# Michael Socha
**Michael Socha** (born 1987) is an English actor from Derby, Derbyshire, best known for playing Tom McNair, a werewolf, in the [BBC Three](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-three) supernatural series *Being Human*, the Knave of Hearts in ABC's *Once Upon a Time in Wonderland*, and Harvey in [Shane Meadows](https://www.edgepedia.org/shane-meadows)'s *This Is England* films and television spinoffs.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/fullcredits) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / birth | Michael Robert Socha, born 1987 in Derby, Derbyshire, England[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/fullcredits) |
| Breakthrough role | Bully, later called Harvey, in *This Is England* (2006); he was 17 when he filmed it[3](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith) |
| Signature television role | Tom McNair in *Being Human* (BBC Three), a regular in the show's final two seasons, 19 episodes from 2009 to 2013[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/) • [4](https://www.fernsehserien.de/michael-socha/filmografie) |
| US exposure | Knave of Hearts in *Once Upon a Time in Wonderland* (2013–14, 13 episodes); Knave of Hearts / Will Scarlet in *Once Upon a Time* (16 episodes, through 2015)[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2917/michael-socha) |
| Training | Central Junior Television Workshop in Nottingham, a free drama group that also produced Samantha Morton, Vicky McClure, and Jack O'Connell[3](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith) • [6](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/michael-socha-interview-this-is-england-once-upon-a-time/) |
| Recent leading roles | David Hartley in *The Gallows Pole* (2023) and Matty in the BBC casino thriller *The Cage* (2026)[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2917/michael-socha) • [7](https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/the-cage-sheridan-smith-gripping-crime-drama/) |
| Family | Sister Lauren Socha is also an actor, known for *Misfits*[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/) • [6](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/michael-socha-interview-this-is-england-once-upon-a-time/) |
## Early life
Socha was born in Derby in 1987 to Kathleen (Lyons) and Robert Socha, and has Polish, English, Irish, and Italian ancestry.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/fullcredits) He grew up in a modest home in the [East Midlands](https://www.edgepedia.org/east-midlands) with his sister Lauren, who also became an actor.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/) He has described himself as a rebellious pupil who often skipped school; at age 11 he unsuccessfully auditioned for the lead in a school musical, but won the lead role of [Bugsy Malone](https://www.edgepedia.org/bugsy-malone) in another play a few years later.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/fullcredits) Although he finished school without any GCSEs or qualifications, he had belonged to Nottingham's Television Workshop, a no-cost youth drama group that also gave [Samantha Morton](https://www.edgepedia.org/samantha-morton), Vicky McClure, and Jack O'Connell their starts.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith) He took himself to auditions between laboring jobs.[6](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/michael-socha-interview-this-is-england-once-upon-a-time/) In his early 20s he moved to Seven Sisters in north London and lived in a shared house with another actor.[8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/may/21/michael-socha-actor-gallows-pole-this-is-england-interview)
## This Is England and early career
Socha's breakthrough came while he was still in his teens, playing the thuggish peroxide-blond Bully in Meadows's inner-city drama *This Is England* (2006); in the spinoff series the character was called Harvey.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith) The casting gave his career a jumpstart, though he was not immediately able to follow up on it; after two years of little screen work he took a recurring part on the medical show *Casualty* and appeared in the pensive drama *Summer*, starring [Robert Carlyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-carlyle).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/)
He rejoined the *This Is England* company for the [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4) sequel miniseries *This Is England '86* (2010) and *This Is England '88* (2011), and completed work on *This Is England '90*, in which Harvey played a prominent role.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/) • [6](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/michael-socha-interview-this-is-england-once-upon-a-time/) He has called working with Meadows and that cast a rare opportunity.[6](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/michael-socha-interview-this-is-england-once-upon-a-time/) Film work from this period included Craze in *Shank* (2010) and Donny Svenson in *Bonded by Blood* (2010).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/fullcredits)
## Being Human and international work
Socha joined the fan-favorite supernatural series *Being Human* (BBC, 2008–2013) as the werewolf Tom McNair and became a regular on the show's final two seasons, appearing over two years.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/) IMDb credits him with 19 episodes between 2009 and 2013.[4](https://www.fernsehserien.de/michael-socha/filmografie)
Shortly after *Being Human* ended, he won the part of the roguish Knave of Hearts on the ABC series *Once Upon a Time in Wonderland* (2013–14), giving him his first global audience.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/) He then carried the character into the parent series *Once Upon a Time* as the Knave of Hearts / [Will Scarlet](https://www.edgepedia.org/will-scarlet) for 16 episodes through 2015.[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2917/michael-socha) Back in the UK he starred as Lewis in *The Aliens* (E4, 2016), a sci-fi comedy from the producers of *Misfits*, and appeared in the film *Papillon* (2017) as Julot.[6](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/michael-socha-interview-this-is-england-once-upon-a-time/) • [5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2917/michael-socha)
## Later television and film
From 2019 onward Socha moved between British drama series and films. He played Mikhail in *[Chernobyl](https://www.edgepedia.org/chernobyl-miniseries)* (2019), Kenny Meadows in *Time* (2021), PC Justin Mitchell in *Showtrial* series 2, and Dave Chapman in *D.I. Ray*.[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2917/michael-socha) In Shane Meadows's *The Gallows Pole* (2023) he starred as David Hartley.[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2917/michael-socha) In 2025 he played Peter in the Netflix series *Toxic Town* and Steve in the BBC's BAFTA-nominated *What It Feels Like for a Girl*, adapted from [Paris Lees](https://www.edgepedia.org/paris-lees)'s memoir.[9](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/the-cage-cast-plot-filming-news-and-everything-we-know) • [10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/news/)
**The Cage.** Socha stars alongside [Sheridan Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/sheridan-smith) as Matty, a casino worker skimming the takings, in the [BBC One](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-one) thriller *The Cage*, written by Tony Schumacher, who previously received acclaim for *The Responder*.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith) • [9](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/the-cage-cast-plot-filming-news-and-everything-we-know) The character is based in part on Schumacher's brother Phil, an alcoholic who died while the series was being filmed; Schumacher said some of the material he gave Socha to play was what he was dealing with himself at the time.[7](https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/the-cage-sheridan-smith-gripping-crime-drama/)
**Upcoming work.** He is set to play Bill Rich in *The Witch Farm*, a four-part BBC supernatural thriller adapted from Danny Robins's paranormal podcast, about a supposed haunting at a farmhouse in the Brecon Becons in 1989; the bushy beard he wore in a 2026 interview was grown for the part.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith) • [10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/news/) He also has a role in an untitled six-part Netflix drama adapting [Roald Dahl](https://www.edgepedia.org/roald-dahl)'s short stories for adults, filming in Manchester with a cast including [Naomi Scott](https://www.edgepedia.org/naomi-scott), Nicola Coughlan, and [Dominic West](https://www.edgepedia.org/dominic-west).[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/news/)
## Working style and background
Socha came to acting without drama school or university, and has said he recognizes what a rare opportunity the Meadows collaborations were; he calls himself "a very lucky bastard".[6](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/michael-socha-interview-this-is-england-once-upon-a-time/) He tries to avoid watching his own performances because he nitpicks them, and has described his job as one where losing his temper on camera is applauded rather than judged.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith) He has said there have been gaps and ups and downs across his twenty years in the profession.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith)
## References
1. [Michael Socha, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/fullcredits)
2. [Michael Socha, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-socha/)
3. ["I've had white knuckle moments": Michael Socha on This Is England and The Cage, The Guardian (21 April 2026)](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/21/michael-socha-interview-the-cage-this-is-england-sheridan-smith)
4. [Filmografie Michael Socha, fernsehserien.de](https://www.fernsehserien.de/michael-socha/filmografie)
5. [Michael Socha, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2917/michael-socha)
6. [Michael Socha interview: This Is England, Once Upon A Time, Den of Geek](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/michael-socha-interview-this-is-england-once-upon-a-time/)
7. [The Cage: Sheridan Smith's gripping crime drama, Woman & Home](https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/the-cage-sheridan-smith-gripping-crime-drama/)
8. [Actor Michael Socha: "Did I fall in with the wrong people? No, I was the wrong people", The Guardian (May 2023)](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/may/21/michael-socha-actor-gallows-pole-this-is-england-interview)
9. [The Cage: cast, plot, first look, filming news and everything you need to know](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/the-cage-cast-plot-filming-news-and-everything-we-know)
10. [Michael Socha News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/news/)
---
*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 Sh to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: 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