Neil McCarthy

Neil McCarthy is a multi-award-winning actor, writer, director, and producer who works extensively in the South African film, theater, and broadcasting industries. In addition to his work as an actor, director, and producer, he is one of the most experienced and celebrated scriptwriters in the country, having worked on landmark drama series including Isidingo, Rhythm City, and Isono—The Sin. As a theater director, McCarthy has received multiple awards and was resident director at Johannesburg’s prestigious Market Theatre in the early 1990s. His acting for film and television includes the Academy Award-winning Hotel Rwanda, The Deal with Meg Ryan and William H. Macy, and The Hotzone for National Geographic. In 2019, McCarthy began collaborating with William Kentridge and the Centre for the Less Good Idea on a performance based on the Joseph Conrad short story “An Outpost of Progress.” McCarthy currently lives in Dublin, Ireland and teaches scriptwriting at the National Film School.