Daniel Monks

Early life Monks was born in Perth, Western Australia, to actress and casting director Annie Murtagh-Monks, who was a graduate of Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and performed her one-woman show, From Here to Maternity while seven months pregnant with Monk.

Career Monk began his career making short films, many of which have screened at film festivals around the world, including Palm Springs International ShortFest. His shorts have also received several awards and honours. He was awarded the Young Filmmaker of the Year at the 2014 WA Screen Awards. He was also nominated for the 2018 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play for his performance in the 2017 Malthouse Theatre presentation of The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man.

After venturing to London in 2018 when Pulse was invited to screen at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, Monks signed an agent and relocated there a few months later, to further his career. He made his West End debut the following year, playing the lead in Teenage Dick, a modern reimagining of Shakespeare’s Richard III, at the Donmar Warehouse. In 2020, he won Best Performer in a Play at The Stage Debut Awards for his performance. Monks went on to perform in a contemporary take on Chekhov's The Seagull, playing Konstantin, opposite Game of Throness Emilia Clarke.

In August 2024, it was announced that Monks had been cast as Ser Manfred Dondarrion in the upcoming series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The series premiered in 2026.

In 2025, Monks played Brian Irvine in the mystery thriller miniseries All Her Fault, and made his Royal Shakespeare Company debut as Orsino in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The following year, he appeared as Jamie Lawson in BBC One drama miniseries Waiting for the Out.

Monks is also a dancer, having begun with the Catalyst Dance Masterclass Series in 2013. He was a recipient of the 2014 Amplify your Art grant, which led to him being professional trained by Philip Channells / Dance Integrated.

Awards and nominations Year Work Award Category Result Ref 2014 WA Screen Awards Young Filmmaker of the Year The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Play Green Room Awards Best Male Actor in a Play 2022 Sissy Jamie Feature film For the End (24 Hour Play Project) Hunter (Lead) Griffin Theatre Company, Sydney 2012 Pretty Writer / director / producer / editor Short film Dear Life Writer / director Short film 2015 Marrow Writer / producer Short film 2017 Pulse Writer / producer / editor Feature film 2018 Broken Writer / producer Short film 2022 Sissy Writer / producer Feature film