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Matt Wilkinson (actor)

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Not to be confused with the Australian surfer Matt Wilkinson.

Matt Wilkinson
NationalityBritish
Occupations
  • playwright
  • director
  • voice artist
Years active1995–present

Matt Wilkinson is a writer, director, voice artist.

Acting

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Wilkinson trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and has performed in theatre, film, television and animation.

Early theatre work included Alan Bennett's The Wind in the Willows (Old Vic, 1996) directed by Jeremy Sams, and in 1997 The Warp for Ken Campbell (Barnet), Take Away (Lyric Hammersmith) and The Birds (The Gate). He was also seen in The Gift (BBC)[1] directed by Danny Hiller.

In 1998 he played Torvald in A Doll's House (Harrogate) and performed in Playing Hide and Seek with Jesus by Richard Herring (Pleasance, Edinburgh) directed by Jeremy Herrin.[2] More film work included The Avengers (Warner Bros),[3] The Jolly Boys' Last Stand with Andy Serkis and Sacha Baron Cohen[4] and The Tichborne Claimant directed by David Yates[5] (both Bigger Picture Company).

In 1999 David Hayman directed him in Harbour Lights II (BBC)[6] and over the next few years Wilkinson took roles in The Mystery of Men (BBC),[7] It's a Girl Thing (Channel 4), Shackleton (Channel 4), Ali G Inda House and About a Boy (both Working Title).[8][9] In 2003 he performed in Hideki Noda's play Red Demon (Young Vic, London).[10] Parts followed in V for Vendetta (Warner Bros. 2005),[11] The Message (BBC 2006)[12] and Finkle in Finkle's Odyssey (Large Films, 2006).[13]

In 2011 he played Trigorin in The Seagull at the Arcola Theatre, London with Geraldine James.[14]

Voice

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Since 2009, Wilkinson has contributed over 20 characters to Thomas & Friends (HIT Entertainment) including Rocky, Spencer, Kevin, Charlie, Stanley, Scruff, Cranky, Butch and Farmer McColl in the UK dub as well as Rusty, Diesel 10, Merrick, Winston and Ben (since Season 22) in both dubs.[15]

His first animation was playing Weasel on Watership Down (CITV, 1999).[16] Other work includes Empire Square (Channel 4, 2006)[17] created and directed by Dave Rowntree from Blur, The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky (Channel 5, 2007),[18] Boris, Zed et al. in 64 Zoo Lane (CBBC, 2009),[19] Bunny Maloney in Bunny Maloney (MoonScoop, 2009),[20] Trust Me I'm A Genie (Millimages, 2011),[21] Justin and the Knights of Valor (Kandor, 2013),[22] rude-boy Stevie in The Unbeatables (Universal, 2014)[23] and Mr. Fuzzy in 101 Dalmatian Street (Disney, 2019).[24]

He narrated Cops With Cameras (ITV)[25] and voiced Scott in Blizzard: Race to the Pole (BBC, 2006).[26] Wilkinson is probably best known to gamers as Murmur in EA's Hellgate:London, Frida in LittleBigPlanet (PS4), Alexander the Great in Total War: Arena and Felix and Gor-Rok in Total War: Warhammer II (Creative Assembly).

Wilkinson has voiced numerous commercials for TV, radio and socials including the iconic If Carlsberg did...[27]

Writing and Directing

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In 2002 Wilkinson wrote and directed his first play Sun is Shining[28] about a turbulent love affair between a British Chinese city trader and a Glaswegian artist. A sell-out at the Kings Head Theatre, London and BAC Time Out Critics' Choice season (2003), it transferred to the Brits Off Broadway Festival at 59E59 Theaters in New York City in 2004.[29]

In 2003 Wilkinson co-adapted Red Demon for Hideki Noda. It played at the Young Vic and Theatre Cocoon, Tokyo.[30] In 2005 he directed Jake Broder in His Royal Hipness Lord Buckley at the Zam Zam Room (PizzaExpress Jazz Club, London). Red Sea Fish (Brighton Dome Studio Theatre and 59E59 Theaters, New York) was staged in 2009.[31]

Since 2015 Wilkinson has collaborated with producer Pádraig Cusack on all his projects. That year he wrote and directed My Eyes Went Dark at the Finborough Theatre.[32] Starring Cal MacAninch and Thusitha Jayasundera it was nominated for three Off West End Awards including Best Play. The production transferred to the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh 2016 and 59E59 Theaters New York 2017.[33][34]

In 2021 he wrote and directed Psychodrama as a pop-up in North London. It was nominated for OffWestEnd Awards for Lead Performance in a Play: Emily Bruni and Sound Design: Gareth Fry.[35] The show transferred to the Traverse Theatre for the Edinburgh Fringe 2022. Nominated for OffFest Award for Best Theatre.[36]

In 2024 Wilkinson directed the UK premiere of The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp at Traverse Theatre as part of the Edinburgh Fringe.[37]

References

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  1. ^ "The Gift". IMDb. 5 July 1998.
  2. ^ "Downloads". Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  3. ^ "The Avengers (1998) - IMDb". IMDb.
  4. ^ "The Jolly Boys' Last Stand". 21 August 2000.
  5. ^ "Matthew Wilkinson - BFI Filmography". Archived from the original on 21 June 2019.
  6. ^ "West Bay, Bridport, Dorset - Events and Information".
  7. ^ "The Mystery of Men (TV Movie 1999) - IMDb". IMDb.
  8. ^ "Matthew Wilkinson - BFI Filmography". Archived from the original on 21 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Ali G Indahouse (2002) - IMDb". IMDb.
  10. ^ "Red Demon, Young Vic, London". TheGuardian.com. 4 February 2003.
  11. ^ "Matthew Wilkinson". Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  12. ^ "The Message[21/06/2006] (2006)". Archived from the original on 21 June 2019.
  13. ^ "British Council Film: Finkle's Odyssey".
  14. ^ ""The Seagull" at the Arcola Theatre". 5 November 2014.
  15. ^ "Matt Wilkinson (Visual voices guide)".
  16. ^ "Watership Down". IMDb. 28 September 1999.
  17. ^ "Empire Square". IMDb.
  18. ^ "The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky".
  19. ^ "64 Zoo Lane (TV Series 1999–2013) - IMDb". IMDb.
  20. ^ "Bunny Maloney Episode Guide -Moonscoop @ BCDB".[dead link]
  21. ^ "Trust Me I'm a Genie". IMDb. 2 May 2011.
  22. ^ "Justin and the Knights of Valour (2013) - IMDb". IMDb.
  23. ^ "Film of the week: The Unbeatables | Sight & Sound". British Film Institute. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  24. ^ "101 Dalmatian Street (TV Series 2018–2020) - IMDb". IMDb.
  25. ^ "Cops with Cameras Season 2". Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  26. ^ "Blizzard: Race to the Pole". IMDb.
  27. ^ "'If Carlsberg did haircuts' TV spot continues beer brand's fantasy meme". Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  28. ^ Thorpe, Ashley; Yeh, Diana (9 July 2018). Contesting 'British Chinese' Culture. Springer. ISBN 9783319711591.
  29. ^ "'Brits off Broadway' Festival is Rare Glimpse at New Work from UK, Continuing in NYC to July 4". 9 April 2004.
  30. ^ "Red Demon, Young Vic, London". TheGuardian.com. 4 February 2003.
  31. ^ "RED SEA FISH Kicks off the 2009 BRITS OFF BROADWAY Festival at 59E59 Theaters 11/3".
  32. ^ "My Eyes Went Dark review – unleashing the power of vengeance". September 2015.[dead link]
  33. ^ "My Eyes Went Dark". 28 August 2015.
  34. ^ "My Eyes Went Dark, theatre review: High-octane acting transcends its stage". 10 September 2015.
  35. ^ "Review: Psychodrama, Never for Ever (Formerly Pizza East)".
  36. ^ "Psychodrama". Traverse Theatre. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  37. ^ "The Sound Inside". Traverse Theatre. 28 July 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
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