Conor MacNeill is a film, television, and stage actor from Northern Ireland. He is best known for his role as Kenny Kilbane in the BBC Two and HBO series Industry (2020–Present).

Early life and education

MacNeill was born in West Belfast.

Career

In his early career, MacNeill appeared in such films as Fifty Dead Men Walking and Peacefire directed by Macdara Vallely. He made a cameo appearance as 'Fanta' in Cherrybomb. He also played the character of Dave in Five Minutes of Heaven, which was directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel and premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

He starred as Ciaran MacIonraic in the Irish comedy-drama An Crisis, for which he received a nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy drama series at the 2010 Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo.

He performed extensively on stage in Ireland. Acting in productions at Lyric Players' Theatre, Gate Theatre, and Project Arts Centre. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2011 Irish Times Theatre Awards.

In 2011, he appeared, with Brendan Fraser in Whole Lotta Sole directed by Terry George He also appeared alongside David Wilmot in RTÉ's Saving The Titanic playing Frank Bell.

MacNeill made his London stage debut in 2012 at the Donmar Warehouse, appearing on stage alongside Daniel Radcliffe in The Cripple of Inishmaan by Martin McDonagh, directed by Michael Grandage at the Noël Coward Theatre throughout the summer of 2013. In spring 2014, this production transferred to Broadway at the Cort Theatre in New York for a limited run. The show garnered six Tony Award nominations.

In 2016, MacNeill appeared in Whit Stillman's film Love & Friendship and in the final episodes of the RTE/BBC series The Fall. In 2017, he appeared in series 2 of No Offence on Channel 4. He reprised the role of Gavin in series 3 in 2018.

In April 2017, he appeared in The Ferryman at the Royal Court Theatre, ahead of a transfer to the Gielgud Theatre in the West End. He reprised his role as Diarmuid Corcoran in the Broadway transfer of the show at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in late 2018. MacNeill had a small role as William Kemmler in The Current War in 2017.

In 2023, MacNeill appeared as Martyn Smith in BBC One's true crime drama The Sixth Commandment, portraying the crimes of Ben Field.

In February 2024, it was announced that MacNeill had been cast as Ned Gowan in the Outlander prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood.

MacNeill appears in the thriller film Bring Them Down, due to be released in Irish and UK cinemas on 7 February 2025.

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleNotes
2008PeacefirePots
Fifty Dead Men WalkingFrankie
City of EmberStudent
2009Five Minutes of HeavenDave – 1975
CherrybombFanta
2010ParkedSol
2011Whole Lotta SoleSox
2012Good VibrationsSchoolboy Executive
2015OrthodoxYoung Shannon
2016Love & FriendshipYoung Curate
The Siege of JadotvilleRadio Operator
2017The Current WarWilliam Kemmler
2020Artemis FowlGoblin Lieutenant
2021BelfastMcLaury
2022Operation Fortune: Ruse de GuerreBodhi – IT Specialist
2023In the Land of Saints and SinnersConan McGrath
2024King FrankieJeffrey
Buffalo KidsTomVoice role
2025Bring Them DownNathan

Television

YearFilmRoleNotes
2004Pulling MovesHood in TaxiEpisode: "The Pirate and the Choirboys"
2010–2013An CrisisCiaran12 episodes
2012Saving the TitanicFrank BellTelevision film
2013PrivatesPrivate McIlvenny5 episodes
Coming UpEddieEpisode: "Call It a Night"
2014ScúpGerry6 episodes
2015Peep ShowClerkEpisode: "Are We Going to Be Alright?"
2016The FallBailey3 episodes
2017–2018No OffenceGavin Nuttle12 episodes
2018Death and NightingalesGary Pringle3 episodes
2018–2020101 Dalmatian StreetFergus Fox/Apollo StallionEpisode: "Jurassic Pups"
2019RebellionDiarmuid McWilliams2 episodes
ResistanceDiarmuid McWilliams2 episodes
101 Dalmatian Street ShortsFergus FoxEpisode: "Jurassic Pups"
2020–PresentIndustryKenny Kilbane17 episodes
2022Derry GirlsHansEpisode: "The Night Before"
2023The Sixth CommandmentMartyn Smith4 episodes
The TouristDetective Ruairi Slater6 episodes
TBAOutlander: Blood of My BloodNed GowanPost-production

External links