---
name: "Des McAleer"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/des-mcaleer"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "25 May 1952"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 82
updated: "2026-09-16T21:19:40.294299+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Des McAleer

Actor. Born 25 May 1952 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 25 May 1952, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- **Active:** 2008–present
- **Also known as:** دِس مک‌آلیر

## Biography

Des McAleer is a Northern Irish actor born in Belfast on 25 May 1952. He has worked extensively in film, television and theatre.

Film roles include Mr Sands in *Hunger* (2008), Senior Policeman in *My Week with Marilyn* (2011), Major McEvoy in *How I Live Now* (2013) and Jim the Porter in *The Children Act* (2018). Television appearances encompass Philip Kinghorn Burbidge in *The Crown* (2016), multiple episodes of *Silent Witness* and a regular role as Barry Pettigrew in *Hope Street* (2020–2024). Stage credits include productions at the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.

*Sources: imdb.com, wikidata.org, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *How to Get to Heaven from Belfast* (2026), Fi1m 78, as Father William — [page](https://film.one/tv/how-to-get-to-heaven-from-belfast.md)
- *Hunger* (2008), Fi1m 86, as Mr Sands — [page](https://film.one/film/hunger.md)

## Also known for

- *My Week with Marilyn* (2011), Senior Policeman
- *How I Live Now* (2013), Major McEvoy
- *The Children Act* (2018), Jim the Porter
- *Angela's Ashes* (1999), Mr. Benson
- *Silent Witness* (1996)
- *Hidden Agenda* (1990), Sgt  Kennedy
- *Wuthering Heights* (2009), Joseph
- *Casualty* (1986), Dave McGann

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/des-mcaleer