Known For
Acting
Known Credits
45
Gender
Male
Birthday
June 23, 1977 (49 years old)
Place of Birth
Birmingham, England, UK
Paul John Ready (born 23 June 1977) is a British actor known for portraying Kevin Brady in Motherland (2016-2022), Lee in Utopia (2013–2014), Rob MacDonald in Bodyguard (2018), and Henry Goodsir in The Terror (2018). His film credits include The Death of Stalin (2017), The Dig (2021), Heart of Stone (2023), and Bring Them Down (2025). He is recognised for his ability to take on diverse roles and bring depth to his characters in different genres.
Paul was born in Birmingham and, growing up in the town of Harborne, he attended King Edward VI Five Ways school. He went on to train at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and, at the age of 17, he played Romeo in the National Youth Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet at London's Bloomsbury Theatre, playing opposite Rosamund Pike's Juliet.
He is a regular at the National and Royal Court theatres. Past appearances have included leading parts in Major Barbara and Saint Joan (both plays by George Bernard Shaw) 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. Ready is married to actress and writer Michelle Terry, whom he met in Shakespeare's Globe 2009 production of Love's Labour's Lost — they have one daughter. In 2018 he starred as the titular character in Macbeth at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, opposite Terry as Lady Macbeth. In 2020, he and Terry returned to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse as Petruchio and Biondello respectively in The Taming of the Shrew. In 2025, he starred in Chekhov's Three Sisters as Aleksandr Vershinin, once again alongside Terry.
Paul received a commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards in 2003.
| 2026 | National Theatre at Home: Summerfolkas Sergei Vassilich Bassov | |
| 2026 | All That Glittersas Shakespeare | |
| 2025 | Bring Them Downas Gary | |
| 2023 | Heart of Stoneas Bailey | |
| 2023 | Captureas Dad | |
| 2022 | Motherland: Last Christmasas Kevin | |
| 2022 | The Bastard Son & the Devil Himselfas Soul | |
| 2021 | The Digas James Reid Moir | |
| 2020 | Mandyas Cooper | |
| 2020 | Museas Aderman | |
| 2019 | MotherFatherSonas Nick Caplan | |
| 2019 | Flackas Damien Paulson | |
| 2019 | Rob & Romesh Vsas | |
| 2018 | Bodyguardas Rob MacDonald | |
| 2018 | The Terroras Doctor Henry Goodsir | |
| 2017 | Motherlandas Kevin | |
| 2017 | The Death of Stalinas NKVD Officer Delov | |
| 2016 | The Witness for the Prosecutionas Tripp | |
| 2016 | The Circuitas Danny | |
| 2016 | Beside Himselfas Devlin | |
| 2015 | Cuffsas DI Felix Kane | |
| 2013 | One Wrong Wordas Tony | |
| 2013 | Utopiaas Lee | |
| 2013 | Utopiaas Lee | |
| 2012 | Ripper Streetas Dr. Frederick Treves | |
| 2012 | Ripper Streetas Frederick Treves | |
| 2012 | Private Peacefulas Captain Wilkins | |
| 2011 | Silkas Tony Paddick | |
| 2010 | Love's Labour's Lost - Live at Shakespeare's Globeas Don Armado | |
| 2010 | National Theatre Live: London Assuranceas Charles Courtly | |
| 2006 | Pullingas Mike | |
| 2005 | Pierrepoint: The Last Hangmanas Anthony David Farrow | |
| 2005 | Twisted Talesas Phil | |
| 2004 | Blackpoolas | |
| 2004 | Life Beginsas Mark | |
| 2002 | Tipping the Velvetas Renter Alice | |
| 2002 | Jeffrey Archer: The Truthas Paul McCartney | |
| 2002 | Plain Janeas Clerk | |
| 2002 | Born and Bredas Abel Marl | |
| 2001 | Princess of Thievesas Sheriff's servant | |
| 2000 | Maybe Babyas Student Doctor | |
| 1995 | Angels and Insectsas Tom | |
| 1992 | Heartbeatas Henry Harrison | |
| 1989 | Agatha Christie's Poirotas William | |
| 1982 | American Playhouseas Tom |