# Mark Rowley (actor)
**Mark Rowley** (born 1990) is a Scottish actor best known for playing the Irish warrior Finan, Uhtred's sidekick in battle, in the Netflix series *[The Last Kingdom](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-last-kingdom-tv-series)* (2017–2022) and its feature film sequel *[The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-last-kingdom-seven-kings-must-die)* (2023)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) • [2](https://theb-side.co.uk/management/mark-rowley/). His other television work includes *SAS: Rogue Heroes*, *One Day*, *Karen Pirie*, and *Trigger Point*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) |
| Training | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), graduated 2012[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) |
| Signature role | Finan in *The Last Kingdom*, 36 episodes from 2017 to 2022, reprised in *Seven Kings Must Die* (2023)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) |
| Other series roles | Jock McDiarmid in *SAS: Rogue Heroes* (2025), Phil Godalming in *One Day* (2024), Mick Prentice Jnr in *Karen Pirie* (2025), Rich Manning in *Trigger Point* (2025)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) |
| Film | Macbeth in Kit Monkman's *Macbeth* (2018); Dane in *Guns Akimbo* (2019); Paul in *T.I.M.* (2023); Felix in *The Eye* (2023)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mark_rowley) |
| Theatre | *The James Plays* for the National Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland[2](https://theb-side.co.uk/management/mark-rowley/) |
| Height | 6′ (1.83 m)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) |
## Early life and training
Rowley was born in Paisley, Scotland, to Ann and Stephen Rowley, a fireman. He attended PACE Youth Theatre for several years, and it was there that he decided to become an actor[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/). He then trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, since renamed the [Royal Conservatoire of Scotland](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-conservatoire-of-scotland), graduating in 2012[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/). During his training he took on BBC work, appearing alongside [Jason Isaacs](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-isaacs) in the drama *[Case Histories](https://www.edgepedia.org/case-histories-tv-series)*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/), which elCinema lists as his first role, in 2011[4](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2132672/).
## Television career
**Early roles.** Through the 2010s Rowley built a record of British television credits, including *Doctors*, *[Luther](https://www.edgepedia.org/luther-tv-series)* (as Callum, 2013), *River City*, *Young Dracula* (as Piers), *Home Fires*, *The Spanish Princess* (as Alexander Stewart, five episodes in 2020), *[Domina](https://www.edgepedia.org/domina-tv-series)*, and *The North Water*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) • [5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/68583/mark-rowley).
**The Last Kingdom.** Rowley's breakthrough came as Finan in *The Last Kingdom*, the adaptation of [Bernard Cornwell](https://www.edgepedia.org/bernard-cornwell)'s Saxon Stories novels, appearing in 36 episodes between 2017 and 2022[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/). TVmaze describes Finan as Uhtred's sidekick in battle[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/68583/mark-rowley). He reprised the role in the 2023 Netflix feature film *The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die*, which is his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes at 82 percent[2](https://theb-side.co.uk/management/mark-rowley/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mark_rowley).
**Later series.** After *The Last Kingdom* ended, Rowley took recurring roles in several British productions: Alvitir in *[The Witcher](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-witcher-tv-series): Blood Origin* (2022), Jock McDiarmid in *SAS: Rogue Heroes*, created by [Steven Knight](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-knight) and directed by Tom Shankland (six episodes, 2025), Phil Godalming opposite [Leo Woodall](https://www.edgepedia.org/leo-woodall) in Netflix's *One Day* (2024), Mick Prentice Jnr in season 2 of ITV's *Karen Pirie* (2025), and Rich Manning in season 3 of *Trigger Point* (2025)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/) • [2](https://theb-side.co.uk/management/mark-rowley/). His management states he is filming a leading role as DC Connor Crawford in ITV's *The Dark*, due for release in 2026[2](https://theb-side.co.uk/management/mark-rowley/).
## Film
Rowley's film work includes a leading role as Macbeth in Kit Monkman's 2018 screen adaptation of Shakespeare's play. In an interview promoting the film, Rowley argued that a young Macbeth offers a fresh reading of a character usually performed by older actors: a man at the peak of his health, career, and marriage is also more vulnerable and influenceable, which makes his fall more effective[6](https://www.macbeththefilm.co.uk/an-interview-with-actor-mark-rowley/). He also played Dane in *[Guns Akimbo](https://www.edgepedia.org/guns-akimbo)* (2019) alongside [Daniel Radcliffe](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-radcliffe) and [Samara Weaving](https://www.edgepedia.org/samara-weaving), Paul in the Netflix feature *T.I.M.* (2023), and Felix in *The Eye* (2023)[2](https://theb-side.co.uk/management/mark-rowley/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/). On Rotten Tomatoes, *T.I.M.* is his lowest-rated film at 42 percent[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mark_rowley).
## Theatre and other work
Classically trained, Rowley's stage credits include the award-winning *The James Plays* for the National Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland[2](https://theb-side.co.uk/management/mark-rowley/). He has also done voice work, playing Wyler in the podcast series *Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles* (2023), and voiced William Hende in the English version of the video game *The DioField Chronicle* (2022)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/). IMDb credits him with two writing projects, including the short film *We Are Infinite*, in post-production[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/).
## References
1. [Mark Rowley, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4495529/)
2. [Mark Rowley, B-Side Management & Production](https://theb-side.co.uk/management/mark-rowley/)
3. [Mark Rowley, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mark_rowley)
4. [Mark Rowley, elCinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2132672/)
5. [Mark Rowley, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/68583/mark-rowley)
6. [An interview with actor Mark Rowley, Macbeth the Film](https://www.macbeththefilm.co.uk/an-interview-with-actor-mark-rowley/)
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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 › Scottish actors › Surnames M to W*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 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