Anthony Boyle is well and truly on his way to becoming a household name thanks to his impressive acting CV. The Northern Irish actor, who's known for his roles in Say Nothing, Shardlake and Masters of the Air, is currently starring in Netflix's latest period drama, House of Guinness, which comes from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Set in 19th-century Dublin, the series follows the four adult children of the Guinness brewery's formidable patriarch, Sir Benjamin Guinness, in the aftermath of his death.
Anthony plays the eldest Guinness brother, Arthur, starring alongside Louis Partridge (Enola Holmes), Emily Fairn (The Responder) and Fionn O'Shea (Normal People). While viewers of the show are learning all about the life of Arthur Guinness, including his secret love life, political career and more, what about the actor who plays him? Keep reading to find out all we know about Anthony Boyle's life off-screen.
© Dave Benett/WireImageAnthony grew up in West Belfast
Anthony's early life
Anthony, 31, grew up in West Belfast, where he attended an all-girls' school, St Louise's Comprehensive College, after being expelled from the boys' school.
"There were 2,000 girls and ten boys, it worked out alright," he told RTÉ's The Late Late Show. "It was such a mad experience. You know, you're 16 and there are 2,000 girls," he continued, adding that the move allowed him to explore his passion for the arts through its flourishing drama department. "I got to act every day," he continued. 'I got to actually do what I loved every day... They needed males for the parts, so I got to play a lot of different things for three years... it was good craic."
Expanding on his "behavioural problems" and expulsion from school during an interview with Backstage, Anthony said: "Maybe it was something to do with being frustrated by my dyslexia, which I didn't know I had until later. I've never really liked authority, so I didn't respond to that in a positive way."
© GettyAnthony was diagnosed with Perthes disease as a child
Anthony's childhood disease
Anthony was diagnosed with Perthes disease as a child, a disorder in the hip initiated by a disruption of blood flow. Opening up about the condition and its impact on his childhood, Anthony told Backstage that he "couldn't walk for a number of years" or play sports. "So I spent a lot of time observing people," explained the actor. "I'd watch their physicality and how they behaved around others."
Anthony keeps his love life private
Anthony's love life
Anthony tends to keep his love life out of the spotlight, so not much is publicly known about his romantic history and current relationship status. However, back in 2016, the actor told The Times that he was in a relationship but remained tight-lipped about any details. When probed, he politely said, "I'd prefer not to discuss it."
© ITVWhere have you seen Anthony before?
Anthony has an impressive list of credits on his acting CV, including minor roles in Game of Thrones, Patrick Melrose, Derry Girls and The Lost City of Z during his early career. Since then, he has landed a number of major parts, including in the Apple TV+ war series Masters of the Air, the historical drama Manhunt, Disney+'s Say Nothing, about The Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the period series, Shardlake, which also starred Sean Bean. Viewers may also recognise the actor for his roles in the 2019 biographical drama Tolkien and the 2023 thriller film, Tetris.
