

Scottish actor Mark Bonnar started acting on stage in the 1990s and made his screen debut in 2001 with an episode of television series âRebusâ. This was followed by roles in TV series 'Wire in the Blood' (2002) and âAfterlifeâ (2005) as well as TV movie âLoving Youâ (2003). In 2005, he began appearing in the role of Bruno Jenkins in BBC Oneâs medical drama series âCasualtyâ and continued with it till 2006. In 2007, he was seen in the role of Ray Moore in ITV's police procedural series âThe Billâ (8 episodes) and thereafter, in 2009, played the part of D.S. Ben Holt in the BBC's science fiction police drama miniseries 'Paradox'. During this period, he also acted in the TV movie 'The Trial of Tony Blair' (2007), the two-part TV drama 'Britz' (2007) as well as an episode each of TV miniseries documentary 'Spies, Lies and the Superbomb' (2007) and TV series âThe Inspector Lynley Mysteriesâ (2007) and âPhoneShopâ (2010). Additionally, he acted in a couple of episodes each of TV series âTaggartâ (2003, 2010) and âDoctor Whoâ (2011) and appeared as himself in the 2 episodes of TV series documentary âDoctor Who Confidentialâ (2011) too.
After this, Mark Bonnar was roped in to play the role of Detective Finney in the psychological horror thriller black comedy mystery series âPsychovilleâ (2011, 6 episodes). A couple of years later, in 2013, he became a part of the BBC Scotland crime drama series âShetlandâ. Based on the novels of the Ann Cleeves (British mystery and crime writer), the series has him in the role of Duncan Hunter. He has appeared in all the seven series of the show till 2022 (30 episodes). In 2014, he landed yet another significant role of his career â that of the corrupt police officer DCC Michael Dryden in the second season of BBCâs police procedural series âLine of Dutyâ (6 episodes). The series received critical acclaim and won him his first nomination at the 'BAFTA Awards Scotland' (for Best Actor in Television). Mark Bonnar won his second nomination at the 'BAFTA Awards Scotland', in the same category, for his portrayal of the character of Chris in Channel 4âs comedy series âCatastropheâ. The series aired its first two seasons in 2015 following which the third and fourth seasons were telecasted in 2017 and 2019 respectively. During this time, he was seen in television miniseries âJekyll & Hydeâ (2015) and âUndercoverâ (2016) as well as television series âNew Bloodâ (2016) too. In the first, he played the role of Lord Protheroe while in the second one, he portrayed the part of John Halliday. In the last of these, he played the role of Peter Mayhew, the government health advisor. In addition, he played the role of Officer Meekie in both the TV movie (2016) and sitcom (2017) âPorridgeâ.
In 2017, he played the role of the criminal barrister Colin Osborne in the second season of ITV crime drama series âUnforgottenâ. The series received critical acclaim and bagged Mark Bonnar his first âBAFTA Scotland Awardâ for Best Actor â Television. The same year, he was also seen in the roles of Gary Carmichael in the four-part psychological thriller miniseries âApple Tree Yardâ, and Eric Morecambe in the drama TV film âEric, Ernie and Meâ. For his work in âUnforgottenâ, âEric, Ernie and Meâ, âCatastropheâ and âApple Tree Yardâ, he received the âBroadcasting Press Guild Awardâ for Best Actor. The next year, he was seen in the third season of Channel 4âs critically acclaimed science fiction television series âHumansâ. In it, he played the role of Neil Sommer, a charming scientist on a government commission.
From 2019 to 2021, Mark Bonnar played the leading role of Max in two seasons of the critically acclaimed and successful thriller mystery series 'Guilt'. The show bagged him yet another nomination at the âBAFTA Scotland Awardâ for Best Actor â Television. In 2019 again, he played the role of Field in BBC's six-episode Cold War miniseries 'Summer of Rockets', and Miles in three episodes of another television series titled âDefending the Guiltyâ. In 2020, he played the character of Paul Smith in three-episode drama series âQuizâ. All three shows, once again, received positive reviews from critics. Other television projects in which he acted since 2012 include TV series âPlayhouse Presentsâ (2012), âTwenty Twelveâ (2012), âThe Paradiseâ (2012), âSilent Witnessâ (2013), âCase Historiesâ (2013), âThe Great Scottâ (2013), âLaw & Order: UKâ (2014), âGrantchesterâ (2014), âMidsomer Murdersâ (2015), âVeraâ (2015), âHome Firesâ (2015) and âUrban Mythsâ (2018).
In his career, Mark Bonnar has acted in several films too. These include âX Moorâ (2014), âCamera Trapâ (2014), âAll the Ordinary Angelsâ (2015), âSunset Songâ (2015), âBillionaire Ransomâ (2016), âSay My Nameâ (2018), âThe Kid Who Would Be Kingâ (2019) and âOperation Mincemeatâ (2021). The last of these was a war drama film which had him in the role of Jock Horsfall. The movie received favourable reviews from critics and earned him yet another nomination at the âBAFTA Scotland Awardâ (Best Actor â Film).
Mark Bonnar has also lent his voice in several projects. These include the 2020 short animated TV movie âZog and the Flying Doctorsâ (role: Unicorn) and the 2021 animated TV series âThe Brilliant World of Tom Gatesâ (role: Mr. Fullerman). He has narrated the TV series documentary called âDispatchesâ (2008), the documentary short âAmazing Mighty Micro Monstersâ (2015), the documentary âWild Flight: Conquest of the Skies 3Dâ (2016) and the TV miniseries documentary âThe Forestâ (2018) too. In 2017-2018, he appeared as a himself/storyteller in the TV series short âCBeebies Bedtime Storyâ, and read bedtime stories in various episodes. In addition, he has lent his voice in several video games as well like âAssassin's Creed IV: Black Flagâ (2013, role: Edward Blackbeard Thatch), âSword Coast Legendsâ (2015, role: Izhkin), âBattlefield 1â (2016, role: Townsend) and âAssassin's Creed Valhallaâ (2020, role: King Ceolwulf/Cynon).