# Tony Way
**Tony Way** (Tony Paul Way, born 1978) is an English actor, comedian, and writer known for character work across British television comedy and drama, most prominently as Lenny in [Ricky Gervais](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricky-gervais)'s Netflix series *[After Life](https://www.edgepedia.org/after-life-tv-series)* and as the drunken knight Dontos Hollard in HBO's *Game of Thrones*.[1](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/147255-tony-way?language=en-US) • [2](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tony-way/) He was born in Rochford, Essex, England.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1978, Rochford, Essex, England[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/) |
| Professions | Actor, writer, comedian; IMDb lists 128 acting credits, 18 writing credits, and 1 directing credit[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/) |
| Signature TV roles | Lenny in *After Life* (Netflix, 2019–2022, 18 episodes); Dontos Hollard in *Game of Thrones* (HBO, 2011)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/) • [2](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tony-way/) |
| Notable films | *Ali G Indahouse* (2002), *The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo* (2011), *Anonymous* (2011), *Edge of Tomorrow* (2014), *High-Rise* (2015), *Ray & Liz* (2018)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/tony_way) |
| Writing | Additional material and episodes for *Shooting Stars*, *The Wall*, *Sorry, I've Got No Head*, *Crackanory*, *Brian Pern: A Tribute*, and *2019: A Year in the Life of a Year*[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/) |
| Recent and upcoming | Voice role as a series regular in Gervais's Netflix animation *Alley Cats* (2026); *Savage House* (2026); *Stargazers*; *Berlin Noir*[5](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/client/tony-way/cv/acting/?token=5801ec627819) |
## Television comedy career
Way has been a regular presence on British television since the mid-1990s, with early appearances including *Spaced* (1999, as a paperboy), *Black Books* (2000), *Silent Witness* (1996), and *EastEnders*.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/tony-way/) Through the 2000s he appeared in *Extras* (2005, as a chef), *Doctor Who* (2005, as Alf), *Not Going Out* (2006, as Tony), and *Saxondale* (2006, as a pest controller).[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/tony-way/) A profile in *The Hollywood News* in 2011 described him as one of the UK's most recognizable "don't-I-know-you-from-that-thing" actors, having appeared alongside Vic and Bob, Simon Pegg, and Ricky Gervais.[7](https://thehollywoodnews.com/2011/10/31/anonymous-interview-with-tony-way/)
His most substantial comedy role is Lenny, the photographer and best mate of Ricky Gervais's character at the Tambury Gazette in *After Life*, a part he played across all three series from 2019 to 2022.[2](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tony-way/) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/) In a 2020 interview about the show, Way said Gervais conceived Lenny as a "soppy, Labrador like, greedy loaf" and thought of him for the job.[8](https://www.italktelly.com/post/i-talk-to-tony-way) His other recent comedy work includes recurring parts in *Mandy* (BBC, as Sergei and Raymond, 2020–2025), *Dodger* (BBC, as Jon the News, 2022–2023), *Buffering* (ITV), and *Avoidance*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/) • [9](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/tony_way/)
## Drama roles
Way's dramatic work centers on *Game of Thrones*, in which he played Dontos Hollard, described by his agency as the "tragic, drunken knight"; the role ran in the show's 2011 season.[2](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tony-way/) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/tony-way/) He also appeared as Mike Cattran in the true-crime miniseries *Des* (ITV, 2020), opposite [David Tennant](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-tennant), as a [Centurion](https://www.edgepedia.org/centurion) in [Jez Butterworth](https://www.edgepedia.org/jez-butterworth)'s *Britannia* (Sky/Amazon), and as Roy in the Netflix/BBC co-production *Giri/Haji* (2019).[2](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tony-way/) Further television credits include *Collateral* (2018), *Cobra* (2021), and *Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams* (2017).[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/tony-way/)
## Film work
Way's first film role was Dave, a member of [Ali G](https://www.edgepedia.org/ali-g)'s "Staines Massive," in *Ali G Indahouse* (2002); he obtained the part after working with director [Mark Mylod](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-mylod) on Vic and Bob and *The Fast Show*.[7](https://thehollywoodnews.com/2011/10/31/anonymous-interview-with-tony-way/) He has said that after that film there was a gap of small parts in *Cheeky* and *Finding Neverland* before he returned to film proper with [Ben Wheatley](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-wheatley)'s *Down Terrace* (2009).[7](https://thehollywoodnews.com/2011/10/31/anonymous-interview-with-tony-way/)
His subsequent film credits include [Thomas Nashe](https://www.edgepedia.org/thomas-nashe) in [Roland Emmerich](https://www.edgepedia.org/roland-emmerich)'s *Anonymous* (2011), Plague in [David Fincher](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-fincher)'s *The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo* (2011), a Crich tourist in Wheatley's *Sightseers* (2012), Kimmel in *Edge of Tomorrow* (2014), Robert the Caretaker in Wheatley's *High-Rise* (2015), Norman in *Trespass Against Us* (2016), and Lol in Richard Billingham's *Ray & Liz* (2018), which carries Rotten Tomatoes' highest rating of his films at 94 percent.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/tony_way) • [10](https://moviesranking.com/person/147255-tony-way) In 2024 he played Peter in the mockumentary comedy *Time Travel Is Dangerous*, directed by Chris Reading, describing his character as "odd in a socially awkward way" yet quietly brilliant, and appeared as Ted in Robert Zemeckis's *Here* alongside Tom Hanks.[11](https://www.cinedump.com/interviews/2025/9/24/tony-way-time-travel-is-dangerous-edge-of-tomorrow-game-of-thrones-2025) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/)
## Writing
Alongside acting, Way has written comedy material. His credits include writing for *Shooting Stars*, *The Wall*, and *Alan Carr: Chatty Man* (2009), 13 episodes of *Sorry, I've Got No Head* (2011), the *Burge & Way* television films (2011), three episodes of the storytelling series *Crackanory* (2014–2017), additional material for *Brian Pern: A Tribute* (2017) and *2019: A Year in the Life of a Year* (2020).[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/tony-way/)
## Recent projects
Way is a series regular voice performer in *Alley Cats*, Ricky Gervais's animated series for Netflix, premiering in 2026, and appears as James Darby in *Savage House* (2026), a dark comedy starring [Claire Foy](https://www.edgepedia.org/claire-foy) and [Richard E. Grant](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-e-grant).[5](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/client/tony-way/cv/acting/?token=5801ec627819) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/) His agency also lists the completed film *Stargazers* (as Mr. Smythley), the post-production television series *[Berlin Noir](https://www.edgepedia.org/berlin-noir-tv-series)* (as Detective Meyer), Apple TV's *The Alex*, the FX series *Far Cry*, and series 3 of *Daddy Issues* (BBC) among upcoming appearances.[5](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/client/tony-way/cv/acting/?token=5801ec627819) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/)
## References
1. [Tony Way, The Movie Database](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/147255-tony-way?language=en-US)
2. [Tony Way, United Agents](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tony-way/)
3. [Tony Way (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915453/)
4. [Tony Way, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/tony_way)
5. [Tony Way Acting CV, United Agents](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/client/tony-way/cv/acting/?token=5801ec627819)
6. [Tony Way, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/tony-way/)
7. [Anonymous: Interview With Tony Way, The Hollywood News (31 October 2011)](https://thehollywoodnews.com/2011/10/31/anonymous-interview-with-tony-way/)
8. [I Talk To Tony Way, iTalkTelly](https://www.italktelly.com/post/i-talk-to-tony-way)
9. [Tony Way, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/tony_way/)
10. [Tony Way, The Film Index](https://moviesranking.com/person/147255-tony-way)
11. [Tony Way – Time Travel Is Dangerous, Edge of Tomorrow, Game of Thrones (2025), CineDump](https://www.cinedump.com/interviews/2025/9/24/tony-way-time-travel-is-dangerous-edge-of-tomorrow-game-of-thrones-2025)
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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 T to We*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 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