Age, Biography, and Wiki
As of 2025, Matthew Macfadyen is 50 years old. Born David Matthew Macfadyen, he comes from a family with Welsh and Scottish roots. His early life was marked by frequent travel due to his father's work as an oil executive, which led him to live in places like Jakarta, Indonesia. Macfadyen eventually settled into a life of theatre and acting, enrolling in the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) at the age of 17.
| Occupation | Stage Actor |
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| Date of Birth | 17 October 1974 |
| Age | 50 Years |
| Birth Place | Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England |
| Horoscope | Libra |
| Country | England |
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific measurements like height and weight are not widely detailed, Matthew Macfadyen is known for his tall stature, which suits his varied acting roles.
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Dating & Relationship Status
Matthew Macfadyen is married to actress Keeley Hawes, whom he met during the filming of "Spooks" in 2004. They have two children together and are known for keeping their personal life private.
His paternal grandparents were Scottish and his maternal grandparents were Welsh. Macfadyen was brought up in a number of places, including Jakarta, Indonesia, as a result of his father's occupation.
After leaving RADA, Macfadyen became known in British theatre primarily for his work with the stage company Cheek by Jowl, for which he played Antonio in The Duchess of Malfi, Charles Surface in The School for Scandal, and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. His Benedick was played as an officer-class buffoon with a moustache and a braying laugh. In 2005, he played Prince Hal in Henry IV, Parts One and Two at the Royal National Theatre, with Michael Gambon in the role of Falstaff. In 2007, he returned to the stage, portraying an American, Clay, a stay-at-home father with a liberal attitude in the play The Pain and the Itch. A TV breakthrough came when he appeared as Hareton Earnshaw in an adaptation of Wuthering Heights, screened on the ITV network in 1998. Further television drama work followed, including starring roles in the dramas Warriors (1999) and The Way We Live Now (2001), both for the BBC. Also in 2001, he earned acclaim for his starring role in the BBC Two drama serial Perfect Strangers, which was written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff. In 2002, he starred in The Project, a BBC drama charting New Labour's rise to power.
He starred in Spooks, which became a success when screened on BBC One. A longer second season was screened in 2003, and a third season was broadcast in autumn 2004, with him leaving the series in the second episode. The series was aired as MI-5 on the A&E Network. In 2007 he appeared in the one-off Channel 4 drama Secret Life, which dealt with paedophilia. Macfadyen won the Best Actor award at the Royal Television Society 2007 Awards for this part, and was nominated for a BAFTA. He also appeared in a short sketch for Comic Relief as the bridegroom in Mr. Bean's Wedding, alongside Rowan Atkinson and Michelle Ryan. Macfadyen appeared in films including Enigma (released in 2001), and In My Father's Den, for which he received the New Zealand Screen Award for Best Actor. He starred as the romantic lead Fitzwilliam Darcy in an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, released in the UK in September 2005.
Macfadyen starred in Frank Oz's Death at a Funeral and the film Incendiary, based on Chris Cleave's novel alongside Michelle Williams and Ewan McGregor. He also appeared in Ron Howard's film Frost/Nixon, in which he played John Birt. In 2008, he played the male lead Arthur Clennam in the BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit. In 2009 Macfadyen appeared alongside Academy Award-nominated actress Helena Bonham Carter in the BBC Four movie Enid, based on the life of Enid Blyton, as Hugh Pollock, Blyton's publisher and first husband. In 2010, he played the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood. He starred as Prior Philip in the TV serial The Pillars of the Earth, and was the middle-aged Logan Mountstuart in Any Human Heart. In June 2010, Macfadyen won a British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Criminal Justice. In 2011, Macfadyen made a final cameo in Spooks, and in 2012, he played Oblonsky in Joe Wright's film Anna Karenina. In December 2012 he began portraying Detective Inspector Edmund Reid in BBC One's Ripper Street.
In 2002, Macfadyen began a relationship with his Spooks co-star Keeley Hawes. They were married in November 2004. The couple have two children. Macfadyen is stepfather to Hawes's son from her previous marriage. In March 2024, it was reported that Macfadyen is a member of the Garrick Club.
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| Husband | Keeley Hawes (m. November 2004) |
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2024, Matthew Macfadyen's net worth is estimated at approximately $5 million. This figure is largely attributed to his successful career in film, television, and theater, including his iconic role as Tom Wambsgans in the HBO series "Succession," for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award.
Career, Business, and Investments
Macfadyen's career began in theater, where he was part of the stage company Cheek By Jowl and performed in several notable productions. He transitioned to television with roles in "Wuthering Heights" and "MI-5," where he played the character Tom Quinn for ten seasons. His film career includes prominent roles in "Pride & Prejudice," "Frost/Nixon," and "Death at a Funeral".
While specific business investments are not widely publicized, Macfadyen's focus remains on his acting career, which has been his primary source of income.
Social Network
Matthew Macfadyen is not particularly active on social media platforms, maintaining a professional distance and focusing on his work rather than personal online presence.
In 2013–14, he played Jeeves in the production of Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense at the Duke of York's Theatre in the West End of London. The play won the 2014 Olivier award for Best New Comedy. In 2015, Amazon Prime picked up Ripper Street and, after good reviews, it was recommissioned for fourth and fifth seasons. Macfadyen said he was "delighted to be embarking on another dose of Ripper Street –blood and guts, pocket watches and Victorian headgear, wonderfully dark, moving and mysterious story lines from Mr Richard Wardlow". The series also aired in the U.S. on BBC America. Also in 2015, he guest starred in the pilot episode of The Last Kingdom.
Education
Macfadyen attended Oakham School before enrolling in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where he honed his acting skills from a young age. His education at RADA laid the foundation for his successful acting career.
He attended schools in England, including in Louth, Lincolnshire, as well as in Scotland and Indonesia. He went to Oakham School in Rutland before being accepted to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) at 17. As a student, he was inspired by Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander, which he thought was "[a]n example to follow – an example of people acting with each other...", and "[f]eatured just the most extraordinary acting I'd ever seen". He studied at RADA from 1992 to 1995.
