Mark O'Brien (actor)

For other people with the same name, see Mark O'Brien.

Mark O'Brien
O'Brien in 2013
Born (1984-05-07) May 7, 1984 (age 40)
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active2005–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
Children1

Mark O'Brien (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian actor and director best known for his roles as Des Courtney in Republic of Doyle (2010–2014) and Tom Rendon in Halt and Catch Fire (2015–2016).[1][2][3] He won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor at the 8th Canadian Screen Awards for his performance as Terry Sawchuk in the biographical drama film Goalie (2019).[4]

At the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022, he received two nominations for his film The Righteous, for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay.[5] The film, which he wrote and directed himself, also won Best Screenplay at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal and Manchester's Grimmfest, as well as Best Cinematography at Grimmfest and the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival.[6]

Personal life

He is an English major with a Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland. His mother was a nurse and his father a truck driver. O'Brien also has three older sisters.

O'Brien married actress Georgina Reilly on January 6, 2013, after having met on the set of Republic of Doyle in 2011.[7] He is friends with fellow Newfoundlander Jonny Harris, who was also guest at his wedding. In November 2017, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Quiet at Dawn Watts
Grown Up Movie Star Will
2012 Beat Down Michael
2015 End of Days, Inc. Jason
Len and Company Zach
How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town Bruce Buck
2016 Arrival Captain Marks
2018 Parallel Josh
State Like Sleep Darren
Anon Cyrus Frear
How It Ends Jeremiah
The Darkest Minds Rob Meadows
Kin Jake Stanton
The Front Runner Billy Shore
Bad Times at the El Royale Larsen Rogers
2019 Goalie Terry Sawchuk
Ready or Not Alex Le Domas
Marriage Story Carter
Hammer Chris Davis
2021 The Righteous Aaron Smith
Blue Bayou Ace
2023 Seven Veils
2025 The Embers and the Stars TBA [8]
TBA Nuremberg John Amen Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2005–2006 Legends and Lore of the North Atlantic
2005–2007 Kids' CBC Himself
2006 Above and Beyond Drake 2 episodes
2008 The One That Got Away Tommy Palchek TV movie
2010–2014 Republic of Doyle Des Courtney 77 episodes
2011 Warehouse 13 Jerry Hoffler Episode: "Don't Hate the Player"
2012 Diary of a Deadly P.I. Des Courtney 12 episodes
Murdoch Mysteries Jerome Bradley Episode: "Murdoch Night in Canada"
2013 This Hour Has 22 Minutes Des Courtney
2014 Hannibal Randall Tier 2 episodes
Saving Hope Marshall Parker Episode: "Awakenings"
2015–2017 Halt and Catch Fire Tom Rendon 15 episodes
2016–2017 The Last Tycoon Max Miner 9 episodes
2019–2021 City on a Hill Jimmy Ryan 14 episodes
2022–2023 61st Street Officer Johnny Logan Main role
2023 Your Honor Father Jay 3 episodes
Perry Mason Thomas Milligan Recurring role
TBA Copenhagen Cobb Filming

Director, producer and writer

Title Year Credited as Notes Ref(s)
Director Writer Producer Actor Other
Downward Calling 2005 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Short film
Editor
Lying Awake 2006 Yes Yes Yes Yes Short film
Cinematographer, composer and editor
Pretty Girls 2008 No No No Yes Short film
Editor and cinematographer
Brad 2010 No No Yes Yes Yes Short film
Editor
Kathy 2011 Yes No No No No
Better People 2012 Yes No Yes Yes
Sweetieface 2013 No No Yes Yes
Dennis 2015 No No Yes Yes No
Who Is Hanna? Yes No No No No Short film
Wanderer No Yes Yes No
Threshold 2018 Yes No No No
Goalie 2019 No No Yes Yes No
The Righteous 2021 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

References

  1. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (February 19, 2015). "AMC's 'Halt and Catch Fire' Adds Two Cast Members for Season 2". Variety. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  2. ^ Barsanti, Sam (February 19, 2015). "Aleksa Palladino and Mark O'Brien join AMC's Halt And Catch Fire". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  3. ^ "Mark O'Brien cast in AMC's Halt and Catch Fire". CBC.ca. March 1, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  4. ^ Debra Yeo, "Quebec film 'Antigone' wins Canadian Screen Award for Best Motion Picture". Toronto Star, May 28, 2020.
  5. ^ Brent Furdyk, "2022 Canadian Screen Award Nominees Announced, 'Sort Of' & 'Scarborough' Lead The Pack". ET Canada, February 15, 2022.
  6. ^ Debra Yeo (June 3, 2022). "Newfoundland actor Mark O'Brien realizes his filmmaking dream with a thriller about God and damnation". Toronto Star. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  7. ^ Emily Pratt (February 1, 2013). "CBC wedding edition: Mark O'Brien and Georgina Reilly". CBC Live. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
  8. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (November 1, 2024). "Constance Wu, Mark O'Brien & William Fichtner Wrap Under-The-Radar Sci-Fi Pic 'The Embers And The Stars'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
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