Tom Cullen
Thomas Cullen (born 17 July 1985) is a Welsh actor and director. He had roles in the independent film Weekend (2011), as Anthony Foyle, Viscount Gillingham in the television series Downton Abbey, Sir Landry in the historical drama series Knightfall, John Palmer in the BBC crime drama series The Gold, and Ser Luthor Largent in the HBO fantasy drama series House of the Dragon. He also played Thomas Seymour in Becoming Elizabeth.
Also recorded as Thomas Cullen
Tom Cullen

Filmwax Radio · WEEKEND actor Tom Cullen director Andrew Haigh · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Name
- Tom Cullen
- Birth Name
- Thomas Cullen
- Born
- 17 July 1985
- Birthplace
- Aberystwyth, Dyfed, Wales
- Education
- Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
- Occupation
- * Actor
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Thomas Cullen (born 17 July 1985) is a Welsh actor and director. He had roles in the independent film Weekend (2011), as Anthony Foyle, Viscount Gillingham in the television series Downton Abbey, Sir Landry in the historical drama series Knightfall, John Palmer in the BBC crime drama series The Gold, and Ser Luthor Largent in the HBO fantasy drama series House of the Dragon. He also played Thomas Seymour in Becoming Elizabeth.
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Tom Cullen (born 1985) is a British actor, film actor and film director, among other activities. The actor was born in Aberystwyth. Tom Cullen studied at Llanishen High School and Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 30 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Tom Cullen • Birth Name — Thomas Cullen • Born — 17 July 1985 • Birthplace — Aberystwyth, Dyfed, Wales • Education — Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama • Occupation — * Actor • writer • director • Years Active — 2006–present
Early life and education
Early life and education
Thomas Cullen was born on 17 July 1985 in Aberystwyth, Wales, the son of two writers. His father is Irish and his mother English. He has two siblings. He spent his early years in Llandrindod Wells and moved to Cardiff at age 12, where he attended Llanishen High School. Before pursuing an acting career, Cullen was involved in music. He graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2009 with a First Class Honours degree in acting, after spending a year at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
Acting
Acting
Whilst still in training, Cullen was taken out of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama to appear in Daddy's Girl, which won the BAFTA Cymru for Best Film, and to star in Watch Me, which won the BAFTA Cymru for Best Short. His stage roles include Gorgio at the Bristol Old Vic, Assembly and A Good Night Out in the Valleys at National Theatre Wales, and The Sanger at Sherman Cymru. In 2011, he was named on the Screen International Stars of Tomorrow list. Cullen starred in the 2011 film Weekend as Russell, a Nottingham lifeguard. Weekend collected numerous awards including the Grand Jury award at the Nashville Film Festival and Best Achievement in Production at the British Independent Film Awards. Cullen won Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards and Best Actor at the Nashville Film Festival in 2011 for his role as Russell. His television roles include Jonas in Black Mirror. He starred as Wulfric in the 2012 miniseries World Without End. He had a recurring role as Mary Crawley's suitor Anthony Foyle (the Viscount Gillingham) in Downton Abbey. He appeared in the films Desert Dancer, the story of Iranian dancer Afshin Ghaffarian, who risked his life to become a dancer despite a nationwide dancing ban, and the science fiction The Last Days on Mars, based around the first crewed mission to Mars. Cullen played Joe Rose in the three-part ITV drama The Trials of Jimmy Rose, that aired in September 2015. He starred in a Canadian indie from production company Motel Pictures, The Other Half. He played the lead role of Mark in Harlan Coben's 2015 series The Five, a ten-part Sky 1 mystery series. He also starred as Landry in the History series Knightfall, which started in December 2017. Cullen played Guy Fawkes alongside Kit Harington and Liv Tyler in Gunpowder on BBC One. Cullen's editorial work includes L'Uomo Vogue, Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair, and 10 Magazine.
Writing
Writing
In 2008, Cullen wrote and produced the short film Naughties with Alexander Vlahos. In 2009, he and Vlahos co-founded the Welsh company Undeb Theatre. He wrote and directed his full-length play, Kingfisher, about a man returning from prison, in 2010, as well as other short plays performed by Undeb.
Directing
Directing
Cullen made his directorial debut with the 2019 film Pink Wall starring Tatiana Maslany and Jay Duplass. The film is described by Screen Daily as "the story of a couple’s struggles with the pressures of gender expectations and the conflict between life and ambition".
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2010 — Pen Talar — Richard — Episodes 7 & 8 • Banged Up Abroad — Yoram — Series 5; 1 episode • 2011 — Black Mirror — Jonas — Series 1; episode 3: "The Entire History of You" • 2012 — World Without End — Wulfric — Mini-series; episodes 1–8 • 2013–2014 — Downton Abbey — Anthony Gillingham — Series 4 & 5; 12 episodes • 2015 — The Trials of Jimmy Rose — Joe Rose — Mini-series; episodes 1–3 • 2016 — The Five — Mark Wells — Mini-series; episodes 1–10 • 2017 — Orphan Black — Leonard Sipp — Season 5; episode 6: "Manacled Slim Wrists" • Gunpowder — Guy Fawkes — Mini-series; episodes 1–3 • 2017–2019 — Knightfall — Landry du Lauzon — Lead role. Seasons 1 & 2; 18 episodes • 2018 — Genius — Luc Simon — Season 2; episodes 6 & 10: "Picasso: Chapters Six and Ten" • 2021 — Invasion — Mr. Edwards — Season 1; episodes 2–4 • 2022 — Becoming Elizabeth — Thomas Seymour — Episodes 1–6 & 8 • 2023–2025 — The Gold — John Palmer — Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes • 2024 — The Way — Jack Price MP — Episode 1: "The War" • Insomnia — Robert Averill — Episodes 1–6 • 2025 — Mudtown — Peter Burton — Main cast • Trespasses — Michael Agnew — Main cast • 2026 — House of the Dragon — Luthor Largent — 4 episodes • TBA — Life Is Strange — Mark Jefferson — Main cast
Identity
Identity
Tom Cullen is recorded as actor and film director.

It is my own picture, of myself.
Drexl cullen
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2006 — Daddy's Girl — Boy (Jason) — U.S. title: Cravings • 2008 — Watch Me — Tom — Short film Nominated for BAFTA Cymru Best Short Film • 2009 — Twenty Questions — Adam — Short film • 2010 — Balance — Nico — Short film • 2011 — Weekend — Russell — British Independent Film Award for Best Newcomer • 2012 — Henry — Henry — Short film • 2013 — Room 8 — Ives — Short film BAFTA Award for Best British Short Film • The Last Days on Mars — Richard Harrington • 2014 — Desert Dancer — Ardavan • 2015 — Black Mountain Poets — Richard • The Batsman and the Ballerina — Simon — Short film • 2016 — The Other Half — Nickie — Also executive producer • Happily Ever After — Colin • 100 Streets — Jake • Mine — Tommy Madison • Trial — Ryan / New Aaron — Short film • 2018 — Souls of Totality — Guy 3 — Short film • 2019 — Pink Wall — Chris — Also writer, director and co-producer • Castle in the Ground — Jimmy • 2021 — Zebra Girl — Dan • My Son — Frank • Barbarians — Lucas • 2023 — My Happy Ending — Dr. Hanson • TBA — Walk the Blue Fields — TBA — Filming
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result • 2011 — London Film Critics Circle Awards — British Actor of the Year — Weekend • BFI London Film Festival — Best British Newcomer • Nashville Film Festival — Best Actor in a Narrative Feature • British Independent Film Award — Most Promising Newcomer • 2016 — Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series — Downton Abbey
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Glover, Patrick. The life of Welsh actor Tom Cullen from his TV shows to growing up in Powys. County Times. 11 February 2025.
- 2.WalesOnline. Actor Tom Cullen on Downton Abbey, dancing and being 'the Devil incarnate'. 2 April 2016.
- 3.Grice, Natalie. Indie film Weekend break for Cardiff actor Tom Cullen. BBC News. 4 November 2011.
- 4.WalesOnline. Emerging Welsh actor Tom Cullen on his big screen success. 17 December 2011.
- 5.Cook, Sam. How Tom Cullen went from being drama school rebel to Downton Abbey success story. Wales Online. 2023-06-03.
- 6.Aftab, Kaleem. Tom Cullen. Interview. 24 September 2011.
- 7.Rorke, Robert. Lady Mary's dashing new suitor to debut on 'Downton Abbey'. New York Post. 10 January 2014.
- 8.Dragon Di. BAFTA Award for Daddy's Girl.
- 9.Glamorgan. BAFTA Nomination: Ieuan Morris 'Watch Me'.
- 10.Spotlight Actors: Tom Cullen.
- 11.Screen Daily 30 June 2011. Screen International Stars of Tomorrow 2011.
- 12.Weekend Awards. Weekend.
- 13.IndieWire. FUTURES: Star Tom Cullen Turns a One Night Stand Into Art. 7 July 2011.
- 14.Downton Abbey: the dashing aristocrats lining up to lift Lady Mary out of despair. The Daily Telegraph. March 2013.
- 15.Arsenault, Bridget. New Downton Abbey Star Tom Cullen Wishes He Could Play Lady Grantham. The Hive. 20 January 2014.
- 16.Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Graduate Profile: Tom Cullen.
- 17.ITV Press Centre. Filming begins on The Trials of Jimmy Rose from ITV Studios.
- 18.Vlessing, Etan. Tatiana Maslany, Tom Cullen to Star in Indie 'The Other Half'. The Hollywood Reporter. 21 April 2015.
- 19.Roxborough, Scott. MIPCOM: Canal Plus Takes Harlan Coben's 'The Five' for France. The Hollywood Reporter. 30 September 2015.
- 20.Wagmeister, Elizabeth. Tom Cullen to Star in Jeremy Renner's History Series 'Knightfall' (Exclusive). Variety. 13 May 2016.
- 21.After Vikings, History Channel Brings The Knights Templar To TV With Knightfall. Movie Pilot.
- 22.WalesOnline. Actors Unite for Theatre. 27 September 2009.
- 23.Wild, Susie. Undeb celebrate first birthday with Undeb-velopment – review. The Guardian. 16 November 2010.
- 24."Weekend Star Tom Cullen Wraps Up Directorial Debut'", Screen Daily, 14 Dec 2017.
- 25.First Look images and further casting announced for upcoming BBC Drama The Gold. bbc.co.uk/mediacentre.
- 26.Meet the cast of Michael Sheen's BBC drama The Way. Radio Times. 19 February 2024.
- 27.Insomnia review: Is Vicky McClure's night-time thriller any good?. Radio Times. 20 May 2024.
- 28.FIRST LOOK images released for Alibi and S4C's upcoming legal crime drama, Mudtown. corporate.uktv.co.uk/newsroom. 10 October 2024.
- 29.Tom Cullen on complicated roles and new drama Trespasses. The Sunday Post. 2025-11-09.
- 30.Otterson, Joe. House of the Dragon Season 3 Casts Barry Sloane, Tom Cullen, Joplin Sibtain. Variety. 2025-04-23.
- 31.Otterson, Joe. Life Is Strange TV Series Casts Tom Cullen, Leisha Hailey, Raúl Castillo, Owen Teague (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. May 21, 2026.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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