Finbar Lynch
Birth date28 August 1959 (age 67)
Birth placeDublin, Ireland
Other namesBarry Lynch
OccupationActor
SpouseNiamh Cusack
RelativesCyril Cusack (father-in-law)
Maureen Cusack (mother-in-law)
Years active1982–present

Finbar Lynch (born 28 August 1959) is an Irish actor.

Early life

Lynch was born in Dublin and, at the age of 11, moved with his family to the village of Inverin, County Galway, where his father ran a clothing factory under a scheme to encourage business investment in Gaeltacht areas. Lynch has two brothers.[1]

Career

Back in Dublin at the age of 18, Lynch doorknocked local theatres seeking acting work but was turned down due to lack of experience. Working as a stagehand, he successfully auditioned for a minor role in the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire, which started off his acting career.[2] In 1999, Lynch was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play for his performance as Canary Jim in the Broadway run of the rediscovered Williams play Not About Nightingales.[3]

Lynch's television work includes recurring appearances in the soap opera Glenroe,[4] Proof, Breathless and the miniseries Small World; as Doctor Martin Wells in the Bourne spin-off television series Treadstone,[4] along with as minor appearances in Waking the Dead,[5] Dalziel and Pascoe, Inspector George Gently,[6] DCI Banks, Game of Thrones,[4] Foyle's War, and The Mallorca Files.[7]

In November 2025, it was announced that Lynch will star in the thriller film Banquet, directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, alongside Meghann Fahy, Alfie Williams, and Corey Mylchreest, and will be produced by David Yates.[8]

Personal life

Lynch is married to actress Niamh Cusack and they have a son, Calam Lynch, who is also an actor.[3]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983The SchoonerJoe
1986Rawhead RexAndy Johnson
1996A Midsummer Night's DreamPuck / Philostrate
2003To Kill a KingCousin Henry[9]
2004MathildeThe Major
2013The Numbers StationMichaels
2015Child 44Doctor Boris Zarubin
SuffragetteHugh Ellyn
DeparturePhilip
2016Property of the StateHeffernan
2018Black '47Brown
2020Adventures of a MathematicianG. D. Birkhoff
The World We KnewCarpenter[10]
2022York Witches' SocietyMatthias[11]
2023UnwelcomeFather Brendan
2025HeddaProfessor Greenwood[12]
KapodistriasKlemens von Metternich[13]
TBAFilming

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982–1983Les Poneys sauvagesGeorge (aged 18)4 episodes
1983–1987GlenroeMatt Moran
1987Three Wishes for JamieMattie (uncredited)Television film
1988Small WorldPersse McGarrigle6 episodes
1994Between the LinesDanny McLaughlinEpisode: "Shoot to Kill"
1998PerformanceEdmundEpisode: "King Lear"
The Scold's BridleDave Hughes2 episodes
Riddler's MoonKevin SandersTelevision film
1999Holby CityStrangerEpisode: "Tidings of Comfort and Joy"
2000Waking the DeadJimmy Marshall2 episodes[5]
Second Sight: Hide and SeekGavin FinnTelevision film
2001Mind GamesDCI Chris MedwynterTelevision film
The Lost BattalionPvt. FergusonTelevision film
2003Red CapLiam YoungEpisode: "Cold War"
2004–2005ProofTerry CorcoranMain role
2005Dalziel and PascoeDave Cashman2 episodes
Born with Two MothersNarrator (voice)Television film
2007Richard Is My BoyfriendNarrator (voice)Television film
Comedy ShowcaseConcrete O'HaraEpisode: "The Eejits"
2008Inspector George GentlyRuairi O'ConnellEpisode: "The Burning Man"[6]
2012SilkJody Farr4 episodes[14]
The Hollow CrownLord MarshalEpisode: "Richard II"
2013BreathlessMonty Meecher5 episodes
2014DCI BanksIan Bassett2 episodes
Game of ThronesFarmer HamletEpisode: "Breaker of Chains"
2015Foyle's WarAvraham GreenfeldEpisode: "Trespass"
The MusketeersBaltasarEpisode: "The Good Traitor"
Antigone at the BarbicanTeiresiasTelevision film
2019TreadstoneDr. Martin Wells3 episodes
The FeedAidenEpisode #1.8
The Mallorca FilesPacoEpisode: "The Oligarch's Icon"[7]
2020DevilsWilliam TrevorEpisode #1.4
2022Tom Clancy's Jack RyanVice President Robert Fleming3 episodes
2024The RegimeJoseph VernhamEpisode: "The Heroes' Banquet"[15]

References

  1. ^ Toner, Niall (17 April 2011). "Time and place: Finbar Lynch". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Q&A: Finbar Lynch". officiallondontheatre.com. Official London Theatre. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  3. ^ O'Haire, Patricia (7 April 1999). "Irish Actor Makes It To B'way Via Tennessee Lynch Knocked About Before Landing 'Nightingales'". NY Daily News. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  4. ^ Brady, Tara (14 May 2022). "Calam Lynch, the Cusack acting dynasty's brightest new star". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Waking the Dead". bbc.co.uk. BBC One. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Inspector George Gently". bbc.co.uk. BBC One. 18 March 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  7. ^ "The Mallorca Files". bbc.co.uk. BBC One. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  8. ^ Ritman, Alex (November 5, 2025). "Corey Mylchreest and Alfie Williams Join Meghann Fahy in Supernatural Thriller ‘Banquet’ From ‘May December’ Producer Project Infinity and XYZ (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
  9. ^ Elley, Derek (12 May 2003). "To Kill a King". variety.com. Variety. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  10. ^ Unsworth, Martin. "The World We Knew [FrightFest October 2020]". starburstmagazine.com. Starburst Magazine. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  11. ^ "York Witches' Society". highfieldgrangestudios.co.uk. Highfield Grange Studios. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  12. ^ Grobar, Matt (8 January 2024). "Orion Pictures' 'Hedda' Adds Imogen Poots & Five Others". deadline.com. Deadline. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Kapodistrias’: Smaragdis’ Cinematic Ode to Greece’s First Governor". greekcitytimes.com. 28 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Silk". bbc.com. BBC Media Centre. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  15. ^ Baldwin, Kristen (1 March 2024). "The Regime review: Kate Winslet's dictatorship dramedy falls flat". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 26 August 2024.