Ian McShane

British actor Ian McShane had a long, venerable career, though for most of it he remained unknown to American audiences, despite frequent appearances on television and in movies. One of his better known roles - as the smooth-talking criminal mastermind Teddy Bass in Jonathan Glazer's stylish crime thriller, "Sexy Beast" (2001) - allowed McShane a proper introduction. Though most of the accolades went to fellow Englishman Ben Kingsley for his scathing performance as the barking-mad bank robber Don Logan, McShane received his share of good notices for his portrayal of the sinister financier of a heist that eventually goes bad. But his most recognized and rewarded role came 42 years after his first onscreen performance. Playing the beguiling Al Swearengen, a cruel, calculating saloon owner on the acclaimed Western revival, "Deadwood" (HBO, 2003-06), McShane had the chance to play what the actor called "the best role I ever had," while finally making himself a household name. Following that success, McShane moved into a comfortable string of character roles on series including "Ray Donovan" (Showtime 2013- ) and "Game of Thrones" (HBO 2011- ).