Ian McShane was born in London, England, in 1951. He studied acting at the Academy of Dramatic Art and in 1977 joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. He won the Evening Standard Award in 1981 for his performance in A Doll's House and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Hiding Place (1985). His film credits include Decameron (1987), The Ruling Class (1987), Innocent Blood (1988), Night Crossing (1988), Apt Pupil (1998), The Road to El Dorado (2000), and Outlander (2008)
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Ian is best known for his portrayal of Al Swearengen on the television series Deadwood, which aired on HBO from 2004 to 2006. On television, he is known for his roles as Sir Lyle Cauldwell on the HBO series Rome, Sir Gawain on Robin Hood, Sir John FitzAlan "the Lionheart" on the medieval drama Kingdom, and Sancho Panza on Alias.