Originally from West Yorkshire, Paul Butterworth is a long-established British character actor now based in Cambridge. He trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (1974–77), where he discovered a passion for acting that led him from children’s and repertory theatre into a lifelong screen career.

​

Paul made his television debut in 1979 for the BBC, playing Grahame in Over There, part of the Premiere series. He is best known for his breakout role as Barry in The Full Monty (1997), and has worked consistently across British film and television ever since.

​

In 2025, Paul appears opposite Samantha Morton in Anemone, Daniel Day-Lewis’s return to cinema, directed by Gabriel Day-Lewis and produced by Brad Pitt, releasing via Focus Features and Universal. Recent credits include Michael Ellacott (Robin’s father) in the Strike TV series and Richard in Richard Eyre’s feature film Allelujah (2023).

​

Alongside his acting career, Paul graduated in 1988 with a BA in English and History from Leeds Beckett University, and in 2024 completed a BA (Hons) in Painting (2:1) at the University for the Creative Arts.

​

He is a full voting BAFTA member.