Andrew Connolly

Andrew Connolly is an Irish stage, screen, and film actor and director, born in Dublin, Ireland, on 30 November 1965. He grew up in the Finglas and Ringsend areas of the city. At sixteen, Connolly left school to spend seven months in the Merchant Navy, followed by an eighteen-month period in the Irish Navy, before returning to Dublin and becoming involved in the Dublin Youth Theatre.

Connolly launched his screen career in 1985 with a recurring role in the RTÉ television series Inside. His first film role came three years later, appearing opposite Gabriel Byrne in The Courier. Through the 1990s he took on a number of prominent projects, among them the 1993 film adaptation of Tom Clancy's Patriot Games. In 1995 he earned a Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of an abusive soldier in Guiltrip.

In 1997, Connolly relocated to Los Angeles with his wife, actress Karen Woodley, and their two children. He subsequently appeared in several notable American television series, including Lost, Heroes, and The Closer. In 2003 he wrote and directed the short film Flush, and in 2008 he made his feature film directorial debut with Quest for the Meaning of Life. He also provided the voice and likeness of Captain James Donnelly in the video game L.A. Noire, and later played ex-con Paddy Bishop in the soap opera Fair City.

Connolly made his Broadway debut in 2006 in The Lieutenant of Inishmore. His stage work was recognized with a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance in 2009.