Most successful Irish-born actors for 2024 revealed

The top Irish actors of 2024 have been revealed - with Andrew Scott and Colin Farrell winning joint first place. 

From up-and-coming stars such as Paul Mescal and  Barry Keoghan to Bond legend Pierce Brosnan, the 13 most successful Irish-born actors of the year have been ranked by Betfair Casino.

The actors were ranked based on an index score created using their total number of films and TV programs, award wins, and nominations from IMDb and Instagram hashtags.

It’s no surprise the much-loved Andrew Scott came out on top, alongside the award-winning Colin Farrell. While Andrew’s career has gone from strength to strength since his appearances in "Sherlock" and "Fleabag," Colin is well-known for his performances in the likes of "In Bruges" and "The Banshees of Inisherin" - with the pair taking the joint winning spot. 

Following his epic BAFTA win for his lead performance in "Oppenheimer," Cillian Murphy followed behind in second place. Cillian is also well-known for his portrayal of Thomas Shelby in the hit BBC series "Peaky Blinders" - which received critical acclaim. In third place was Academy Award-winning Brendan Gleeson and Pierce Brosnan.

Barry Keoghan was named the fourth most successful actor following his performance in "Saltburn." Meanwhile, "Normal People" actor Paul Mescal wasn’t far behind as many prepare for his performance in the much anticipated "Gladiator II" - directed by Ridley Scott. 

Chris O’Dowd, Aiden Gillen and Domhnall Gleeson were also among other Irish-born stars in the top 10.  

Most successful Irish-born actors ranked:

1. Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott is well known for his portrayal of The Priest in Phoebe Waller Bridge’s "Fleabag." He has also starred in films "1917" and "All Of Us Strangers" - which saw him receiving a Golden Globe nomination. 

Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell’s first acting role saw him in the TV show "Ballykissangel" before making his debut film appearance in "The War Zone." His first leading role was in "Tigerland," and his most standout role was in "In Bruges" - which saw him win a Golden Globe. Other films include "The Lobster" and "The Banshees of Inisherin," for which he won another Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. 

2. Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy is most well-known for his portrayal of Thomas Shelby in the hit BBC series "Peaky Blinders" - which received critical acclaim. Cillian won a Golden Globe for his outstanding performance in Christopher Nolan’s "Oppenheimer" last year, but was also nominated for another Golden Globe for his role in "Breakfast on Pluto."

3. Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan is well known for a number of his acting roles -  including James Bond - with two Golden Globe Awards for "Nancy Astor" and "The Matador."

Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson is known for many roles over the years. Some of his films include "Braveheart," "Gangs of New York," "The General," "In Bruges" and "The Banshees of Inisherin" - which saw him receive a nomination for the Academy Award. 

4. Barry Keoghan

Barry Keoghan is known as an actor after gaining recognition for his roles in Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" and Yorgos Lanthimos's "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" as well as "Eternals", and "Calm with Horses." More recently, he won a BAFTA for his performance in "The Banshees of Inisherin" as well as gaining BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for his portrayal of Oliver Quick in "Saltburn."

5. Liam Cunningham

Liam Cunningham is well known for playing Davos Seaworth in "Game of Thrones." He also shares a BAFTA award with Michael Fassbender, for their roles in "Pitch Black Heist." Other big film roles include "The Crooked Man" and "The Escapist."

Domhnall Gleeson

Domhnall Gleeson, son of Brendan Gleeson, is well known for his leading role in the rom-com "About Time" - which saw him star alongside Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy and Margot Robbie.

 Paul Mescal

Paul Mescal is set to appear in "Gladiator II," directed by Ridley Scott, after rising to fame with his role as Connell in the BBC drama "Normal People," alongside Daisy Edgar Jones - which earned him a BAFTA TV Award and a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award. He has gone on to perform in films "Aftersun," "Foe," and "All Of Us Strangers."

6. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is well known for his work in the likes of "The Tudors," alongside Natalie Dormer. 

7. Chris O’Dowd

Chris O’Dowd is most well known for playing Roy Trenneman in the Channel 4 comedy "The IT Crowd."

8. Aiden Gillen 

Aiden Gillen is best known for portraying Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish in "Game of Thrones," but was also recently seen in "Peaky Blinders" alongside Cillian Murphy. 

9. Aiden Turner

Born in Dublin, Aiden began his acting career in RTE medical drama "The Clinic." He's also known for "Poldark" and "The Hobbit" movies.