Aidan Gillen (/ˈɡɪlən/;) is an Irish actor. Gillen is well known for playing the role of Petyr “Little finger” Baelish in the HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–17). He worked as Tommy Carcetti in the HBO series ‘The Wire’ (2004–08). However, Gillen is also best known for portraying Stuart Alan Jones in the Channel 4 series ‘Queer as Folk’ (1999–2000), John Boy in the RTÉ series ‘Love/Hate’ (2010–11) and CIA operative Bill Wilson in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012).
Height
Aidan Gillen is 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) tall.
Star Sign
Aidan Gillen star sign is Taurus.
Early life
Aidan Gillen was born in Drumcondra, Dublin. Meanwhile, he completed his education at St. Vincent’s C.B.S. in Glasnevin and began his acting career as a teenager.
Before moving to London Gillen started with the Dublin Youth Theatre where he played as Nick Bottom in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at the Project Arts Centre.
Career
Gillen appeared as Stuart Alan Jones in the groundbreaking Channel 4 television series ‘Queer as Folk’ and its sequel. Consequently, he received a ‘British Academy Television Award’ nomination for Best Actor.
Gillen was nominated for a ‘Tony Award’ for his highly praised Broadway role in Harold Pinter’s play ‘The Caretaker.’
Furthermore, Aidan Gillen has also been nominated for an ‘Irish Times Theatre Award’ for his work of Teach in the Dublin Gate Theatre’s 2007 production of David Mamet’s ‘American Buffalo.’
In 2004, Gillen was spotted by producers in ‘The Caretaker.’ Later Gillen appeared as Tommy Carcetti in the acclaimed HBO series ‘The Wire.’
Gillen received an ‘Irish Film & Television Award’ for Best Actor in a Lead Role in Television (The Wire). Even more, he was named an “Irish cult hero” by the Sunday Tribune in 2008.
Gillen appeared in the 2009 film ‘12 Rounds.’ Also, In July of that same year, he appeared in the one-off BBC2 drama ‘Freefall.’
Aidan Gillen also co-starred as Phil Hendrick in the British drama ‘Thorne.’
Gillen began playing Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish on the HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’ in 2011, because of that he received his second ‘Irish Film & Television Award nomination’ for that work. Almost, he appeared in all seven broadcast seasons until the season 7 finale “The Dragon and the Wolf” where his character’s death occurs.
Aidan Gillen also appeared as cop killer Barry Weiss in the British crime-thriller ‘Blitz’ and the British horror film ‘Wake Wood.’ There, he acted as crime boss John Boy in the acclaimed Irish crime-drama ‘Love/Hate’. Subsequently, for that movie, he also was nominated for his ‘third Irish Film & Television Award’ and second win.
Gillen played CIA agent Bill Wilson in 2012 that referred to solely as “CIA” in the film’s dialogue; however, the character’s name was revealed in the film’s novelization.
Gillen had his first role in the movie ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ which was a major Hollywood film. Gillen told that he enjoyed playing the character, but more than he preferred low-budget lead roles to blockbuster bit-parts.
Aidan Gillen’s role was particularly renowned by some Internet circles for his supposedly awkward delivery of dialogue in the film’s opening plane scene, especially by users of 4chan.
Consequently, Gillen became the subject matter of an Internet meme popular among users known as ‘Baneposting.’ It references the dialogue between Wilson Tom Hardy’s characters Bane in the scene.
Gillen also starred in the British spy-drama ‘Shadow Dancer’ in the same year. He was also announced as the new hosts of the music show ‘Other Voices.’
In 2013, Gillen starred in the BBC five-part thriller ‘Mayday’ and the Irish comedy-drama film ‘Calvary’ the following year.
Aidan Gillen received and shared a ‘Screen Actors Guild Award’ nomination with the crew of ‘Game of Thrones’ for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Aidan Gillen appeared in the short film ‘Ekki Múkk,’ that was created for the Valtari Mystery Film Experiment by Icelandic band ‘Sigur Rós.’
Gillen also appeared as Janson in the second film, ‘The Scorch Trials’ and the ‘Maze Runner trilogy.’
It was announced on September 2017 that Gillen would play Queen’s second manager John Reid in the upcoming biopic called ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which releases on November 2, 2018.
Aidan Gillen provides the motion capture and voice role of Paul Serene ‘Quantum Break.’ He is a central character in the television series.
Other works
In 1994, he acted in John Millington Synge’s play, ‘The Playboy of the Western World.’ He played at the Almeida Theatre in London, England along with Aisling O’Sullivan, Des McAleer, Gina Moxley. Lynne Parker directed the play.
In 2000, Gillen acted in William Shakespeare’s play, “The Tempest,” at the Almeida Theatre in London, England along with Ian McDiarmid, Ifan Meredith, Malcolm Storry, Adrian Scarborough, Roger Swaine, and Anna Livia Ryan in the cast. Jonathan Kent directed the play.
In 2001, Gillen acted in Anton Chekhov’s play, “Platonov,” at the Almeida Theatre at King’s Cross in London, England along with Adrian Scarborough, Helen McCrory, David Ross, Bernard Kay, Arthur Cox, Jeffry Wickham, Jodhi May, Bruce Purchase, and Sam Beazley in the cast. Jonathan Kent had directed the play.
From May 1989 to December 1989, Gillen acted in the British National Theatre Repertoire Season at the Cottesloe Theatre, Lyttelton Theatre, and Olivier Theatre in London, England in Henrik Ibsen’s plays, ‘Hedda Gabler,’ and ‘Whale.’
In1993, Gillen acted in Scott McPherson’s play, ‘Marvin’s Room,’ at the Hampstead Theatre in London, England along with Alison Steadman, Phyllis Logan, and Ian Gelder in the cast.
In 1994, Gillen acted in John Millington Synge’s play, ‘The Playboy of the Western World,’ at the Almeida Theatre in London, England along with, Des McAleer, Aisling O’Sullivan, and Gina Moxley in the cast. Lynne Parker had directed the play.
Award and Nominations
- Gillen appeared as Stuart Alan Jones in the groundbreaking Channel 4 television series ‘Queer as Folk’ and its sequel. For that work, he received a ‘British Academy Television Award’ nomination for Best Actor.
Gillen, nominated for a ‘Tony Award’ for his highly praised Broadway role in Harold Pinter’s play ‘The Caretaker.’ - Aidan Gillen also nominated for an ‘Irish Times Theatre Award’ for his work of Teach in the Dublin Gate Theatre’s 2007 production of David Mamet’s ‘American Buffalo.’
- Gillen received an ‘Irish Film & Television Award’ for Best Actor in a Lead Role in Television (The Wire). The Sunday Tribune in 2008, named him as “Irish cult hero”.
- Gillen began playing Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish on the HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’ in 2011. He received his second ‘Irish Film & Television Award nomination’ for that work.
Personal life
Aidan Gillen had married Olivia O’Flanagan in 2001 and separated in 2014. The couple has two children and uses to live in Dingle.
Gillen won an ‘Irish Film and Television Award’ in 2009 for his role in ‘The Wire.’ He dedicated the award to his wife and children.
Aidan Gillen’s current partner is singer Camille O’Sullivan. Camille is an Irish musician, vocalist, and actress.
Updates
On November 2, 2018, Aidan Gillen appeared as a John Reid, Queen’s second manager in the biopic called ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’
Trivia
Aidan Gillen’s Mother is a nurse, and his late father was an architect.
Gillen is a brother of actress Fionnuala Murphy and his other sister, Patricia Murphy who is a teacher.
Gillen has a brother named John Paul Murphy who is a playwright. He uses his mother’s surname Gillen because someone else, already registered as Aidan Murphy in the Actors’ Guild.
Gillen: nominated for ‘Broadway’s 2004 Tony Award’ as Best Actor for a revival of Harold Pinter’s movie ‘The Caretaker.’
Gillen completed his education at St. Vincent’s C.B.S., Glasnevin.
Aidan Gillen had appeared in Poirot in 1989 as the husband of Rachael Stirling. Gillen appeared in ‘Game of Thrones’ (2011) where he played an ally to Diana Rigg who is the mother of Rachael Stirling.
Gillen has also hosted seasons 10 through 13 of Other Voices. As a result, he has won three Irish Film & Television Awards. However, Gillen has been nominated for a ‘British Academy Television Award’ which is a ‘British Independent Film Award,’ and a ‘Tony Award.’