Neil Maskell (born 1976)[1] is an English actor, writer and director who is known for his appearances in British crime and horror films. His credits include Nil by Mouth (1997), The Football Factory (2004), Rise of the Footsoldier (2007), Doghouse (2009), Bonded by Blood (2010), Kill List (2011), Wild Bill (2011), St George's Day and Piggy (both 2012), The Great Train Robbery (2013), Raised by Wolves (2015), The Mummy (2017), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), Peaky Blinders (2019), Bull (2021), Litvinenko (2022), and Hijack (2023).

Neil Maskell
Maskell in 2022
Born1976 (age 47–48)
London, England
Alma materNorth West Kent College
Occupations
  • Actor
  • writer
  • director
Years active1991–present

Early life

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Maskell was born in London. As a youth, he played football for Long Lane JFC as a full back. He first trained in acting at the Anna Scher Theatre in Islington, London, where he attended classes from the age of 11,[2] and studied at the Miskin Theatre, Dartford at North West Kent College from 1992. He later worked as a director at the Miskin Theatre.[3]

Career

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Film

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Maskell's film career began in 1997 with an appearance as Schmuddie in Gary Oldman's directorial debut Nil by Mouth which was Nominated for a Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) for best film at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.[4] In 2004, he appeared as Rod, best friend and sidekick of Tommy, (played by Danny Dyer), in the British hooligan film The Football Factory, which also starred Tamer Hassan, Frank Harper, and Roland Manookian.[5]

In 2007, he was in the British gangster movie Rise of the Footsoldier, also starring Craig Fairbrass and Terry Stone.[6] In 2009, he appeared as Banksy in the comedy zombie film Doghouse, alongside Stephen Graham and Danny Dyer.[7]

His leading role in the 2011 thriller Kill List (2011),[8] attracted positive reviews from critics earning many nominations for the Best Actor, including at the British Independent Film Awards.[9] In 2011, he also starred in Wild Bill, in a cast which included Charlie Creed-Miles, Will Poulter, Leo Gregory, Liz White, Iwan Rheon, Olivia Williams, Jaime Winstone, Andy Serkis, and Sean Pertwee. The film received positive reviews.[10]

In 2021, Maskell played the titular and lead character in British gangster revenge film Bull, with Tamzin Outhwaite.[11]

Television

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Maskell's first television appearance was in 1991 in the ITV police drama The Bill.[6] Between 1992 and 2002, he made a further five appearances on the show, portraying a different character each time. He has had one-off roles in a number of other popular British serial dramas such as Casualty, London's Burning, Soldier Soldier.[6] His most regular television roles have been in the 2005 comedy series Mike Bassett: Manager, in the comedy sketch show The Wrong Door, and in the 2013–2014 thriller drama action series Utopia. Since 2015, he has been a series regular in sci-fi thriller Humans. In 2019 Maskell played prime minister Winston Churchill in the series finale of Peaky Blinders.[6]

Between 2018 and 2020 he played the recurring character Winkle in the BBC One sitcom King Gary, friend and employee of the titular character played by Tom Davis. Maskell has previously worked with Davis in Murder in Successville (where he played Frankie Boyle in one episode),[12]The Warm-Up Guy[13] and The Morgana Show.[14]

In 2022, Maskell played Detective Inspector Brent Hyatt in the ITV drama, Litvinenko, detailing the final days and subsequent murder investigation into the death of Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko.[6]

In 2023, Maskell played a terrorist in the Apple TV+ aircraft thriller series Hijack, alongside Idris Elba and Eve Myles.[15]

Personal life

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Maskell is a supporter of Arsenal.[16]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Nil by Mouth Schmuddie
Crocodile Snap Ray
1998 Titanic Town Soldier
2000 Sorted Record Shop Geezer
2001 Redemption Road Leading Mugger
2002 AKA Marcus
2003 The Sequel Lenny
2004 The Football Factory Rod
It's All Gone Pete Tong Jack Stoddart
Fat Slags Policeman
2006 Basic Instinct 2 Detective Ferguson
2007 The Englishman John
Rise of the Footsoldier Darren Nicholls
Atonement Soldier in Bray Bar
True Colours Neil
2009 Paintball Frank
Tony Mike Hemmings
Doghouse Banksy
2010 The Shouting Men Terry
Bonded by Blood Craig Rolfe
2011 Ghosted Nathan
Kill List Jay Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Actor[9]
Jack Falls: Sid's Story Sid
Turnout Scott
Wild Bill Dicky
How to Stop Being a Loser Hands Henry
Level Up Dmitri
2012 Pusher Marlon
The Rise Steven Roper
St George's Day Jimmy McCudden
Piggy

John

2013 Open Windows Chord
2014 Hyena Martin
2015 Bone in the Throat Lewis
High-Rise PC White
2017 The Mummy Dr. Whemple
2017 King Arthur: Legend of the Sword Back Lack
2018 Happy New Year, Colin Burstead Colin
2018 In Darkness DI Oscar Mills
2020 Red, White and Blue Inspector Willis
2021 Bull Bull
2022 Klokkenluider - Directorial debut

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1991 The Bill Billy Potter Episode: "Joey"
1992 Perfect Scoundrels Dean Episode: "Let No Man Put Asunder"
The Bill Gary Episode: "Fireworks"
1995 The Bill Damien Burns Episode: "Over the Top"
1996 Soldier Soldier Para 1 Episode: "Money for Nothing"
London's Burning Gary Episode: "Episode No.9.8"
The Thin Blue Line Football Official Episode: "Come on You Blues"
1997 Casualty Luke Lowther Episode: "United... By Blood"
Chalk Arse Face Episode: "The Inspection"
The Bill Warren Heskey Episode: "Neighbours"
Wycliffe Tully Episode: "Old Crimes, New Times"
1998 Bramwell Manky Matkin Episode: "Our Brave Boys"
1998 Ultraviolet Neil Episode: "In Nomine Patris"
1999 The Murder of Stephen Lawrence
1999 Murder Most Horrid Martin Greaves Episode: "Whoopi Stone"
1999 The Bill Frank Wilson Episode: "Screwdriver"
2000 Killers
2000 Silent Witness Gary Lomax Episode: "The World Cruise"
2002 The Jury Chris Maher
2002 The Bill Gary Roach Episode: "013"
2003 Strange Youth Episode: "Dubik"
2004 Shameless Corporal Episode: "Episode No.2.0"
2005 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Martin Moran Episode: "Word of God"
2005 Mike Bassett: Manager Wirral Web Presenter
2007 Casualty Tom Faulkner Episode: "It Never Rains"
2008 The Wrong Door
2009 Casualty Lenny
2012 Silent Witness Stuart Thompson Episode: "Domestic"
2013–2014 Utopia Arby / Piètre
2013 The Mimic Neil
2013 Dates Nick
2013 By Any Means Joe Tyrus Episode 2
2013 The Great Train Robbery Buster Edwards
2015 Raised by Wolves Michael
2015–2016 Humans DS Peter Drummond
2016 Murder in Successville Frankie Boyle Episode: "Miranda"
2018 No Offence Dennis Caddy Series 3
2018–2020 King Gary Winkle
2019 Cleaning Up Warren
2019 Peaky Blinders Winston Churchill 3 Episodes of Series 5
2020 Sex Education Police Officer 'Neil' Season 2: Episode 3
2020 Baghdad Central Douglas Evans Episodes 2 to 6
2022 Stuck[17] Dr. Pete Cosmos BBC original comedy
2022 Litvinenko Brent Hyatt 4 Episodes
2023 Hijack [15] Stuart Atterton Main Role [15]
2024 The Bay Steve Dawson Series 5

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2011 Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards Best Actor Kill List Nominated [18]
2011 British Independent Film Awards BIFA for Best Actor Nominated [18][9]
2012 Fright Meter Awards Best Actor Nominated [18]
2013 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Nominated [18]
2013 Southampton International Film Festival Best Supporting Actor in a Short Film Driftwood Nominated [18]
2014 BloodGuts UK Horror Awards Best Supporting Actor/Actress Open Windows Nominated [18]
2022 National Film Awards UK Best Actor Bull Nominated [19]

References

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  1. ^ "bondedbyblood.co.uk". Archived from the original on 8 September 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  2. ^ "ghostedthefilm.com". Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  3. ^ "Miskin Theatre Company". December 2011. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012.
  4. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Nil by Mouth". Festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  5. ^ "The Football Factory (2004)". filmaffinity.com. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Neil Maskell". tvguide.com. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Doghouse (2009)". justwatch.com. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  8. ^ "heyuguys.co.uk". heyuguys.co.uk. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  9. ^ a b c "2011 British Independent Film Awards - Best Actor". BIFA. 2011.
  10. ^ "Wild Bill - 2011, Drama, 1h 38m". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  11. ^ Peter Bradshaw (16 October 2021). "Bull review – a gangland revenge shocker with Neil Maskell on vicious form". theguardian.com.
  12. ^ "Murder In Successville Series 2, Episode 2 – Miranda". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  13. ^ "The Warm Up Guy – E4 Sitcom". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  14. ^ "The Morgana Show Series 1, Episode 1". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  15. ^ a b c Andy Meek (28 June 2023). "Everything to know about Hijack, the new Apple TV+ thriller starring Idris Elba". bgr.com.
  16. ^ "TOTT: Neil Maskell on playing unlikable characters". YouTube.
  17. ^ "Stuck – BBC Two". Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d e f "Neil Maskell Awards". IMDB (Index source only). Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  19. ^ "Nominees for the 8th annual National Film Awards 2022 announced". National Film Awards. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
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