Daniel Mays

Daniel Mays (born 31 March 1978) is an English actor having had roles in EastEnders (2000), Pearl Harbor, All or Nothing, Vera Drake (2001), Rehab (2005), Shifty, Red Riding (2008), Made in Dagenham, Ashes to Ashes (2010), Outcasts (2011), Mrs Biggs, Byzantium (2012), Line of Duty, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Des and White Lines (2020). Mays has been nominated for best supporting actor at both the BIFA's (2008), and the BAFTA's (2017), as well as having extensive experience in theatre. Early life Born in Epping, Essex, the third of four boys, Mays was brought up in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, by his electrician father and bank cashier mother. He attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts before going on to become a student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 2000 with an Acting (RADA Diploma). Acting career In 2000, Mays debut role was a slot in EastEnders. Mays started his big screen career in 2001, as a pilot in the movie Pearl Harbor. His big break happened in 2002, when Mike Leigh cast him in both All or Nothing and Vera Drake, and Mays has said that working with Leigh was a big influence, advising that no stone be unturned when creating truly believable characters.