Martin Faranan McDonagh (
/məkˈdɒnə/; born 26 March 1970) is a British-Irish playwright and filmmaker. He is known for his
absurdist black humour which often challenges the modern theatre aesthetic. He has received
numerous accolades including an
Academy Award, six
BAFTA Awards, four
Golden Globe Awards, three
Olivier Awards, and nominations for five
Tony Awards.
He started his career in the
Royal National Theatre with
The Pillowman in 2003. He has since written many plays which have been produced on the
West End and on
Broadway. His acclaimed plays include
The Beauty Queen of Leenane (1996),
The Cripple of Inishmaan (1996),
The Lonesome West (1997),
The Lieutenant of Inishmore (2001),
A Behanding in Spokane (2010), and
Hangmen (2015).
McDonagh won the
Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for
Six Shooter in 2004 and has received nominations for
six other Academy Awards. He directed the dark comedy films
In Bruges (2008),
Seven Psychopaths (2012),
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), and
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022).