Born:
November 14, 1959
in
Liverpool
Best Known For:
Withnail and I.
Early-life:
Born in Liverpool on November 14, 1959, into a staunchly Catholic family. He was the second of his parents' five surviving children - he had older twin brothers but one died at birth. His mother was a teacher, and his dad was a metallurgist - both parents encouraged all their children to develop their interests as much as possible. His first ambition was to become an astronaut, and didn't decide to be an actor until he was 20. He was persuaded by a teacher to try performing, and went on to study at Rada.
Career:
McGann started out on stage, eventually making his TV debut in the 1983 series Give Us a Break, but it only lasted for one series. He became a household name in 1987, thanks to acclaimed TV drama The Monocled Mutineer and has achieved long-lasting fame thanks to a starring role in cult 1986 film Withnail and I. He went on to appear in Alien 3, Our Mutual Friend, Nature Boy and Queen of the Damned. McGann also became the eighth Time Lord when he appeared in the 1996 Doctor Who film. Another notable appearance came in The Hanging Gale, a drama about the Irish potato famine which co-starred his three brothers. He's cropped up in several Hornblower dramas, plus Poirot, Marple, acclaimed drama True Dare Kiss and the last-ever episode of Waking the Dead.
Quote:
"I don't want to be remembered as the George Lazenby of Doctor Who."
Trivia:
He reprised his role as Doctor Who in 2013 mini-episode The Night of the Doctor.