Theatre Morgan made his stage debut in London as the titular character
Vernon God Little mounted at the
Young Vic in 2007. That same year, Morgan played the role of Esteban, an aspiring teenage writer, in the Old Vic stage adaptation of
Pedro Almodóvar's
All About My Mother. For both of these roles, Morgan was nominated for the 2007
London Newcomer of the Year in the
Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards. In 2008, Morgan appeared in the Young Vic production of
Thomas Babe's
A Prayer for My Daughter.
The Independent noted Morgan brought Jimmy to life through "twisting, twitching mood-swings and mix of half-druggy cackling punk and half-angelic visionary."
Variety also singled out his "remarkable level of twitchy intensity." In 2011, Morgan performed in the
Royal Court Theatre production of Pedro Miguel Rozo's play
Our Private Life to favourable reviews as Carlos, a "bipolar compulsive fantasist" homosexual who suspects he was molested by his father as a child. On 9 December 2012, Morgan performed the role of Gary, a flamboyant dance instructor trying to win the heart of one of his students, in
Step in Time at The Old Vic 24 Hour Musicals Celebrity Gala in aid of The Old Vic Trust. He played
Ariel in the 2013
Globe Theatre production of
The Tempest, which was later broadcast to cinemas as part of
Globe On Screen in May 2014, with a subsequent DVD release in July 2014 and then was also later released online via the Globe's online platform in 2022. For this role, Morgan sought to imbue his portrayal of Ariel with "ethereal stillness" and "acrobatic precision".
The Washington Post critic said that he "can't remember a better Ariel," and that Morgan's portrayal was "mysterious, in a way I've never quite experienced before – also wonderfully vulnerable". From 2013 to 2014, Morgan played Skinny Luke in
Jez Butterworth's dark comedy
Mojo at the
Harold Pinter Theatre.
Radio Times described Morgan's performance as "an accomplished study in human weakness ... played with precision and pathos." In 2017, Morgan returned to London theatre, appearing in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins'
Gloria, a comic drama. Morgan made his
National Theatre debut in May 2018, starring in the new production of
Brian Friel's
Translations, directed by
Ian Rickson. In 2019, he appeared in
Arthur Miller's
All My Sons at
the Old Vic as Chris Keller, a production that was screened in cinemas and later made available through the National Theatre's online streaming platform in 2021. He performed at the
Bridge Theatre in early 2020, for
Caryl Churchill's
A Number.
Television 2007–2008: early years In television, Morgan first appeared in 2007 as the embarrassed gay son John Leary in sketches on
The Catherine Tate Show's "Christmas Special." In 2008, he portrayed the conflicted teenager Jethro Cane in the fan-favourite
Doctor Who episode "
Midnight".
2008–2012: Merlin Morgan played the title role in
BBC TV series
Merlin from 2008 to 2012. The series chronicles the adventures of a young warlock who serves as Arthur's servant and Gaius' ward; Merlin must secretly develop his magical gifts under the gaze of Kings Uther and Arthur, both of whom despise the art. The show was loosely based on the
Arthurian legends of Merlin and his relationship with King Arthur. Morgan was nominated for and won multiple acting awards, including the Caron Keating Outstanding Newcomer Award in the 56th annual Variety Club Showbiz Award ceremony on 16 November 2008 (at the start of the series) and the Best Actor in Drama Performance: Male award in the 2013
National Television Awards (at the conclusion of the series). The role of Merlin proved difficult to cast, according to co-creator and executive producer Johnny Capps. "We had to find an actor who has a broad playing range, someone with the lightness of touch who will be able to deal with action and magic", Capps said in a 2011 interview. "We had an instinct about Colin. At first we weren't sure about him but then saw him again and again and we watched back his final auditions and said, 'He's perfect for the part.'" Before auditioning for the role, Morgan received the script for Prince Arthur by mistake. He only had five minutes before his audition to read over the correct part.
2014–present After spending 2013 in back-to-back stage productions, Morgan reappeared on television as an ambitious journalist in an episode of the 1950s Irish crime drama
Quirke, based on the books by
John Banville. Later that year, he took on the role of detective sergeant in the second series of
The Fall. Morgan was approached to play the role, meeting with writer
Allan Cubitt and lead actress
Gillian Anderson in London to discuss his involvement. To prepare for his performance, Morgan read up on police procedures and spoke to the set's police advisor. He also did an impromptu interview of two police officers he saw in the street in London. In June 2015, Morgan began his role as the mysterious fugitive Leo Elster in
Humans, a British-American
AMC /
Channel 4 eight-part science fiction drama.
Humans was Channel 4's highest-rated drama since
The Camomile Lawn (1992). Reviewer Paul Simpson described Morgan as one who "always rises to strong material, and [whose] performance has become increasingly engaging as the series has progressed". In mid-2016, Morgan starred in the
BBC One Victorian era ghost hunter series
The Living and the Dead as the central character Nathan Appleby. Later that year, he reprised his roles in
The Fall's third series and in the second series of
Humans.
Film Morgan portrayed a homeless drug-addict in the 2010 independent Irish film
Parked, for which he spent several weeks in Dublin researching drug addiction and homelessness. Morgan's performance was praised by multiple critics and director Darragh Byrne. In 2011, Morgan appeared in the film
Island, an independent adaptation of
Jane Rogers' novel
Island. '',
Oxford, England, 9 April 2014 Morgan next portrayed
WWI British soldier
Victor Richardson, in a
BBC Films and
Heyday Films feature adaptation of
Vera Brittain's World War I memoir
Testament of Youth. To prepare for the role of the soldier, Morgan read Brittain's works, as well as personal letters exchanged between Vera, Victor, and their friends. He also contacted a Blind Veterans Charity in
Brighton, which allowed him to interview blind people. The
British Film Institute's brochure said, "Shining brightly and lingering long in the mind afterwards, are the performances of three rising British stars – Colin Morgan,
Taron Egerton and
Kit Harington". In the fourth quarter of 2015, Morgan was featured as Frankie Shea, brother-in-law and personal driver of lead characterReggie Kray, in the 1960s London gangster film
Legend. For two days in Blackpool, from 9 to 10 May 2015, Morgan filmed
The Laughing King, a short film by White No Sugar TV and Funky Films in support of the UK charity
Campaign Against Living Miserably's (CALM) push to raise awareness regarding depression, mental illness and male suicide. He played the role of Jake, a young man who arrives in Blackpool, the seaside town of his childhood, determined to end his life. It was released on 12 January 2016, in the London Short Film Festival. In 2015, he was attached to play the lead role of
Seán Mac Diarmada in a planned film about the 1916
Easter Rising in Ireland. In 2020, the film producer said he was still seeking additional financing for the project. Morgan filmed
Waiting for You from May to June 2015. In April 2016, Morgan portrayed the Duke of Blackwood in the
Snow White and the Huntsman spin-off, ''
The Huntsman: Winter's War. In the fourth quarter of 2016, Morgan filmed the Oscar Wilde biopic The Happy Prince in Bavaria, Germany. In mid-2017, Morgan played the title role in Benjamin'', a film written and directed by
Simon Amstell. In 2021, Morgan appeared in
Kenneth Branagh's film
Belfast, based on the director's childhood during
the Troubles. The film was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2022, he appeared in the film
Corsage, which was short-listed for the
Academy Award for Best International Feature Film as a submission from Austria. In 2022, he completed filming on ''
Long Day's Journey into Night'', an adaptation of
Eugene O'Neill's
1956 play. The independent production faced financing challenges.
Radio Morgan took part in BBC Radio play
Cry Babies by
Kim Newman on
BBC Radio 4 in March 2009, playing the part of Roger. In December 2014, he starred as Newton Pulsifer in the first audio dramatisation of the popular book
Good Omens, written by
Neil Gaiman and
Terry Pratchett, and directed and adapted by
Dirk Maggs, also on BBC Radio 4. On 4 December 2016, Morgan read
Autumn Journal on
BBC Radio 3, which was about
Louis MacNeice's poetic testament of life in 1938, written against the turbulent backdrop of the
Munich Agreement, the fall of Barcelona and Britain's preparations for an inevitable war.
Writing His first novel,
The Ballad of Ronan McCoy, will be published by
HarperCollins UK imprint HQ on 18 June 2026.
Narration For the 100th anniversary of the
Titanic's sinking on 14 April 2012, Morgan performed readings from survivor accounts and testimonials during
Titanic: A Commemoration in Music and Film, broadcast live on
BBC2 from
Belfast's
Waterfront Hall. On 27 August 2014, Morgan narrated Big Mountain Productions'
Addicts Symphony on
Channel 4. The one-off documentary followed composer, musician and recovering alcoholic James McConnel as he brought together ten classical musicians whose lives had been blighted by addiction for a spectacular concert. Since 2018, Morgan has narrated
The Chronicles ... series for BBC NI, which takes a year-long look at areas in Northern Ireland. Starting with
The Chronicles of Mourne, each episode covers a season in the year, starting with spring and moving to winter. In 2020,
The Chronicles of Mourne was followed by
The Chronicles of Erne, with
The Chronicles of Belfast in 2023. In 2024, the series will expand with
The Chronicles of Armagh, detailing Morgan's home county.
Video games Morgan voiced Merlin's game sequences in 2012's
Merlin: The Game. ==Personal life==