Samuel
Barnett

30s-40s, Yorkshire, Northern, Neutral
Home recording facility available
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Samuel Barnett is a two-time Tony Award nominated leading actor who has worked extensively across screen, stage, radio, audio and video games. He is best known for playing the title role in Netflix/BBCAmerica’s ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency’.  He is outstanding on stage, winning a major award at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival, and he particularly shines in his comedy roles. 

2024 saw him guest starring in British rom-com 'And Mrs', playing hilariously camp legal assistant Alan in the film which starred Aisling Bea and was described as "the perfect tear-jerker comedy". 

In 2022 he starred as Ryan Edwards in BBC One's crime drama ‘Four Lives’, based on the true story of the Barking murders, alongside Stephen Marchant and Sheridan Smith.  Also in 2022 he starred in 'Straight Line Crazy' opposite Ralph Fiennes, at the Bridge Theatre, London, in a new play by David Hare, directed by Nicholas Hytner.

Later that year he made his Edinburgh Festival debut starring in the stripped back one-man play 'Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen', in a part that was written specifically for him.  The dark comedy-drama was presented in the form of a stand-up gig and revolved around a permanently single, professionally neurotic stand-up comedian and his potential Mr Right.  The play was critically acclaimed at the Festival and received a number of 5 star reviews and notable awards including a coveted 'Edinburgh Award' from The Stage and a prestigious 'Fringe First' Award from The Scotsman. Amongst his many 5 star reviews his performance was described as “mesmerising, flawless” (StageWire), “supremely talented” (The Skinny) and “the next Fleabag” (The Telegraph).  The play went on to win the Solo Performance in a Play Award at the 2024 Offies (Off West End Theatre Awards) and also had a sell-out run at London's Bush Theatre. 

He also starred as Renfield in Showtime’s ‘Penny Dreadful’ (available on Now TV).  Other notable credits include roles in the BBC comedy ‘Twenty Twelve’, Sky's Urban Myths - Les Dawson’s Parisienne Adventure’ and 2015 feature film ‘The Lady in the Van’.  

He has a string of award nominations for his work on stage, most notably a Tony Award nomination for his stage performance in ‘The History Boys', playing the role of 'Posner' which he also reprised in the screen version. This performance also earned him nominations for an Olivier award and a BIFA, as well as winning a Drama Desk Award and two WhatsOnStage awards (for Best Supporting Actor and Best Newcomer).  His role as Viola in 'Twelfth Night' on Broadway in 2013-2014 earned him a second Tony Award nomination for Best Actor. In 2024 he starred as the lead in 'Ben and Imo' at Stratford-upon-Avon's Swan Theatre, playing musical genius Benjamin Britten, one of the 20th Century's greatest composers. 

He has voiced a number of video games including ‘Cyberpunk 2077’, ‘Amnesia: Rebirth’ and ‘Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition’. 

Sam's native accent is light Yorkshire which he can strengthen or neutralise on request. He is best known as having a neutral/RP accent from his role as Dirk Gently. He is well practiced in standard American & has used it for 'John Adams’ (HBO), ‘Alexander Hamilton’ (PBS) and ‘Jupiter Ascending’ (the Wachowskis for Warner Bros).

Age Range

30s-40s

Accents

Yorkshire*, Northern, Neutral

Styles

Comedy, Characterful, Natural Reads, Regional, Energetic, Home Studio, Audiobook Experience, Legals, Warm, Animated Characters, Dry

Singing Ability

Confident

Credits

And Mrs (Film, 2024) – 'Alan', Vertigo Releasing/Universal Pictures
Ben and Imo (Theatre, 2024) – 'Benjamin Britten', Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen (Edinburgh Festival 2022 & Bush Theatre 2023) (Theatre, 2022-2023) – 'Comedian', Edinburgh Festival & Bush Theatre
Straight Line Crazy (Theatre, 2022) – 'Ariel Porter', Bridge Theatre, London
Four Lives (TV, 2022) – 'Ryan Edwards', BBC
The Prince (Animation, 2020) – 'Douglas/Sebastian', HBO
Urban Myths - Les Dawson's Parisienne Adventure (TV, 2020) – 'Brian', Sky Arts
Allelujah (The Bridge Theatre, 2018) (Theatre, 2018) – 'Colin', Bridge Theatre
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV, 2016-2017) – 'Dirk Gently', BBC America/Netflix
Penny Dreadful (TV, 2014-2016) – 'Renfield', Showtime/Sky Atlantic, Season 3
The Lady in the Van (Film, 2015) – 'Donald', BBC Films/Tristar Pictures
Not Safe for Work (TV, 2015) – 'Nathaniel Pierce', Clerkenwell Films/Channel 4
Twelfth Night (Broadway, 2014) (Theatre, 2013-2014) – 'Viola, Belasco Theatre Broadway, directed by Tim Carroll
Twelfth Night (Shakespeare's Globe & the Apollo Theatre, 2012-2013) (Theatre, 2012-2013) – 'Sebastian', Shakespeare's Globe & Apollo Theatre, West End
Twenty Twelve (TV, 2012) – 'Daniel Stroud', BBC, Series 2
The History Boys (film) (Film, 2006) – 'Posner', BBC Films
The History Boys (play) (Theatre, 2004-2006) – 'Posner', Royal National Theatre, International Tour and Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway

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Showreel Videos

Visual Showreel
Trailer: Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
History Boys: Bewitched (singing)
Not Safe For Work 'Happy Leaving Day'
Twenty Twelve ' The Future of the Olympic Stadium'

Samuel Barnett voiceover news

Omari Douglas and Samuel Barnett star in loveable new British rom-com ‘And Mrs’ which is out on digital platforms from today
2nd Sep 2024
It sees Aisling Bea as Gemma, who launches a nation-dividing legal battle to marry her recently deceased fiancé. Described by one critic as “the perfect tear-jerker comedy”, it was a huge hit at last month's Edinburgh Film Festival.
Samuel Barnett stars in 'Outings', a collection of capitvating coming-out stories, at North London's King's Head Theatre on Sunday 9th June
6th Jun 2024
The "funny and soul-bearing" play is part of the theatre's Pride Month celebrations and is performed by a different star-studded cast each night.
Sutara Gayle and Samuel Barnett both won major awards at last night’s Offies (Off West End Theatre Awards)
26th Feb 2024
Sutara won Best Performance Piece for her self-penned one-woman show ’The Legends of Them’ and Samuel won Best Solo Performance in a Play for one-man show ‘Feeling Afraid Something As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen’.
New play 'Ben and Imo' opens tonight at Stratford-Upon-Avon's Swan Theatre, starring Samuel Barnett
21st Feb 2024
He plays composer Benjamin Britten, one of the 20th Century's greatest musical minds, who has been commissioned to write a new opera to celebrate the Queen's coronation in 1953.
Samuel Barnett stars as composer Benjamin Britten in 'Ben and Imo', playing at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 21st February
29th Jan 2024
First look preview trailer has just been released for the powerful new play about two of the 20th Century’s most brilliant musical minds.
Samuel Barnett, Loreece Harrison, Agness Nyama and Shai Matheson star in the newly released Doctor Who audio drama ‘The War Master: Rogue Encounters’
13th Nov 2023
The four-parter is available now from Big Finish Productions.
Samuel Barnett’s one-man hit show ‘Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen' opens at London’s Bush Theatre tonight
10th Nov 2023
Winner of the 2022 Fringe First Award and the 2022 The Stage Edinburgh Award, the “faultless” and “extraordinary” play runs until 23 December.
Samuel Barnett stars as Aimwell in The Beaux' Stratagem, originally staged in 2015 but available to stream from today from National Theatre at Home.
23rd Nov 2022
Described by the Guardian as ‘exuberant fun’ the play is a wild comedy about love and money in 18th Century England.
Samuel Barnett and Amy Gledhill have both received top accolades for their Edinburgh shows
26th Aug 2022
Samuel has just received a coveted 'Festival First' Award from The Scotsman and Amy has received two Dave Comedy Award nominations - one for each of her Edinburgh shows.
Samuel Barnett is "absolutely terrific" in Edinburgh Festival hit one man show 'Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen'
15th Aug 2022
The Stage have awarded him their first 'Edinburgh Award' of this year's Festival for his "remarkable" performance.
David Hare's exhilarating new play Straight Line Crazy is to be broadcast live to UK cinemas next week, starring Ralph Fiennes and Samuel Barnett
19th May 2022
The play has been positively received by critics, including a 5 star review from the Guardian, since it opened in March at London's Bridge Theatre.
Samuel Barnett will make his Edinburgh Fringe debut this year in a new one-man play 'Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen'
6th May 2022
The dark comedy drama has been written specifically for Samuel by award-winning playwright Marcelo Dos Santos.
Samuel Barnett to star alongside Ralph Fiennes in Straight Line Crazy which previews from tonight at the Bridge Theatre
14th Mar 2022
Tony and Olivier nominated Samuel will star as Ariel Porter in David Hare's new play about Robert Moses, one of the most powerful men in mid-twentieth-century New York.
New BBC crime drama Four Lives featuring Samuel Barnett, Daniel Ryan and Milo Twomey gets outstanding reviews from critics
4th Jan 2022
The first episode of the true crime drama aired on BBC One last night with all episodes available now on iPlayer.
Samuel Barnett, Daniel Ryan and Milo Twomey all to appear in the highly anticipated new BBC crime drama Four Lives
14th Dec 2021
The BBC have released the first trailer of the 3 part crime drama, which is based on the true story of the Barking murders, and will air on consecutive nights on BBC One from Monday 3rd January.