Career
Hill made his Broadway debut in Marie Jones’ Stones in His Pockets.
Hill played German professor Max Staefel in a 2002 television adaptation of Goodbye, Mr Chips (2002). He played “Mum” to Peter Kay’s character “Geraldine McQueen” in Peter Kay’s Britain’s Got the Pop Factor… and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice, a spoof on the talent show genre of programmes.
Since April 2011, he has appeared as Lord Varys in the television series Game of Thrones, based on the novel series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. Martin hinted, in a February 2013 post on his website, that he thought Hill would be a good choice to play the title character in a TV show based on Martin’s science fiction novel Tuf Voyaging.
Stage productions
- Uncle Vanya as Uncle Vanya, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- All’s Well that Ends Well as Parolles, National Theatre (London) (2009)
- Philistines as Teterev, National Theatre (London) (2007)
- The Producers as Roger DeBris, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London)
- The Seafarer, as Ivan Curry, National Theatre (London); Booth Theatre (New York)
- Democracy, National Theatre (London)
- Stones in His Pockets, Lyric Theatre (Belfast); Gaiety Theatre (Dublin); Traverse Theatre (Edinburgh); Tricycle, New Ambassadors, Duke of York’s (London); Winter Garden Theatre (Toronto); Golden Theater, (New York)
- Shoot the Crow, Trafalgar Studios (London); Royal Exchange Theatre (Manchester)
- Endgame, Prime Cut (Belfast)
- After Darwin, Prime Cut (Dublin and Belfast)
- The Chance, Prime Cut (Belfast)
- Criminal Genius, Prime Cut (Belfast)
- The Suicide, Communicado (Scotland)
- Tall Tales, Communicado (Scotland)
- Playboy of the Western World, Communicado (Scotland)
- Juno and the Paycock, Royal Lyceum (Edinburgh)
- Shining Souls, Old Vic (London)
- School for Wives, Arts Theatre (Belfast)
- Too Late to Talk to Billy, Arts Theatre (Belfast)
- The Picture of Dorian Gray, Arts Theatre (Belfast)
- Northern Star, Field Day/Tinderbox
- Conversations on a Homecoming, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- Waiting for Godot, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- A Whistle in the Dark, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- Little Shop of Horrors, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- The Iceman Cometh, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- The Importance of Being Earnest, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- Christmas Eve Can Kill You, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- Playboy of the Western World, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lyric Theatre (Belfast)
- The Cherry Orchard, as Lopakhim, National Theatre, London, 2011
- Quartermaine’s Terms, as Henry, Wyndham’s Theatre, London, 2013
Filmography
- Boon (1988)
- Casualty (2 episodes, 1988-1995)
- Blue Heaven (7 episodes, 1992-1994)
- The Bill (1993)
- Meaningful Sex (2000)
- Goodbye Mr. Chips (2002)
- The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle (6 episodes, 2007)
- Whatever Works (2009)
- Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)
- The Shore (2011)
- Game of Thrones (2011-present), 26 episodes
- Keith Lemon: The Film (2012)
- Suits (2013), 6 episodes
- Inside No. 9 (2014) Steve in “Tom & Gerri”
- Foyles War (2015), Episode 9.3 “Elise” – Sir Ian Woodhead
Awards and nominations
- Olivier Awards, for Stones in His Pockets, and for The Producers
- Irish Times, for Stones in His Pockets
- Critics’ Circle, for Stones in His Pockets
- 2001 Drama Desk Award, Special Award, Stones in His Pockets
- Theatre League, for Stones in His Pockets
- Whatsonstage, for Stones in His Pockets
- Dora Awards, for Stones in His Pockets
- 2001 Tony Award nomination, for Stones in His Pockets
- 2008 Tony Award nomination, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play, The Seafarer
- 2008 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play, The Seafarer