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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Clint Dyer? A dyer-ect actor.

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Clint Dyer
Dyer in 2022
Dyer in 2022
Born (1968-11-04) 4 November 1968 (age 57)
Upton Park, London
Occupation
  • Actor
  • director
  • playwright
Alma materEast 15 Acting School
GenreDrama
Notable works

Clint Dyer (born 4 November 1968)[1] is an English actor, director, and playwright. He was director of the premier production of The Big Life, whose transfer to Apollo Theatre in 2005 made him the first Black British director of a musical in the West End.[2] In 2022, he was the first Black director of a professional production of Othello in the UK.[3] As a playwright, he is best known for the Death of England trilogy (co-written with Roy Williams), which was premiered at the National Theatre between 2020 and 2023, followed by a revival at @sohoplace theatre in 2024. Dyer was Deputy Artistic Director of the National Theatre from 2021[4] to 2025.[5]

Early life and education

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Dyer was born in 1968 in Upton Park, East London, a "poverty-stricken"[6] neighbourhood that was "seething with racial tension" when he was growing up.[2] His parents had separately migrated to England from Jamaica in 1958 and 1961.[1] His mother worked as a nurse and his father worked for the Ford Motor Company.[7] As a child, he was a supporter of West Ham United F.C. and had wanted to become a footballer before being deterred from the sport due to his experiences of racist abuse.[2]

Dyer attended Theatre Royal Stratford East's Youth Theatre from the age of 14, where he was mentored by director Philip Hedley.[8] He also completed his A Levels in film studies, drama, and English literature at Barking College of Technology.[1] He later studied acting[9] at the East 15 Acting School, part of the University of Essex.[10]

Career

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Acting

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Dyer has worked as an actor, director, and writer. As an actor, his first major role on stage was as Zwanini in the production of Michele Celeste's Hanging the President at Battersea Arts Centre in 1990,[11] replacing Adrian Lester who had portrayed the same character in the original production at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh.[1] Another major role in his early career was as Randall in Mike Leigh's It's a Great Big Shame in 1993,[12] which Dyer said to have opened him up to bigger opportunities on stage as well as on the screen.[13] He starred as Delroy in the 2000 revival production of Sus by Barrie Keeffe[14] and later reprised this role in the 2010 film adaptation of the play as well as the stage revival at the Young Vic in addition to a UK tour in the same year.[15] For his role in the film adaptation, he won Best Male Performance in Film at the 2011 Screen Nation Film and Television Awards[16] as well as the Best Actor Award at British Urban Film Festival 2015 (in a special edition which considered submissions over the last 1 years0).[17]

Other notable stage appearances by Dyer were: Big White Fog (Almeida Theatre, 2007);[18] Perseverance Drive[19] and The Royale[20] (Bush Theatre, 2014 and 2015); Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (National Theatre, 2016);[21] and The Kid Stays in the Picture (Royal Court Theatre, 2017).[9]

Directing and writing

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Dyer made his directorial debut with The Big Life, a musical adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost inspired by the Windrush generation, which premiered at Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2004 before transferring to Apollo Theatre in 2005. The Big Life was said to be the first "black, British musical" staged in the West End[22] and Dyer the first Black British director of a West End musical.[2][6]

Dyer and Roy Williams were the co-writers of the trilogy of plays at the National Theatre (and later @sohoplace) entitled Death of England (2020-2024),[23] as well as the film Death of England: Face to Face (2021),[24] all directed by Dyer. He had previously directed the 2014 short film Death of England, written solely by Williams for the Off the Page series, a collaboration between Royal Court Theatre and The Guardian.[25] Dyer had also directed Williams's play Kingston 14, staged at Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2014.[26] The Death of England series marked Dyer as the first Black British artist to have worked at the National Theatre in three different capacities: as an actor (in the National's production of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom), a director, and a playwright.[27]

Since the success of Death of England, Dyer has gone on to direct Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at Lyric Theatre (2021-2023); Othello at the National Theatre (2022); Wretch 32: HOME, a theatrical performance of Wretch 32's album Home? on the National Theatre stage (2025);[28] and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at the Old Vic (2026).[7] He is believed to be the first Black director to work on a major stage production of Othello in the UK.[3][29]

Appointments

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Dyer was a longstanding trustee and associate artist at Theatre Royal Stratford East.[30] In 2020, he was appointed as an Associate of the National Theatre.[31] The following year, he was appointed by Rufus Norris as the National Theatre's Deputy Artistic Director, making him "arguably the most high-profile person of color in British theater".[3] He remained in this position until January 2025, succeeded by Robert Hastie. In the same year, he was appointed as one of the Artistic Associates at the National Theatre, thus continuing his long association with the company.[32]

Personal life

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Dyer has two children with his wife.[2]

He has spoken openly about being dyslexic.[33][9][34]

Acting credits

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Stage

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Year Title Role Venue(s) Note/Refs
1990 Hanging the President, by Michele Celeste Zwanini Battersea Arts Centre Replacing Adrian Lester in the original production[11][1]
1993 It's a Great Big Shame, by Mike Leigh Randall Theatre Royal Stratford East [12]
1994 Skaville, by Paul Sirett Eddie Cockpit Theatre, Marylebone [35]
1997 Babycakes Wilfred Tron Theatre, Glasgow [36]
Black Dove, by Robin Key Ben Red Lion Theatre [37]
2000 Sus, by Barrie Keeffe Delroy Greenwich Theatre [14]
2002 A Carpet, a Pony and a Monkey, by Mike Packer Al Bush Theatre [38]
2007 Big White Fog Percy Mason Almeida Theatre [18]
2010 Sus, by Barrie Keeffe Delroy Young Vic and UK Tour [15][13][39]
2014 Perseverance Drive, by Robin Soans Josh Bush Theatre [19]
2015 The Royale, by Marco Ramirez Wynton Bush Theatre [20]
2016 Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Cutler Lyttelton Theatre [21]
2017 The Kid Stays in the Picture Marlon Brando Royal Court Theatre [40]

Film

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Year Title Role Note/Refs
1999 Everybody Loves Sunshine Leon [41]
2005 Cherps Reggie [42]
2008 Fallout Manny
2010 Sus Delroy [15]
2016 Mine A local Berber [43]
2017 Acts of Vengeance Shivers
2019 November 1st Carl [44]

Television

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Year Title Role Channel/Network Note/Refs
1991 EastEnders Marcus BBC One 3 episodes
1992 Prime Suspect Granada TV Series 2 - Guest role, 1 episode[45]
2001 'Orrible Noel BBC Two [46]
2009 Hope Springs Marius Gruber BBC One 5 episodes[47]
2017 Black Mirror Tony Netflix Series 4, Episode 5: "Metalhead" (main role)[48]
2018 Death in Paradise Leon Laroche BBC One Series 7, Episode 8[49]
2024 Mr Loverman Hubert BBC One 3 episodes[50][51][52]

Writing and directing credits

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Stage

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Key
† Denotes upcoming productions
Year Title Venue(s) / Production(s) Role Refs
Director Writer
2004-2005 The Big Life Theatre Royal Stratford East (2004) and Apollo Theatre (2005) Yes No [1]
2011 The Westbridge, by Rachel De-lahay Royal Court Theatre Yes No [53]
2014 Kingston 14, by Roy Williams Theatre Royal Stratford East Yes No [26]
2019 The Happy Tragedy of Being Woke Edinburgh International Festival Co-director Yes [54]
2020 Death of England: Michael Dorfman Theatre Yes Co-writer [2]
2020-2021 Death of England: Delroy Olivier Theatre Yes Co-writer [55]
2021-2023 Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical Lyric Theatre, West End Yes No [56]
2022 Othello Lyttelton Theatre Yes No [3]
2023 Death of England: Closing Time Dorfman Theatre Yes Co-writer [57]
2024 Death of England (revival of all 3 plays) @sohoplace Yes Co-writer [23]
2026 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest The Old Vic Yes No [7]
The Story † Olivier Theatre Yes No [58]
American Buffalo † TBA Yes No [7]

Films and television

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Year Title Network/Channel Role Note/Refs
Director Writer
2009 One of Us N/a Yes No Short film[59]
2014 Death of England N/a Yes No Short film; part of Royal Court Theatre and The Guardian's Off the Page series[25]
2019 Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle BBC Four No Yes Episode 3 - "Kev (1968)"[60]
2021 Death of England: Face to Face National Theatre At Home and Sky Arts Yes Co-writer Television film[24]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work(s) Result Note/Refs
2011 Screen Nation Film and Television Awards Male Performance in Film Sus Won [16]
2015 British Urban Film Festival Awards Best Actor Sus Won [17]
2019 Alfred Fagon Award Main award Death of England: Michael Longlisted Then titled Death of England; joint nomination with Roy Williams[61]
2020 Alfred Fagon Award Main award Death of England: Delroy Shortlisted Joint nomination with Roy Williams[62]
Black British Theatre Awards Best Director for a Play or Musical Death of England: Michael Nominated [63]
2022 Visionary Honours Play/Musical Of The Year Death of England: Delroy Won Jointly won with Roy Williams[64]
Royal Television Society Programme Awards Single Drama Death of England: Face to Face Nominated [65]
BAFTA Television Awards Best Single Drama Nominated Joint nomination with Dixie Linder, David Sabel, Rufus Norris, Christine Schwarzman, and Roy Williams[66][67]
WhatsOnStage Awards Best Direction Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical Nominated [68]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "20 Questions With…Clint Dyer". WhatsOnStage.com. 22 May 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Akbar, Arifa (15 January 2020). "Clint Dyer on Death of England: 'It's radical for black people to write about white people'". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Marshall, Alex (29 November 2022). "With an 'Othello' of His Own, a Director Comes Full Circle". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 January 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "Clint Dyer". www.nationaltheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Editorial, West End Theatre (15 July 2024). "Robert Hastie appointed deputy artistic director of the National Theatre replacing Clint Dyer". West End Theatre. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Talking to NT's Deputy Artistic Director, Clint Dyer as "Death of England: Face to Face" is about to drop on Sky Arts". alt-africa.com. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Bamigboye, Baz (20 February 2026). "Breaking Baz: Clint Dyer Set To Soar In The West End With All-Black Casts For Three Vital American Plays, Including 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'". Deadline. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "Clint Dyer Q&A: "You know more than you think you do"". New Statesman. 4 September 2024. Archived from the original on 16 December 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "TBB Speaks to Clint Dyer, Currently Starring in The Royal Court's, The Kid Stays in the Picture". The British Blacklist. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Essex to honour seven global changemakers at Summer Graduation 2026". University of Essex. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  11. 1 2 Kingston, Jeremy (1 June 1990). "Hanging the President - Battersea Arts Centre". The Times. No. 63721. p. 20. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  12. 1 2 Nightingale, Benedict (15 October 1993). "East End sagas, old and new". The Times. No. 64775. p. 34. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  13. 1 2 Dyer, Clint (5 February 2024). "Clint Dyer - Get Up, Stand Up!". World Equal (Interview). Interviewed by Teddy Hayes. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  14. 1 2 Halliburton, Rachel (25 February 2000). "The Arts Review: Theatre - Sus". The Independent. p. 20. Full access available to users of The Wikipedia Library.
  15. 1 2 3 Cavendish, Dominic (11 June 2010). "Sus at the Young Vic, review". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Screen Nation Awards 2011". Flavour Magazine. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Nominees and Winners 2015 - BUFF". britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  18. 1 2 Nathan, John (17 May 2007). "Big White Fog Receives European Premiere at London's Almeida May 17". Playbill. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  19. 1 2 Billington, Michael (10 July 2014). "Perseverance Drive review – first-rate family drama tackles modern religion". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  20. 1 2 Trueman, Matt (17 March 2015). "'There wasn't a blueprint before Jack Johnson': ringside at boxing drama The Royale". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  21. 1 2 Maxwell, Dominic (3 February 2016). "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Lyttelton, SE1". The Times. Archived from the original on 17 October 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Reynolds, Nigel (4 May 2005). "Stage set for West End's first black, British musical". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 July 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  23. 1 2 Ryan, Anya (31 July 2024). "Death of England trilogy, @sohoplace review: all three of the NT's hit plays together at last". Time Out London. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  24. 1 2 "Death of England: Face to Face". www.nationaltheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  25. 1 2 Dyer, Clint; Ronay, Barney (24 November 2014). "The funereal game: making the football microplay Death of England". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  26. 1 2 Coveney, Michael (4 April 2014). "Kingston 14 (Theatre Royal, Stratford East)". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  27. ↑ Williams, Max (3 February 2020). "Me and my London: Clint Dyer". Square Mile. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  28. ↑ Ryan, Anya (24 October 2025). "Wretch 32 at the National Theatre: Palpable anger in genre-blending show". The Standard. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  29. ↑ Akinyemi, Mojola (15 December 2022). "Review – Othello @ National Theatre". The British Blacklist. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  30. ↑ Campbell, Joel (26 January 2021). "Clint Dyer appointed National Theatre Deputy Artistic Director". Voice Online. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  31. ↑ "NATIONAL THEATRE ANNOUNCE CLINT DYER AMONG NEW ASSOCIATES AND OLA INCE PETER HALL BURSARY RECIPIENT". alt-africa.com. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  32. ↑ "Meet our new Artistic Associates". www.nationaltheatre.org.uk. 24 April 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  33. ↑ Dyer, Clint (3 December 2020). "Clint Dyer: 'Theatre needs minorities to tell their own stories'". The Standard. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  34. ↑ Wyver, Kate (25 September 2024). "'Our Romeo even impressed the school bullies': stars of stage on the power of drama in schools". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  35. ↑ Kingston, Jeremy (22 December 1994). "First-class return to ghost town". The Times. No. 65144. p. 33. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  36. ↑ "Welcome to the pleasure dome: Babycakes Tron Theatre, Glasgow". The Independent. 28 January 1997. p. 19. Full access available to users of The Wikipedia Library.
  37. ↑ Christophe, James (26 May 1997). "Black, white and gloomy". The Times. No. 65899. p. 17.
  38. ↑ Johns, Ian (28 May 2002). "A Carpet, a Pony and a Monkey". The Times. No. 67462. p. 17. Full access available to users of The Wikipedia Library.
  39. ↑ Shenton, Mark (12 January 2010). "London's Young Vic to Stage Kursk, Ruhl's Eurydice and Keeffe's Sus". Playbill. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  40. ↑ Taylor, Bryony Rae (23 March 2017). "The Kid Stays in the Picture, Royal Court Theatre – Review". Everything Theatre. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  41. ↑ "Everybody Loves Sunshine". David Bowie. 3 June 1999. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  42. ↑ Koehler, Robert (11 March 2005). "Cherps". Variety. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  43. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (5 April 2017). "Film Review: 'Mine'". Variety. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  44. ↑ Watch NOVEMBER 1ST - Oscar Student Academy Award Online | Vimeo On Demand. Retrieved 30 June 2026 – via vimeo.com.
  45. ↑ Scott, Tony (11 February 1993). "Mystery! Prime Suspect 2, Parts I-IV". Variety. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  46. ↑ BBC. "'Orrible". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  47. ↑ "BBC - Press Office - Hope Springs press pack: cast". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  48. ↑ Rawls, Murjani (15 January 2018). "Black Mirror's "Metalhead" Sets A Minimalist Tone Within A Post-Apocalyptic Backdrop". The Pop Break. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  49. ↑ "BBC One - Death in Paradise, Series 7, Episode 8". BBC. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  50. ↑ "BBC One - Mr Loverman, Series 1, Episode 4". BBC. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  51. ↑ "BBC One - Mr Loverman, Series 1, Episode 7". BBC. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  52. ↑ "BBC One - Mr Loverman, Series 1, Episode 8". BBC. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  53. ↑ Spencer, Charles (10 November 2011). "The Westbridge, Royal Court Bussey Building in Peckham, review - Telegraph". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 December 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  54. ↑ "Call and Response: The Happy Tragedy of Being Woke". Edinburgh International Festival. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  55. ↑ Akbar, Arifa (5 November 2020). "Death of England: Delroy review – brash and brilliant theatre". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  56. ↑ Benson, Dzifa (20 October 2021). "Get Up, Stand Up!, Lyric Theatre, review: a brilliant show that gives Bob Marley back his bite". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  57. ↑ Akbar, Arifa (9 October 2023). "Death of England: Closing Time review – riotous comedy with a serious sting". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  58. ↑ Wild, Stephi (21 May 2026). "Full Cast Set For THE STORY at the National Theatre". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  59. ↑ One of Us? (2009) — Clint Dyer. Retrieved 29 June 2026 – via filmsandfestivals.britishcouncil.org.
  60. ↑ "Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle - Ep. 3/8". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  61. ↑ "2019 Award". Alfred Fagon Award. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  62. ↑ "2020 Award". Alfred Fagon Award. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  63. ↑ Thomas, Sophie (26 October 2020). "2020 Black British Theatre Awards winners announced". London Theatre. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  64. ↑ "Winners of the 2022 Visionary Honours announced". Visionary Arts Foundation. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  65. ↑ "RTS Programme Awards 2022". Royal Television Society. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  66. ↑ "2022 results - Television Awards". Bafta. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  67. ↑ "Bafta TV awards 2022: the full list of winners". The Guardian. 8 May 2022. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  68. ↑ Millward, Tom (27 February 2022). "22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards: the winners in full". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
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