Matthew Macfadyen
Matthew Macfadyen
David Matthew Macfadyenis a BAFTA award-winning English actor, known for his roles as MI5 Intelligence Officer Tom Quinn in the BBC television drama series Spooks, Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 2005 film of Pride & Prejudice and Daniel in the Frank Oz comedy Death at a Funeral. He is also known for portraying John Birt in the political drama Frost/Nixon, as well as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid in the BBC series Ripper Street. In 2015 he starred in the Sky Living...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth17 October 1974
You'd never play Hamlet if you started worrying about who's played it before you.
The actor in me would always like to be more dashing, or slimmer, or have nicer hair.
I try to be fussy about the parts I play. I think that's quite prudent, it means you're stretching different muscles, and you're scaring yourself by doing something which is out of your comfort zone.
As much as I long for a sort of security and consistency sometimes, I do enjoy sort of being busted around. I really don't know what's happening sometimes next week, let alone this year.
I don't feel like a romantic lead; I guess I feel more like a character actor.
I think it sits quite happily with me, the condition of being an actor. I see some people getting quite eaten up with it, with the insecurities. There are times when I long for continuity and stability, but I also love the idea of not knowing what I'll be doing next - or even if I'm going to work.
What's exciting is there's a curtain that divides the audience from this other world. You want to see behind.
Some British actors are snobby about telly, and I don't understand that.
It must be odd, being recognizable. I would hate to lose that anonymity.
I would hate not to do a play every couple of years. I think it's not me.
I love TV and I love making films and I love doing plays. I feel very lucky to be able to do all three.
I just loved the whole idea of being an actor.
I can't throw books away. My wife is always telling me to get rid of some.
You never know how films are going to do and it is daunting if I think about it.