Brendan Coyle

An English-born actor with Irish and Scottish roots, Brendan Coyle got his start in a slew of theatrical productions. He quietly rose through the ranks of U.K. screen actors with small roles in everything from "The Glass Virgin" (ITV, 1995) to the James Bond adventure "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), but earned acclaim for his stage work, winning a Laurence Olivier Award for his work in "The Weir." Continuing to work steadily in British-made productions like "North & South" (BBC One, 2004) and "Lark Rise to Candleford" (BBC One, 2008-11), Coyle appeared in such international fare as "The Jacket" (2005) with Adrien Brody and "The Raven" (2012) with John Cusack. His international breakthrough came as the physically impaired but passionate John Bates, valet to Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) on the global smash "Downton Abbey" (ITV, 2010-16). Grounding his ill-fated character in humanity and compassion, Coyle stood out in the enormously talented ensemble, earning widespread praise. As his fame increased around the world, Coyle left many fans and critics alike hoping to see much more of him on stage and screen.