Neil Maskell (born 1976) is an English actor, writer and director who is known for his appearances in British crime and horror films, and for his role as Arby in the British TV show Utopia. 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), The Great Train Robbery (2013), Raised by Wolves (2015), The Mummy (2017), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), Peaky Blinders (2019), Litvinenko (2022), Hijack (2023), and The Witness (2026).
Early life and education Neil Maskell was born in 1976 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, and studied at the Miskin Theatre, Dartford at North West Kent College from 1992. He later worked as a director at the Miskin Theatre.
Career Film 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. 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.
In 2007, he was in the British gangster movie Rise of the Footsoldier, also starring Craig Fairbrass and Terry Stone. In 2009, he appeared as Banksy in the comedy zombie film Doghouse, alongside Stephen Graham and Danny Dyer.
His leading role in the 2011 thriller Kill List (2011), attracted positive reviews from critics earning many nominations for the Best Actor, including at the British Independent Film Awards. 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.
In 2021, Maskell played the titular and lead character in British gangster revenge film Bull, with Tamzin Outhwaite.
Television Maskell's first television appearance was in 1991 in the ITV police drama The Bill. 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. 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.
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),The Warm-Up Guy and The Morgana Show.
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.
In 2023, Maskell played a terrorist in the Apple TV+ aircraft thriller series Hijack, alongside Idris Elba and Eve Myles. In 2026, he plays DI Keith Pedder in the Netflix true crime drama miniseries The Witness.
Personal life Maskell is a supporter of Arsenal.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1996 Monkey Stacks Self - Voice Documentary 1997 Nil by Mouth Schmuddie Crocodile Snap Ray Short film 1998 Titanic Town Soldier 2000 Sorted Record Shop Geezer 2001 Redemption Road Leading Mugger 2002 AKA Marcus 2003 The Sequel Lenny Short film 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 Short film 2009 Paintball Frank Tony Mike Hemmings Doghouse Banksy 2010 The Shouting Men Terry Tricky: Murder Weapon (unknown) Short film Bonded by Blood Craig Rolfe Shitkicker – Short film. Writer & director 2011 Kill List Jay Jack Falls Sid Jack Falls: Sid's Story Animated short film Ghosted Nathan Turnout Scott Wild Bill Dickie Will Lenny How to Stop Being a Loser Hands Henry 2012 Piggy John Pusher Marlon St George's Day Jimmy McCudden The Rise Steven Roper Titled Wasteland in North America The ABCs of Death Lord Scanlon Segment 'U Is for Unearthed' It Follows Me Around Dad Short films Driftwood Father 2013 Turncoat Jimmy Parton All Things to All Men Luke Nelson 2014 Evil Never Dies Sean McCann Originally titled The Haunting of Harry Payne Open Windows Chord Hyena Martin Instruments of Darkness Kern Short films 2015 Strange Weather Dave Bone in the Throat Lewis High-Rise PC White 2016 Level Up Dmitri 2017 Judgement Tom Short film. Also producer The Mummy Dr. Whemple King Arthur: Legend of the Sword Back Lack 2018 In Darkness DI Oscar Mills Happy New Year, Colin Burstead Colin Blood, Sweat and Terrors Jimmy Parton Segment 'Turncoat' Little Monster Harry Short films Dodgy Dave Dave The Departure David 2019 The Bookshop Man 2020 Red, White and Blue Inspector Willis The 3rd of 5 films from the Small Axe anthology series 2021 Bull Bull 2022 Klokkenluider – Writer & director Straight Circle Noll Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes 1991 The Bill Billy Potter Series 7; episode 58: "Joey" 1992 Gary Series 8; episode 97: "Fireworks" Perfect Scoundrels Dean Series 3; episode 5: "Let No Man Put Asunder" 1994 EastEnders Youth 1 episode 1995 The Bill Damien Burns Series 11; episode 82: "Over the Top" It Could Be You Youth Television film 1996 Soldier Soldier Para 1 Series 6; episode 7: "Money for Nothing" London's Burning Gary Series 9; episode 8 The Thin Blue Line Gosforth FC Player Series 2; episode 5: "Come on You Blues" 1997 Casualty Luke Lowther Series 11; episode 21: "United... By Blood" The Bill Warren Heskey Series 13; episode 93: "Neighbours" Chalk Arse Face Series 1; episode 5: "The Inspection" Wycliffe Tully Series 4; episode 8: "Old Crimes, New Times" 1998 Wavelength Phil Series 2; episode 1: "Mixed Messages" Bramwell Manky Matkin Series 4; episode 1: "Our Brave Boys" Ultraviolet Neil Episode 2: "In Nomine Patris" 1999 The Bill Frank Wilson Series 15; episode 48: "Screwdriver" The Murder of Stephen Lawrence Gary Dobson Television film Murder Most Horrid Martin Greaves Series 4; episode 3: "Whoopi Stone" 2000 Silent Witness Gary Lomax Series 5; episode 1: "The World Cruise: Part 1" Nature Boy Jimmy Mini-series; episode 4 Killers (unknown) Television short film Never Never Conrad Episodes 1 & 2 2002 The Jury Chris Maher Series 1; episodes 1–6 The Bill Gary Roach Series 18; episode 24: "Needle in a Haystack" Bodily Harm Danny Peters Mini-series; episode 1 2003 Strange Youth Episode 5: "Dubik" 2004 Shameless Corporal Series 2; episode: "Christmas at Chatsworth" 2005 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Martin Moran Series 4; episode 4: "Word of God" Mike Bassett: Manager Wirral Web Presenter Episodes 1–6 2007 Casualty Tom Faulkner Series 21; episode 43: "It Never Rains..." 2008 He Kills Coppers Shawn 3-part television film The Wrong Door (unknown) Episodes 2–5 2009 Casualty Lenny Series 23; episodes 47 & 48: "No Fjords in Finland: Parts 1 & 2" 2010 The Morgana Show Norman Episodes 1–5 2011 Comedy Lab Andrew Series 12; episode 5: "The Warm-Up Guy" 2012 Silent Witness Stuart Thompson Series 15; episodes 7 & 8: "Domestic: Parts 1 & 2" Them from That Thing Various characters Mini-series; episodes 1 & 2 Comedy Blaps (voice) Series 2; episode 9: "The Adventures of Robin of Essex in The New Set of Feathers" 2013 Dates Nick Episode 2: "Jenny & Nick" Run Kieran Mini-series; episode 1: "Carol" Privado Michael Jackson Mini-series; episodes 1–3: "Theft", "More Theft" & "No More Theft" By Any Means Joe Tyrus Mini-series; episode 2 The Great Train Robbery Buster Edwards Mini-series; episodes 1 & 2: "A Robber's Tale" & "A Copper's Tale" 2013–2014 Utopia Arby / Piètre Series 1 & 2; 11 episodes The Mimic Neil Series 1 & 2; 11 episodes 2015–2016 Raised by Wolves Michael Series 1; episodes 4 & 6, & series 2; episode 4 Humans DS/DI Pete Drummond Series 1 & 2; 14 episodes 2016 Drunk History: UK King Henry VIII Series 2; episode 9: "Battle of Hastings / Catherine Parr" Murder in Successville Frankie Boyle Series 2; episode 2: "Miranda" 2017 Unspeakable Des Television film Eric, Ernie and Me Ernie Wise Television film 2018 Strike Donald Laing / Ray Williams Series 3; episode 2: "Career of Evil: Part 2" No Offence Dennis Caddy Series 3; episodes 1–6 2018–2020 King Gary Winkle Series 1 & 2; 8 episodes 2019 Cleaning Up Warren Episodes 1–6 2019–2021 Peaky Blinders Winston Churchill Series 5; episodes 4 & 6, & series 6; episode 2 2020 Sex Education Police Officer 'Neil' Series 2; episode 3 Baghdad Central Douglas Evans Episodes 3–6 2021 Intergalactic Sergeant Wendell Episodes 1–3 2022 Stuck Dr. Pete Cosmos 4 episodes Litvinenko DI Brent Hyatt Episodes 1–4 2023 Hijack Stuart Atterton Main role. Series 1; episodes 1–7 2024 The Bay Steve Dawson Series 5; episodes 1–6 2025 The Hack Glen Campbell Miniseries 2026 The Witness DI Keith Pedder Miniseries
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2011 Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards Best ActorKill List British Independent Film Awards BIFA for Best Actor 2012 Fright Meter Awards Best Actor 2013 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Southampton International Film Festival Best Supporting Actor in a Short Film Driftwood 2014 BloodGuts UK Horror Awards Best Supporting Actor/Actress Open Windows 2022 National Film Awards UK Best Actor Bull
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