Daryl McCormack (born 22 January 1993) is an Irish actor. Trained at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and the Gaiety School of Acting, he made his acting debut in the soap opera Fair City (2015–2016). He appeared in the BBC series Peaky Blinders (2019–2022), the film Pixie (2020), and the Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters (2022). His portrayal of the title role in the sex comedy-drama Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022) earned him a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In 2023, he won the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival.
Early life and education McCormack was born on 22 January 1993 in Nenagh, County Tipperary. He is the son of an Irish mother, Theresa McCormack, and an African-American father, Alfred Thomas, from Baltimore. He maintains a good relationship with the paternal side of his family, especially his grandfather Percy Thomas, who would visit McCormack and take him to the theatre.
McCormack attended Gaelscoil Aonach Urmhumhan and St. Joseph's CBS. He played basketball and participated in the Choral Society. He went on to study at the Gaiety School of Acting, and at Dublin Institute of Technology's Conservatory of Music and Drama (now TU Dublin Conservatoire) graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in drama 2014.
Career McCormack made his West End debut in 2018 as Brendan in The Lieutenant of Inishmore. In his early career, he was almost cast in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In 2019, he starred alongside Olivia Cooke and Ben Hardy in Barnaby Thompson's comedy-thriller film Pixie and joined the cast of Peaky Blinders for its fifth series as Isaiah Jesus.
In 2021 he was named as a Screen International star of tomorrow. He had a recurring role as Aram in the first season of the Amazon Prime fantasy series The Wheel of Time in 2021. In 2022, he starred as Matthew Claffin in Sharon Horgan's Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters and opposite Emma Thompson as the titular character of Sophie Hyde's film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, the latter of which earned him nominations for two British Academy Film Awards and a British Independent Film Award.
In 2023, he starred in Alice Troughton's thriller film The Lesson and the BBC thriller series The Woman in the Wall.
McCormack appeared in Lee Isaac Chung's Twisters in 2024, and in 2025 he had roles in the family thriller Anniversary and in Rian Johnson's Wake Up Dead Man.
Acting credits Film + Year Title Role Notes 2016 The Randomer Ray2019 How to Fake a War Matt A Good Woman Is Hard to Find PC Reeves 2020 Pixie Harland McKenna 2022 Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Leo Grande 2023 The Lesson Liam Sommers 2024 Twisters Jeb2025 Wake Up Dead Man Cyrus "Cy" Draven Anniversary Rob Taylor 2026 I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning Conor Rogue Trooper Helm (voice) TBA Post-production
Television + Year Title Role Notes 2015–2016 Fair City Pierce Devlin 36 episodes 2016 Dawn Ukkanaak Television film 2017 Vikings Young Man Episode: "The Prisoner"2018 Immortality Pio Miniseries A Very English Scandal Luke Mackenzie Episode #1.1 2019 Cleaning Up Ryan Episode #1.5 2019–2022 Peaky Blinders Isaiah Jesus 11 episodes2021 I Am... David Episode: "I Am Maria" The Wheel of Time Aram 3 episodes 2022–2024 Bad Sisters Matthew Claffin 12 episodes 2023 The Woman in the Wall Colman Akande 6 episodes TBA Pride and Prejudice Mr. Bingley Filming
Theatre
Year Title Role Notes 2014 The Grapes of Wrath Casey Project Arts Centre, Dublin 2015 Romeo and Juliet Romeo Gate Theatre, Dublin Othello Othello Theatre Royal Waterford Enjoy Project Arts Centre, Dublin 2017 A Whisper Anywhere Else Garda Peacock Stage, Abbey Theatre, Dublin The Mouth of a Shark The Complex, Dublin 2018 The Lieutenant of Inishmore Brendan Noël Coward Theatre, London 2019 Citysong Abbey Theatre, Dublin 2024 Long Day's Journey into Night James Jr Wyndham's Theatre, London
Music videos Year Song Artist Notes 2018 "Half a Life" Roisin El Cherif
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Peabody Awards Entertainment Bad Sisters British Independent Film Awards Best Joint Lead Performance (shared with Emma Thompson) Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Online Association of Female Film Critics Best Breakthrough Performance Women Film Critics Circle Best Screen Couple (shared with Emma Thompson) Cannes Film FestivalTrophée Chopard British Academy Film Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Rising Star Award Black Reel Awards Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
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