 7 episodes |
1993
| Fergus | (Uncredited) Episode: "Miranda Richardson/Soul Asylum" |
1993–1995
| Ejlert Lovborg / Seamus Shields | 2 episodes |
1995
| Lieutenant Viktor Burakov | TV film |
1996
| TV film |
2001
| {{sortname|A|Scare at Bedtime}} | Dr. Roger St. Roctor | Episode: "Not What the Doctor Ordered" |
2001
| Rabbi Judah Hirsch | TV film |
2001
| Hogg | 3 episodes |
2001–2002
| Narrator (voice, UK dub) | 26 episodes |
2002
| TV film |
2007
| Imeacht Na N'Iarlaí | Aodh Ó Néill, Tiarna Thir Eoghain | Episode: "1" |
2008
| Tim Cross | Episode: "These Things Are Always Chaos" |
2009
| Augustine Flynn | 4 episodes |
2009
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Callum "Cal" Donovan | Episode: "Solitary" |
2009
| The Doctor (voice) | TV film |
2010
| Sean Doyle | Episodes: "The Lost Boys: Parts 1 & 2" |
2011
| Roadkill | Seamus | TV film |
2011
| {{sortname|The|Shadow Line|The Shadow Line (TV series)}} | Gatehouse | 6 episodes |
2013
| Utopia | Conran Letts | 5 episodes |
2014
| {{sortname|The|Honourable Woman}} | Sir Hugh Hayden-Hoyle | 8 episodes |
2015–2016
| Inspector Bucket | 16 episodes |
2016
| Prince Vassily Kuragin | 5 episodes |
2016
| Fir Bolg | Spencer | Episode: "Nochtadh" |
2018
| Alexander Pope | 7 episodes |
2018
| Thanksgiving | Melchior | 3 episodes |
2020
| Martin Killane | 8 episodes |
2020
| Mark | 4 episodes |
2022
| Sheriff Robert Marshall | 6 episodes |
2025
|Professor James Alderman | 5 episodes |
=Stage=
class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Playwright ! Venue |
1967
| The Mermaid Theatre, London |
1969
| Captain Oates' Left Sock | rowspan="3" | Royal Court Theatre, London |
1971
| Crete and Sargent Pepper | John Antrobus |
1973 |
1973
| 7:84 Theatre Company, London |
1973
| Sargent Musgraves | The Gate, Dublin |
1973
| John Webster | Nottingham Playhouse |
1973
| Hampstead Theatre, London |
1974
| Geography of a Horse Dreamer | Royal Court Theatre, London |
1974
| Nottingham Playhouse |
1980
| rowspan="8" | Field Day Theatre Company |
1981
| Anton Chekhov adapt. Brian Friel |
1982
| The Communication Cord |
1984
| High Time |
1984
| The Riot Act |
1986
| Double Cross |
1987
| Pentecost |
1989
| Saint Oscar |
2014 |
2014
| A Particle of Dread | Field Day Theatre Company |
2016
| Cyprus Avenue | Royal Court Theatre, London |
2020
| The Visiting Hour | Frank McGuinness | The Gate Theatre, Dublin |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|0001653}}
- {{IBDB name}}
- {{IOBDB name|36481}}
- [http://www.stephenrea.net/theatre.htm Stage credits]
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Stephen Rea
|list =
{{British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Distinguished Performance Award}}
{{Irish Film and Television Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rea, Stephen}}
Category:20th-century male actors from Northern Ireland
Category:21st-century male actors from Northern Ireland
Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast
Category:Best Supporting Actor BAFTA Award (television) winners
Category:Male actors from Belfast
Category:Male film actors from Northern Ireland
Category:Male stage actors from Northern Ireland
Category:Male television actors from Northern Ireland