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Ian McElhinney

Ian McElhinney

Actor · Born August 19, 1948 (78) · Belfast, Northern Ireland

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee

Ian McElhinney (born 19 August 1948) is a Northern Irish actor and director. He has appeared in many television series in a career spanning more than forty years; notable appearances include Taggart, Hornblower, Cold Feet, and The Tudors. In recent times his best known roles are as Barristan Selmy in Game of Thrones, Morgan Monroe in The Fall, and Granda Joe in Derry Girls.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 19, 1948 (78)
From
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Works as
Actor
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 124 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 19% in 30 days

What are Ian McElhinney's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
33%
Bonds
19%
Survival
18%
Self
15%
Society
7%
Power
6%
Ideas
2%
Justice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma6 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 20 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 6 · Dark 10

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 14 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 10 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Threshold guardian: 2 of 5 analyzed roles.

Threshold guardian
2 of 5
Mentor
2 of 5
Ally
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
18
Melancholic
18
Hopeful
11
Dread
7
Warm
4
Other
16

How their films linger

Thought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ian McElhinney's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 43 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ian McElhinney's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

124 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Committed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Lost Children of Tuam(2026)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Finnegan's Foursome(2026)

    as Jack Finnegan

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Small Town, Big Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 4 episodes · as Reverend Patterson

  • Secrets of The Christmas Market (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Narrator

  • High Country(2024)

    Show 16 episodes · as Sam Dryson

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • The Boys in the Boat(2023)

    as Elderly Joe Rantz

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Last Rifleman(2023)

    as Tom Malcolmson

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • A Small Light(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · as Johannes Kleiman

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as General Jan Dodonna (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • The Ulysses Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Mr. Deasy / Barrister JJ Molloy

  • Suspicion(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Grandad

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • The Outlaws(2021)

    Show 12 episodes · as John Snr

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Bloodlands(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as Adam Corry

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Missing a Note (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as John O'Connell

  • Father Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • Mrs. Wilson(2018)

    Show 3 episodes · as Father Timothy

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Zoo(2017)

    as Mr. Shawcross

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Dave Allen at Peace(2018)

    as Priest

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Krypton(2018)

    Show 20 episodes · as Val-El

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Derry Girls(2018)

    Show 19 episodes · as Granda Joe

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Bad Day for the Cut(2017)

    as Eamon

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Kat & Alfie: Redwater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · as Lance

  • The Journey(2016)

    as Rory O'Suaird

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Rogue One: A Star Wars Story(2016)

    as General Dodonna

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Sacrifice(2016)

    as D.I. McKie

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Truth Commissioner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as James Fenton

  • Rebellion(2016)

    Show 5 episodes · as Edward Butler

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • The Frankenstein Chronicles(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Lenox

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Unforgotten(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Lord Tony Hume

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • A Patch of Fog(2015)

    as Freddie Clarke

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Van Morrison – Up on Cyprus Avenue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Narrator

  • The Death of a Projectionist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Gerry

  • Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Barristan Selmy

  • Babylon(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Maher

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Quirke(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Bill Latimer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • The Fall(2013)

    Show 3 episodes · as Morgan Monroe

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Wodehouse in Exile(2013)

    as Major Cussen

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Ripper Street(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · as Theodore Swift

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Titanic: Blood and Steel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 12 episodes · as Sir Henry Carlton

  • Bomb Squad Men: The Long Walk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Narrator

  • Titanic: Born in Belfast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Narrator

  • Game of Thrones(2011)

    Show 25 episodes · as Barristan Selmy

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Brendan Smyth: Betrayal of Trust(2011)

    as Abbot Smith

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Three Wise Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as David

  • An Old Fashioned Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Sean

  • Leap Year(2010)

    as Priest

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Make it New John (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as John

  • Triage(2009)

    as Ivan

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Scapegoat(2009)

    as H. A. McVeigh QC

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Storyland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Gerard

  • City of Ember(2008)

    as Builder

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Of Best Intentions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • Clay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Father O'Mahoney

  • Fairy Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Vice Chancellor Ralph Graham

  • Closing the Ring(2007)

    as Cathal Thomas

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Tudors(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Pope Clement VII

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Single-Handed(2007)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ex-Garda Sergeant Gerry Driscoll

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Front Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Mikey

  • Rough Diamond(2006)

    Show as Tim Regan

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ko Sharmus

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Omagh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Stanley McCombe

  • On Eagle's Wing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Hornblower: Loyalty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Captain Hammond

  • No Tears (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 4 episodes · as Padraig McFadden

  • Mapmaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Sergeant Devlin

  • Murphy's Law(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Fulton

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Hornblower: Retribution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Captain Hammond

  • Borstal Boy(2000)

    as Verreker

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • In Defence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as DCS David Dillne

  • The King's Wake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Athairne

  • Durango(1999)

    as Vestor McCarthy

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Queer as Folk(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Clive Jones

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Horatio Hornblower: The Fire Ship(1998)

    as Captain Hammond

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Cold Feet(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Bill Williams

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Hornblower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Captain Hammond

  • Touch and Go (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Clive Bevan

  • Maisie Raine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 12 episodes · as C.S. Jack Freeman

  • Silicone Valerie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Actor

  • The Boxer(1997)

    as Reggie Bell

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • This Is the Sea(1997)

    as Da Stokes

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Wokenwell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • Hamlet(1996)

    as Barnardo

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Boy from Mercury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Brother Dowdall

  • Michael Collins(1996)

    as Belfast Detective

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Safe And Sound (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Higgins

  • Small Faces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Actor

  • Life After Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Working out governor

  • Hearts and Minds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 4 episodes · as Alex

  • Beyond Reason (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Smythe QC

  • A Breed of Heroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Father O'Browne

  • Blind Justice(1994)

    as Father Malone

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • A Woman's Guide to Adultery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 3 episodes · as Martin

  • Circles of Deceit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Father Fergal

  • You, Me & Marley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Reggie Devine

  • The Playboys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Joe Cassidy

  • Children of the North (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as O'Hare

  • The Grasscutter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Brian Deeds

  • Hidden Agenda(1990)

    as Jack Cunnigham

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Fools of Fortune (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Stranger

  • Shoot to Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as ACC Trevor Forbes

  • Who Bombed Birmingham? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Sinn Fein leader

  • The Lilac Bus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Billy

  • Reefer and the Model (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Reefer

  • Wipe Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 5 episodes · as Max Raines

  • A Prayer for the Dying(1987)

    as Lodger

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Rockingham Shoot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as John Reilly

  • Brond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · as Kennedy

  • Dead Entry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · as Martin Galbraith

  • Naming the Names (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Mr McBride

  • Lamb(1985)

    as Maguire

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Casualty(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Finch

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • The End of the World Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Architect

  • Shergar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Damien

  • Lovejoy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Ceiran Stow

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Inspector McBride · as Working Out Governor

  • Anne Devlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Maj. Sirr

  • A Woman Calling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Mr Burke

  • Acceptable Levels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Andy

  • Potatohead Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Mousey

  • Angel(1982)

    as Groom

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Mousey

  • Mutant: Year Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as (voice)

  • So You're Going to Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mickey

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 123 titles, 120 of them dated from 1974 to 2026; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

Leap Year (2010)

$33M worldwide

Highest rated

Derry Girls (2018)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Krypton (2018)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19742026

Peak 2016 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting122 of 123: 122 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rdDirecting1 of 123: 1 only directing, 0 with another role

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s18 · acting1990s32 · acting2000s22 · 21 acting · 1 crew2010s34 · acting2020s13 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 24 roles
87970717

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

3 major nominations and no wins, 2012–2015.

  1. 2015
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  2. 2014
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  3. 2012
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Ian McElhinney's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of all 30; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up22
  • 50th to 74th22
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved12
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Finnegan's Foursome (2026)

69th percentile spread · 53% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Game of Thrones (2011)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 19 reviewed titles; fans 84, detractors 58. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Ian McElhinney's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles17–72 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles16–48 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles32–82 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles22–40 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 20 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Ian McElhinney work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ian McElhinney's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Stuart Graham shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles