Brian Downey (actor)

Brian Downey is a Canadian actor best known for his portrayal of Stanley Tweedle in the science-fiction television series Lexx.

Career

Downey is mainly a character actor and has appeared in various films and television series, including Up at Ours and a recurring role on Millennium. His first film role was in a 1986 Andy Jones film called The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood, which features the entire cast of CODCO. Downey has enjoyed a long professional relationship with Lexx creator Paul Donovan, dating back at least to 1988, when Donovan cast Downey in the time travel adventure film Norman's Awesome Experience.
Downey starred in the main role as Stanley H. Tweedle in the science fiction series Lexx, spanning four made-for-TV films and three subsequent full-length seasons. He also appeared as Cardinal Juan de Mella in Donovan's medieval TV thriller The Conclave. Downey has worked with popular actors such as Jessica Lange, JoBeth Williams and Sam Rockwell and directors such as Joe Sargent. He won his only acting award at the 2010 Atlantic Film Festival for his role in Whirligig, directed by Chaz Thorne, with whom he has worked on two previous features. He played the evil gang leader "The Drake", in the feature film Hobo with a Shotgun, starring Rutger Hauer and directed by Jason Eisener.
Downey is also a musician and writer. Before being recruited as an actor, he spent many years as a bass player, guitarist, and blues harmonica player. As of 2020, a Canadian talent management firm advertises him as a big band bandleader and drummer, playing swing music. He has been a writer for many stage plays and has led many scriptwriting workshops. His first full-length stage play, Peter's Other War, was produced during the summer of 2009.