Colin O'Donoghue (born 26 January 1981) is an Irish actor and musician, best known for portraying Captain Killian "Hook" Jones on the ABC TV show Once Upon a Time. He appeared in the horror thriller film The Rite (2011) as a skeptical novice priest, Michael Kovak. He portrayed the character of Douxie Casperan in the Guillermo del Toro animated series Tales of Arcadia for Netflix. He is also portraying Gordon Cooper on Disney+ Original Series The Right Stuff. He starred in Dolly Parton's Heartstrings as J.J. Sneed.
Early life and education Colin O'Donoghue, the son of Con and Mary O'Donoghue, was born and raised in Drogheda, County Louth, in a Roman Catholic family. He has an older brother named Allen. He is the cousin of musician Harry O'Donoghue. He attended Dundalk Grammar School, and later The Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin. At age 16, he went to Paris for a month to learn French.
Career O'Donoghue's early career was mainly split between theatre and television work in Ireland and the UK. In 2003, he won the Irish Film and Television Award for "Best New Talent" for his role as Norman in "Home For Christmas".
In 2009, he appeared as Duke Philip of Bavaria in an episode of season 3 of the Showtime historical-fiction series The Tudors. He made his Hollywood film debut alongside Anthony Hopkins in the horror thriller film The Rite (2011). He made an audition video for The Rite in a friend's home studio in Drogheda and sent it to the United States. He plays guitar and sings in a band called The Enemies, formed in 2003 in Ireland.
In 2012, O'Donoghue was cast as Captain Hook/Killian Jones, love interest of the main heroine Emma Swan, in the second season of the hit ABC series Once Upon a Time. In 2014, O'Donoghue was cast as the main character in The Dust Storm, an independent film set in Nashville, Tennessee as a musician named Brennan.Profile, indiegogo.com; accessed 8 September 2015.Profile, bustle.com; accessed 8 September 2015.
Christina Perri wrote a song, "The Words", which she dedicated to Colin's character (Captain Hook) in Once Upon a Time.music video, youtube.com; accessed 6 November 2015.
In December 2018, O'Donoghue was cast in an episode of the Netflix anthology drama series, Heartstrings. The series premiered on 22 November 2019.
The Enemies O'Donoghue was part of the five-piece Irish band, "The Enemies", which was formed in 2003 by O'Donoghue and a close friend, Ronan McQuillan. The Enemies released their self-titled debut EP on 7 March 2011 prior to their self-funded first album on track. He played guitar and sang backing vocals on the band's first EP and debut album.
Although the band was unsigned, it was commissioned by General Motors to record tracks for their "Chevy route 66" online campaign. The band worked on the music for Coca-Cola's "5BY20" project. Their debut album Sounds Big on the Radio was to be released in March 2013, which was later scheduled for 2014. In May 2013, he announced he was leaving the band due to the filming schedule of Once Upon a Time.
Awards For his role in Home for Christmas, he was awarded Best New Talent at the 1st Irish Film & Television Awards, held on 1 November 2003.Staff. "Winners of the 1st Annual Irish Film & Television Awards", ifta.ie; retrieved 1 February 2012.
Podcast host O'Donoghue has been the co-host of The Sync Report podcast since 2022,The Sync Report, instagram; accessed 29 September 2023. his first episode airing in February 2022 and featuring Steve Vai as guest. His fellow co-hosts are American film producer Rose Ganguzza and music supervisor Jason P. Rothberg.
Personal life O'Donoghue married his wife Helen, a schoolteacher, in 2009, shortly after his appearance on The Tudors. The couple have been together since they were eighteen and have two children: a son and a daughter.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2003 Call Girl Brendan Short film 2006 24/7 Nick 2009 The Euthanizer Ben 2011 The Rite Michael Kovak 2012 Storage 24 Mark 2016 The Dust Storm Brennan Carrie Pilby Professor David Harrison 2018 What Still Remains Peter 2021 Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans Douxie (voice) 2022 Luck Gerry (voice) 2026 Catch The Wind Shane O'Driscoll
Television Year Title Role Notes 2001 Rebel Heart Rowe Miniseries; episode 1 2002 Home for Christmas Norman Quested Television filmIrish Film & Television Award for Best New Talent 2004 Love Is the Drug Peter 2 episodes 2005 Proof Jamie Fair City Emmet Fitzgerald 3 episodes 2006 The Clinic Conor Elliott 11 episodes 2009 The Tudors Duke Philip of Bavaria Episode: "The Undoing of Cromwell" Wild Decembers Young guard Television film 2011 Identity John Bloom Television pilot 2012 Once Upon a Time Captain Hook/Killian Jones Main role (season 2–6)Guest role (season 7) Wish Hook/Rogers Guest role (season 6)Main role (season 7) 2018 Trollhunters Douxie (voice) 3 episodes 2019 3Below: Tales of Arcadia 2 episodes Dolly Parton's Heartstrings JJ Sneed Episode: "JJ Sneed" 2020 The Right Stuff Gordon Cooper Main role Wizards: Tales of Arcadia Douxie (voice) 2022 The Great North Dr. Callahan (voice) 2 episodes 2026The Gray House Captain William Lounsbury 5 episodes TBARobin Hood Prince Richard Season 2 cast
Video games Year Title Role Source 2020 Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia Douxie (voice)
Music videos Year Title Artist(s) Role Source 2015 "The Words" Christina Perri Love interest
Theatre Year Title Role Theatre Location Aoife and Isobel Project Theatre Dublin, Ireland Storytellers Theatre Company Dublin, Ireland Eclipse Olivier Theatre London, England Eugene Onegin – The Roadshow Something Different Theatre Company Oxford, England Leaving Quarehawks Theatre Company Monaghan, Ireland Moonlight Mickey's Calipo Theatre Company Drogheda, Ireland Othello Second Age Theatre Company Dublin, Ireland Outlying Islands Island Theatre Company Chicago, US Sky Road Theatre Royal Waterford Waterford, Ireland The Taming Of The Shrew Rough Magic Dublin, Ireland Walking the Road Axis Theatre Vancouver, Canada What the Dead Want Project Theatre Dublin, Ireland 2024 2:22 A Ghost Story Sam 3Olympia Theatre Dublin, Ireland
Awards and nominations Year Group Award Result Notes 2003 Irish Film and Television Awards Best New Talent Home for Christmas 2014 People's Choice Awards Favorite On-Screen Chemistry shared with: Jennifer Morrison Once Upon a Time 2015 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Liplock shared with: Jennifer Morrison Once Upon a Time 2016 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Liplock shared with: Jennifer Morrison Once Upon a Time 2017 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Liplock shared with: Jennifer Morrison Once Upon a Time 2017 Teen Choice Awards Choice Scene Stealer Once Upon a Time
See also
List of Irish people
References
External links