Connor Swindells

Connor Ryan Swindells is an English actor and model who began his career in 2015. He gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Adam Groff in the Netflix comedy-drama series Sex Education, which ran from 2019 to 2023. Beyond this breakout role, Swindells is known for starring as David Stirling in the BBC One historical war drama SAS: Rogue Heroes, as well as appearing in feature films including Emma, Barbarians, Barbie, and Scoop.

Swindells was born on 19 September 1996 in Lewes, East Sussex, as the youngest of four sons born to his parents, Ian and Phoebe. His mother, who was of Romani descent, passed away from bowel cancer when he was seven years old. Following her death, Swindells and his father moved in with his paternal grandparents in West Chiltington before later relocating to Billingshurst, both located within the Horsham District of West Sussex. Swindells received his education at Rydon Community College and Steyning Grammar School, ultimately dropping out of college at the age of 17.

His path to acting began when he noticed an audition poster for a local stage production and entered the audition on a dare from a friend. After securing the lead role, he performed in two additional local plays and officially signed with a talent agent following the conclusion of his third production. Swindells made his professional television debut in 2017, appearing as Mostyn in the Hulu period drama Harlots and as Fletcher in the Sky One historical drama Jamestown.

In March 2017, Swindells was cast as Donald in the Scottish psychological thriller film The Vanishing, replacing Joe Alwyn to perform alongside Gerard Butler and Peter Mullan under the direction of Kristoffer Nyholm. The film screened at the 2018 Sitges Film Festival prior to its theatrical release in January 2019. In 2018, Swindells also made his feature film debut starring as Adam in the drama film VS. His major breakthrough arrived in 2019 when he joined the main cast of Netflix's Sex Education, starring as the headmaster's son, Adam Groff, alongside Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Asa Butterfield, and Gillian Anderson.

Following his success on television, Swindells expanded his screen resume with roles in the 2020 adaptation of Emma and the 2021 film Barbarians. In 2021, he portrayed Simon Hadlow in the BBC One crime drama series Vigil, led by Suranne Jones. In 2022, Swindells took on the lead role of David Stirling in the World War II drama series SAS: Rogue Heroes. The following year, he reunited with his Sex Education co-stars Ncuti Gatwa and Emma Mackey in Greta Gerwig's feature film Barbie.

Swindells continued to build his film and television portfolio in 2024, playing Jae Donnelly in the Netflix film Scoop and portraying Gessler in the feature film William Tell. His screen work extends into 2025 projects, including playing Detective Sergeant Ed McCusker in the Lockerbie-based miniseries The Bombing of Pan Am 103, as well as appearing in the feature film Jingle Bell Heist.

In 2024, Swindells married actress Amber Anderson in a ceremony held in the Scottish Highlands. The wedding was officiated by actor Alistair Petrie, who portrayed Swindells' onscreen father in Sex Education.