Michael Sheen

Michael is a Welsh, RADA-trained, multi-award winning actor and director. His awards and nominations include:

Nominated BEST ACTOR – Apostle – BAFTA CYMRU
Nominated BEST PRESENTER – Michael Sheen’s Valleys Rebellion – BAFTA CYMRU
Nominated SINGLE DOCUMENTARY – Michael Sheen’s Valleys Rebellion – BAFTA CYMRU
Nominated BEST ACTOR – Masters of Sex – Golden Globe Awards
WINNER – BEST DIRECTOR – The Passion – TMA Awards
WINNER – BRITISH ARTIST OF THE YEAR – BAFTA Britannia
WINNER – BEST ACTOR – Frost/Nixon – Evening Standard Film Awards
WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – The Queen
– Los Angeles Film Critics Association
– Toronto Film Critics Association, New York Critics Online
– Nominated – BAFTA Film Awards
WINNER BEST ACTOR – Fantabulosa
– Royal Television Society Awards
– Nominated BAFTA Television Awards
WINNER BEST ACTOR – Caligula
– Evening Standard Theatre Awards and The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards
– Nominated Olivier Theatre Awards

Plus nominations for BEST LEAD ACTOR for The Special Relationship at the Emmy Awards and for BEST ACTOR for Frost/Nixon, Look Back in Anger and Amadeus at the Olivier Theatre Awards.

Michael recently starred in Under Milk Wood at the National Theatre, and played Salieri in Shaffer’s Amadeus in the flagship production of the Sydney Opera House’s 50th anniversary celebrations in the 2,000 seat Concert Hall.

Michael stars with David Tennant in the hugely popular Good Omens for BBC/Amazon. He stars with Sharon Horgan in Jack Thorne’s drama Best Interests for the BBC, which has been nominated for a 2024 Royal Television Society award for best Limited Series.

Michael’s ground-breaking televisual directing debut, The Way, released in 2024. This new dystopian drama three-parter for the BBC, written by James Graham and co-created with Adam Curtis was shot in Port Talbot and starred Callum Scott-Howells and Steffan Rhodri.

He is currently playing the titular role in Nye, directed by Rufus Norris at the National Theatre, until 11 May, then transfers to Wales Millennium Centre until 1 June.

Nye

Michael Sheen is Nye Bevan in this surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state. Written by Tim Price (Teh Internet is Serious Business) and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island), Nye plays at the Olivier until 11 May, then transfers to Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff.

As Good Omens debuts as the #1 Comedy on Prime worldwide, reviews are available here:

Reviews for Best Interests

Guardian – 5* – ‘Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen star in this masterly and profoundly moving series’

Times – 5* – ‘The drama is wholly believable…I defy anyone not to cry’

Telegraph – 4* – ‘The performances in the subtler scenes as well as the big confrontations are top drawer’

Independent – 4* – ‘terrific, both wholly believable in their frustration and grief.’

Mail – ‘viewers praise ‘phenomenal’ Michael Sheen’s performance’

Irish Independent – ‘Michael Sheen is excellent as a husband swept along in his wife’s wake’

Good Omens series 2

Michael leads as the angel Aziraphale opposite David Tennant in the return of Good Omens for its second series. The trailer can be seen here – GO2 airs on Amazon Prime on July 28.

The Way

Michael’s directorial debut on a three-part drama has just been announced for the BBC. Produced by Michael’s production arm Red Seam, which he runs with Bethan Jones, The Way is written by James Graham (Sherwood) and co-created by Adam Curtis (HyperNormalisationCan’t Get You Out of My Head). The Way explores an ordinary family caught in a chain of events and power struggles that forces them to escape the country they’ve always called home and the certainties of their old lives.

The Way will shoot in and around Michael’s hometown of Port Talbot this year.

Amadeus

Michael leads the Sydney Opera House’s triumphant production of Peter Shaffer’s masterpiece, staged to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Opera House.

Amadeus has opened to great reviews.

Sydney Morning Herald – ‘Michael Sheen’s Amadeus so dazzling he disappears as we cheer his evil’

Limelight – ‘Sheen’s Salieri doesn’t just rail against God; he thunders like one’

Suzy Goes See – ‘Michael Sheen is full of mighty vigour’

Vardy v Rooney

Michael has been cast to lead in Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama for Channel 4, playing barrister David Sherborne at the heart of the infamous Wagatha Christie case. Vardy will air on Dec 21 and 22, 2022.

Amadeus at the Sydney Opera House

Michael Sheen is to star in Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus at the Sydney Opera House this December.

Michael was nominated for an Olivier for Outstanding Performance when he played the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opposite David Suchet’s Salieri at the Old Vic in 1998, before transferring to Broadway and Los Angeles in 1999. He will now lead as Salieri himself in what promises to be a sensational production at the 2,000 seat Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House, celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer.

Best Interests

Michael will star with Sharon Horgan in Jack Thorne’s original disability-centred four-parter Best Interests for the BBC/Endeavor Content, currently in post-production.

Reviews for Under Milk Wood

The reviews for Under Milk Wood are in:

  • “Michael Sheen is masterly” – 4 stars – Sam Marlowe, The i
  • “…scintillating Michael Sheen in a dreamscape of delights” – 5 stars – Clive Davis, The Times
  • “Sheen at his most magnetic” – 4 stars – Matt Wolf, The Arts Desk
  • “To hear Michael Sheen deliver Under Milk Wood feels akin to witnessing Gielgud’s Hamlet or Rylance’s Rooster Byron. It is nothing short of theatrically seminal.” – 4 stars – Theo Bosanquet, WhatsOnStage
  • “Michael Sheen is terrific in Dylan Thomas’s linguistic tour de force” – Andrzej Lukowski, TimeOut
  • “…once Sheen starts reciting Dylan’s sonorous poetry, the conceit beings to shine” – 4 stars – Scott Matthewman, Reviews Hub
  • “Michael Sheen casts a spell in this gorgeous day in the life” – 4 stars – Nick Curtis, Evening Standard
  • “Sheen and Sian… pure poetry” – 4 stars – Daily Mail

The Faith Healer Reviews

  • “Michael Sheen, Indira Varma and David Threlfall are magnificent in Matthew Warchus’s enthralling livestreamed production of Brian Friel’s 1979 play” The Guardian
  • “Now my memory must also make room for Sheen’s Frank, an interpretation that grounds the character in a grimy reality in ways I hadn’t thought possible. ” The NewYork Times
  • “Michael Sheen mesmerises” The Telegraph

Prodigal Son

Michael will star in the new series Prodigal Son for Fox

There's Something About Movies

Michael will return for a second series of There’s Something About Movies on Sky

Good Omens

Good Omens is out now on Amazon Prime!

Michael in The Good Fight

Michael will guest star in season 3 of The Good Fight on CBS

Apostle Reviews

Reviews are in for Apostle, premiering on Netflix October 12th:

  • “Michael Sheen is absolutely terrifying and captivating as Malcolm. It’s a meaty, layered role that Sheen plays to utter perfection.” Movie Web
  • “As the cult leader, Michael Sheen delivers the perfect balance of nice and naughty ” Gizmodo
  • “Michael Sheen plays the self-appointed prophet Malcolm with enough charisma and menace to keep you guessing at his intentions.” IGN
  • “It’ll make you groan and grimace through the torment, but it will get your heart racing in all the right ways, even when it occasionally stumbles over its own ambition.” Collider
  • “It’s Dan Stevens vs. Michael Sheen for heaven’s sake with infinitely more surprises in store. No beating around the bramble, you’ve got an easy choice once Evans’ latest hits Netflix.” We Got This Covered

Michael in The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle

Michael has been cast as Mudfly in The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle. He will be appearing alongside Robert Downey Jr, Jim Broadbent and Antonio Banderas

Reviews for Book of Dust

The reviews for Book of Dust, narrated by Michael Sheen, are in:

  • “Actor Michael Sheen brings the rich timbre of his Welch voice to Philip Pullman’s ‘The Book of Dust’ an antecedent to the ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy.” Washington Post
  • “Michael Sheen’s Solo Narration of Philip Pullman’s New Novel Is Better Than an Army of Voice Actors” Slate Magazine

Michael Sheen in 'Good Omens'

Michael Sheen announced to play the angel Aziraphale in the TV adaptation of Terry Pratchet’s and Neil Gaiman’s bestseller Good Omens.

The Amazon/BBC studios 6-part series will shoot in 2017, and all stars David Tennant.

Slaughterhouse Rulez

Michael Sheen joins the cast of Simon Pegg’s and Nick Frost’s Slaughterhouse Rulez, for Stolen Picture/Sony/Catalyst Global Media.

Michael Sheen on Tate Britain's Great British Walks

Tate Britain’s Great British Walks takes us on a journey across landscapes that have seduced the nation’s favourite painters, from Constable, Powell Frith and Turner, to Hogarth, Herman and Wallis. The series, shown on Sky Arts, travels the length and breadth of Britain from London’s backstreets and rural Suffolk, to the Scottish borders and the mining villages of South Wales. Rich in stories, gossip and hidden secrets about the landscapes once imagined by some of our greatest artists. Cultural historian, Gus Casely-Hayford walks the landscapes of these paintings with Michael Sheen. The show comes out on Sky on the 24th of May.

Michael Sheen in 'Apostle'

Michael Sheen cast in Gareth Evans’ feature thriller Apostle.

Michael Sheen in 'Home Again'

Michael Sheen joins the cast of Home Again, directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, alongside Reese Witherspoon and Candice Bergen.

Michael Sheen in 'Nocturnal Animals'

Michael Sheen joins the cast of Tom Ford’s second feature film Nocturnal Animals. The film is due for release on November 18th 2016.

Michael Sheen to direct and star in 'Green River Killer'

Michael Sheen is set to direct and star as Ridgway in true-crime thriller Green River Killer.

The screenplay, also written by Michael, is based on graphic novel Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, by Jeff Jenson.

This will be Michael’s directorial debut.

Michael Sheen in Joseph Cedar film

Michael Sheen joins the cast of Joseph Cedar’s Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer, alongside Richard Gere. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival 2016.

'Masters of Sex' commissioned for 4th series

Showtime’s hit series Masters of Sex, which stars Michael Sheen in the leading role of William Masters, has been commissioned for a fourth series.

Shooting for the next series will begin in June 2016.

Find more programme information here.

Michael Sheen joins the cast of 'Passengers'

Michael Sheen plays Arthur in upcoming sci-fi feature Passengers, directed by Morten Tyldum.

The film also stars Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt and is due for release at the end of 2016.

Michael Sheen in 'Alice Through The Looking Glass'

Michael reprises his role voicing wonderland’s White Rabbit in James Bobin’s Alice Through The Looking Glass. The film also stars Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska and Helena Bonham-Carter, and is due for release on 27th May 2016.

Michael previously played the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland (2010).

Watch the official trailer here.