Christian Stuart McKay (born 30 December 1973) is an English stage and screen actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Orson Welles in the 2008 film Me and Orson Welles, for which he was nominated for over two dozen awards including the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also appeared in Florence Foster Jenkins, The Theory of Everything, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Rush.
Early life McKay was born in Bury, Lancashire. He has a sister, Karen. His mother, Lynn, worked as a hairdresser, and his father, Stuart, was a railway worker. He studied piano as a youth, and performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 at age 21. McKay subsequently halted his concert career and enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to study acting.
Career McKay's television appearances include portraying conductor Pierre Monteux in the BBC TV production Riot at the Rite (2005). His first film appearance was in Abraham's Point (2008).
After seeing a performance of Rosebud at the 2007 "Brits Off Broadway" festival, Richard Linklater cast McKay as Welles in his film Me and Orson Welles, retaining McKay over the subsequent producer objections to his casting. In this, his second film and first lead role, McKay received critical praise for his performance as Orson Welles.
McKay has recently been seen in the biographical drama Rush, alongside Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl, the BAFTA-nominated music film Northern Soul, and the Oscar-winning biographical drama The Theory of Everything, alongside Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. All of these were met with critical acclaim, with The Theory of Everything receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Theatre McKay has portrayed Orson Welles in the one-man play Rosebud: The Lives of Orson Welles at a number of venues, including the Edinburgh Festival and King's Head (London). He subsequently reprised the role in the US at the 2007 "Brits Off Broadway" festival.
In 2013, McKay played Gerard in Strangers on a Train at London's Gielgud Theatre.
Personal life McKay was married to Emily Allen. They divorced in 2021. He has two children, Maximilian Sidney McKay, born 2011 and Aniela Rita Lynn McKay, born 2015.
Selected filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2008 Abraham's Point Robert 2009 Me and Orson Welles Orson Welles Austin Film Critics Association Award for Breakthrough ArtistSan Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting ActorUtah Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — BAFTA Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — British Independent Film Award for Most Promising NewcomerNominated — Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising PerformerNominated — Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Denver Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Evening Standard British Film Award for Best ActorNominated — Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting MaleNominated — International Cinephile Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated — London Film Critics Circle Award for British Actor of the YearNominated — National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor (3rd place)Nominated — New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor (2nd place)Nominated — San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated — Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Breakthrough Performance2010 You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger Poker Friend Mr. Nice Hamilton McMillan 2011 I Melt With You Tim Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Mackelvore 2013 Rush Alexander Hesketh The Devil's Violinist John Watson 2014 Closer to the Moon IorguNorthern Soul Dad The Theory of Everything Roger Penrose 2015 Creditors Grant PierceNominated — Blow-Up International Arthouse Film Festival for Best Actor 2016 The Young Messiah Cleopas ChickLit David Rose Florence Foster Jenkins Earl Wilson 2017 The Leisure Seeker Will Spencer Crooked House Roger Leonides Provenance John 2018 The Talent Agent Jeff Rogers Short film 2019 The Second Hearing Short film 2022 Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris Giles Newcombe
Television Year Title Role Notes 2004 Doctors Neville Gordon Episode: "Pardon" 2005 Riot at the Rite Pierre Monteux TV film 2008 Agatha Christie's Poirot Jefferson Cope Episode: "Appointment with Death"2009 A Short Stay in Switzerland CarstenTV film Margaret John Whittingdale 2010 The Road to Coronation Street Harry Elton 2011–2013 Borgia Cardinal Sforza 2012 Getting On Dr. Nigel Hoskins Episode #3.3 2015 Jekyll and Hyde Maxwell Utterson 2016 Churchill's Secret Christopher Soames TV film Frontier Father James Coffin 2019 Grantchester Anthony Hobbs 4 episodes 2019–2020 Warrior Mayor Samuel Blake 2023 FDR President Franklin D. Roosevelt 2024 Strike Inigo Upcott Episode 2 2024 Churchill at War Winston Churchill
References
External links