Rory Keenan is an Irish actor. On film and television he has starred in Somewhere Boy, The Duchess, Birdsong, Versailles, War & Peace, The Guard, and Peaky Blinders.
Career Keenan has performed in many National Theatre productions, as well as at BAM, New York, and Wyndhams Theatre in the West End as Jamie in Long Day's Journey into Night, directed by Sir Richard Eyre. He starred at the Donmar Warehouse in Saint Joan and Welcome Home Captain Fox!
Previous work at the National Theatre includes The Kitchen, Damned By Despair and Liola, and Philadelphia, Here I Come! and Dublin Carol at the Donmar Warehouse.
He has performed many leading roles in Ireland, having worked from an early age at Abbey Theatre, as well as the title roles in Hamlet and Macbeth, the latter of which landed him Best Actor at the 11th Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards.
In 2010, Keenan appeared in the short film The Crush, which was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Live Action Short Film.
On television he was seen in Channel 4's Somewhere Boy, Netflix's The Duchess, BBC's Versailles, War & Peace and Peaky Blinders.
In 2022, Keenan wrote and directed his debut film Bump, which starred his wife Gemma Arterton, and was screened at the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival in San Jose, California, and Cleveland International Film Festival. He was awarded Best Director at the British Short Film Awards 2022. British Short Film Awards 2022.
Personal life In 2019, he married actress Gemma Arterton.Bond Girl Gemma Arterton secretly marries Irish Peaky Blinders star Rory Keenan in exclusive Co Wicklow ceremony, 15 September 2019 The couple's first child, a son, was born in December 2022."Gemma Arterton pregnant with first child", Yahoo, 4 November 2022"Gemma Arterton reveals she welcomed her first child in December", Yahoo, 8 February 2023
Filmography Television Year Title Role Notes 1999 Aristocrats George TV mini series 2001–02 On Home Ground Kevin King 16 episodes 2003 The Clinic Michael 6 episodes 2005 Showbands Keith TV mini series 2011 Primeval Michael 1 episode 2012 Birdsong Brennan TV mini series 2014 Peaky Blinders Donal Henry 3 episodes 2016 Stan Lee's Lucky Man Simon 2 episodes War & Peace Bilibin 4 episodes2017Versailles Leopold 8 episodesCome Home Tomlinson 2 episodes 2017–18 Striking Out Eric 10 episodes2020The Duchess Shep 6 episodes 2021Rules Of The Game Hugh 3 episodes2022Somewhere Boy Steve 8 episodes 2024 Blackshore Garda Cian Furlong 6 episodes TBC The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ Mr. Lucas TV mini series
Film Year Title Role Notes 2002 Reign of Fire Devon 2003 Intermission Anthony Lowry Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor Malitiaman TV movie 2004 Ella Enchanted Otto 2005 Showbands Keith TV movie Still Life Man Short film 2006 Pride and Joy Rory Lawlor 2009 One Hundred Mornings Mark Zonad Guy Hendrickson 2010 Windows Terry Short film The Crush Boyfriend nominated Academy Award Best Live Action Short Film2011 National Theatre Live: The Kitchen Kevin The Guard McBride 2012 Earthbound Gordon Keys to the City Paul 2016 The Young Messiah Lucifer Grimsby James Thurbeck 2026Power BalladBinzer
Theatre Year Title Role Theatre Notes2007 Don Carlos Don Carlos Rough Magic Saved Fred Abbey Theatre 2009 Macbeth Macbeth Siren Productions/The Empty Space Best Actor In Supporting Role, Irish Times Theatre Awards The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger Ronan Landmark Productions/Olympia Theatre, Dublin 2010 The Big Fellah Ruairi Lyric Hammersmith The Importance of Being Earnest Jack Rough Magic/Gaiety Theatre, Dublin 2011 The Kitchen Kevin Royal National Theatre Lakeboat/Prairie du Chien Fred Arcola Theatre 2012 Damned by Despair Pedrisco Royal National Theatre Philadelphia Here I Come Gar Private Donmar Warehouse Dublin Carol Mark Donmar Warehouse 2013 Liola Liola Royal National Theatre 2015 Someone Who'll Watch Over Me Edward Chichester Festival Theatre 2016 Saint Joan The Inquisitor Donmar Warehouse The Seagull Trigorin Dublin Theatre Festival Welcome Home Captain Fox Gene Donmar Warehouse 2018 Long Day's Journey Into Night James Tyrone Jr. Wyndham's Theatre / BAM, New York 2019 Plenty Raymond Brock Chichester Festival Theatre
References
External links
The Crush - Oscar nominated Short film