Brían F. O'Byrne

Brían Francis O'Byrne (born 16 May 1967) is an Irish actor who works and lives in the United States. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his role in the miniseries Mildred Pierce and won a BAFTA TV Award for his role in the drama series Little Boy Blue (2017).

O'Byrne has received five Tony Award nominations and won Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the 2004 production of Frozen.

Early life and education O'Byrne was born in Mullagh, a village in the south-east of County Cavan, on 16 May 1967. He attended the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College (T.C.D.) in Dublin. He moved to New York City in 1990, and was cast in the Irish Repertory Theatre production of Philadelphia, Here I Come!

Career O'Byrne first attracted notice for his performances in two plays by Martin McDonagh, The Beauty Queen of Leenane (1996) as Pato Dooley (for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play) and The Lonesome West (1997). He is known for taking on serious and dramatic roles, such as a serial killer in Frozen (1998) (for which he won a Tony Award) and a priest accused of child molestation in Doubt: A Parable (2004), for which he received a Tony Award nomination. O'Byrne also appeared as a priest in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. In May 2007, O'Byrne was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance as Alexander Herzen in Tom Stoppard's 2002 trilogy The Coast of Utopia. He appeared in the play Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley on Broadway in 2014, and received a nomination for the 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Actor in a Play. O Byrne featured in the Irish hit tv series Love Hate as the Detective Inspector.

In 2011, O'Byrne was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his performance in Mildred Pierce as Bert Pierce. O'Byrne was featured in the 2009–2010 ABC series FlashForward, in which he played Aaron Stark. The show was not renewed. FlashForward began airing in Ireland on 4 January 2010.

In 2012, O'Byrne was cast in the ABC drama pilot Gilded Lilys created and produced by Shonda Rhimes.

In 2017, O'Byrne appeared in Little Boy Blue as Steve Jones, the father of Rhys Jones who was murdered by gang members in 2007.

Personal life

O'Byrne was married to American actress Heather Goldenhersh, with whom he co-starred in the Broadway play Doubt: A Parable as well as Three Women. The couple has two daughters. They separated in 2024.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 Avenue X 'Sonny' Short film 1997 Electricity Graham Crouch The Fifth Province Timmy The Last Bus Home Jessop 2000 An Everlasting Piece George 2001 Bandits Darill Miller Disco Pigs Gerry The Grey Zone SS-Untersturmfuhrer Mapmaker Richie Markey 2003 Easy Mick McCabe Intermission Mick 2004 Million Dollar Baby Father Horvak 2005 In an Instant The Man The New World Lewes 2006 Bug Dr. Sweet 2007 Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Bobby No Reservations Sean 2009 The International The Consultant 2010 Brooklyn's Finest Detective Ronny Rosario 2011 Season of the Witch Grandmaster Uncredited 2013 Medeas Ennis 2014 Jimmy's Hall Commander O’Keefe Queen and Country RSM Digby 2020 Sergio Gil Loescher My Salinger Year Hugh 2022 The Wonder John Flynn 2024 Conclave Monsignor Raymond O'Malley 2025 Dead of Winter Tall Hunter

Television Year Title Role Notes 1998 Amongst Women Luke 4 episodes 2001 Oz Padraig Connolly 3 episodes 2004 The Blackwater Lightship Larry TV film 2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Liam Connors Episode: "Ghost" 2007 American Experience Alexander Hamilton Episode: "Alexander Hamilton" 2007–08 Brotherhood Colin Carr 18 episodes 2009–10 FlashForward Aaron Stark 17 episodes 2010 Medium Clark Kerwin Episode: "The People in Your Neighborhood" 2011 Mildred Pierce Bert Pierce 5 episodes 2011–12 Prime Suspect Detective Reg Duffy 13 episodes 2013 Gilded Lilys Edwin Lily Unsold TV pilot 2013–14 Love/Hate D.I. Mick Moynihan 11 episodes 2015 The Bastard Executioner Baron Ventris 3 episodes Exposed Quigg Unsold TV pilot The Last Ship Seán Ramsey 8 episodes Saints & Strangers John Billington, Sr. 2 episodes 2015–16 Aquarius Ken Karn 22 episodes 2016–19 The Magicians Mayakovsky 4 episodes 2017 Little Boy Blue Steve Jones 4 episodes Mercy Street Allan Pinkerton 5 episodes Manhunt: Unabomber Frank McAlpine 6 episodes 2018 Nightflyers Auggie Main role 2019 Hatton Garden Basil 4 episodes 2020 Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector Peter Taylor / The Bone Collector Main role 2024 Three Women Mark Wilkin 5 episodes 2025 The Abandons Walter Paxton Recurring role

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 1998Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play The Beauty Queen of Leenane 1999 Best Actor in a Play The Lonesome West Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play 2005 Tony Award Best Actor in a PlayDoubt Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play 2006 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Shining City 2007 Tony Award Best Actor in a PlayThe Coast of Utopia Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Cast Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Satellite Awards Best Cast – Motion Picture 2011 Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Mildred Pierce 2013 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Outside Mullingar 2018 British Academy Television Awards Best Supporting Actor Little Boy Blue 2025 Irish Film and Television Awards Best Supporting Actor Conclave