Richard Madden

Biography:

Richard Madden, born on June 18, 1986, in Elderslie near Glasgow, Scotland, is an accomplished Scottish actor. He landed his first acting role at 11 and made his screen debut in 2000. While studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he began acting on stage. In 2007, he portrayed Romeo in Romeo and Juliet with Shakespeare’s Globe, a performance he revisited in London’s West End in 2016. Madden gained widespread recognition as Robb Stark in HBO’s Game of Thrones from 2011 to 2013.

Following this breakout role, Madden appeared as Prince Kit in Disney’s Cinderella (2015) and played Cosimo de’ Medici in the historical drama Medici (2016). His role as a war veteran-turned-bodyguard in the BBC thriller Bodyguard (2018) won him a Golden Globe and significant critical acclaim. In 2019, Time included him in its list of the 100 most influential people. That same year, he portrayed John Reid in Rocketman and Lieutenant Blake in 1917. He later took on the role of Ikaris in Marvel’s Eternals (2021) and starred in Amazon Prime’s spy thriller Citadel (2023–present).

Raised with two sisters, Madden’s mother was a primary school teacher and his father a firefighter. He joined PACE Youth Theatre at age 11 to overcome shyness and was soon cast in his first film role in Complicity. Around the same time, he led in the children’s series Barmy Aunt Boomerang. Growing up, Madden also dealt with self-image issues and bullying, partly due to his early acting roles.

He attended Castlehead High School before graduating in 2007 from the Royal Conservatoire. While studying, he performed in Tom Fool, which earned positive reviews and led to his casting as Romeo at Shakespeare’s Globe. Critics described his performance as youthful and grounded in his Scottish roots.

Later that year, Madden starred in Noughts & Crosses with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and in Be Near Me with the National Theatre of Scotland. Reviewers praised his stage presence, helping him land leading roles in TV, including the 2009 BBC series Hope Springs and 2010 films Chatroom and Worried About the Boy.

From 2011 to 2013, Madden portrayed Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, a role that significantly boosted his career. He revealed that before being cast, he was struggling financially. During his time on the show, the cast received SAG nominations. He also appeared in Sirens, Birdsong, and earned his SAG card with the miniseries Klondike in 2014.

In Cinderella, Madden brought depth to the prince character, giving him a more human persona. The film was both a box office and critical hit. He reprised his role as Romeo in a 2016 West End revival alongside Lily James, though he had to exit the production early due to injury.

In 2016, he played a pickpocket in Bastille Day and Cosimo de’ Medici in Medici: Masters of Florence. He was also featured in Electric Dreams, Netflix’s Ibiza, and garnered further praise for his emotional range.

His role as PTSD-affected Sergeant David Budd in Bodyguard drew widespread acclaim. Madden consulted veterans for authenticity, and critics praised his nuanced portrayal. The series finale broke UK viewership records and found a global audience through Netflix. The role earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

In 2019, he played John Reid in Rocketman and appeared in the war epic 1917. Both films were commercial and critical successes. He also voiced a character in the sci-fi podcast From Now between late 2020 and early 2021.

In Eternals (2021), Madden took on the superhero role of Ikaris, though the film received mixed reviews. He starred in Citadel in 2023, one of the most expensive TV series ever produced. While critical reception was varied, Madden’s performance was described as intense and occasionally humorous. He’s also set to appear in the thriller Killer Heat.

Madden was named among Time’s 100 most influential people in 2019 and received the GQ Award for Most Stylish Man. He was previously in a relationship with actress Jenna Coleman from 2011 to 2015.

In interviews, Madden has spoken about his working-class background and the lack of creative opportunities for underprivileged youth. He divides his time between homes in London and Los Angeles. In 2019, he received an honorary doctorate from the Royal Conservatoire. When asked about his private life in a New York Times interview, he simply said, “I just keep my personal life personal.”