Richard Coyle (b. February, 1972 in Sheffield, England) is an English actor. He began his acting career when, studying politics at the University of York (1991-1994), he became interested in amateur dramatics.

He was accepted into the prestigious Old Vic Theatre school and graduated in 1998, the same year as Dean Lennox Kelly. He didn't have to wait long for work, and began appearing in such television programmes as Hetty Wainthropp Investigates as Dr. Miles Millar, and Lorna Doone, as John Ridd (A role that Laurence Olivier was famous for playing).

In 2000, Coyle's big break arrived in the form of the socially inept Jeff Murdoch in the hit comedy Coupling. Coyle's portrayal of the madcap Jeff won the hearts of many viewers, but in 2003 he decided to leave Coupling in favour of pursuing other projects on stage and on the big screen.

He starred in short lived BBC show Strange.

He was then cast in the Donmar Warehouse production of the play Proof, in London, alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, and on the success of this he was cast in Patrick Marber's reworking of August Strindberg's play After Miss Julie with Kelly Reilly and Helen Baxendale. From September to November 2004, Coyle played the title role in Michael Grandage's production of Friedrich Schiller's Don Carlos which then transfered to the West End from January to April 2005. The cast also included Derek Jacobi, Peter Eyre and Una Stubbs.

He played the role of Alcock in The Libertine starring Johnny Depp.

--Wikipedia