# Jonas Armstrong
**Jonas Armstrong** (born 1981) is an Irish-born actor best known for playing the title role in the [BBC One](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-one) series *[Robin Hood](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-hood-2006-tv-series)* from 2006 to 2009, with later screen roles including the science-fiction film *Edge of Tomorrow* (2014) and British television dramas such as *The Bay*, *[The Drowning](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-drowning-tv-series)*, and *Boat Story*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) • [2](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-drowning-jonas-armstrong-channel-5-brother-b1795896.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981, Dublin, Ireland; grew up in the North West of England, in Blackpool[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) • [3](https://www.biogs.com/actors/armstrong.html) • [4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) |
| Training | Arnold School, then RADA, graduating in 2003 with a BA in acting[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) |
| Breakthrough role | Robin of Locksley in BBC One's *Robin Hood*, from October 2006; left after three series[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/aug/07/bbc.television1) |
| Notable film | Skinner in *Edge of Tomorrow* (2014); the film is his highest-rated title on Rotten Tomatoes at 91%[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jonas_armstrong) |
| Television range | Regular roles in *Teachers*, *Ghost Squad*, *Ripper Street*, *Line of Duty* (3 episodes, 2016), *The Bay*, and *Boat Story*[2](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-drowning-jonas-armstrong-channel-5-brother-b1795896.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) |
| Credits | 47 acting credits listed on IMDb, with a screen record counted at 13 films and 27 television series[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) • [7](https://www.archytele.com/person/jonas-armstrong/movies-and-tv-shows) |
## Training and early roles
Armstrong was born in Dublin in 1981 and grew up in [Blackpool](https://www.edgepedia.org/blackpool), in the North West of England, where he attended Arnold School.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) • [3](https://www.biogs.com/actors/armstrong.html) • [4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) He won a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ([RADA](https://www.edgepedia.org/rada)) in London and graduated in 2003 with a BA in acting; while a student he performed on stage in *Twelfth Night*, *The Caucasian Chalk Circle*, *The Crucible*, and *Ulysses*.[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) • [3](https://www.biogs.com/actors/armstrong.html)
His professional debut came the same year, playing rookie schoolteacher Derek Meadle in *Quartermaine's Terms* at Northampton's Royal Theatre.[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) Early television work followed on [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4): a recurring part as student Anthony Millington in the comedy-drama *Teachers*, and the lead role of detective Pete Maitland in the crime series *The Ghost Squad*, about an undercover unit assigned to expose police corruption.[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) • [3](https://www.biogs.com/actors/armstrong.html) While filming *Losing Gemma* in India in 2006 he learned he had won the part of [Robin Hood](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-hood).[8](https://www.hypnoweb.net/www/acteurs/jonas-armstrong-biographie-carriere-et-filmographie.2.1337/)
## Robin Hood
**The lead role.** Armstrong began playing Robin of Locksley in the BBC One action-adventure series *Robin Hood* in October 2006, in a Saturday-evening family slot shared with *Doctor Who*.[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) • [5](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/aug/07/bbc.television1) Initial criticism of his slight build and "boyband" good looks gave way to praise for the performance; IGN called it "brilliant".[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) The physical demands of the part were real: during filming of the second series he broke a metatarsal bone in his foot in a staged fight sequence, and for series two he reportedly hired a personal trainer to build up for the role.[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) • [3](https://www.biogs.com/actors/armstrong.html)
In August 2008 the BBC confirmed that Armstrong would leave the show at the end of its 13-episode third series, which was filming in Budapest, describing his exit as part of an "explosive, nailbiting series finale".[5](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/aug/07/bbc.television1) His statement said he was "looking for new challenges", and the BBC said he would be "desperately missed"; the series was not renewed for a fourth run.[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) Because his co-star in the series was the actor Joe Armstrong, people often mixed the two names up, and many assumed Jonas was the son of the writer David Wylie's namesake family; the confusion was noted by those who knew both.[9](https://lifeofwylie.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dark-angel-wylie-itv-interviews.pdf)
## Film and later television
After *Robin Hood*, Armstrong worked across British television and feature film. His film credits include the horror adaptation *Book of Blood* (2008/2009) as Simon McNeal, the war drama *Walking with the Enemy* (2013) as Elek Cohen, opposite [Ben Kingsley](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-kingsley), and a supporting part as Skinner in the [Tom Cruise](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-cruise) and [Emily Blunt](https://www.edgepedia.org/emily-blunt) science-fiction film *Edge of Tomorrow* (2014).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jonas_armstrong) On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, *Edge of Tomorrow* stands as his highest-rated film at 91%, and the crime thriller *Twenty8k* (2012) his lowest at 17%.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jonas_armstrong)
Television provided his most regular work. He appeared in three episodes of the BBC One police drama *Line of Duty* in 2016 as Joe Nash, played Joe Nattrass in the ITV mini-series *Dark Angel* (2016), and took the part of the sinister Sean Meredith in ITV's *The Bay* (2019).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) • [9](https://lifeofwylie.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dark-angel-wylie-itv-interviews.pdf) • [2](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-drowning-jonas-armstrong-channel-5-brother-b1795896.html) Other roles include Nathaniel in *Ripper Street* (2016), Menelaus in *Troy: Fall of a City* (2018), and Jason, the brother of [Jill Halfpenny](https://www.edgepedia.org/jill-halfpenny)'s lead character, in Channel 5's four-part drama *The Drowning* (2021).[4](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong) • [2](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-drowning-jonas-armstrong-channel-5-brother-b1795896.html)
**Recent work.** In 2022 he played Barry Bennell, the football coach at the center of the sexual-abuse scandal dramatized in the BBC television film *Floodlights*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) The following year he appeared as Arthur Lake in the BBC black comedy mini-series *Boat Story* (2023).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) Credits since then include the mini-series *Coma* (2024) as Paul, *After the Flood* (2024) as Lee Ellison, the television film *Unforgivable* (2025) as Peter McKinney Sr., and a recurring part as Sebastian Pinchbeck in *Trigger Point* scheduled for 2026.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/) • [7](https://www.archytele.com/person/jonas-armstrong/movies-and-tv-shows) An archive count puts his screen work at 13 films and 27 television series, with 2012 his busiest year at five credits.[7](https://www.archytele.com/person/jonas-armstrong/movies-and-tv-shows)
## References
1. [Jonas Armstrong, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1765073/)
2. [Jonas Armstrong: The Drowning star's best previous roles, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-drowning-jonas-armstrong-channel-5-brother-b1795896.html)
3. [Jonas Armstrong Biography, Biogs.com](https://www.biogs.com/actors/armstrong.html)
4. [Jonas Armstrong, VALÉORINE reference](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jonas-armstrong)
5. [Robin Hood: Jonas Armstrong to bow out of BBC1 drama, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/aug/07/bbc.television1)
6. [Jonas Armstrong, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jonas_armstrong)
7. [Jonas Armstrong Filmography, Archytele](https://www.archytele.com/person/jonas-armstrong/movies-and-tv-shows)
8. [Jonas Armstrong: biographie, carrière et filmographie, Hypnoweb](https://www.hypnoweb.net/www/acteurs/jonas-armstrong-biographie-carriere-et-filmographie.2.1337/)
9. [Dark Angel press pack interviews, Life of Wylie](https://lifeofwylie.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dark-angel-wylie-itv-interviews.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Irish actors › Surnames A to F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license