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Brían F. O'Byrne

Acting

Born May 16, 1967 · Mullagh, County Cavan, Ireland

Also known as Brían Flynn O'Byrne · Brian O'Byrne · Brían O'Byrne

Biography

Brían Francis O'Byrne (born 16 May 1967) is an Irish actor who works mostly in the United States. He was born in Mullagh, County Cavan.  O'Byrne first attracted notice for his performances in the Martin McDonagh plays 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 (2004), for which he received a Tony 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. In 2011, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his performance in Mildred Pierce as Bert Pierce.

Awards & recognition

  • Lucille Lortel AwardOutstanding Lead Actor · 2004
  • Tony AwardBest Featured Actor in a Play · 2004
  • Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Actor in a Play
  • Tony AwardBest Actor in a Play · 2007 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actor in a Play · 2005 · nominated
Show all 7 awards →
  • Tony AwardBest Actor in a Play · 1999 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Featured Actor in a Play · 1998 · nominated

Filmography39 titles

Oz

1997as Padraic Connelly

Million Dollar Baby

2004as Father Horvak

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999as Liam Connors

Little Boy Blue

2017as Steve Jones

Manhunt

2017as Frank McAlpine

The Magicians

2015as Mayakovsky

Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector

2020as The Bone Collector

Love/Hate

2010as Inpector Mick Moynihan

Conclave

2024as O'Malley

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

2007as Bobby Lasorda

Mildred Pierce

2011as Bert Pierce

Flashforward

2009as Aaron Stark

The Last Ship

2014as Sean Ramsey

Jimmy's Hall

2014as Commander O'Keefe

Brotherhood

2006as Colin

No Reservations

2007as Sean

The Wonder

2022as John Flynn

Sergio

2020as Gil Loescher

The Grey Zone

2001as Interrogator

American Experience

1988as Alexander Hamilton

Aquarius

2015as Ken Karn

The New World

2005as Lewes

Dead of Winter

2025as Tall Hunter

Saints & Strangers

as John Billington

My Salinger Year

2020as Hugh

Prime Suspect

2011as Reg Duffy

Brooklyn's Finest

2009as Det. Ronny Rosario

The International

2009as The Consultant

Bandits

2001as Darill Miller

Intermission

2003as Mick

Queen & Country

2014as RSM Digby

Bug

2006as Dr. Sweet

The Blackwater Lightship

2004as Larry

An Everlasting Piece

2000as George

The Abandons

2025as Walter Paxton

The Bastard Executioner

2015as Baron Ventris

Nightflyers

2018as Auggie

Medeas

2013as Ennis

Disco Pigs

2001as Gerry