Maclean Stewart
Encyclopedia
Maclean Stewart is a Northern Irish
actor
and playwright
. He was an original member of The Company Youth Theatre and one of the earliest members of the Rainbow Factory, School of the Performing Arts.
, to Bridgeen Stewart and Dominic McLean. The name change was due to the British Actors' Equity Association
rule that no two actors can share the same name. He chose his parents surnames after a trying a number of unsuitable options.
He trained at the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher education and Queen's University of Belfast
. However, he attributes most of his training to a place called the Rainbow Factory School of the Performing Arts in Belfast. As a member of the Rainbow Factory, he was given the opportunity to train with some of the top practitioners in the business, including Augusto Boal
.
Before he became successful at acting, he was employed in a variety of positions. A video store clerk, a Skateboard shop manager, a security guard and an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician. He also taught drama in various projects around Northern Ireland
and has worked as a video editor. As Paul McLean, he worked for the Belfast Giants
ice hockey
team, as an announcer.
He married Suzanne McShane on 10 December 2004.
. He was meeting a friend, Gerard McCabe
, who was auditioning for the film and was asked to take part three times, he agreed on the third request, which came from the Casting Agent's attractive assistant. A few months and two recalls later, he was given a role in the film, starring alongside Keri Russell
and Brian Cox.
Since then he has worked alongside Dan Aykroyd
, Robbie Coltrane
and Barry Levinson
. He frequently shows up in the quirkier roles, usually cast against type, and has attracted decent reviews from critics worldwide. Recently, he has been working alongside Joe Rea
in advertisements for the Dogs Trust
, as the comedy characters, the Neuter Boys.
Stewart is regularly used as a voice over artist for Radio Commercials. He has also appeared in the BBC Northern Ireland
series Give My Head Peace
.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
. He was an original member of The Company Youth Theatre and one of the earliest members of the Rainbow Factory, School of the Performing Arts.
Personal
Stewart was born in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, to Bridgeen Stewart and Dominic McLean. The name change was due to the British Actors' Equity Association
British Actors' Equity Association
Equity is the trade union for actors, stage managers and models in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1930 by a group of West End performers....
rule that no two actors can share the same name. He chose his parents surnames after a trying a number of unsuitable options.
He trained at the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher education and Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University Belfast is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The university's official title, per its charter, is the Queen's University of Belfast. It is often referred to simply as Queen's, or by the abbreviation QUB...
. However, he attributes most of his training to a place called the Rainbow Factory School of the Performing Arts in Belfast. As a member of the Rainbow Factory, he was given the opportunity to train with some of the top practitioners in the business, including Augusto Boal
Augusto Boal
Augusto Boal was a Brazilian theatre director, writer and politician. He was the founder of Theatre of the Oppressed, a theatrical form originally used in radical popular education movements...
.
Before he became successful at acting, he was employed in a variety of positions. A video store clerk, a Skateboard shop manager, a security guard and an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician. He also taught drama in various projects around Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and has worked as a video editor. As Paul McLean, he worked for the Belfast Giants
Belfast Giants
The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Home games are played at the 7,100-capacity Odyssey Arena in Belfast....
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team, as an announcer.
He married Suzanne McShane on 10 December 2004.
Career
While at the Rainbow Factory, Stewart accidentally walked in to an audition for the teen film Mad About MamboMad About Mambo
Mad About Mambo is a 2000 British/Irish co-production, filmed in Dublin but set in Belfast, written and directed by John Forte. It stars William Ash, Keri Russell and Brian Cox.-Plot summary:...
. He was meeting a friend, Gerard McCabe
Gerard McCabe
Gerard McCabe is a Northern Irish actor. He was an original member of The Company Youth Theatre and one of the earliest members of the Rainbow Factory, School of the Performing Arts.He has two daughters, Caitlin and Ella.-Career:...
, who was auditioning for the film and was asked to take part three times, he agreed on the third request, which came from the Casting Agent's attractive assistant. A few months and two recalls later, he was given a role in the film, starring alongside Keri Russell
Keri Russell
Keri Lynn Russell is an American actress and dancer. After appearing in a number of made-for-television films and series during the mid-1990s, she came to fame for portraying the title role of Felicity Porter on the series Felicity, which ran from 1998 to 2002, and for which she won a Golden Globe...
and Brian Cox.
Since then he has worked alongside Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
, Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr...
and Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Good Morning, Vietnam, Sleepers and Rain Man.-Early life:...
. He frequently shows up in the quirkier roles, usually cast against type, and has attracted decent reviews from critics worldwide. Recently, he has been working alongside Joe Rea
Joe Rea
Joe Rea is a Northern Irish actor based in Belfast. He has appeared in such films as Mad About Mambo and Resurrection Man.He recently starred in the Dogs Trust commercials, The Neuter Boys with longtime friend, Maclean Stewart.-External links:...
in advertisements for the Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust, formerly known as the National Canine Defence League, is an animal welfare charity and humane society in the United Kingdom which specialises in the wellbeing of dogs. The charity rehabilitates and finds new homes for dogs which have been abandoned or given up by their owners...
, as the comedy characters, the Neuter Boys.
Stewart is regularly used as a voice over artist for Radio Commercials. He has also appeared in the BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
series Give My Head Peace
Give My Head Peace
Give My Head Peace was a satirical television comedy series on BBC Northern Ireland that pokes fun at political parties, paramilitary groups and the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland...
.
Filmography
- Holy Cross (2003)
- On The Nose (2001)
- An Everlasting Piece (2000)
- Mad About MamboMad About MamboMad About Mambo is a 2000 British/Irish co-production, filmed in Dublin but set in Belfast, written and directed by John Forte. It stars William Ash, Keri Russell and Brian Cox.-Plot summary:...
(2000) - The Most Fertile Man in Ireland (1999)