Dominic Gerard Francis Eagleton West is an English actor, director, and musician. He is best known for playing Jimmy McNulty in HBO's The Wire (2002–2008), Noah Solloway in Showtime's The Affair (2014–2019), the latter of which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama nomination, Ebenezer Scrooge's nephew Fred in A Christmas Carol (1999, with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge), and Charles, Prince of Wales, in the Netflix drama The Crown (2022–present). West was born in Sheffield, England, in 1969. He is the sixth of seven children born to Irish parents. He studied English literature at Trinity College Dublin and drama at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. West began his acting career in theater, appearing in productions of "Hamlet" and "Oedipus Rex." He made his film debut in 1995 with a small role in the film "The Boxer." West's breakthrough role came in 2002, when he was cast as Jimmy McNulty in the HBO series The Wire. The Wire is considered one of the greatest television shows of all time, and West's performance as McNulty was critically acclaimed. West has since starred in a number of other successful films and television shows, including "300," "The Hour," "The Affair," and "The Crown." He is a versatile actor who is equally comfortable in both dramatic and comedic roles. West is also a talented musician. He plays the guitar and piano, and he has released two albums of his own music.