
Person
Paul Ready
Acting · Born 1977-06-23 · Birmingham, England, UK
Biography
Paul John Ready (born 23 June 1977) is a British actor known for portraying Kevin Brady in Motherland (2016-2022), Lee in Utopia (2013–2014), Rob MacDonald in Bodyguard (2018), and Henry Goodsir in The Terror (2018). His film credits include The Death of Stalin (2017), The Dig (2021), Heart of Stone (2023), and Bring Them Down (2025). He is recognised for his ability to take on diverse roles and bring depth to his characters in different genres. Paul was born in Birmingham and, growing up in the town of Harborne, he attended King Edward VI Five Ways school. He went on to train at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and, at the age of 17, he played Romeo in the National Youth Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet at London's Bloomsbury Theatre, playing opposite Rosamund Pike's Juliet. He is a regular at the National and Royal Court theatres. Past appearances have included leading parts in Major Barbara and Saint Joan (both plays by George Bernard Shaw) and Time and the Conways by J.B. Priestley. His West End credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which starred Christian Slater. Ready is married to actress and writer Michelle Terry, whom he met in Shakespeare's Globe 2009 production of Love's Labour's Lost — they have one daughter. In 2018 he starred as the titular character in Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, opposite Terry as Lady Macbeth. In 2020, he and Terry returned to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse as Petruchio and Biondello respectively in The Taming of the Shrew. In 2025, he starred in Chekhov's Three Sisters as Aleksandr Vershinin, once again alongside Terry. Paul received a commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards in 2003.
Known for

Agatha Christie's Poirot
William

American Playhouse
Tom

Heartbeat
Henry Harrison

Silk
Tony Paddick

The Terror
Doctor Henry Goodsir

Ripper Street
Dr. Frederick Treves

Bodyguard
Rob MacDonald

Motherland
Kevin

Utopia
Lee

Flack
Damien Paulson
Filmography
- 2026Ann DroidMichael
- 2026National Theatre at Home: SummerfolkSergei Vassilich Bassov
- 2026All That GlittersShakespeare
- 2025Bring Them DownGary
- 2023Heart of StoneBailey
- 2023CaptureDad
- 2022Motherland: Last ChristmasKevin
- 2022The Bastard Son & the Devil HimselfSoul
- 2021The DigJames Reid Moir
- 2020MandyCooper
- 2020MuseAderman
- 2019MotherFatherSonNick Caplan
- 2019FlackDamien Paulson
- 2019Rob & Romesh Vs
- 2018BodyguardRob MacDonald
- 2018The TerrorDoctor Henry Goodsir
- 2017MotherlandKevin
- 2017The Death of StalinNKVD Officer Delov
- 2016The Witness for the ProsecutionTripp
- 2016The CircuitDanny
- 2016Beside HimselfDevlin
- 2015CuffsDI Felix Kane
- 2013One Wrong WordTony
- 2013UtopiaLee
- 2013UtopiaLee
- 2012Ripper StreetDr. Frederick Treves
- 2012Private PeacefulCaptain Wilkins
- 2011SilkTony Paddick
- 2010Love's Labour's Lost - Live at Shakespeare's GlobeDon Armado
- 2010National Theatre Live: London AssuranceCharles Courtly
- 2006PullingMike
- 2005Pierrepoint: The Last HangmanAnthony David Farrow
- 2005Twisted TalesPhil
- 2004Blackpool
- 2004Life BeginsMark
- 2002Tipping the VelvetRenter Alice
- 2002Jeffrey Archer: The TruthPaul McCartney
- 2002Plain JaneClerk
- 2002Born and BredAbel Marl
- 2001Princess of ThievesSheriff's servant
- 2000Maybe BabyStudent Doctor
- 1995Angels and InsectsTom
- 1992HeartbeatHenry Harrison
- 1989Agatha Christie's PoirotWilliam
- 1982American PlayhouseTom
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