Dominic Monaghan
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Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan (born 8 December 1976)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is a British-Irish actor. He is best known for playing Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck in Peter Jackson's film trilogy The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003), and Charlie Pace on the ABC television drama Lost (2004–2010).
Monaghan first gained fame as Hetty Wainthropp's sidekick Geoffrey in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996–1998). His first film role was as Sasha in the television film Hostile Waters (1997) based on the true story of a Soviet and a US submarine colliding in the Cold War. His other film roles include playing the young mutant Chris Bradley formerly known as Maverick in the superhero film X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and playing Beaumont Kin in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), reuniting with J.J. Abrams, the co-creator of Lost. He has also hosted the nature programme Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan (2012–2016).
Early life
Monaghan was born in West Berlin, West Germany, to British parents: Maureen, a nurse, and Austin Monaghan, a science teacher of Irish descent.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Monaghan's family lived in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart and Münster, moving about every four years. When he was about 11 years old, his family moved to Heaton Moor in Stockport, England.<ref name="unreal">Template:Cite web</ref> In Stockport, he attended St Anne's Roman Catholic High School (where his uncle taught and later became head teacher) and Aquinas College, where he studied English literature, drama and geography.
Career
Although Monaghan held many occupations when he was younger, he long wanted to be an actor. After his second year at St Anne's, Monaghan became a regular in school plays such as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol and Bugsy Malone before joining the Manchester Youth Theatre. There, he was scouted for Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, in which he starred alongside Patricia Routledge and Derek Benfield as Hetty's under-aged sidekick, Geoffrey Shawcross, for four series. Monaghan has since credited Routledge as "an amazing teacher" who taught him some "very valuable lessons" that have influenced his acting career.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Primary source inline He made his feature-film debut as Russian sailor Sasha in the TV film Hostile Waters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Monaghan later starred in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy as Meriadoc Brandybuck, for which he achieved international acclaim and success. Monaghan narrated Ringers: Lord of the Fans, a documentary about The Lord of the Rings fandom. He also provided the narration for The Discovery Channel's documentary Devil's Bible in 2008. He also appeared in Soldiers of Fortune alongside Sean Bean and Christian Slater. He was a regular cast member on the ABC series Lost from 2004 to 2007, playing English former rockstar and drug addict Charlie Pace. Monaghan returned to the series as a special guest star after departing from the main cast.
In 2009, Monaghan starred as Chris Bradley / Bolt in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. On 15 July 2009, it was confirmed that he would join the cast of ABC Studios' science-fiction television series FlashForward as the character Simon. The series premiered on 24 September 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was cancelled after its first season.<ref name="Ausiello files">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
On 18 March 2010, Monaghan was spotted at the Universal Sheraton filming a short titled Gloria. It was part of a programme titled REESES Puff's Extraordinary Cinema (where the teenagers replace the prosTemplate:Huh). He played the part of Caleb Reese.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Kahn, Joseph (24 July 2010). "Twitter / Joseph Kahn: And that's a wrap! Eminem/ ..." Template:Webarchive. Twitter. Retrieved 24 July 2010.</ref>
In 2010, Monaghan and US actress Megan Fox made an appearance as a couple in an abusive relationship in the music video for Rihanna and Eminem's song "Love the Way You Lie". Scenes include the celebrities on top of a liquor store. Fox and Monaghan also filmed inside the store and "at a seedy dive bar next door" to the store.<ref name="MTV-kissing">Montgomery, James (26 July 2010) "Megan Fox, Dominic Monaghan Caught Kissing For Eminem Video – News Story" Template:Webarchive. MTV. MTV Networks.</ref>
In November 2012, a new show on Channel 5 titled Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan started airing in the United Kingdom. The documentary shows Monaghan travelling to different locations such as Venezuela and Ecuador to film and interact with the exotic and often dangerous local wildlife.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During the summer of 2013, Monaghan appeared in various live-action teasers for 2K Marin's science-fiction video game The Bureau: XCOM Declassified.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Monaghan is a fan of The Gaffer Tapes: Fantasy Football Podcast and has appeared as a guest between April–November 2016, as well as May 2018, and submitted several audio questions which are played on the podcast. While appearing as a guest, Monaghan said "It's the best fantasy football podcast out there".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Monaghan is a contributing writer for the music and culture magazine Paste, primarily writing articles about Premier League football.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Monaghan is the voice of Sightseeing Manchester's bus tour, recorded in March 2016.
Since August 2018, he has been starring as a serial killer in Channel 9 Australia's murder-mystery/drama TV series Bite Club, which is filmed in and around Sydney.
He was named as part of the cast for the last film in the sequel trilogy which is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, reuniting with J.J. Abrams, a co-creator of Lost. He appeared as Beaumont.
In May 2020, Monaghan joined with fellow Lord of the Rings castmates, along with writer Philippa Boyens and director Peter Jackson, to appear on Josh Gad's YouTube series Reunited Apart, which reunites the cast of popular films through video-conferencing, and promotes donations to non-profit charities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Monaghan and castmate Billy Boyd started the podcast The Friendship Onion, where they talk about their time filming The Lord of the Rings.
He made his stage debut in 2024 with Lord of the Rings castmate Boyd in the Canadian production of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal life
Monaghan is a nature-lover and has been active in planting trees and cactuses. He bought a mango-tree forest in India.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Monaghan has loved insects and reptiles since his childhood and has kept an exotic assortment of pets, including a leaf-mantis named Gizmo, a black widow spider named Witchitar, and an albino snake named Blink.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The species of spider Template:Ill is named after him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
An avid outdoorsman, Monaghan enjoys activities such as surfing, kayaking, snowboarding, football, basketball, and hiking. He has also explained that he likes hunting for insects and reptiles outdoors. He learned karate as a child, used to practise yoga, and often goes to the gym for strength and weight training. He has been a fan of Manchester United since his childhood.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
Monaghan loves playing all games and has hosted game nights for fellow cast members and is also fond of The New York TimesTemplate:' crossword puzzle. He enjoys playing League of Legends with fellow Lord of the Rings cast member Billy Boyd. He is fluent in German.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On his right arm he has a tattoo of the English word "nine" written in the artificial script of Tengwar, a reference to his involvement in The Lord of the Rings and the fact that his character was one of the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Seven other cast members and John Rhys-Davies' stunt double also got matching tattoos during the film's production, at Monaghan's instigation. Below that tattoo is another that reads, "Life imitates art", an Oscar Wilde quote. On his left arm is a tattoo, "Living is easy with eyes closed", a line from The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever". He also has two stars tattooed on his left foot: one black, and one white.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, Monaghan got two more tattoos, one on the upper side of the back ("Love you take is equal to the love you make", taken from the song "The End" by The Beatles). The other, done by Kat Von D on the reality TV series LA Ink, is located on his lower right arm and reads "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter", a quote from Yoda.
He resides in Los Angeles, California. In 2008, Monaghan held a photographic exhibition in Los Angeles in which he sold prints of his own works. A portion of the proceeds from the exhibition were given to an orangutan rescue organisation.
Monaghan was in a relationship with his Lost co-star Evangeline Lilly from 2004 until 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In June 2008, Monaghan travelled to Argentina with Lilly to film the pilot of the US version of CQC.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Monaghan provided the inspiration for the naming of Billy Boyd's band Beecake after he sent his friend a picture of a cake covered in bees.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024, Monaghan announced he had obtained Irish citizenship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1998 | Hetty Wainthropp Investigates | Geoffrey Shawcross | 27 episodes |
| 1997 | Hostile Waters | Sasha | Television film |
| 2000 | This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper | Jimmy Furey | |
| Monsignor Renard | Etienne Pierre Rollinger | 3 episodes | |
| 2004 | I Love the '90s | Himself | Commentator |
| 2004–2010 | Lost | Charlie Pace | 65 episodes Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated—Monte-Carlo Television Festival Award for Outstanding Actor – Drama Series Nominated—Prism Award for Performance in a Drama Series Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television |
| 2005 | I Love the '90s: Part Deux | Himself | Commentator |
| 2008 | MADtv | Himself | 2 episodes |
| Caiga Quien Caiga | Episode: "#12.15" | ||
| 2009 | Chuck | Tyler Martin | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Third Dimension" |
| 2009–2010 | FlashForward | Dr. Simon Campos | 15 episodes |
| 2010 | Top Gear | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | The Unknown | Mark Nickel | 6 episodes |
| Children's Hospital | Dr. Owen Maestro | "British Hospital" | |
| 2012–2016 | Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan | Himself | 30 episodes Nominated—Canadian Screen Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program/Series Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Reality Series Nominated—OFTA Award for Best Host or Panelist in a Non-Fiction Program Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program |
| 2013 | Ridiculousness | "Dominic Monaghan" | |
| The Eric Andre Show | "Krysten Ritter/Dominic Monaghan" | ||
| 2015 | 100 Code | Tommy Conley | 12 episodes |
| 2017 | Sofia the First | Fig | Voice; "The Crown of Blossoms" |
| A Midsummer's Nightmare | Mike Puck | Television film | |
| 2018 | Bite Club | Senior Constable Stephen Langley | Premiered 15 August, Nine Network, Australia |
| 2022 | The Legend of Vox Machina | Archibald Desnay | Voice; 3 episodes |
| Moonhaven | Paul Serno | TV show | |
| 2024 | Angry Birds Mystery Island | Hamylton | Voice; 16 episodes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2025–present | The Librarians: The Next Chapter | Merlin | Guest (season 1), recurring (season 2) |
| 2025 | Billy and Dom Eat the World | Himself | 8 episodes |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead | Rosencrantz | Neptune Theatre | |
| CAA Theatre |
Music videos
| Year | Artist | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Eminem featuring Rihanna | "Love the Way You Lie"<ref name="MTV-kissing" /> | The Boyfriend |
Video games
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck | Based on the film of the same name |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth | |||
| 2012 | Lego The Lord of the Rings | Archive audio | |
| 2016 | Quantum Break | William "Will" Joyce | Also motion capture |
| 2021 | Call of Duty: Vanguard | Jannick Richter | Also motion capture |
Audio dramas
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Stockport, So Good They Named It Once | Jason Conroy | BBC Radio sitcom, Series 1 only | |
| 2022 | Moriarty: The Devil's Game | Professor James Moriarty | Audible Original<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2023 | Moriarty: The Silent Order, Book 2 | Professor James Moriarty | Audible Original<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
References
External links
- 1976 births
- Living people
- 20th-century British male actors
- 21st-century British male actors
- British expatriates in India
- British expatriate male actors in the United States
- British male film actors
- British male television actors
- British people of Irish descent
- German emigrants to the United Kingdom
- Male actors from Berlin
- Male actors from Stockport
- Naturalised citizens of Ireland
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners