Ian David McShane[1] (born 29 September 1942) is an English actor, best known for his television performances, particularly as the title role in the BBC series Lovejoy (1986–1994),[2] Al Swearengen in Deadwood (2004–2006) and its 2019 film continuation, and Mr. Wednesday in American Gods (2017–2021).

His film roles include Harry Brown in The Wild and the Willing (1962), Charlie Cartwright in If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969), Wolfe Lissner in Villain (1971), Teddy Bass in Sexy Beast (2000), Frank Powell in Hot Rod (2007), Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), and Winston Scott in the John Wick franchise (2014–present).

After being a member of the National Youth Theatre,[7] he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), with Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt.

In the United States, he is known for the role of historical figure Al Swearengen in the HBO series Deadwood,[4] for which he won the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Drama.

[10] In a 2004 interview with The Independent, McShane stated that he wished he had turned down the role of Bryson as he had struggled with the technical dialogue and found looking at Martin Sheen, who was wearing an eye in the middle of his forehead, to be the most embarrassing experience that he had ever had while acting.

[11] In 1985, McShane appeared as an MC on Grace Jones' Slave to the Rhythm, a concept album which featured his narration interspersed throughout and which sold over a million copies worldwide.

[17] As Captain Hook in Shrek the Third, Ragnar Sturlusson in The Golden Compass,[18] Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda[19] (for which he received an Annie Award nomination), crime boss Teddy Bass in Sexy Beast, and Mr. Bobinsky in Coraline.

[24] During 2007–08, he starred as Max in the 40th anniversary Broadway revival of Harold Pinter's The Homecoming, co-starring Eve Best, Raúl Esparza, and Michael McKean, and directed by Daniel Sullivan, at the Cort Theatre (16 December 2007 – 13 April 2008).

[31] In 2012, McShane had a guest role for two episodes as Murder Santa, a sadistic serial killer in the 1960s in the second season of American Horror Story.