Award-winning Irish actor Michael Patrick Campbell, known professionally as Michael Patrick, has died at the age of 35.
The actor, who appeared in Game of Thrones, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in February 2023. Despite his diagnosis, he continued to work, notably creating and starring in an adaptation of The Tragedy of Richard III, where he portrayed the lead character as living with MND and using a wheelchair.
His performance earned him recognition at The Stage Awards last year.
His wife, Naomi, confirmed in a social media post on April 8 that he passed away a day earlier at the Northern Ireland Hospice, where he had been receiving care for 10 days.
“He passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends,” she wrote, describing him as an inspiration whose life was marked by “joy, abundance of spirit, [and] infectious laughter.”
Michael Patrick began his screen career with a role as a Wildling rioter in Game of Thrones in 2016 and went on to feature in productions such as The Spectacular, Blue Lights, This Town, and My Left Nut, which he also co-wrote.
In 2024, he starred in The Tragedy of Richard III at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, delivering a powerful performance that reflected his lived experience with MND.
Paying tribute, Lyric Theatre Belfast executive producer Jimmy Fay described him as “a great artist,” adding that he transformed the challenges he faced into “visceral and vibrant art.”