{{Short description|Scottish actor (born 1976)}} {{For|Robin Laing, the New Zealand film producer|Robin Laing (producer)}} {{Use British English|date=December 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}} '''Robin Laing''' (born 1976) is a Scottish actor, best known for his portrayal of Edward Heffron in the HBO series ''Band of Brothers'' (2001) and as DI Craig Donald in ''River City'' (2012–17).
==Early life and education== Born in Dundee,<ref>[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/river-city-cop-robin-laing-10064588 River City cop Robin Laing goes behind the camera after being inspired by Tom Hanks]</ref> Laing began acting at a young age, joining an Arbroath theatre company, the Angus Children's Theatre and then later the Carnoustie Theatre Club. While at school he landed his first professional role at Dundee Repertory Theatre, playing Young Steerforth in ''David Copperfield.'' After leaving school he studied Drama in Dundee and at Fife College.<ref>[http://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst3589.html Robin Laing]</ref>
==Career== His first professional, adult role was playing Renton in the UK tour of Trainspotting in 1996. While on tour he was asked to cover the role in London's West End for four shows, during which time John Byrne saw him and asked Laing to screen-test for his upcoming film The Slab Boys. He was cast in the role of Phil McCann, and filming took place later that year in Glasgow.
Laing's participation in ''Band of Brothers'' led to a friendship with Heffron, lasting until Heffron's passing in 2013.<ref>[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/river-city-favourite-robin-laing-9476053 River City favourite Robin Laing on being at centre of festive whodunnit]</ref> Laing played Martin Ness in 2004's "Shadowplay", part of Series 4 (episodes 11 and 12) of ''Waking the Dead''.
He joined the cast of ''River City'' in 2012 as DCI Craig Donald, and would appear regularly on it until 2017, and also appeared on ''Waterloo Road'' in a recurring role. He also appears as Major Donald MacDonald in seasons six and seven of ''Outlander''. Other appearances include in the films ''Filth'' (2013) and ''Outlaw King'' (2018).<ref>[https://www.sundaypost.com/in10/cop-calls-suit-river-city-star-robin-laing-just-fine/ Cop calls suit River City star Robin Laing just fine!]</ref>
==Personal life== Laing resides in Scotland.<ref>[http://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst3589.html Robin Laing]</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |rowspan=2| 2000 | ''Borstal Boy'' | Jock | |- | ''Beautiful Creatures'' | Garage Attendant | |- | 2005 | ''Joyeux Noël'' | William | |- | 2013 | ''Filth'' | Rent Boy | |- |rowspan=2| 2018 | ''Outlaw King'' | Bishop of St Andrews | |- | ''Only You'' | Private Doctor | |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1997-1999 | ''The Lakes'' | Joey | Main role, 14 episodes |- | 1998 | ''Cadfael'' | Sulien Blount | 2 episodes |- | 1998; 2008 | ''Taggart'' | Mark Jackson/Sgt. Sean Mackay | 2 episodes |- | 2000 | ''Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes'' | Arthur Conan Doyle | Miniseries, 1 episode |- | 2001 | ''Band of Brothers'' | Pfc. Edward Heffron | Miniseries, 8 episodes |- | 2004 | ''Waking the Dead'' | Martin Ness | 1 episode |- | 2005 | ''Born and Bred'' | Albert Tooley | 1 episode |- | 2006 | ''Murder City'' | Nathan Wallis | 1 episode |- | 2010 | ''Garrow's Law'' | Westminster Clerk | 1 episode |- | 2012-2017; 2022-2023 | ''River City'' | DI Craig Donald | Main role, 66 episodes |- | 2015 | ''Waterloo Road'' | Ronnie Fairchild | Recurring role, 5 episodes |- | rowspan="2" | 2016 | ''One of Us'' | Constable Hartley | Miniseries, 1 episode |- | ''The Coroner'' | Eddie Landman | 1 episode |- | 2017 | ''Casualty'' | Robert Kearns | 1 episode |- | rowspan="2" | 2019 | ''Shetland'' | Gavin Laird | Recurring role, 5 episodes |- | ''The Victim'' | Andy Tait | Miniseries, 3 episodes |- | rowspan="2" | 2021 | ''Vigil'' | Miller | 1 episode |- | ''Guilt'' | Adrian | 2 episodes |- | 2022 | ''Outlander'' | Donald MacDonald | Recurring role, 6 episodes |- | rowspan="2" | 2023 | ''Stonehouse'' | Bank Manager | Miniseries, 1 episode |- | ''The Gold'' | Garth Chappell | 4 episodes |- | 2024–present | ''Only Child'' | Ian | 7 episodes |- | 2025 | ''Lockerbie: A Search for Truth'' | Roland Stephenson | 2 episodes |}
===Radio=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Date !! Title !! Role !! Director !! Station |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2008-08-21}} || ''Sex for Volunteers''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00d0sjg BBC – Afternoon Play – ''Sex for Volunteers'']</ref> || Douglas || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2009-10-09}} || ''Daniel and Mary''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n4d6f BBC – BBC Radio Scotland – ''Daniel and Mary'']</ref> || Daniel || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio Scotland Drama |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2010-01-26}} || ''The Ca'd'oro Cafe''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q3g3x BBC – Afternoon Play – ''The Ca'd'oro Cafe'']</ref> || Billy || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2010-02-28}} || ''La Princesse de Clèves''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qztyg BBC – Drama on 3 – ''La Princesse de Clèves'']</ref> || Nemours || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio 3 Drama on 3 |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2010-10-30}} || ''The Vanishing''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vklng BBC – Saturday Play – ''The Vanishing'']</ref> || Jean-Pierre Gallo<br>Manager || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2011-09-28}} || ''One Hundred and Forty Characters: Songbirds''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0156mnq BBC – Afternoon Reading – ''One Hundred and Forty Characters: Songbirds'']</ref> || Read by || Kirsteen Cameron || BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Reading |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2011-12-19}} || ''Down and Out in Auchangaish''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018b6yl BBC – Afternoon Play – ''Down and Out in Auchangaish'']</ref> || Donnie || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2012-8-13}} – {{dts|format=dmy|2012-8-17}} || ''The Other One''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lswcr BBC – Woman's Hour Drama – ''The Other One'']</ref> || Dad || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Drama |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2012-09-23}} || ''Mary Stuart''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01msj6x BBC – Drama on 3 – ''Mary Stuart'']</ref> || Leicester || Gaynor Macfarlane || BBC Radio 3 Drama on 3 |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2014-1-29}} || ''Albion Street''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03qglqm BBC – BBC Radio Scotland – ''Albion Street'']</ref> || Jamie || Gaynor Macfarlane || BBC Radio Scotland Drama |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2018-1-22}} – {{dts|format=dmy|2018-2-2}} || ''The Truth About Hawaii''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ntd0h BBC – 15 Minute Drama – ''The Truth About Hawaii'']</ref> || David || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio 4 15 Minute Drama |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2018-01-22}} – {{dts|format=dmy|2018-02-12}} || ''4/4''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ntdc7 BBC – Afternoon Drama – ''4/4: Introduction and Allegro'']</ref> || Archie || Gaynor Macfarlane || BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama |- | {{dts|format=dmy|2018-9-30}} || ''(After) Fear''<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000kf4 BBC – Drama on 3 – ''(After) Fear'']</ref> || The Pianist || Kirsty Williams || BBC Radio 3 Drama on 3 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} *[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0481927/ Robin Laing] at the Internet Movie Database
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laing, Robin}} Category:1976 births Category:Male actors from Dundee Category:Scottish male radio actors Category:Living people Category:Scottish male film actors Category:Scottish male television actors Category:Scottish male stage actors Category:Scottish male soap opera actors