Murray McArthur
British actor
title: "Murray McArthur" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["english-male-television-actors", "english-people-of-scottish-descent", "english-male-film-actors", "people-from-honiton", "1966-births", "living-people", "alumni-of-the-drama-studio-london", "alumni-of-loughborough-university", "male-actors-from-devon"] description: "British actor" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_McArthur" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary British actor ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Murray McArthur |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Honiton, Devon, England |
| occupation | Actor |
| alma_mater | Drama Studio London |
| years_active | 1993–present |
| spouse | Geraldine |
| children | 2 |
| :: |
| name = Murray McArthur | image = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = Honiton, Devon, England | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Actor | alma_mater = Drama Studio London | years_active = 1993–present | spouse = Geraldine | children = 2 | website =
Murray McArthur (born 4 May 1966) is an English actor.
Early life
McArthur was born and brought up in Devon. The son of a mushroom farmer, of Scottish parentage and red-haired, he often plays Scottish roles. He attended King's School, Ottery St Mary, received a BA (Joint Hons) degree in English and Drama at Loughborough University and went on to study acting at the Drama Studio London. He was a member of the Devon County Youth Theatre.
Career
He has appeared in many stage-plays in British regional theatres and on London's West End (including the Royal National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe). Much of his stage work has taken him overseas (Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles & Panasonic Globe Theatre, Tokyo). His performance as Joe Gargery in Great Expectations at the Gate Theatre, Dublin was described by Irish Independent critic Bruce Arnold: "Emphasis on the heart-warming relationship between Pip and Joe Gargery is a crucial part of the story, and the blacksmith, played by Murray McArthur in the best performance of the evening, achieves this".
Murray appeared as Hasten, the Viking who breaks the Doctor's sonic sunglasses, in episode The Girl Who Died of Doctor Who.
He also portrayed a Wildling chieftain in the fifth season episode Hardhome of the HBO series Game of Thrones. His character returned in the sixth season episode The Broken Man with the character name Dim Dalba. He speaks for the Wildlings of The Gift when asked by Jon Snow (character), Tormund Giantsbane, Sansa Stark and Davos Seaworth to join them in the battle against the forces of Ramsay Bolton.
Recently played Hákon Iron-Beard{{cite web|url=https://moviesandmania.com/2022/03/30/the-northman-2022-preview-of-robert-eggars-viking-epic-with-new-poster/|title= THE NORTHMAN (2022) Preview of Robert Eggars’ Viking epic – with new poster|website=MOVIES and MANIA|first=and Mania|last=Movies|date=30 March 2022|accessdate=31 March 2022}} in Robert Eggers Viking revenge film The Northman, released in April 2022.{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/the-northman-robert-eggers-release-date/|title= Robert Eggers’ ‘The Northman’ Gets Official Theatrical Release Date|website=Collider|first=Ross|last=Bonaime|date=15 May 2021|access-date=17 May 2021}} Production on the film was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic,{{cite web|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/coronavirus-fears-halt-line-of-duty-filming-in-northern-ireland-39047480.html|title= Coronavirus fears halt Line of Duty filming in Northern Ireland|website=Belfast Telegraph|date=16 March 2020|accessdate=16 March 2020}} resumed in August 2020 and finally completed in early December 2020.
In 2021 McArthur was cast as 'Dad' in the British psychological thriller Marooned Awakening. Principal photography took place in September 2021 on the island of Guernsey. The feature film premiered at the Beau Séjour Theatre on Guernsey on 3 September 2022 and will be released in the United States and Canada on streaming services on February 21, 2023.
Murray plays the part of Fabian, a homeless man who lives in the ruins of the original pilgrim meeting house, in Tim Burton's recently released Wednesday on Netflix, where Jenna Ortega's Wednesday Addams sets Thing on him. Later on he is killed by a monster and winds up in the Jericho Morgue where Wednesday notices his missing foot.
In 2026, Murray appeared as 'Patrick' in the British horror short A Hand to Hold, which was selected for the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the 2026 FrightFest in Glasgow.
Personal life
Married to Geraldine with two children, Orla and Freya, he lives in South East London.
Filmography
Film
::data[format=table]
| Year | Film | Role | Director | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Endgame | Det. Const. Kenny | Gary Wicks | Various Films Ltd |
| 2005 | Finding Neverland | Stagehand | Marc Forster | Miramax |
| Keeping Mum | Vicar's Convention Master of Ceremonies | Niall Johnson | Summit Entertainment | |
| 2007 | The Last Legion | Tertius | Doug Lefler | Dino De Laurentiis Company |
| 2008 | Made of Honor | Donald | Paul Weiland | Columbia Pictures |
| 2009 | A Congregation of Ghosts | George Tredinnick | Mark Collicott | Whitechapel Films |
| 2018 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Snug (A Midsummer Night's Dream) | Sacha Bennett | Parkhouse Pictures |
| Viking Destiny | Loki | David L.G. Hughes | Fatal Black | |
| 2019 | Virtual Viking - The Ambush | Skald | Erik Gustavson | Ridley Scott Associates |
| 2022 | The Northman | Hákon Iron-Beard | Robert Eggers | New Regency |
| Marooned Awakening | Dad | Musaab Mustafa | Across the Channel Productions Ltd | |
| 2023 | Wonka | Ship's Captain | Paul King | Warner Bros. |
| Seize Them! | Ur-Nammu | Curtis Vowell | Entertainment Film Distributors | |
| 2025 | How to Train Your Dragon | Hoark the Haggard | Dean DeBlois | Universal Pictures |
| :: |
Television
::data[format=table]
Stage
::data[format=table]
| Year | Play | Role | Director | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | On The Piste | Chris Baxter | Neil Sissons | Hull Truck Theatre |
| 1994 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Lysander | Philip Joseph | National Theatre Studios |
| 1995 | Great Expectations | Bentley Drummle | John Durnin | Northcott Theatre |
| Abigail's Party | Tony | Tim Carroll | Northcott Theatre | |
| 1996 | The Grapes of Wrath (play) | Noah Joad | John Durnin | Northcott Theatre |
| A Doll's House | Anthony Page | Thelma Holt & Playhouse Theatre | ||
| 1997 | An Enemy of the People | Engstrand | Sir Trevor Nunn | Olivier Theatre, Royal National Theatre & Ahmanson Theatre |
| Peter Pan | Great Big Little Panther | John Caird (director) | Olivier Theatre, Royal National Theatre | |
| 2002 | King Lear | Barry Kyle | Shakespeare's Globe & Panasonic Globe Theatre | |
| 2008 | Great Expectations | Joe Gargery | Alan Stanford | Gate Theatre |
| :: |
References
- Variety (30 March 2015). "Game of Thrones’ Actress Maisie Williams to Guest Star on ‘Doctor Who’", Variety. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- Radio Times (12 October 2015). "Doctor Who Series 9 Episode 5 The Girl Who Died", Radio Times. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- BBC Media Centre (30 March 2015). "Doctor Who reveals Maisie Williams as guest star", BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
References
- "An Actor's Life: Murray McArthur".
- "An Actor's Life: Murray McArthur".
- McGuinness, Frank. (10 September 1996). "PlayographyIreland". Irish Theatre Institute.
- Hofler, Robert. (24 July 1998). "Review: ‘An Enemy of the People’". [[Variety (magazine).
- Arnold, Bruce. (29 November 2007). "Festive fare for all the family lives up to the greatest of expectations". [[Irish Independent]].
- Times, Radio. (12 October 2015). "Doctor Who Series 9 Episode 5 The Girl Who Died". [[Radio Times]].
- Claire, Planet. (18 October 2015). "The Girl Who Died". planetclaire.tv.
- BBC Media Centre (30 March 2015). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2015/dw-maisie-williams "Doctor Who reveals Maisie Williams as guest star"], [[BBC]]. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- Variety (30 March 2015). [https://variety.com/2015/tv/global/game-of-thrones-actress-maisie-williams-to-guest-star-on-doctor-who-1201462436/#, "Game of Thrones’ Actress Maisie Williams to Guest Star on ‘Doctor Who’"], ''[[Variety (magazine). Variety]]''. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- White, James. (30 March 2015). "Maisie Williams Scores Doctor Who Guest Spot". [[Empire (magazine).
- Rosenberg, Alyssa. (31 May 2015). "'Game of Thrones' Season 5, episode 8 Review: "Hardhome"". [[The Washington Post]].
- "The Broken Man – Game of Thrones: season 6, episode 7". Rotten Tomatoes.
- McGoran, Peter. (3 July 2020). "New Nicole Kidman movie to commence filming at Belfast Harbour Studios in August".
- (11 December 2020). "Robert Eggers Wraps Production on Star-Studded Viking Epic 'The Northman'".
- Grobar, Matt. (28 January 2022). "Thrillers ‘Marooned Awakening’, ‘American Trash’ And ‘Deadly Games’ Set Casts; Gravitas Acquires ‘The Other Me’ From EP David Lynch And Horror Pic ‘Tethered’; More – Film Briefs".
- Eulenkamp, Amanda. (6 September 2022). "Praise for island’s talented film-makers".
- Clayton, Laura. (3 February 2022). "Blackadder, Notting Hill, Game of Thrones - and now Guernsey".
- Prange, Stephanie. (19 December 2022). "Gravitas Ventures Acquires N.A. Rights to British Thriller ‘Marooned Awakening’".
- Mitchell, Molli. (17 August 2022). "Tim Burton's 'Wednesday' Netflix Release Date, Cast, Trailer, Plot".
- Gumban, Marielle. (14 December 2022). "Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Season 1, episode 4 Spoiler Recap & Review – "Woe What a Night"".
- (20 January 2026). "A Marriage That Refuses to Die Comes to 41st SBIFF".
- Hepburn, David. (14 January 2026). "FrightFest Glasgow 2026: Line-Up".
- "An Actor's Life: Murray McArthur". midweekherald.co.uk.
- Badasie, Charlene. (23 Feb 2022). "See Alexander Skarsgard As A Viking Warrior Wearing A Wolf's Head In The Northman".
- Wisemandate=6 June 2022, Andreas. "42 Makes A Splash With Acquisition Of UK Agency Dalzell & Beresford; Clients Include Ralph Fiennes, Ciarán Hinds, Indira Varma, Matthew Goode, Simon Russell Beale, More".
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