Philip James Dunster (born 31 March 1992)[1] is an English actor. He is known for his roles in the Sky One drama Strike Back (2017–2018), the Channel 4 science fiction series Humans (2018), the ITV comedy-drama The Trouble with Maggie Cole (2020), the Apple TV+ sports series Ted Lasso (2020–2023), and the Amazon Prime thriller The Devil's Hour (2022). For his role in Ted Lasso, Dunster was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2023.[2]

Phil Dunster
Dunster in 2023
Born
Philip James Dunster

(1992-03-31) 31 March 1992 (age 32)
Northampton, England
Alma materBristol Old Vic Theatre School
OccupationActor
Years active2012–present
PartnerEllie Heydon (engaged)
Websitewww.phildunster.com

Early life

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Dunster was born in Northampton.[3] He attended Leighton Park School in Reading, where he served as Head Boy.[4][5] He played rugby as a child, though he realised at the age of fifteen that he was too small after a failed trial for London Irish. He also considered following in the footsteps of his father and brother and joining the military.[6] He went on to train at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting in 2014.[7]

Career

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In 2015, Dunster played Claudio in the Reading Theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing, made his television debut in the Channel 4 sitcom Catastrophe, and played Dickie Baker in the low budget film The Rise of the Krays, a role he would reprise in its sequel the following year The Fall of the Krays.

Dunster starred as Arthur in Pink Mist at the Bristol Old Vic and Bush Theatre in London,[8] for which he received an affiliate Laurence Olivier Award nomination in 2016. That same year, he appeared in The Entertainer at the Garrick Theatre[9] and two episodes of the Sky One crime drama Stan Lee's Lucky Man.

From 2017 to 2018, Dunster was in the main cast of Strike Back as Lance Corporal Will Jensen for its sixth series, also known as Strike Back: Retribution, also on Sky One. He had recurring roles in the Sky Atlantic drama Save Me as BJ McGory and the third series of the Channel 4 science fiction series Humans as Tristan. He also appeared in the films Megan Leavey, Murder on the Orient Express, and All Is True. In 2019, he appeared in the Sky Atlantic miniseries Catherine the Great as well as the films Judy and The Good Liar.

In 2020, Dunster began starring as Jamie Tartt in the Apple TV+ sports comedy Ted Lasso.[10] He also played Jamie Cole on the ITV comedy-drama The Trouble with Maggie Cole[11][12] and appeared in the BBC One three-parter Dracula. He played Mike Stevens in the 2022 Amazon Prime thriller The Devil's Hour.

Personal life

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Dunster is a lifelong football fan, supporting AFC Wimbledon.[13] He has been in a relationship with filmmaker Eleanor "Ellie" Heydon since November 2017.[14][15][3] In August 2024, Dunster confirmed he and Heydon were engaged.[16]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 The Film-Maker's Son Big Robbie
2015 The Rise of the Krays Dickie Baker
Shadows Jogger Short film
2016 The Fall of the Krays Dickie Baker
2017 Megan Leavey Coletta
Murder on the Orient Express Colonel John Armstrong
2018 All Is True Henry, the Student
2019 Judy Ben
The Good Liar Roy Courtnay
2022 Pragma Jack Hurt Short film; also producer[17]
Panda TBA Short film[18]
TBA Picture This TBA Romantic comedy[19]
TBA Idiomatic Alex Short film; also writer and director[20]
TBA Hello Out There Rex Post-production[21]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2015–2017 Catastrophe Nico 2 episodes
2016 Stan Lee's Lucky Man JC 2 episodes
2017 Benidorm Ryan 1 episode
Man in an Orange Shirt Bruno 1 episode
2017–2018 Strike Back Lance Corporal Will Jensen Main role, 8 episodes
2018 Save Me BJ McGory Recurring role, 5 episodes
Humans Tristan Recurring role, 6 episodes
No Offence Chief Inspector Pembroke 2 episodes
2019 Catherine the Great Andrey Razumovsky Miniseries, 2 episodes
2020 Dracula Quincey Morris Miniseries, 1 episode
The Trouble with Maggie Cole Jamie Cole Main role, 6 episodes
2020–2023 Ted Lasso Jamie Tartt Main role, 34 episodes
2022 Ten Percent Jordan O’Connor 1 episode
2022–present The Devil's Hour Mike Stevens[22] Main role
2023 Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas Self TV Special
TBA Surface Quinn[23] Season 2

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2023 Valorant Max Bot[24] Voice

Audio

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Year Title Role Notes
2024 The Mysterious Affair at Styles John Cavendish Audible original[25]

Stage

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Year Title Role Writer Director Venue
2015 Much Ado About Nothing Claudio William Shakespeare Hal Chambers Reading Between the Lines Theatre Company (now RABBLE Theatre)
2016 Pink Mist Arthur Owen Sheers George Mann and John Retallack Bush Theatre and Bristol Old Vic
The Entertainer Graham John Osborne Rob Ashford Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company at the Garrick Theatre
2024 Oklahoma! Curly McLain Rodgers and Hammerstein Bill Deamer Theatre Royal, Drury Lane[26]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2016 Laurence Olivier Awards Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre Pink Mist Nominated [27]
2017 Off West End Awards Best Male Performance in a Play Nominated
2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Ted Lasso Nominated [28]
2022 Screen Actors Guild Awards Won [29]
2023 Just About Write Awards Outstanding Supporting Performance - Comedy Won [30]
Online Film & Television Association awards Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Won [31]
2024 Hollywood Creative Alliance TV Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy Nominated [32]
Critics' Choice Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated [33]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated [34]
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated [35]

References

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  1. ^ "Phil DUNSTER". Companies House. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  2. ^ Moreau, Jordan; Schneider, Michael (12 July 2023). "Emmys 2023: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b Hawgood, Alex (8 September 2021). "Meathead of 'Ted Lasso' Wanted to Play Rugby". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Former Reading pupil nominated for prestigious Olivier award, 19 March 2016". Berkshire Live. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  5. ^ "OL actor Phil Dunster supports LP@Home". Leighton Park. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Ted Lasso's Phil Dunster on Playing Lovable Bad Boy Jamie Tartt: 'He's a Lot Softer on the Inside'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Bristol Old Vic Theatre School - Phil Dunster". Bristol Old Vic. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Pink Mist". Bush Theatre. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Interview with Phil Dunster, 22 August 2016". Official London Theatre. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Phil Dunster - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  11. ^ "The Trouble with Maggie Cole Press Pack" (PDF). ITV. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Meet the cast of ITV's The Trouble with Maggie Cole, 11 March 2020". Radio Times. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  13. ^ "'Ted Lasso' and its Cristiano Ronaldo moment: How the hit show goes for realistic soccer". ESPN.com. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  14. ^ Williams, Max (13 December 2022). ""I didn't know what the hell we just made!" Phil Dunster is at the top of his game". Square Mile. Retrieved 7 September 2024. The pair recently celebrated their fifth anniversary.
  15. ^ Lewis, Rebecca (24 February 2024). "All you need to know about the 2024 SAG Ambassador Phil Dunster". Hello!. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  16. ^ Gamble, Ed; Acaster, James (13 August 2024). "Ep 258: Phil Dunster". Off Menu. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Pragma". Tribeca. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Panda". Festival Formula. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  19. ^ Echebiri, Makuochi (22 March 2024). "Prime Video's New Rom-Com Nabs 'Bridgerton' and 'After' Stars As Its Leads". Collider.
  20. ^ Dunster, Phil, Idiomatic (Short, Comedy), Phil Dunster, Kerry Godliman, Vicki Pepperdine, Stigma Films, retrieved 7 December 2023
  21. ^ Grobar, Matt (19 September 2024). "Jennifer Beals Joins Chloe Bennet, Phil Dunster In Area 51 Dramedy 'Hello Out There'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  22. ^ "Prime Video Confirms Two More Series of The Hit UK Original Thriller The Devil's Hour". Amazon Studios. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  23. ^ "'Ted Lasso' Star Phil Dunster's Role in 'Surface' Season 2 at Apple Revealed". Variety. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  24. ^ @LoreScribes (24 June 2023). "Regarding issues with info seen in THE GAMES BEGIN trailer, it was confirmed that these should not be taken as canon. Max Bot's VA was also confirmed as Phil Dunster". (Tweet) – via Twitter. Information from Q&A with narrative lead Riot ParmCheesy (Joseph K.) in the Valorant Lore/Art Discord server. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  25. ^ Shafer, Ellise (2 October 2024). "Peter Dinklage, Jessica Gunning, Himesh Patel and More to Star in Audible Adaptation of Agatha Christie's 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  26. ^ Phil Dunster and Zizi Strallen to star in Oklahoma! concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
  27. ^ "Olivier Winners 2016". Official London Theatre. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  28. ^ "2021 SAG Awards: The Complete Nominations List". 4 February 2021.
  29. ^ "SAG Awards 2022: The full list of nominees". 13 January 2022.
  30. ^ "Just About Write Awards".
  31. ^ "Online Film & Television Association 2023 awards". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  32. ^ "Hollywood Creative Alliance Reveals the Nominees for the 2023 HCA TV Awards Streaming Edition". Hollywood Creative Alliance. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  33. ^ "'Oppenheimer,' 'Beef' and More Win Big at Critics Choice Awards 2024: See the Full List of Winners". Peoplemag. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  34. ^ 75th Primetime Emmy Awards Access date July 12, 2023
  35. ^ "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
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