Aidan Turner (born 19 June 1983) is an Irish actor. He began his career in the RTÉ medical drama The Clinic (2008–2009) and the BBC Two series Desperate Romantics (2009). He later gained attention for co-starring as one of the main leads in the popular BBC Three series Being Human (2009–2011), and for playing the dwarf Kíli in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy (2012–2014), before starring as Ross Poldark in Poldark (2015–2019).
Early life and education Aidan Turner was born at home in Clondalkin, a suburban town of Dublin, on 19 June 1983. The family later moved to Walkinstown.
Turner attended secondary school at St Mac Dara's Community College in Templeogue before leaving to join his older brother at Firhouse Community College, where, he said, he "probably wasn't a great student".
Before becoming an actor, Turner was a successful ballroom dancer, once obtaining third place in the adult section of the Irish National Championships. After finishing secondary school, he briefly worked as an apprentice electrician, alongside his father. After he saw a notice up in Dublin's Gaiety School of Acting, and having become interested in acting while working in a cinema, he applied. He graduated from the Gaiety School of Acting in 2004.
Career After graduating from drama school, Turner appeared in several theatre productions, including The Plough and the Stars, Romeo and Juliet, and A Cry from Heaven.
Turner's television acting career began in 2007 with an uncredited appearance on the first episode of The Tudors. In the same year he produced and starred in the film Porcelain, directed by Gavin Cleland, which was shot in a convent in Dublin. However, only a trailer of the movie was released.
Between 2008 and 2009, Turner had a recurring role as Ruairí McGowan in eighteen episodes of The Clinic. He followed The Clinic with the BBC production Desperate Romantics. He portrayed Dante Gabriel Rossetti in all six episodes of the show, which aired in 2009.
Turner's film career began with two short films, The Sound of People and Matterhorn, both in 2007. He later played Mal in the thriller feature film Alarm (2008).
Turner played the vampire John Mitchell for the first three series of the supernatural drama programme Being Human (2009 to 2011), for which he received widespread praise. His role on Being Human brought Turner to the attention of Sir Peter Jackson, who cast him as the dwarf Kíli in The Hobbit Trilogy (2012–2014). In 2014, he won the Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer for the second film in the series, The Desolation of Smaug.
In 2013, Turner portrayed shadowhunter-turned-werewolf Luke Garroway in the film adaptation of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments fantasy series. He acted opposite Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Lena Headey, Robert Sheehan, and Jonathan Rhys.
In the 2015 BBC TV miniseries And Then There Were None, based on the Agatha Christie novel, Turner played the cynical mercenary Philip Lombard. Joining him in the ensemble cast were Maeve Dermody, Miranda Richardson, Toby Stephens, Charles Dance, Anna Maxwell Martin, Noah Taylor, Douglas Booth, Burn Gorman, and Sam Neill. The miniseries was critically-acclaimed, with Maureen Ryan (Variety) and Mike Hale (New York Times) among those applauding Turner's "standout" work.
Turner performed the title role of Ross Poldark in the 2015 revival of the BBC series Poldark. At the National Television Awards in 2016, Turner received the NTA's inaugural Impact Award for his performance.
In 2021, Turner led the Italian series Leonardo, portraying the titular artist. The following year saw him in the ITV police procedural The Suspect, in which he played Dr Joseph O'Loughlin, a psychologist adjusting to his recent diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson's disease.
Turner next played Glenn Lapthorne, a professional tennis coach accused of sexually abusing his former underage protégé (portrayed by Ella Lily Hyland), in the 2023 British television drama Fifteen-Love.
In 2024, Turner played TV journalist Declan O'Hara in the Disney+ series Rivals, an adaptation of Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles. He starred alongside David Tennant, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Bella Maclean, Nafessa Williams, Katherine Parkinson, and Danny Dyer. The second season of the series premiered in May 2026.
Personal life In 2017, Turner met actress Caitlin FitzGerald. He also bought an 18th-century house in East London that year. The couple married in August 2020; they have a child together, born in January 2022. Turner is a longtime snooker enthusiast.
Acting credits +Key Denotes projects that have not yet been released Film Year Title Role Notes 2007 The Sound of People Father Short film Matterhorn Theodoro Porcelain Kevin Unreleased 2008 Alarm Mal 2012 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Kíli 2013 The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Luke Garroway The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Kíli 2014 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Kíli 2016 The Secret Scripture Jack Conroy 2017Loving VincentBoatman 2018 The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot Young Calvin Barr 2019 Love Is Blind Russell2023Paso DobleLiam RileyShort film directed by Heida Reed Saint Andrew Post-production Unferth Pre-production
Television Year Title Role Notes 2007 The Tudors Bedoli Episode: "In Cold Blood" 2008–09 The Clinic Ruairí McGowan Main role, 18 episodes 2009 Desperate Romantics Dante Gabriel Rossetti Main role, 6 episodes 2009–11 Being Human John Mitchell Main role, 22 episodes 2010 Resonance TT Pilot 2011 Hattie John Schofield TV film 2015 And Then There Were None Philip Lombard Mini series 2015–2019 Poldark Ross Poldark Lead role 2021 Leonardo Leonardo da Vinci 2022 The Suspect Dr. Joseph O'Loughlin Lead role2022Toast of TinseltownBarneyEpisode: "Death Valley"2023 Fifteen-Love Glenn Lapthorne Lead role2024–present RivalsDeclan O'HaraLead role2025 The DiplomatCallum EllisRecurring role
Theatre Year Title Role Theatre Location 2005 The Plough and the Stars Corp. Stoddard Barbican Theatre London, United Kingdom Suddenly Last Summer Dr. Sugar Focus Theatre Dublin, Ireland A Cry from Heaven Ardan Abbey Theatre Dublin, Ireland Yokohama Delegation Hercules Kilkenny Arts Festival Kilkenny, Ireland Titus Andronicus Demetrius Project Arts Theatre Dublin, Ireland 2006 The Crock of Gold Pan Olympia TheatreOn tour Dublin, IrelandOn tour 2006–2007 Drive-By Cork Mid-Summer FestivalDublin Fringe Festival 2006Canterbury Arts Festival 2007 Cork, IrelandDublin, IrelandCanterbury, United Kingdom 2007 La Marea Adam Bedrock Theatre Co/DTF Dublin, Ireland Cyrano Christian Project Arts Centre Dublin, Ireland 2008 Romeo and Juliet Paris Abbey Theatre Dublin, Ireland 2018 The Lieutenant of Inishmore Padraic Noël Coward Theatre London, United Kingdom 2023 Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Oliver Harold Pinter Theatre London, United Kingdom2026Les Liaisons dangereusesVicomte de ValmontRoyal National TheatreLondon, United Kingdom
Audio +YearTitleRoleNotes2015A History of Ideas (BBC Radio 4) NarratorTwelve short animated videos scripted by Nigel Warburton for BBC Radio 4: "David Hume on Miracles"; "Esse est Percipi ('To be is to be perceived')"; "Karl Popper's Falsification"; "Wittgenstein's Beetle in the Box Analogy"; "I love my mum (but not like that)"; "How Two Halves Make a Whole"; "Love? What's in it for me?"; "Sartre: Love is a hazardous, painful struggle"; "John Locke on Toleration"; "Adam Smith on the Invisible Hand"; "Plato's Philosopher Kings"; "Confucian Ancestor Worship"2021The Sandman Act IICluracanAudio drama series by Neil Gaiman based on his comic book The Sandman2022The Sandman Act III
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2011 SFX Awards Best Sci-Fi or Fantasy Actor Being Human SFX Magazin (2011): WINNER! Best Sci-Fi Actor. Edition: April 2011. S.94 Sexiest Male 2012 Online Film & Television Association Best Original Song () The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey SFX Awards Best Sci-Fi Actor Being Human Sexiest Male 2013 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 2014 Empire Awards Best Male Newcomer CinEuphoria AwardsBest Ensemble 2015 Radio Times Champion Drama Champion Poldark TV Choice Awards Best Actor 2016 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Breakthrough Award Poldark / And Then There Were None Best Actor GQ Men of the Year Best TV Actor Poldark Irish Film and Television Awards Best Actor in Lead Role Monte-Carlo Television Festival Outstanding Actor in a TV Series-Drama National Television Awards Impact Award Drama Performance Radio Times Champion Drama Champion 2017 Irish Film and Television Awards Best Actor in Lead Role TV Times AwardsFavourite ActorTV Choice AwardsBest Actor2018 Stage Debut Awards Joe Allen Best West End Debut Award The Lieutenant of Inishmore 2019TV Choice AwardsBest ActorPoldark2023Irish Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a Lead Role - DramaThe SuspectSichuan TV FestivalBest Actor in a Leading Role for a Television SeriesLeonardo2025Irish Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a Lead Role - Drama RivalsThe GossiesBest Actor
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