Richard Madden Biography

Richard Madden was born on June 18, 1986, in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Scotland to Pat and Richard. His mother works as a classroom assistant, while his father is employed with the fire brigade. Madden was raised along with his sisters. He attended a local school in Paisley. He has revealed that he was a fat and shy kid during his rather difficult high school days. In order to overcome his shyness, Madden attended a youth theatre program organized by the ‘Paisley Arts Centre.’

His acting talent was noticed in BBC1’s ‘Barmy Aunt Boomerang,’ in 1999. Madden played an important role in the series, appearing in 20 episodes. In 2000, he made his feature film debut, when he appeared in Iain Banks novel’s film adaptation ‘Complicity.’ In 2007, he graduated from ‘The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’ in Glasgow.

After an acting stint as a teenager, Madden made his comeback as a 23-year-old actor, appearing as Dean McKenzie in ‘Hope Springs.’ He appeared in eight episodes of the British TV comedy drama series. In 2010, he played Kirk Brandon in a television film titled ‘Worried About The Boy’ and then appeared as Ripley Collins in a thriller drama film, ‘Chatroom,’ which was directed by popular Japanese filmmaker Hideo Nakata. In 2011, he played Ashley Greenwick in a television series titled ‘Sirens’ and then appeared as Elliot in a short film titled ‘Strays.’ In the same year, Madden received his breakthrough role in one of the most popular television series in the world, ‘Game of Thrones.’

From 2011 to 2013, Madden was nominated in three prestigious award shows for his work in the ‘Game of Thrones.’ He also won the ‘Star of Tomorrow’ award at the 2011 ‘Screen Awards.’ In 2012, he played Captain Michael and Weir in the two-part British television drama, ‘Birdsong.’ The next year, he was cast in a French romantic drama film, ‘A Promise.’

In 2015, he received his second-most popular role as Prince Kit in the super hit romantic fantasy film, ‘Cinderella.’ In the same year, he appeared in a short film and a television film titled ‘Group B’ and ‘Lady Chatterley's Lover’ respectively. In 2016, he played a major role in the American-French action film, ‘Bastille Day.’ The year 2016 also saw him playing the titular role of Cosimo de' Medici in the Italian-British TV drama series, ‘Medici: Masters of Florence.’

In 2017, Madden was roped in to play Peter Leigh in the pilot episode (Oasis) of an intended British television series, based on the 2014 novel, ‘The Book of Strange New Things.’ In the same year, he appeared in one of the episodes of a science fiction anthology series titled ‘Electric Dreams,’ which was based on Philip K. Dick’s collection of short stories. In 2018, he played Leo West in the American romantic comedy film ‘Ibiza.’ The film was released on Netflix on May 25, 2018. In 2018, he was also offered the lead role of Sergeant David Budd in the British television drama series ‘Bodyguard.’

His performance in ‘Bodyguard’ impressed the creators of the world-renowned ‘Bond’ film series, so much so that they are currently in talks with Madden to play the iconic role of James Bond, thereby succeeding Daniel Craig as the latest ‘Agent 007.’ Madden is currently working on Sir Elton Hercules John’s biopic ‘Rocketman,’ in which he plays John Reid.

Apart from feature films and television series, Richard Madden is also known for his work in theatre. During his time as a student at ‘The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland,’ Madden worked with theatres like ‘Glasgow Repertory Company’ and ‘The Arches.’

He was also cast in a popular play titled ‘Tom Fool,’ which was played out at ‘The Citizens Theatre.’ The play became so famous that it was transferred to London. While playing his part in ‘Tom Fool’ at a theatre in London, Richard Madden was noticed by the famous ‘Globe Theatre,’ which then cast him as Romeo in its production of ‘Romeo and Juliet.’

In 2008, he played Callum McGregor in the stage production of ‘Noughts and Crosses.’ Richard Madden has also worked as a voice-over artist. In 2013 and 2014, he lent his voice for the popular video game series, ‘Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.’

Richard Madden’s performance in the National Theatre of Scotland’s ‘Be Near Me’ was appreciated by many critics. Scottish newspaper ‘The Scotsman' and the national British publication ‘The Daily Telegraph’ raved his portrayal of Mark McNulty in ‘Be Near Me.’ In 2010, ‘The Scotsman’ called him ‘one of the hottest acting talents.’ He was also named in the list of ‘Esquire’ magazine’s ‘Hottest Stars’ for the year 2010. In 2011, he was listed in ‘Screen International’ magazine’s ‘Stars of Tomorrow.’

Since 2017, Richard Madden has been dating English actress Ellie Bamber. Ellie is known for playing India Hastings in the 2016 American psychological thriller, ‘Nocturnal Animals.’ Madden is active on social media. His official Instagram page has more than 1.4 million followers, while his Twitter handle has over 300,000 followers.

Richard Madden is an accomplished horse rider and has a strong passion for equestrian sports.

He is a talented musician who can play the guitar and sing, showcasing his creative talents beyond acting.

Madden is known for his love of adventure and has a keen interest in outdoor activities like hiking and camping.

He is a dedicated philanthropist, actively supporting various charitable causes and organizations.

Madden has a great sense of humor and is known among his colleagues for his witty jokes and playful demeanor on set.