Paul Ready


Paul John Ready is a British actor. He is known for appearing in British television series including Utopia, Ripper Street, Motherland and MotherFatherSon. In 2018, he played the role of Rob MacDonald in the BBC television series Bodyguard and Harry Goodsir in AMC's The Terror. He received a commendation at the 2003 Ian Charleson Awards.

Early life

Ready was born in Birmingham and grew up in Harborne. He attended King Edward VI Five Ways school in Bartley Green, after which he trained at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. His first acting performance was in a primary school production of The Willow Pattern. In secondary school, he would go on school trips to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit the theatre.

Career

At the age of 17, Ready played Romeo in the National Youth Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet at London's Bloomsbury Theatre, opposite Rosamund Pike as Juliet.
He is a regular at the National and Royal Court theatres. Past appearances have included leading parts in Major Barbara and Saint Joan and Time and the Conways by J.B. Priestley. His West End credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which starred Christian Slater. In 2018 he starred as the titular character in Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, opposite his wife Michelle Terry as Lady Macbeth. Of his role as Macbeth the Financial Times said: "Ready is a rare bird in that he has an actorly way with oratory, but instead of keeping us at a distance from his character, it clarifies nuances and levels and paradoxically allows us in deeper." In 2020, he and Terry returned to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse as Petruchio and Biondello respectively in The Taming of the Shrew, which had to close early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between January 31 and April 19 2025 he will star in Chekhov's Three Sisters as Aleksandr Vershinin, once again alongside Terry.
Also appearing on television, Ready received notability in 2013 for his role in the television show Utopia. He is best known for his role as the special adviser to Keeley Hawes’ Home Secretary in the BBC series Bodyguard and Kevin in the BBC series Motherland.
In 2018, Ready featured as Harry Goodsir, one of the lead roles in The Terror, a 10-part series based on Dan Simmons' novel, for which he was nominated for a Satellite Award. Vanity Fair said of his performance: "Ready's character is the heart of the show: despite the various calamities that have befallen him and his comrades, he still sees hope."

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995Angels and InsectsTom
2000DoctorsTerry HydeEpisode: "Confidential Information"
2000Maybe BabyStudent Doctor
2001Princess of ThievesSheriff's servant
2001PoirotWilliamEpisode: "Evil Under the Sun"
2002Plain JaneClerk
2002HeartbeatHenry HarrisonEpisode: "A Girl's Best Friend"
2002Tipping the VelvetRenter AliceTV mini-series
2002Jeffrey Archer: The TruthPaul McCartney
2004Life BeginsMarkEpisode: "Maggie & Phil"
2004BlackpoolWillEpisode 1.3
2005Twisted TalesPhilEpisode: "Death Metal Chronicles"
2005Born and BredAbel MarlEpisode: "The Great Leap Forward"
2005PierrepointAnthony David Farrow
2005Trial & RetributionHarry CranleyEpisode: "The Lovers: Part 1"
2006Holby CityLeon HarrisEpisode: "Yesterday Once More"
2006DresdenWilliam
2008The Gravity of BeliefMr. BumpkinShort film
2008PullingMikeEpisode 2.2
2011SilkTony PaddickEpisode: "All Plain Sailing"
2012Private PeacefulCaptain Wilkins
2013One Wrong WordTonyShort film
2013The TunnelBenji Robertson
2013–2014UtopiaLee
2013–2016Ripper StreetFrederick Treves3 episodes
2015CuffsDI Felix Kane8 episodes
2016The Complete Walk: Richard IIISecond MurdererShort film
2016The CircuitDannyTV movie
2016The Witness for the ProsecutionTripp
2016–2022MotherlandKevin Brady
2017FortitudeMark Devlin2 episodes
2017Beside HimselfDevlinShort film
2017The Death of StalinNKVD Officer Delov
2018EndeavourSebastian FenixEpisode: "Quartet"
2018BodyguardRob5 episodes
2018The TerrorHarry Goodsir
2019Our Liam of LourdesTobyShort film
2019MotherFatherSonNick Caplan7 episodes
2020MuseAdermanShort film
2020FlackDamien Paulson3 episodes
2021The DigJames Reid Moir
2022The Bastard Son & The Devil HimselfSoul O'Brien
2023CaptureDadShort film
2023Heart of StoneMax Bailey
2024MandyCooperEpisode: "Destination: Dundee"
2024A Gentleman In MoscowPetrov
2024Bring Them DownGary
2025Rob & Romesh VsGuestEpisode: "Shakespeare"
†All That GlittersShakespeare
†Kafka's AppraisalFranz KafkaShort film
†Ann DroidMichaelMain role

Radio

Theatre

Awards and nominations