# Ross McCall

**Ross McCall** (born 1976) is a Scottish actor, writer, and director known for playing Corporal Joseph Liebgott in the HBO miniseries *Band of Brothers* and the recurring villain Matthew Keller on the [USA Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-network) series *White Collar*.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> He was born in Port Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.<sup>[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ross-mccall/credits/3030367376/)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976, Port Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom<sup>[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ross-mccall/credits/3030367376/)</sup> |
| Breakthrough role | Cpl. Joseph Liebgott in HBO's *Band of Brothers* (2001), 9 episodes, for Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> |
| Recurring TV roles | Matthew Keller on *White Collar* (2010–2014, 9 episodes); Kenny Battaglia, series regular on *Crash* (25 episodes); Ron Clark on *24: Live Another Day* (9 episodes)<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/30773/ross-mccall)</sup> |
| Recent work | Jeff in Apple TV+'s *Silo* (2024–2026); Agent Boulding in *Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning* (2025)<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> |
| Behind the camera | Writer and director of *A Violent Man*; writer, producer, and star of *About Us*, selected for the Edinburgh Film Festival<sup>[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ross-mccall/credits/3030367376/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> |
| Early start | Played the young Freddie Mercury in Queen's music video for "The Miracle" (1989)<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> |
| Representation | United Agents, London<sup>[4](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/ross-mccall/)</sup> |

## Early career

McCall began performing as a child. In his youth he was selected to play the young [Freddie Mercury](https://www.edgepedia.org/freddie-mercury) in the music video for Queen's single "The Miracle," released in November 1989, and, according to IMDb trivia, performed alongside the real Freddie Mercury at the end of the video.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> He then worked in the London West End theater district in stage productions of *Oliver!*, *The King and I*, *The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe*, *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*, *Les Miserables*, and the [Neil Simon](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-simon) play *Lost in Yonkers* opposite [Rosemary Harris](https://www.edgepedia.org/rosemary-harris).<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup>

His early television work was largely British. He appeared as Ilrick in the BBC's *The Return of the Borrowers*, and in series including *The Bill*, *The Brittas Empire*, *Pie in the Sky*, *The Broker's Man*, *Bramwell*, and *In Suspicious Circumstances*.<sup>[4](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/ross-mccall/)</sup> His early film credits include *Waterland* (1992) with [Jeremy Irons](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeremy-irons) and [Ethan Hawke](https://www.edgepedia.org/ethan-hawke).<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup>

## Band of Brothers

McCall became known in the United States after playing Corporal Joseph Liebgott in HBO's *Band of Brothers* (2001), the miniseries produced by [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg) and executive produced by [Tom Hanks](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-hanks) about Easy Company of the US 101st Airborne Division in World War II.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> He appeared in nine episodes and is credited as a lead in the role.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/ross-mccall/)</sup>

In a 2015 interview with *History of War* at the 71st anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, McCall described his preparation: Liebgott had died long before the series was made, so his research material amounted to an envelope with a picture and a letter. He described the character as one of the few Jewish members of Easy Company who spoke fluent German, and said he had to get down to 135 pounds for the part.<sup>[5](https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/history-of-war/band-of-brothers-star-ross-mccall-on-the-real-heroes-of-easy-company/)</sup> The cast also went through a two-week boot camp run by Captain Dale Dye, a former marine who trains actors in military situations, where they learned to spit-shine boots, strip an M1 rifle, and throw a hand grenade.<sup>[5](https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/history-of-war/band-of-brothers-star-ross-mccall-on-the-real-heroes-of-easy-company/)</sup> [The National WWII Museum](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-national-wwii-museum) has featured McCall alongside fellow cast members [James Madio](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-madio) and Matthew Leitch on its Easy Company tours.<sup>[6](https://www.nationalww2museum.org/sites/default/files/2018-02/2018%20Easy%20Company_Sept9_SPREADS.pdf)</sup>

## Television career

After *Band of Brothers*, McCall built a career of recurring and guest roles on American television. He was a series regular as Kenny Battaglia on *Crash*, the Starz drama series developed for Glen Mazzara, appearing in 25 episodes across two seasons.<sup>[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/30773/ross-mccall)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> On *White Collar* he played the con man Matthew Keller, a recurring adversary of [Matt Bomer](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-bomer)'s character, across four seasons from 2010 to 2014 in nine episodes.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup>

His other television credits include *CSI: NY*, *Bones*, *Ghost Whisperer*, *Luther* with [Idris Elba](https://www.edgepedia.org/idris-elba), *Castle*, season 9 of *24* (as [Ron Clark](https://www.edgepedia.org/ron-clark), in nine episodes of *24: Live Another Day*), *Lucifer* (as Onyx), and *Fear the Walking Dead*.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/ross-mccall/)</sup> In 2022 he appeared as Owen Nielssen in six episodes of the Apple TV+ thriller *Suspicion* alongside [Uma Thurman](https://www.edgepedia.org/uma-thurman), and as Special Agent Moran in an episode of Paramount+'s *The Offer* with Miles Teller.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> He has since recurred as Jeff in Apple TV+'s *Silo*, appearing in episodes in 2024, 2025, and the 2026 season.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/30773/ross-mccall)</sup>

## Film work

McCall's film credits span independent features and studio pictures. He played Dave in *Green Street Hooligans* (2005), the SXSW-winning football-hooligan film with [Charlie Hunnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlie-hunnam), and returned for the direct-to-video sequel *Green Street Hooligans 2* (2009).<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> He appeared in *LD 50* with Tom Hardy, *Autopsy*, *Trade Routes*, and the festival favorite *AutoMotive* with Tessa Thompson.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> On Robert Zemeckis's *The Polar Express*, he played opposite Tom Hanks as Hanks' scene partner for the entire picture.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup>

Later films include the internationally award-winning *In Embryo*, for which he received a Best Actor nomination at the Shanghai International Film Festival; *The Beautiful Ones* (2017), which won him multiple Best Actor awards; the Danish feature *The Good Traitor* (2020) for director Christina Rosendahl; *Aftermath* (2021) for Netflix; and *Rome in Love* (2019) for Hallmark.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> In 2025 he played Agent Boulding in *Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning* for Paramount Pictures.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/ross-mccall/)</sup> Upcoming projects include *Rise of the Footsoldier: Retribution* (2026), in which he plays Miller, and the Netflix series *Mercenary: An Extraction Series* from Glen Mazzara, in which he plays Roger Ward.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://www.imdb.com/fr-ca/name/nm0564680/news/)</sup>

## Writing and directing

McCall has written and starred in two features that received festival attention and theatrical releases in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The first, *About Us* (2020), was officially selected for the Edinburgh Film Festival; the second, *A Violent Man* (2021), which he also directed, found distribution before principal photography was complete.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup> TV Guide credits him as director and writer of *A Violent Man* and as writer and producer of *About Us*.<sup>[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ross-mccall/credits/3030367376/)</sup>

He also works in documentary. He continues to work closely with the marine conservation group Sea Shepherd, writing and directing the documentary *Grind of the Faroe Islands*, and supports the elephant rescue center PAWS in Northern California.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)</sup>

## Notes on the name

A second Ross McCall, credited on IMDb as Ross McCall (II) and sometimes as Ross William McCall, is an American television producer and writer known for *Modern Men*, *Just Shoot Me!*, and *The Jeff Dunham Show*, and as senior narrative designer on the video game *Life is Strange: Before the Storm*. He is a different person from the Scottish actor.<sup>[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1131503/)</sup>

## References

1. [Ross McCall (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564680)
2. [Ross McCall, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ross-mccall/credits/3030367376/)
3. [Ross McCall, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/30773/ross-mccall)
4. [Ross McCall, United Agents](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/ross-mccall/)
5. [Band of Brothers star Ross McCall on the real World War II heroes of Easy Company, History of War (2015)](https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/history-of-war/band-of-brothers-star-ross-mccall-on-the-real-heroes-of-easy-company/)
6. [Easy Company: England to the Eagle's Nest tour brochure, The National WWII Museum](https://www.nationalww2museum.org/sites/default/files/2018-02/2018%20Easy%20Company_Sept9_SPREADS.pdf)
7. [Ross McCall News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/fr-ca/name/nm0564680/news/)
8. [Ross McCall (II), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1131503/)

---
*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; 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
