[1] Toolis was born and raised in Edinburgh to parents who were from Achill, County Mayo, Ireland.
He brought up his daughter Storme Toolis in London.
[2] Toolis is a filmmaker and journalist who had written for The Guardian, The New York Times, and the Daily Mirror.
He won a BAFTA for his torture drama Complicit.
[3] Toolis has written screenplays and founded the independent television company ManyRiversFilms.