Double Olivier Award winner Gawn Grainger and The Lord Of The Rings star Billy Boyd have joined the cast of Macbeth, Eve Best’s forthcoming directorial debut at Shakespeare’s Globe.

The pair joins the previously announced Joseph Millson, Samantha Spiro and Bette Bourne in Shakespeare’s much-loved exploration of ambition, guilt and destiny, which will play at the alfresco venue from 22 June.

Actor and playwright Grainger, whose illustrious career spans more than six decades, will take on the role of Duncan in the famous Scottish-set drama. Making his London stage debut in 1950, the actor is a former member of Laurence Olivier’s National Theatre at the Old Vic Company and was last seen on stage in the Donmar Warehouse’s The Recruiting Officer. Other recent credits from his extensive CV include A Woman Killed With Kindness at the National Theatre, Onassis in the West End and The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot at the Almeida.

Following his role in the touring production of The Proclaimers’ musical Sunshine On Leith, Boyd will make his Shakespeare’s Globe debut as Banquo. Well-known for his leading role as Pippin in the hugely successful film trilogy The Lord Of The Rings, Boyd’s many subsequent film credits include Irvine Welsh’s Master And Commander and Ecstasy, while on television the actor has made appearances in Casualty and Moby Dick.

Completing the company are Moyo Akandé, Geoff Aymer, Stuart Bowman, Jonathan Chambers, Philip Cumbus, Harry Hepple, Jess Murphy, Colin Ryan, Cat Simmons and Finty Williams.

Macbeth plays as part of the trio of supernatural Shakespeares in the venue’s Season Of Plenty. The Tempest opened to critical acclaim last week while Michelle Terry will lead the cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream when it begins its summer run later this month.

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