{{short description|British actor}} {{otherpeople}} {{EngvarB|date=December 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = Tom Cullen | image = TomCullen.jpg | birth_name = Thomas Cullen | caption = Cullen in 2016 | birth_date = | birth_place = Aberystwyth, Dyfed, Wales | alma_mater = Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama | occupation = {{flatlist| *Actor *writer *director}} | years_active = 2006–present }}
'''Thomas Cullen''' is a Welsh actor and director. He had roles in the independent film ''Weekend'' (2011), as Anthony Foyle, Viscount Gillingham in the television series ''Downton Abbey'', and as Sir Landry in the historical drama series ''Knightfall''. He also played Thomas Seymour in ''Becoming Elizabeth''.
==Early life and education == Thomas Cullen was born in Aberystwyth, Wales, the son of two writers. His father is Irish and his mother English.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/actor-tom-cullen-downton-abbey-11125341|title=Actor Tom Cullen on ''Downton Abbey'', dancing and being 'the Devil incarnate'|publisher=WalesOnline|date=2 April 2016|accessdate=20 July 2017}}</ref> He has two siblings.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Grice|first1=Natalie|title=Indie film Weekend break for Cardiff actor Tom Cullen|work=BBC News |date=4 November 2011 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15519733|accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref> He spent his early years in Llandrindod Wells and moved to Cardiff at age 12,<ref>{{cite web|title=Emerging Welsh actor Tom Cullen on his big screen success|date=17 December 2011 |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/showbiz/emerging-welsh-actor-tom-cullen-1801242|publisher=WalesOnline|accessdate=27 November 2017}}</ref> where he attended Llanishen High School.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cook |first=Sam |date=2023-06-03 |title=How Tom Cullen went from being drama school rebel to Downton Abbey success story |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/how-tom-cullen-went-being-27035156 |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref>
Before pursuing an acting career, Cullen was involved in music.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Aftab|first1=Kaleem|title=Tom Cullen |url=http://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/tom-cullen/|work=Interview|date=24 September 2011 |accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref> He graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2009 with a First Class Honours degree in acting, after spending a year at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.<ref name=nypostjan14>{{cite web|last1=Rorke|first1=Robert|title=Lady Mary's dashing new suitor to debut on 'Downton Abbey' |url=https://nypost.com/2014/01/10/lady-marys-dashing-new-suitor-to-debut-on-downton-abbey/|work=New York Post|date=10 January 2014 |accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref>
==Career==
===Acting=== Whilst still in training, Cullen was taken out of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama to appear in ''Daddy's Girl'', which won the BAFTA Cymru for Best Film,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dragondicouk.stillsdesign.com/news/i/22/|title=BAFTA Award for Daddy's Girl|publisher=Dragon Di|accessdate=25 April 2008}}</ref> and to star in ''Watch Me'', which won the BAFTA Cymru for Best Short.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://glamlifenews.glam.ac.uk/news/2008/apr/08/glamorgan-lecturers-film-nominated-bafta-cymru-awa/|title=BAFTA Nomination: Ieuan Morris 'Watch Me'|publisher=Glamorgan|accessdate=8 April 2008}}</ref> His stage roles include ''Gorgio'' at the Bristol Old Vic, ''Assembly'' and ''A Good Night Out in the Valleys'' at National Theatre Wales, and ''The Sanger'' at Sherman Cymru.<ref name=spotlight>{{cite web|title=Spotlight Actors: Tom Cullen|url=http://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/1/M128567.html|accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref> In 2011, he was named on the Screen International ''Stars of Tomorrow'' list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/uk-ireland/screen-unveils-2011-stars-of-tomorrow/5029362.article|title=Screen International Stars of Tomorrow 2011|publisher=Screen Daily 30 June 2011|accessdate=17 September 2011}}</ref>
Cullen starred in the 2011 film ''Weekend'' as Russell, a Nottingham lifeguard. ''Weekend'' collected numerous awards including the Grand Jury award at the Nashville Film Festival and Best Achievement in Production at the British Independent Film Awards. Cullen won Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards and Best Actor at the Nashville Film Festival in 2011 for his role as Russell.<ref>{{cite web|title=Weekend Awards|url=http://www.weekend-film.com/awards/|website=Weekend|accessdate=16 September 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214211312/http://www.weekend-film.com/awards/|archivedate=14 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> His television roles include Jonas in ''Black Mirror''. He starred as Wulfric in the 2012 miniseries ''World Without End''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/futures_weekend_star_tom_cullen_turns_a_one_night_stand_into_art/|title=FUTURES: Star Tom Cullen Turns a One Night Stand Into Art|date=7 July 2011 |publisher=IndieWire|accessdate=7 July 2011}}</ref> He had a recurring role as Mary Crawley's suitor Anthony Foyle (the Viscount Gillingham) in ''Downton Abbey''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/downton-abbey/9903663/Downton-Abbey-the-dashing-aristocrats-lining-up-to-lift-Lady-Mary-out-of-despair.html|title=''Downton Abbey'': the dashing aristocrats lining up to lift Lady Mary out of despair|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=March 2013 |accessdate=1 March 2013}}</ref><ref name =hive >{{Cite web |url=http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2014/01/downton-abbey-tom-cullen|title=New ''Downton Abbey'' Star Tom Cullen Wishes He Could Play Lady Grantham|last=Arsenault|first=Bridget|website=The Hive|date=20 January 2014 |access-date=20 July 2017|quote =...the 28 year-old Welsh actor }}</ref>
He appeared in the films ''Desert Dancer'', the story of Iranian dancer Afshin Ghaffarian, who risked his life to become a dancer despite a nationwide dancing ban, and the science fiction ''The Last Days on Mars'', based around the first crewed mission to Mars.<ref name=spotlight /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.rwcmd.ac.uk/2013/12/03/graduate-profile-tom-cullen/|title=Graduate Profile: Tom Cullen|publisher=Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama|accessdate=18 April 2014}}</ref>
Cullen played Joe Rose in the three-part ITV drama ''The Trials of Jimmy Rose'', that aired in September 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Filming begins on The Trials of Jimmy Rose from ITV Studios|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/filming-begins-trials-jimmy-rose-itv-studios|publisher=ITV Press Centre|accessdate=7 November 2014}}</ref> He starred in a Canadian indie from production company Motel Pictures, ''The Other Half''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Vlessing|first1=Etan|title=Tatiana Maslany, Tom Cullen to Star in Indie 'The Other Half'|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tatiana-maslany-tom-cullen-star-790448|accessdate=23 April 2015|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=21 April 2015}}</ref> He played the lead role of Mark in Harlan Coben's 2015 series ''The Five'', a ten-part Sky 1 mystery series.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Roxborough|first1=Scott|title=MIPCOM: Canal Plus Takes Harlan Coben's 'The Five' for France|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mipcom-canalplus-harlan-cobens-five-828293|accessdate=15 January 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=30 September 2015}}</ref> He also starred as Landry in the History series ''Knightfall'',<ref name="Variety">{{cite news|last1=Wagmeister|first1=Elizabeth|title=Tom Cullen to Star in Jeremy Renner's History Series 'Knightfall' (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/jeremy-renner-knightfall-history-tom-cullen-1201774112/|accessdate=21 May 2016|work=Variety|date=13 May 2016}}</ref> which started in December 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://moviepilot.com/posts/3975144|title=After ''Vikings'', History Channel Brings The Knights Templar To TV With ''Knightfall''|work=Movie Pilot|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930174903/https://moviepilot.com/posts/3975144|archivedate=30 September 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Cullen played Guy Fawkes alongside Kit Harington and Liv Tyler in ''Gunpowder'' on BBC One.{{cn|date=March 2026}}
Cullen's editorial work includes ''L'Uomo Vogue'', ''Vogue Italia'', ''Vanity Fair'', and ''10 Magazine''.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}
===Writing=== In 2008, Cullen wrote and produced the short film ''Naughties'' with Alexander Vlahos. In 2009, he and Vlahos co-founded the Welsh company Undeb Theatre.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/theatre-in-wales/2009/09/28/actor-unite-for-theatre-project-91466-24794608/|title=Actors Unite for Theatre|date=27 September 2009 |publisher=WalesOnline|accessdate=28 September 2009}}</ref> He wrote and directed his full-length play, ''Kingfisher'', about a man returning from prison, in 2010, as well as other short plays performed by Undeb.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wild|first1=Susie|title=Undeb celebrate first birthday with Undeb-velopment – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/cardiff/2010/nov/16/undeb-velopmement-undeb-theatre-cardiff-milgi-review|work=The Guardian|date=16 November 2010 |accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref>
=== Directing === Cullen made his directorial debut with the 2019 film ''Pink Wall'' starring Tatiana Maslany and Jay Duplass. The film is described by ''Screen Daily'' as "the story of a couple’s struggles with the pressures of gender expectations and the conflict between life and ambition".<ref> "[https://www.screendaily.com/news/weekend-star-tom-cullen-wraps-directorial-debut-exclusive/5125001.article Weekend Star Tom Cullen Wraps Up Directorial Debut]'", Screen Daily, 14 Dec 2017.</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |2006 |''Daddy's Girl'' |Boy (Jason) |U.S. title: ''Cravings'' |- |2008 |''Watch Me'' |Tom |Short film<br>Nominated for BAFTA Cymru Best Short Film |- |2009 |''Twenty Questions'' |Adam |Short film |- |2010 |''Balance'' |Nico |Short film |- |2011 |''Weekend'' |Russell |British Independent Film Award for Best Newcomer |- |2012 |''Henry'' |Henry |Short film |- |rowspan="2"|2013 |''Room 8'' |Ives |Short film<br>BAFTA Award for Best British Short Film |- |''The Last Days on Mars'' |Richard Harrington | |- |2014 |''Desert Dancer'' |Ardavan | |- |rowspan="2"|2015 |''Black Mountain Poets'' |Richard | |- |''The Batsman and the Ballerina'' |Simon |Short film |- |rowspan="5"|2016 |''The Other Half'' |Nickie |Also executive producer |- |''Happily Ever After'' |Colin | |- |''100 Streets'' |Jake | |- |''Mine'' |Tommy Madison | |- |''Trial'' |Ryan / New Aaron |Short film |- |2018 |''Souls of Totality'' |Guy 3 |Short film |- |rowspan="2"|2019 |''Pink Wall'' |Chris |Also writer, director and co-producer |- |''Castle in the Ground'' |Jimmy | |- |rowspan="3"|2021 |''Zebra Girl'' |Dan | |- |''My Son'' |Frank | |- |''Barbarians'' |Lucas | |- |2023 |''My Happy Ending'' |Dr. Hanson | |- |TBA |''Walk the Blue Fields'' |TBA |Filming |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |rowspan="2"|2010 |''Pen Talar'' |Richard |Episodes 7 & 8 |- |''Banged Up Abroad'' |Yoram |Series 5; 1 episode |- |2011 |''Black Mirror'' |Jonas |Series 1; episode 3: "The Entire History of You" |- |2012 |''World Without End'' |Wulfric |Mini-series; episodes 1–8 |- |2013–2014 |''Downton Abbey'' |Anthony Gillingham |Series 4 & 5; 12 episodes |- |2015 |''The Trials of Jimmy Rose'' |Joe Rose |Mini-series; episodes 1–3 |- |2016 |''The Five'' |Mark Wells |Mini-series; episodes 1–10 |- |rowspan="2"|2017 |''Orphan Black'' |Leonard Sipp |Season 5; episode 6: "Manacled Slim Wrists" |- |''Gunpowder'' |Guy Fawkes |Mini-series; episodes 1–3 |- |2017–2019 |''Knightfall'' |Landry du Lauzon |Lead role. Seasons 1 & 2; 18 episodes |- |2018 |''Genius'' |Luc Simon |Season 2; episodes 6 & 10: "Picasso: Chapters Six and Ten" |- |2021 |''Invasion'' |Mr. Edwards |Season 1; episodes 2–4 |- |2022 |''Becoming Elizabeth'' |Thomas Seymour |Episodes 1–6 & 8 |- |2023–2025 |''The Gold'' |John Palmer |Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/the-gold-first-look-pictures|title=First Look images and further casting announced for upcoming BBC Drama The Gold|website=bbc.co.uk/mediacentre|access-date=17 January 2023}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |2024 |''The Way'' |Jack Price MP |Episode 1: "The War"<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet the cast of Michael Sheen's BBC drama The Way |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/the-way-michael-sheen-cast/ |website=Radio Times |access-date=4 March 2024 |date=19 February 2024}}</ref> |- |''Insomnia'' |Robert Averill |Episodes 1–6<ref>{{cite web |title=Insomnia review: Is Vicky McClure's night-time thriller any good? |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/vicky-mcclure-insomnia-review/ |website=Radio Times |date=20 May 2024|access-date=4 February 2025}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |2025 |''Mudtown'' |Peter Burton |Main cast<ref>{{cite web |title=FIRST LOOK images released for Alibi and S4C's upcoming legal crime drama, Mudtown |url=https://corporate.uktv.co.uk/newsroom/first-look-images-for-alibi-and-s4cs-legal-crime-drama-mudtown |website=corporate.uktv.co.uk/newsroom|date=10 October 2024|access-date=7 November 2024}}</ref> |- |''Trespasses'' |Michael Agnew |Main cast<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-09 |title=Tom Cullen on complicated roles and new drama Trespasses |url=https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/tom-cullen-trespasses/ |access-date=2025-11-22 |website=The Sunday Post |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |2026 |''House of the Dragon'' |Luthor Largent |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2025-04-23 |title=''House of the Dragon'' Season 3 Casts Barry Sloane, Tom Cullen, Joplin Sibtain |url=https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/house-of-the-dragon-season-3-cast-barry-sloane-tom-cullen-joplin-sibtain-1236376028/ |access-date=2026-05-07 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |TBA |''Life Is Strange'' |Mark Jefferson |Main cast<ref>{{Cite web|last=Otterson|first=Joe|date=May 21, 2026|title=''Life Is Strange'' TV Series Casts Tom Cullen, Leisha Hailey, Raúl Castillo, Owen Teague (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/life-is-strange-tv-series-tom-cullen-hailey-castillo-teague-1236756071/|website=Variety|access-date=May 21, 2026}}</ref> |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result |- | rowspan="4" | 2011 | London Film Critics Circle Awards | British Actor of the Year | rowspan="4" | ''Weekend'' | {{nom}} |- | BFI London Film Festival | Best British Newcomer | {{nom}} |- | Nashville Film Festival | Best Actor in a Narrative Feature | {{won}} |- | British Independent Film Award | Most Promising Newcomer | {{won}} |- | 2016 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | ''Downton Abbey'' | {{won}} |}
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|3665787|Tom Cullen}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullen, Tom}} Category:1980s births Category:Living people Category:Male actors from Cardiff Category:People from Llandrindod Wells Category:Actors from Aberystwyth Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Category:Alumni of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Category:Welsh male stage actors Category:Welsh male television actors Category:Welsh male film actors Category:21st-century Welsh male actors Category:Welsh people of Irish descent Category:Welsh people of English descent Category:People educated at Llanishen High School Category:Male actors from Ceredigion Category:Male actors from Powys