Paul Ready

Paul Ready

Born 1977-06-23 (age 48) Birmingham, England, UK
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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 β€” 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.

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Known For

Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone

2023

as Bailey

The Death of Stalin
The Death of Stalin

2017

as NKVD Officer Delov

The Dig
The Dig

2021

as James Reid Moir

Angels and Insects
Princess of Thieves
Princess of Thieves

2001

as Sheriff's servant

All That Glitters
All That Glitters

2026

as Shakespeare

Bring Them Down
Bring Them Down

2025

as Gary

Private Peaceful
Private Peaceful

2012

as Captain Wilkins

Maybe Baby
Maybe Baby

2000

as Student Doctor

Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman
Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman

2005

as Anthony David Farrow

Plain Jane
Plain Jane

2002

as Clerk

Jeffrey Archer: The Truth
Jeffrey Archer: The Truth

2002

as Paul McCartney

Capture
Capture

2023

as Dad

National Theatre Live: London Assurance
Muse
Muse

2020

as Aderman

Beside Himself
Beside Himself

2016

as Devlin

The Circuit
The Circuit

2016

as Danny

Utopia
Utopia

2013

as Lee

One Wrong Word
One Wrong Word

2013

as Tony