# Mark Ryan (actor)
**Mark Ryan** (born 1956) is an English actor, voice actor, author, sword choreographer and producer from [Doncaster](https://www.edgepedia.org/doncaster), Yorkshire, whose career spans more than 45 years on stage and screen[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/). He originated the role of Nasir, the first Muslim member of [Robin Hood](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-hood)'s Merry Men, in the British television series *Robin of Sherwood*, and later became known for voicing [Transformers](https://www.edgepedia.org/transformers) characters in Michael Bay's film series and for playing Quartermaster Hal Gates in the pirate drama *Black Sails*[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) • [3](https://www.assignmentx.com/2014/exclusive-interview-black-sails-star-mark-ryan-gets-his-sea-legs-pt-1/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956, Doncaster, Yorkshire, England[4](https://nerdspin.com/db/people/19541/mark-ryan) |
| Signature role | Nasir in *Robin of Sherwood* (1984–1986), the first Muslim (Saracen) Merry Man in the Robin Hood legend[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) • [5](https://posts24.ru/%D0%A0%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%B0%D0%BD%2C_%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA) |
| Stage career | Original West End cast of *Evita* (opened 21 June 1978), playing Magaldi and later Ché under director Hal Prince[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) |
| Transformers work | On-set robot voice for the films; voiced Bumblebee, Jetfire, Lockdown (in *Age of Extinction*, 2014), and Bulldog (in *The Last Knight*, 2017) (Hot Rod being voiced by Omar Sy)[3](https://www.assignmentx.com/2014/exclusive-interview-black-sails-star-mark-ryan-gets-his-sea-legs-pt-1/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/) • [11](https://www.phenomena.com/m/4140/cast) |
| Sword choreography | Assistant sword master on *First Knight* (1995); sword master on *King Arthur* (2004) and *The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne*[6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-ryan/credits/3000191761/) • [2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) |
| Writing | Creator of the Greenwood Tarot and Wildwood Tarot; autobiography *Hold Fast* (2015, with John Matthews); *The Sherwood Oracle* (2024)[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/) |
| Recent producing | Co-producer on the award-winning films *Penitent* and *Grail*, and co-producer and actor in *23 Letters From Vincent van Gogh*, shot in the Netherlands[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/) |
## Robin of Sherwood and the character of Nasir
Ryan's best-known acting role came through an accidental path. After director Ian Sharp saw him play Ché in *Evita*, Sharp cast him in the film *Who Dares Wins* (released in America as *The Final Option*), and then invited him into a Robin Hood series he was developing. The part was originally a minor villain, Edmund the Archer, with no dialogue, and Ryan joined the production a week before filming began at [Bamburgh Castle](https://www.edgepedia.org/bamburgh-castle)[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html).
On the first day of shooting the character was changed to Nasir the Saracen, a mute, two-sword fighter. The role was meant to last a week or two and end with the character killed off, but producer Paul Knight asked Ryan to stay, and series creator Richard "Kip" [Carpenter](https://www.edgepedia.org/carpenter) asked him to help develop the character. Ryan researched the Crusades, the Assassins and the [Knights Templar](https://www.edgepedia.org/knights-templar), and he and Carpenter agreed the character should have few lines; the part turned into a three-year job across the series' run from 1984 to 1986[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) • [5](https://posts24.ru/%D0%A0%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%B0%D0%BD%2C_%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA).
Nasir added a lasting element to the Robin Hood legend. IMDb's trivia notes describe him as the very first Saracen character in a Robin Hood story, and the Muslim Merry Man concept carried over to later productions including *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves*, the 2006 *Robin Hood* television series (with the female character Djaq), and the 2018 *Robin Hood* film (with [Jamie Foxx](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamie-foxx) as a Moor)[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/faq/?attribute=well-known-movie-or-tv-show) • [2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html). Ryan himself suggested the change had precedent, pointing to Arabic influences brought back to Britain by Crusaders and Templars[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html).
Ryan returned to the role decades later. In 2016 and 2018 he played Nasir again in new *Robin of Sherwood* audio adventures released by Spiteful Puppet, including *The Knights of the Apocalypse* and *The Trial of John Little* by Tony Lee, recorded with many of his former television co-stars[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html).
## Stage and screen acting
Ryan began in musical theater in London's West End, where *Evita* opened on 21 June 1978 and he played Magaldi before moving up to the role of Ché, working under the Broadway director Hal Prince[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/). IMDb credits his career at more than 45 years across acting, singing, writing, action direction, and producing[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/).
His television and film credits listed by [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) include *The Prestige*, *First Knight*, *Alias*, *JAG*, *Charlie's Angels*, *Nuremberg*, *Frasier*, *The Bill*, *Casualty*, *Peak Practice*, and *Dempsey & Makepeace*, alongside the *Robin of Sherwood* and *Transformers* entries[6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-ryan/credits/3000191761/). In *Frasier* he played Winston, the bartender at a British-themed pub, in the 1998 episode "Where Every Bloke Knows Your Name"[8](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/33044/mark-ryan). He also toured the United States with original [Monty Python](https://www.edgepedia.org/monty-python) member [Eric Idle](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-idle), performing at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/).
From 2014 he played Quartermaster Hal Gates in the Starz series *Black Sails*, executive produced by [Michael Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-bay); Ryan described Gates as a blue-collar figure in a position of power with the crew, in a pirate world where sailors could vote people in and out of office[3](https://www.assignmentx.com/2014/exclusive-interview-black-sails-star-mark-ryan-gets-his-sea-legs-pt-1/) • [9](https://cosmicbook.news/exclusive-mark-ryan-talks-transformers-age-extinction-lockdown-more/).
## Voice work in the Transformers films
Ryan's connection to Michael Bay's *Transformers* series ran through five films. He voiced [Bumblebee](https://www.edgepedia.org/bumblebee) in the first *Transformers* film (2007) and supplied the on-set voices for the Transformers during shooting, which helped the actors play against characters that would only exist in post-production[3](https://www.assignmentx.com/2014/exclusive-interview-black-sails-star-mark-ryan-gets-his-sea-legs-pt-1/). He also voiced Jetfire[9](https://cosmicbook.news/exclusive-mark-ryan-talks-transformers-age-extinction-lockdown-more/).
For *Transformers: Dark of the Moon* (2011), Ryan returned in May 2010 as the on-set voice of the Autobots, working at locations across the United States and at [Kennedy Space Center](https://www.edgepedia.org/kennedy-space-center), Cape Canaveral; the film was shot in 3D and his post-production voice work continued into spring 2011 at Bay Films, where he contributed uncredited military lines and voices to the final cut[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/). In 2014 he voiced the alien bounty hunter Lockdown in *Transformers: Age of Extinction* and was credited as the on-set robot voice[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-ryan/credits/3000191761/). In *Transformers: The Last Knight* (2017) he voiced the WWI Tank and [Lieutenant](https://www.edgepedia.org/lieutenant), appeared on screen as a British Army SAS officer, and also worked in the miscellaneous crew[6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-ryan/credits/3000191761/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/). In a 2018 interview he said that a decade of voicing action he could not see had sharpened his delivery of lines and emotion in audio drama[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html).
## Sword work and action direction
Ryan's combat credentials began on *Robin of Sherwood*, where he worked out sword routines with stunt co-ordinator Terry Walsh and co-star [Michael Praed](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-praed), and trained in archery under coach Gabe Cronnelly[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html). As a choreographer he assisted Bob Anderson, the fencing master known for *Highlander* and *Star Wars*, on *First Knight* (1995), fencing daily for five months with Richard Gere, Ben Cross and the stunt team[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html). He was sword master on the Canadian series *The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne* (2000) and on the 2004 *King Arthur* film starring Clive Owen, where he was also credited as fight director[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-ryan/credits/3000191761/).
## Writing and later career
Ryan has worked across several publishing formats. He wrote for DC Comics, co-writing a Robin Hood story in *Green Arrow*, and designed the Greenwood Tarot with the artist Chesca Potter, later co-creating the Wildwood Tarot; both decks use Robin Hood imagery[2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html) • [10](https://wildhunt.org/2012/10/talking-with-mark-ryan-actor-writer-philosopher-pagan.html). His autobiography *Hold Fast*, written with John Matthews and published in 2015, covers his *Black Sails* role and his work on *Transformers: The Last Knight*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/). In 2022 he began co-writing *The Sherwood Oracle* with John Matthews, using imagery by the artist Anne Yvonne Gilbert; it was published in 2024[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/) • [2](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html).
In 2023 he moved into co-producing, on the award-winning films *Penitent* (on which he was also credited as associate producer) and *Grail*, and on *23 Letters From Vincent van Gogh*, his first film as co-producer and actor, shot entirely on location in the Netherlands[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-ryan/credits/3000191761/).
## References
1. [Mark Ryan (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/)
2. [Mark Ryan, Interviews in Sherwood (Allen W. Wright), Boldoutlaw](https://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html)
3. [Exclusive Interview: Black Sails star Mark Ryan gets his sea legs, Assignment X (2014)](https://www.assignmentx.com/2014/exclusive-interview-black-sails-star-mark-ryan-gets-his-sea-legs-pt-1/)
4. [Mark Ryan, Nerdspin filmography](https://nerdspin.com/db/people/19541/mark-ryan)
5. [Марк Райан (Mark Ryan), posts24 filmography](https://posts24.ru/%D0%A0%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%B0%D0%BD%2C_%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA)
6. [Mark Ryan List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-ryan/credits/3000191761/)
7. [Mark Ryan FAQ: well-known movie or TV show, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752699/faq/?attribute=well-known-movie-or-tv-show)
8. [Mark Ryan, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/33044/mark-ryan)
9. [Exclusive: Mark Ryan Talks Transformers: Age of Extinction Lockdown & More, Cosmic Book News](https://cosmicbook.news/exclusive-mark-ryan-talks-transformers-age-extinction-lockdown-more/)
10. [Talking with Mark Ryan: actor, writer, philosopher, Pagan, The Wild Hunt (2012)](https://wildhunt.org/2012/10/talking-with-mark-ryan-actor-writer-philosopher-pagan.html)
11. [Transformers: The Last Knight - Full Cast & Crew, Phenomena](https://www.phenomena.com/m/4140/cast)
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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 › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Q to Se*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; 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