Aidan McArdle

Aidan McArdle is an Irish character actor. He is known for being a series regular in shows such as Beautiful People (2008–2009), Garrow's Law (2009–2011), and Mr Selfridge (2014–2015).

Early life and education Aidan McArdle was born in Dublin.

Career

Theatre McArdle's work with the Royal Shakespeare Company includes the title role in Richard III and the role of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He also appeared in the title role of a stage adaptation of John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany by Simon Bent at London's Royal National Theatre in 2002, along with the role of Joseph Surface in Deborah Warner's 2011 The School for Scandal at the Barbican Centre.

Film His first foray into the Hollywood film industry was as Slannen, an elf who secretly aspires to be a lawyer, in the 2004 movie Ella Enchanted.

Television McArdle is well known for his numerous television roles, the majority of which are period roles. He played a number of roles in biographical TV films. These roles include Dudley Moore in the 2004 television movie Not Only But Always; Albert Einstein in the 2005 biography Einstein's Big Idea (aka E=mc²), and again in Einstein and the Bomb (2024); and Igor Stravinsky in the 2005 production Riot at the Rite.

In 2009 he appeared as a supporting character, Jewish anarchist Saul Landau, in an episode of the BBC TV series Casualty 1909.

McArdle starred in Garrow's Law as John Silvester, and in the comedy television series Beautiful People (2008–09) as Andy Doonan. In the British period drama Mr Selfridge about the founder of the department store Selfridges, he played Lord Loxley, who becomes an arch-enemy to Harry Selfridge. Another prominent role was as a defence lawyer in The Fall.

From 2022, he appeared in the ITV series Ridley.

Personal life McArdle married actress Aislín McGuckin and they have three children. They later divorced.

He is a cousin of Steve Coogan.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes 2002 Casualty James O'Hearne TV series (1 episode: "Only the Lonely") Any Time Now Nedser Fitzgibbon TV series 2004 Judas John the Baptist TV movie Ella Enchanted Slannen No Angels Conor Martin TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.9") Not Only But Always Dudley Moore TV movie 2005 Footprints in the Snow Seamus TV movie Nova Albert Einstein TV documentary (1 episode: "Einstein's Big Idea") Riot at the Rite Igor Stravinsky TV movie All About George Dave TV series (6 episodes) Perfect Day Pete TV movie 2006 Agatha Christie's Marple Hugh Hornbeam TV movie “Sleeping Murder” Comedy Lab Aiden McCabe TV series (1 episode: "Bad Crowd") Afterlife Martin TV series (1 episode: "Lullaby") Jane Eyre John Eshton TV mini-series (3 episodes) Perfect Day: The Millennium Pete TV movie 2007 The Afternoon Play Dr. Max Freeman TV series (1 episode: "Death Becomes Her") Green Stuart TV movie Heavenly Sword Voice Video Game 2008 The Duchess Richard Sheridan Me and Orson Welles Martin Gabel (Cassius) Secret Diary of a Call Girl Officer Manager Mike TV series (1 episode: "Episode #2.7") 2008–2009 Beautiful People Andy Doonan TV series (12 episodes) 2009 Morris: A Life with Bells On Jeremy – The Producer Casualty 1909 Saul Landau TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.3") 2009–2011 Garrow's Law Silvester TV series (12 episodes) 2011 Late Bloomers James Film 2012 Metamorphosis The First Lodger2013 Agatha Christie's Poirot Stephen Norton TV series (1 episode: "Curtain: Poirot's Last Case")The Mill John Doherty TV seriesThe Borderlands Father Mark Amidon Film 2014–2015 Mr Selfridge Lord Loxley TV series 2015 Clean Break Desmond Rane TV series 2015 Wifey Redux Mr. Prendergrast Film Short 2016 The Fall Sean Healy TV series (series 3) 2016–2017 Maigret Judge Comeliau TV series (2 episodes) 2018 Black '47 Cronin Film 2019 Strike Back: Revolution Connor Ryan TV series The Professor and the Madman Defense Attorney Clarke Film Born a King Humphrey Bowman Film The Trial of Christine Keeler Roger Hollis BBC TV mini series Endeavour Dr. Jasper Nicholson TV Series 2020Miss Scarlet and The DukeAlfred WintersTV Series (1 episode: "Inheritance") 2021 The Irregulars Inspector Lestrade TV series (1 episode: "Both the Needle and the Knife" Red Election Zak TV series (9 episodes) 2022 Ridley Michael Flannery TV series (4 episodes) Tell Me Everything John TV series (3 episodes) 2023 Father Brown Harry Grover TV series (1 episode: "The Winds of Change")2024 Einstein and the Bomb Albert Einstein TV Movie Showtrial Patrick Norris TV series, 4 episodes Blackshore Charlie Reid TV series, 6 episodes2025 Bergerac Pete Benedict TV series, 6 episodes Sherlock & Daughter Chief Inspector Whitlock TV series, series regular The Rainmaker Bernie Manfred TV series, 2 episodes