Michael Sheen

Born in Newport, Wales in 1969, Michael Sheen is a four-time Olivier Award-nominated actor, best known for roles in Amadeus and Look Back in Anger. In 2021, he returned to the National Theatre in Under Milk Wood.

Growing up, Sheen took part in local productions, eventually gaining a place in the National Youth Theatre of Wales. After taking an A Level in Drama, he later received a bursary to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating with a BA in Acting.

Sheen made his professional debut in 1991, cast in When She Danced at Shakespeare’s Globe, later starring in Don’t Fool With Love at the Donmar Warehouse and Moonlight at the Almeida Theatre. Notable 1990s credits include Peer Gynt at the Barbican and The Homecoming at the National Theatre, as well as forming production company The Foundry with Robert Delamere and the late Helen McCrory.

In 1998, Sheen was cast as Mozart in Amadeus at the Old Vic, nominated for his first Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance. The following year, he was nominated for Best Actor at the Oliviers, this time for playing Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger.

In the twenty-first century, Sheen has played the eponymous ruler in Caligula at the Donmar Warehouse, receiving his third Olivier nod. His fourth and final Olivier selection came in 2006, for his portrayal as television broadcaster David Frost in Frost/Nixon.

On television, Sheen’s recent credits include Chris Tarrant in the TV adaptation of James Graham’s Quiz. He’s also starred in Good Omens and Staged alongside David Tennant. In 2021, Sheen returned to the National Theatre to star in Under Milk Wood.