Nicholas Woodeson
Nicholas Woodeson is an English actor renowned for his extensive career across film, television, and theatre, spanning over five decades with notable nominations for Olivier and Drama Desk Awards.[1][2] Born Nicholas Robin Frank Woodeson on 30 November 1949 in Port Sudan, Sudan, to British parents, he spent his early childhood in Haifa, Israel, before returning to England.[3] He pursued higher education at the University of Sussex, earning a BA (Hons) in English, followed by training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).[1] Woodeson's theatre work includes acclaimed performances such as Harold Wilson in The Audience on the West End and Malvolio in Twelfth Night at the new Everyman Theatre in Liverpool.[2] He received nominations for an Olivier Award and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for Man and Superman.[2] In film and television, he has appeared in high-profile projects including the James Bond film Skyfall (2012), the crime drama Red Riding: 1980 (2009), the comedy The Hustle (2019), the FX series Taboo (2017) as Robert Thoyt, and the fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2024).[3][4][5][1] Beyond acting, Woodeson has worked as a director and writer, and he stands at 5 feet 4 inches with a playing age range of 62–74 as of recent profiles.[1][6]Biography
Early life
Nicholas Woodeson was born on 30 November 1949 in Port Sudan, Sudan, to British parents whose diplomatic postings led the family to live abroad.[7] He spent his early childhood in Haifa, Israel, an experience that immersed him in a multicultural environment from a young age.[7] This period in the Middle East shaped the initial years of his life before the family relocated to England.[8] Upon moving to England, Woodeson attended a preparatory school in Sussex, where he first engaged with performance through participation in school plays.[8] Lacking any formal acting instruction at this stage, these activities marked his earliest encounters with the stage and helped foster an interest in drama.[8] The diverse settings of his upbringing—spanning Sudan, Israel, and England—broadly influenced his worldview and later proved formative for aspects of his acting career.[9] He subsequently transitioned to Marlborough College for secondary education.[8]Education
Woodeson attended Marlborough College, a boarding school in Wiltshire, England, for his secondary education from 1963 to 1967.[10][8] He pursued undergraduate studies in English literature at the University of Sussex, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree and graduating around 1971 or 1972.[1][7] During his time there, Woodeson became deeply involved in student theatre, acting and directing in campus productions that reignited his passion for drama.[8][7] This engagement culminated in his participation in the 1970 National Student Drama Festival, where he performed in competitive student productions that showcased his emerging talent.[11] Following university, Woodeson secured a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where he trained from 1972 to 1974 and obtained his Acting Diploma.[12][13] At RADA, he refined his acting techniques through rigorous classical and contemporary training, preparing him for a professional stage career.[14]Personal life
Nicholas Woodeson is a British national, born to British parents in Sudan.[3] He resides in London, England; a previous correspondence address was in Chiswick (as of 2007).[15] Woodeson has previously lived in the United States, in addition to periods in the United Kingdom.[9] He has been married to actress Ginni Ness since May 11, 2009; the couple had previously been married from July 12, 1975, until their divorce. He was married to Katherine Ann Adams from July 18, 1983, until their divorce in 1985.[3] No public details are available regarding children or other family members. Outside his professional career, Woodeson has shown interest in Jewish community initiatives, notably by creating the short film You Are Me in 2011–2012 for the Holocaust Survivors’ Centre in London.[9] This project reflects his engagement with Holocaust remembrance efforts, influenced in part by his early multicultural experiences.[9]Career
Theatre
Woodeson's theatrical training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) from 1972 to 1974 provided the foundation for his stage career.[12] He made his professional debut in the 1974–1975 season at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool, joining a company that included future notable actors like Jonathan Pryce.[16] In 1982, Woodeson joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), where he remained for seven years, contributing to a range of Shakespearean and classical productions.[17] His RSC roles included King John in the 1988 production directed by Deborah Warner and Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1986, showcasing his versatility in ensemble settings at venues like the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon and The Other Place.[18][19] Following his RSC tenure, Woodeson continued to build his reputation through diverse stage work in regional theatres and West End productions. Notable performances include McCann in Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party at the National Theatre's Lyttelton in 1994, directed by Sam Mendes.[20] In 2015, he portrayed Prime Minister Harold Wilson in Peter Morgan's The Audience at the Apollo Theatre, earning acclaim for his depiction of the character's discomfort and political fervor opposite Kristin Scott Thomas as Queen Elizabeth II.[21] He returned to the Everyman Theatre in 2014 for its reopening production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, playing Malvolio alongside Matthew Kelly.[22] In 2017, Woodeson stepped into the demanding role of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman on a UK tour originating at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton, following the sudden death of Tim Pigott-Smith.[23] Throughout his career, Woodeson has received recognition for his theatrical contributions, including a 1979 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play as Henry Straker in George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman on Broadway.[24] He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in 1987 for his performances as Bessmertny in Sarcophagus and Mike Levine in Flight with the RSC at the Barbican Pit.[25] His portrayal of Willy Loman earned a 2017 UK Theatre Award nomination for Best Performance in a Play.[26]Film
1980s- Heaven's Gate (1980), role: Small Man, director: Michael Cimino[2]
- The Russia House (1990), role: Niki Landau, director: Fred Schepisi[2]
- The Pelican Brief (1993), role: Stump, director: Alan J. Pakula[2]
- Shooting Fish (1997), role: Mr. Collyns, director: Stefan Schwartz[2]
- The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997), role: Sergei, director: Jon Amiel[2]
- The Avengers (1998), role: Dr. Darling, director: Jeremiah S. Chechik[2]
- Titanic Town (1998), role: Ironmonger, director: Roger Michell[2]
- Mad Cows (1999), role: Detective Slynne, director: Sara Sugarman[2]
- Dreaming of Joseph Lees (1999), role: Mr. Dian, director: Eric Styles[2]
- Topsy-Turvy (1999), role: Mr. Seymour, director: Mike Leigh[2]
- One of the Hollywood Ten (2000), role: Bill, director: Karl Francis[2]
- Amazing Grace (2006), role: Harrison, director: Michael Apted[2]
- Pope Joan (2009), role: Arighis, director: Sönke Wortmann[2]
- Hysteria (2011), role: Dr. Richardson, director: Tanya Wexler[2]
- John Carter (2012), role: Dalton, director: Andrew Stanton[2]
- Skyfall (2012), role: Doctor Hall, director: Sam Mendes[2]
- Hannah Arendt (2012), role: William Shawn, director: Margarethe von Trotta[2]
- Mr. Turner (2014), role: Gentleman Critics, director: Mike Leigh[2]
- The Danish Girl (2015), role: Dr. Buson, director: Tom Hooper[2]
- Race (2016), role: Fred Rubien, director: Stephen Hopkins[2]
- The Limehouse Golem (2016), role: Toby Dosett, director: Juan Carlos Medina[2]
- The Death of Stalin (2017), role: Boris Bresnavich (Conductor 2), director: Armando Iannucci[2]
- Paddington 2 (2017), role: Insurance Company C.E.O., director: Paul King[2]
- Disobedience (2017), role: Rabbi Goldfarb, director: Sebastián Lelio[2]
- Beirut (2018), role: Herzberg, director: Brad Anderson[2]
- The Hustle (2019), role: Albert, director: Chris Addison[2]
- Firebird (2021), role: Colonel Kuznetsov, director: Peeter Rebane[2]
- Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare (2025), role: Steven, director: Scott Jeffrey[2]
Television
Nicholas Woodeson has had an extensive television career, featuring guest appearances, recurring roles, and lead parts in British and international series, miniseries, and TV movies from the early 1980s onward. His work often includes period dramas, crime procedurals, and historical pieces, with notable recurring roles in high-profile productions.[3] The following table provides a chronological overview of his television credits, including show titles, years, character names, and episode counts where applicable.| Year(s) | Title | Role | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | A Rumor of War (miniseries) | US Marine | 2 |
| 1985 | Miami Vice | Unknown | 1 |
| 1988 | The Hound of the Baskervilles (miniseries) | Inspector Lestrade | 2 |
| 1990 | Blackeyes (miniseries) | Jessica's Uncle | 4 |
| 1998 | Midsomer Murders | Avery Phillips | 1 ("Death of a Hollow Man") |
| 2001 | Conspiracy (miniseries) | Heinrich Müller | 1 |
| 2003 | A Touch of Frost | Anton Caldwell | 1 ("Held in Trust") |
| 2004–2022 | Doc Martin | Victor | 1 |
| 2005–2007 | Rome | Posca | 22 |
| 2008 | Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story (TV movie) | Charles Morrison | 1 |
| 2010 | Borgen | Alexander Grozin | 1 |
| 2011–2020 | Friday Night Dinner | The Rabbi | 1 |
| 2012 | Loving Miss Hatto (TV movie) | Joyce's Husband | 1 |
| 2013 | Poirot | Detective Sergeant Hoskins ("Dead Man's Folly") | 1 |
| 2014 | New Tricks | Viktor Proust | 1 ("The English Defence") |
| 2015 | Inspector George Gently | Norman | 1 ("Breathe in the Air") |
| 2016 | The Living and the Dead | Reverend Matthew Denning | 6 |
| 2017 | Holby City | Artem Chernik ("Stick or Twist") | 1 |
| 2017 | Taboo | Thoyt | 7 |
| 2020 | Quiz (miniseries) | Nicholas Hilliard QC | 2 |
| 2024 | Casualty | Jack Clayton | 1 |
| 2024 | Beyond Paradise | Father Brian (season 2, episode 4) | 1 |
| 2024 | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power | Diarmid ("Elven Kings Under the Shade") | 1 |
| 2025 | Death by Lightning (miniseries) | Loeffler | Upcoming |
Filmography
Film
1980s- Heaven's Gate (1980), role: Small Man, director: Michael Cimino[2]
- The Russia House (1990), role: Niki Landau, director: Fred Schepisi[2]
- The Pelican Brief (1993), role: Stump, director: Alan J. Pakula[2]
- Shooting Fish (1997), role: Mr. Collyns, director: Stefan Schwartz[2]
- The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997), role: Sergei, director: Jon Amiel[2]
- The Avengers (1998), role: Dr. Darling, director: Jeremiah S. Chechik[2]
- Titanic Town (1998), role: Ironmonger, director: Roger Michell[2]
- Mad Cows (1999), role: Detective Slynne, director: Sara Sugarman[2]
- Dreaming of Joseph Lees (1999), role: Mr. Dian, director: Eric Styles[2]
- Topsy-Turvy (1999), role: Mr. Seymour, director: Mike Leigh[2]
- One of the Hollywood Ten (2000), role: Bill, director: Karl Francis[2]
- Amazing Grace (2006), role: Harrison, director: Michael Apted[2]
- Pope Joan (2009), role: Arighis, director: Sönke Wortmann[2]
- Hysteria (2011), role: Dr. Richardson, director: Tanya Wexler[2]
- John Carter (2012), role: Dalton, director: Andrew Stanton[2]
- Skyfall (2012), role: Doctor Hall, director: Sam Mendes[2]
- Hannah Arendt (2012), role: William Shawn, director: Margarethe von Trotta[2]
- Mr. Turner (2014), role: Gentleman Critics, director: Mike Leigh[2]
- The Danish Girl (2015), role: Dr. Buson, director: Tom Hooper[2]
- Race (2016), role: Fred Rubien, director: Stephen Hopkins[2]
- The Limehouse Golem (2016), role: Toby Dosett, director: Juan Carlos Medina[2]
- The Death of Stalin (2017), role: Boris Bresnavich (Conductor 2), director: Armando Iannucci[2]
- Paddington 2 (2017), role: Insurance Company C.E.O., director: Paul King[2]
- Disobedience (2017), role: Rabbi Goldfarb, director: Sebastián Lelio[2]
- Beirut (2018), role: Herzberg, director: Brad Anderson[2]
- The Hustle (2019), role: Albert, director: Chris Addison[2]
- Firebird (2021), role: Colonel Kuznetsov, director: Peeter Rebane[2]
- Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare (2025), role: Steven, director: Scott Jeffrey (released January 13, 2025)[2][32]
Television
Nicholas Woodeson has had an extensive television career, featuring guest appearances, recurring roles, and lead parts in British and international series, miniseries, and TV movies from the early 1980s onward. His work often includes period dramas, crime procedurals, and historical pieces, with notable recurring roles in high-profile productions.[3] The following table provides a chronological overview of his television credits, including show titles, years, character names, and episode counts where applicable.| Year(s) | Title | Role | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | A Rumor of War (miniseries) | US Marine | 2 |
| 1985 | Miami Vice | Artie Cross | 1 ("Made for Each Other")[33] |
| 1988 | The Hound of the Baskervilles (miniseries) | Inspector Lestrade | 2 |
| 2013 | Poirot | Detective Sergeant Hoskins | 1 ("Dead Man's Folly")[34] |
| 1990 | Blackeyes (miniseries) | Jessica's Uncle | 4 |
| 1998 | Midsomer Murders | Avery Phillips | 1 ("Death of a Hollow Man")[27] |
| 2001 | Conspiracy (miniseries) | Heinrich Müller | 1 |
| 2003 | A Touch of Frost | Anton Caldwell | 1 ("Held in Trust")[28] |
| 2005 | Doc Martin | Victor | 1 ("Blood Is Thicker")[35] |
| 2005–2007 | Rome | Posca | 22 |
| 2008 | Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story (TV movie) | Charles Morrison | 1 |
| 2010 | Borgen | Alexander Grozin | 1 (Season 1, Episode 6)[29] |
| 2011–2020 | Friday Night Dinner | The Rabbi | 1 |
| 2012 | Loving Miss Hatto (TV movie) | Joyce's Husband | 1 |
| 2008 | Foyle's War | Josef Novak | 1 ("Broken Souls")[36] |
| 2014 | New Tricks | Viktor Proust | 1 ("The English Defence")[30] |
| 2015 | Inspector George Gently | Norman | 1 ("Breathe in the Air")[31] |
| 2016 | The Living and the Dead | Reverend Matthew Denning | 6 |
| 2017 | Taboo | Thoyt | 7 |
| 2020 | Quiz (miniseries) | Nicholas Hilliard QC | 2[37] |
| 2024 | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power | Diarmid | 1 (Season 2)[38] |
| 2023– | Beyond Paradise | Father Brian | Multiple |
| Unknown | Casualty | Jack Clayton | 1 |
| Unknown | Holby City | Artem Chernik | 1 |
| 2025 | Death by Lightning (miniseries) | Loeffler | Upcoming |