Ian McShane

McShane was born Ian David McShane in Blackburn, Lancashire on 29 September 1942, the only child of Irene (née Cowley; 1922–2020) and professional footballer Harry McShane (1920–2012). His father was Scottish, from Holytown, Lanarkshire. His mother, who was born in England, was of Irish and English descent. McShane grew up in Davyhulme, Manchester, and attended Stretford Grammar School. After being a member of the National Youth Theatre, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), with Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt. McShane shared a flat with Hurt, whom he called his "oldest friend in the business", and he was still a student at RADA when he appeared (with Hurt) in his first film The Wild and the Willing (1962). He later played Satan in the York Mystery Plays in 1963. In the United Kingdom, McShane's best known role is antiques dealer Lovejoy in the eponymous series (1986-94). Long before Lovejoy, McShane was a pin-up as a result of appearances in television series, such as Wuthering Heights (1967, as Heathcliff), Jesus of Nazareth (1977, as Judas Iscariot), and Disraeli (1978)—as well as films like Sky West and Crooked (1965) and Battle of Britain (1969). The actor also enjoyed success in the United States as British film director Don Lockwood in Dallas.

In the United States, he is known for the role of historical figure Al Swearengen in the HBO series Deadwood, for which he won the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Drama. He was also nominated at the 2005 Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Among science fiction fans, McShane is known for playing the character Robert Bryson in Babylon 5: The River of Souls. In a 2004 interview with The Independent, McShane stated that he wished that he had turned down the role of Bryson as he had struggled with the technical dialogue and found looking at Martin Sheen, who was wearing an eye in the middle of his forehead, to be the most embarrassing experience that he had ever had while acting.

In 1985, McShane appeared as an MC on Grace Jones' Slave to the Rhythm, a concept album which featured his narration interspersed throughout and which sold over a million copies worldwide.

In 1992, he recorded and released his own solo studio album, From Both Sides Now, which features McShane singing cover versions of popular songs. The album reached number 40 in the UK Albums Chart.

His other roles include that of armed robber and gangland boss Jack Last in the Minder episode The Last Video Show. As Captain Hook in Shrek the Third, Ragnar Sturlusson in The Golden Compass, Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda (for which he received an Annie Award nomination), crime boss Teddy Bass in Sexy Beast, and Mr. Bobinsky in Coraline. In live-action, he has performed in Hot Rod, the action/thriller Death Race, and The Seeker. He has appeared in The West Wing as a Russian diplomat. During 2007–08, he starred as Max in the 40th anniversary Broadway revival of Harold Pinter's The Homecoming, co-starring Eve Best, Raúl Esparza, and Michael McKean, and directed by Daniel Sullivan, at the Cort Theatre (16 December 2007 – 13 April 2008).

In 2009, he appeared in Kings, which was based on the biblical story of David. His portrayal of King Silas Benjamin, an analogue of King Saul, was highly praised with one critic saying: "Whenever Kings seems to falter, McShane appears to put bite marks all over the scenery."

In 2010, McShane starred in The Pillars of the Earth as Bishop Waleran Bigod. The series was a historical drama set in 12th-century England and adapted from Ken Follett's novel of the same name. That same year, the Walt Disney Company confirmed that McShane would portray Blackbeard in On Stranger Tides.

In 2013, he played King Brahmwell in Bryan Singer's Jack the Giant Slayer.

Since 2010, McShane has narrated the opening teases for each round of ESPN's coverage of The Open Championship. In 2012, McShane had a guest role for two episodes as Murder Santa, a sadistic serial killer in the 1960s in the second season of American Horror Story. In 2016, he joined the cast of Game of Thrones in Season 6 as Septon Ray.

McShane announced on 20 April 2017 that a script for a two-hour Deadwood film had been submitted by creator David Milch to HBO and that a film was as close as ever to happening. "[A] two-hour movie script has been delivered to HBO. If they don't deliver [a finished product], blame them," McShane said. The film began production in October 2018. Deadwood: The Movie was released on 31 May 2019, concluding the story of the series.