Douglas Henshall
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- November 19, 1965 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK
- Active Years
- 1972–2026 (55 Years)
- Total Credits
- 76 credits in database
Biography
Douglas James Henshall is a Scottish actor born in Glasgow, Scotland on November 19, 1965. He is the youngest of three children, with two older sisters, born to a nurse mother and a salesman father. He grew up in Barrhead, where he attended Barrhead High School, and later joined The Scottish Youth Theatre in Glasgow after a friend invited him. Following his school years, he trained at Mountview Theatre School in London and subsequently joined the 7:84 theater company in Glasgow. He returned to live in London and gained critical acclaim for his stage work, including productions of Life of Stuff at the Donmar Warehouse in 1993 and American Buffalo at the Young Vic in 1997. He is best known for portraying Professor Nick Cutter in the science fiction series Primeval and Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez in the crime drama Shetland.
Career overview
Douglas James Henshall is a Scottish actor born in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 19, 1965. Growing up in Barrhead, he attended Barrhead High School, where a friend invited him to join The Scottish Youth Theatre based in Glasgow. After leaving school, he moved to London to train at Mountview Theatre School. Following his training, he returned to Glasgow and joined the 7:84 theater company. He eventually moved back to London, where he earned critical acclaim for his stage work, including performances in Life of Stuff at the Donmar Warehouse in 1993 and American Buffalo at the Young Vic in 1997.
In his screen career, Henshall is best known for notable television roles. He portrayed Professor Nick Cutter in the science fiction series Primeval from 2007 to 2011. He is also widely recognized for playing Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez in the crime drama series Shetland, a role spanning from 2013 to 2025.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
76 titles- One of Us (2026)
- The Revenge Club (2025) as Steve
- The Darkness (2024) as Petur
- Who Is Erin Carter? (2023) as Daniel Long
- Murder Is Easy (2023) as Major Horton
- Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (2022) as Self
- Wednesday (2020)
- Susan Hill's Ghost Story (2019) as Adam Snow
- Power to the People (2019) as Narrator
- Orphans Reunited (2019)
- Secret Agent Selection: WW2 (2018) as Narrator
- Mountain: Life at the Extreme (2017) as Narrator
- Mountain: Life at the Extreme (2017) Video Assist Operator
- In Plain Sight (2016) as William Muncie
- Black Work (2015) as DCS Hepburn
- Iona (2015) as Daniel
- Outlander (2014) as Taran MacQuarrie
- The Salvation (2014) as Sheriff Mallick
- Scotland In A Day (2014)
- Shetland (2013) as DI Jimmy Perez
- Playhouse Presents (2012) as Harker
- The Secret of Crickley Hall (2012) as Augustus Cribben
- The Snipist (2012) as Harker
- Doors Open (2012) as Mike Mackenzie
- The Kidnap Diaries (2012) as Sean Langan
- The Eagle (2011) as Cradoc
- South Riding (2011) as Joe Astell
- How I Was Stolen by the Germans (2011) as Werner Kraus
- The Silence (2010) as Jim
- Dorian Gray (2009) as Alan Campbell
- Collision (2009) as D.I. John Tolin
- French Film (2008) as Marcus
- Primeval: Through the Anomaly (2008) as Self
- Lewis (2007) as Alex Gansa
- Primeval (2007) as Nick Cutter
- Lezioni di volo (2007) as Aarto
- The Making of Primeval (2007) as Self
- Ripley Under Ground (2005) as Derwatt
- The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan Doyle (2005) as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Sea of Souls (2004) as Robert Dunbar
- Frances Tuesday (2004) as Lucas Pilgrim
- It's All About Love (2003) as Michael
- Loving You (2003) as Dan
- Ultimate Fights from the Movies (2002) as Davis Dawson (Crossing the Line) (archive footage)
- Lawless Heart (2002) as Tim
- Silent Cry (2002) as Daniel Stone
- Gentlemen's Relish (2001) as Cromwell Marsh
- Anna Karenina (2000) as Levin
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Winds of Change (2000) as T.E. Lawrence
- Psychos (1999) as Dr Daniel Nash
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the Desert (1999) as T.E. Lawrence
- Kid in the Corner (1999) as Alex Letts
- This Year's Love (1999) as Danny
- The Man with Rain in His Shoes (1998) as Victor Bukowski
- Orphans (1998) as Michael
- Fast Food (1998) as Benny
- Kull the Conqueror (1997) as Ducalon
- Sharpe: The Legend (1997) as Wickham
- Sharpe's Justice (1997) as Captain George Wickham
- Crossing the Floor (1996) as Clive Colville
- Ghosts (1995) as Billy
- Angels and Insects (1995) as Edgar Alabaster
- Three Miles Up (1995) as Billy
- Common As Muck (1994) as Brian Forget
- Rose Red (1994)
- GMTV (1993) as Self
- Lipstick on Your Collar (1993) as Corporal Berry
- Down Among the Big Boys (1993) as Louie Gibbons
- The Big Man (1990) as Davie Dawson
- Silent Scream (1990) as News Reporter
- Dancing in the Dark (1990)
- The Bill (1984)
- American Playhouse (1982) as Edgar Alabaster
- Van der Valk (1972) as Joep Huizinga
- Angh
- With Friends Like These as Phil
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Douglas Henshall best known for?
Douglas Henshall is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Who Is Erin Carter? (2023), Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013), Iona (2015), Outlander (2014).
When and where was Douglas Henshall born?
Douglas Henshall was born on November 19, 1965 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
How many credits does Douglas Henshall have?
Douglas Henshall has accumulated over 76 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1972 to 2026.
What is Douglas Henshall's background in cinema and television?
Douglas James Henshall is a Scottish actor born in Glasgow, Scotland on November 19, 1965. He is the youngest of three children, with two older sisters, born to a nurse mother and a salesman father. He grew up in Barrhead, where he attended Barrhead High School, and later joined The Scottish Youth Theatre in Glasgow af...
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