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Ian McShane Biography

Birth Name:Ian David McShane

Birth Place:Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

Profession Actor, Producer, Soundtrack, Director

Fast Facts

  • Won a TCA Award at the 2004 Television Critics Association Awards for Individual Achievement in Drama for "Deadwood․"
  • Won the Best Ensemble Performance Award at the 2010 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards for "44 Inch Chest․"
  • Studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
  • Born to Irene and soccer player Harry McShane
  • Married actress Gwen Humble in 1980
  • Quote: "What you do is, you just do the gig, enjoy, get on with it, and treat the rest as horse doodle․"
  • Enjoys playing the bad boy and has shown himself to have a knack for playing cold and calculating villains
  • Gained fame in the United States as Al Swearengen in "Deadwood․"
  • Narrated on the concept album "Slave to the Rhythm" by Grace Jones in 1985
  • Told his acting teacher he had a dentist's appointment in order to get out of class for long enough to audition for his role in "The Wild and the Willing․"
  • Loves "Family Guy" and "The Simpsons" because he feels the animated comedies illuminate what is really happening in the world
  • Made his professional debut on stage, film and television all in the same year, 1962
  • Originally planned on playing football like his father

Awards

  • 2004Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Lead Actor: nominated
  • 2004OFTA Television Award-Best Actor in a Drama Series: winner
  • 2004TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Drama: winner
  • 2005Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Lead Actor: nominated
  • 2005Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama: winner
  • 2005Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Ensemble Performance: nominated
  • 2005OFTA Television Award-Best Actor in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2005Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2005Satellite Award-Outstanding Actor in a Series, Drama: nominated
  • 2005TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Drama: nominated
  • 2005WIN Award-Actor in Drama Series: nominated
  • 2006Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2007Actor-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2007OFTA Television Award-Best Actor in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2008TV Land Award-Character You REALLY Don't Want to Make Angry: nominated
  • 2009Annie-Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production: nominated
  • 2010Fright Meter Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
  • 2010Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Lead Actor of the Decade: nominated
  • 2010SDFCS Award-Best Ensemble Performance: winner
  • 2010Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 2011Gemini-Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series: nominated
  • 2011Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 2011Golden Nymph-Mini-Series - Best Performance by an Actor: nominated
  • 2011OFTA Television Award-Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
  • 2011Teen Choice Award-Choice Movie Villain: nominated
  • 2016Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Guest Actor: nominated
  • 2018Critics Choice Award-Best Actor in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2019OFTA Television Award-Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Limited Series: nominated
  • 2019OFTA Television Award-Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Limited Series: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Television Movie: nominated
  • 2020PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Streamed or Televised Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2025Emmy-Outstanding Children's Personality: nominated