Gary McDonald(I)

Gary started his career at the prestigious Royal Court Theatre Activists and progressed to performing at the the Royal Court in many productions including Hardtime Pressure, Hero's Welcome, Gregory Motton's Downfall, Some Singing Blood and the critically acclaimed Been so Long. His vast theatre background saw him at the beginning of the black theatre explosion in the 80's, working with tour-de force companies such as BTC and Talawa in A Raisin in the Sun and The Importance of Being Earnest to name but two. His TV debut as Ethnic in Jack Rosenthal's Bafta award winning London's Burning pilot had critics citing Gary's performance as 'moving and sensitive'. Soon after, EastEnders came calling and Dirty Den's nemesis the flashy, brash character of Darren Roberts was born. Worried about being type-cast, after a year he left the soap and went back to the theatre doing plays at the National with directors Peter Gill and John Burgess in Macbeth and Black Poppies respectively. Combining film and television, he won lead roles in Valentine Falls with Michelle Fairley and Ian McElhinney and Shooting Stars by Barry Hines (Kes) directed by Chris Bernard (Letter to Brezhnev). On prime time television, McDonald was a regular on the hit shows Thief Takers, Brothers and Sisters and Sky One's flagship Dreamteam. As a stalwart of the Mike Leigh process he managed to work with his mentor on Secrets and Lies, All or Nothing and the sell out play It's a Great Big Shame. Finally Gary got the chance to perform at the acting powerhouse Donmar Warehouse in Lobby Hero which after a triumphant run, transfered to the West End. Once again at the National Theatre, Gary was Leonardo in Blood Wedding and the Trader in Market Boy, he has also dipped his toe in the American Pond and has appeared in Numb3rs and several independent films including Until Death, The Shepherd with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mob Rules for Lionsgate and MOW "Airforce One is Down". In the UK he has starred in Outpost 2 Black Sun, and soon to be released Lapse of Honor. Back at the Royal Court "Choir Boy" received rave reviews in which Gary McDonald played the powerful 'Headmaster Marrow'.