Andrew James Tiernan (born 30 November 1965) is a British actor and director.

Early life Tiernan spent his childhood in Ladywood, Birmingham. He began acting with the Birmingham Youth Theatre, and worked at the Midlands Art Centre, before moving to London in 1984 to take a three-year diploma studying acting, at the Drama Centre London.

Career Theatre His theatre work has included Joe Penhall's The Bullet at the Donmar Warehouse, and a long-term collaboration with the Tony-nominated director Wilson Milam, including Ché Walker's Flesh Wound at the Royal Court Theatre and two critically acclaimed productions of Sam Shepard's plays: A Lie of the Mind at the Donmar Warehouse,. and True West at the Bristol Old Vic. In 2008, Tiernan returned to the theatre in Dorota Maslowska's A Couple of Poor, Polish-Speaking Romanians co-starring with Andrea Riseborough at the Soho Theatre.

Film Tiernan played Piers Gaveston in Derek Jarman's controversial film of Christopher Marlowe's Edward II (1991), after appearing in Lynda La Plante's award-winning drama Prime Suspect, alongside Helen Mirren. In the same year, he went on to star as Orlando and Oliver in Christine Edzard's version of Shakespeare's As You Like It playing alongside actors James Fox and Cyril Cusack. He then went on to star in the Paul Sarossy directed thriller, Mr In-Between.

He played Szalas in Roman Polanski's film The Pianist. He worked with Antonia Bird on a number of improvisational film productions, including Safe (Bafta - Best single drama), Face, Rehab and Interview with the Vampire (1994).

Tiernan starred in Zack Snyder's 300, an adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel, in which he portrayed Ephialtes of Trachis. Filming took place from October 2005 to January 2006 in Montreal. To portray Ephialtes, Tiernan dressed in full body prosthetics which took 10 hours each day to complete. He portrayed the character again in the sequel 300: Rise of an Empire (2014).

He appeared as Captain Martin Stone in Marko Mäkilaakso's Stone's War.

TV In 1993, Tiernan appeared in the series Cracker, in the episode "To Say I Love You". In 1997, he played Banquo in the Shakespeare adaptation for BBC MacBeth on the Estate alongside James Frain and Susan Vidler. In 1998, in the British TV series Hornblower, he played Bunting in the second episode, "The Examination For Lieutenant". Other credits in television include Victor Carroon in The Quatermass Experiment, Kim Trent in Life on Mars and Lenny Spearfish in the BBC TV series Jonathan Creek, in "The Curious Tale of Mr Spearfish" (1999). In 2005, he played Ben Jonson in A Waste of Shame, a William Shakespeare biopic presented as part of the BBC's ShakespeaRe-Told series. He appeared in an episode of crime drama Midsomer Murders, as Steve Bright, a photography enthusiast who is strangled with his own camera strap and in Dalziel & Pascoe as a lottery winner in the two-part episodes "Fallen Angel". In 2012, he appeared as DS Hunter in the BBC drama Prisoners' Wives.

Directing In 2015, Tiernan made his directorial debut with the feature film Dragonfly, followed in 2017 by UK18, and in 2019 by Break Clause.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes1991 Edward II Piers GavestonPrime Suspect DC Rosper1992The Guilty LeoAs you like it Orlando/OliverPrime Suspect 2 DC Rosper1993 Cracker Sean KerriganThe Trial Berthold1994Middlemarch DagleyBeing Human Cyprion's ManInterview with the Vampire Paris Vampire1995Taggart John Campbell Episode: "Black Orchid" Two Deaths Captain Jorgu1996 The Sculptress Gary O'BrienEllington Eddie Gilmour Episode: "Man of Honour" 1997 Snow White: A Tale of Terror Scar Face Chris Playing God Cyril Macbeth on The Estate Banquo BBC TV film 1998 The Scarlet Tunic Muller Hornblower Bunting 1999 The Criminal Harris Four Fathers Johnny StarkieJonathan Creek Lenny Spearfish - Episode: "The Curious Tale of Mr Spearfish" 2000 Small Time Obsession Mr Page Heartbeat Ray Nixon Episode: "The Seven Year Itch" 2001 Left Turn John ShortIn a Land of Plenty GaryHawk FreddieTV movieMr In-Between Andy The Bunker LCpl Schenke 2002 The Pianist Szalas The Red Siren Koesler 2003 Rehab Dean TV movie 2004 Whose Baby? DaveWaking the Dead Don Keech Episode: "Anger Management" 2005 The Quatermass Experiment Victor Carroon The Rotters' Club Roy Slater Spooks ForsterA Waste of Shame: The Mystery of Shakespeare and his Sonnets Ben JonsonTV movie2006 Snuff-Movie Constable FredLife on Mars Kim TrentDalziel and Pascoe Jake McNallyEpisode: "Fallen Angel" 300 Ephialtes 2007Midsomer Murders Steve BrightEpisode: "Picture of Innocence" 2008Heroes and Villains CrixusEpisode: "Spartacus" Stone's War Captain StoneNew Tricks Sgt Major SharrattEpisode: "Mad Dogs" Survivors Gavin 2009 Casualty O'Neill TV series Harvest Blue Murderland Whitaker The Bill Craig Middleton 2010Mr Nice Alan MarcusonLuther Richard HenleyWhitechapel II Steven Dukes 2011Doctor Who PurcellEpisode: "Night Terrors"Injustice Michael Bankes 2012Prisoners' Wives DS HunterMerlin Osgar 2013 Foyle's War Geoffrey HelliwellEpisode: "Sunflowers"Dragonfly DS Blake 2014 300: Rise of an Empire EphialtesDark Souls II Chancellor Wellager (voice) Video gameCommon Pete O'SheaAutómata ManagerThe Great Fire VincentThe Messenger Dad 2015 Silent Witness DCI John McLeod Episode: "Falling Angels" (2 parts)Code of a Killer Geoff TaylorNo Offence Michael Docherty2016Moving On Rob 2017Safe House Roger LaneUs and Them TommyBounty Hunters Smith2018Marcella (series 2)Nigel Stafford2019Death in Paradise (series 8)Paul Raynor2019Burning MenMad Dad 20212003PhilShort filmInnocent (series 2)John TaylorCode of SilencePeter Brodie2026 The Man with the PlanAneurin Bevan

References

External links