Born in Prague, but raised in Vancouver, and fluent in Czech, David started early as an actor. Graduating from UBC in English Literature and Theatre, he has since featured in several key B.C. based series: ‘Arrow’, ‘Supernatural’, ‘Stargate Atlantis’–after returning from Czechoslovakia in the 2000s in Prague and Vancouver. During a shoot as a lead in HBO Europe’s ‘Sleepers’ this past winter in a return to Prague, he found himself in Amazon’s ‘Carnival Row’
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Prague; David arrived in Canada with his parents at the age of two, after the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of what was then Czechoslovakia. The Nykls arrived in Victoria, BC where his father soon found work as a Structural Engineer and his mother as a Nurse.
David started early as an actor: theatre, small TV parts, tap dance classes, piano lessons and community theatre. He attended the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, from which he graduated with a bachelor degree in English Literature and Theatre. After graduation he worked for several years in the Vancouver Theatre world and initiated a small collective known as Ironworks Productions, derived from a group of friends from Bard on the Beach. Ironworks toured Europe with its production of “Waiting for Godot”.
Returning to Prague in the 1990’s in the aftermath of the Velvet Revolution, David co-founded Prague’s English Language theatre company: Misery Loves Company. He was involved in over seventeen productions – as actor, director, producer, and artistic director. He also appeared in several made-in-Prague Hollywood projects.
Since his return to Vancouver, David has appeared in dozens of film and TV projects including Arrow, now in its 7th and final season, Stargate Atlantis, Supernatural, Fringe, Eureka, and Continuum. He has reunited with Arrow creator Marc Guggenehim for the latter’s Amazon series Carnival Row, and recently completed filming as a lead in the HBO Europe espionage thriller limited -series “The Sleepers”, which completed shooting after 85 days at the end of January. “The Sleepers” is due to broadcast in tandem with the 30th anniversary of The Velvet Revolution in November 2019.
FILM & TV
Television in Production
Carnival Row
Carnival Row (2019)
(TV Series) – Constable Boggs Season 1, Episode 2 (1 episode, 2019)
Past Film & Video
William (2019)
Principal Bernstein
The Age of Adulting (2018)
Professor
Caw (2017)
(Short) – David
The Devout (2015)
Dr. Fisher
Reset (2015)
(Short) – Technician
Air (2015)
Sleeper 1
Tomorrowland (2015)
Science Teacher
Camera Shy (2012)
Cliff Gardner
Christmas Miracle (2012)
Drake
Voodoo (2010)
(Short) – Mr. Decker
The Beast of Bottomless Lake (2010)
Paoul Moran, Second Unit Director, Music (“Ogopogo Shanty”), Performer (“Ogopogo Shanty”)
The Seamstress (2009)
Donny Plachtt
Helen (2009)
John
Pterodactyl (2005)
Herbert
Spare Change (2004)
(Short) – Joel
Moving Malcolm (2003)
Thanks
Stealing Sinatra (2003)
Valet
B’s (2001)
(Short) – Actor
Escape Velocity (1999)
Russell aka the Priest
Love Lies Bleeding (1999)
Fraser
Praha ocima (1999)
Honza (segment “Dive, The”)
Act of War (1998)
George Willmont
Prague Duet (1998)
Journalist
Blumenstein Fernand – bláznuv príbeh(1998)
Actor (voice)
Ceská soda (1998)
Actor
Hell Mountain (1998)
First Corridor Guard
Crackerjack 2 (1997)
Cavanaugh
Sacred Cargo (1995)
Brother Alexis
David (1993)
(Short) – Bob
Strangeview (1993)
(Short) – Trucker’s Friend
Past Television
Arrow (2013–2018)
(TV Series) – Anatoly Knyazev (34 episodes, 2013)
Due Process (Nov 19, 2018) Season 7, Episode 6 – Anatoly Knyazev
See more
Salvation (2018)
(TV Series) – Czech Rep (1 episode, 2018)
Détente (Jul 2, 2018) Season 2, Episode 2 – Czech Rep
The Age of Adulting (2018– )
(TV Series) – Professor (2015-)
Motive (2016)
(TV Series) – Darnell Murphy (1 episode, 2016)
Remains to Be Seen (Jul 19, 2016) Season 4, Episode 9 – Darnell Murphy
Minority Report (2015)
(TV Series) – Eli Winford (1 episode, 2015)
Hawk-Eye (Oct 5, 2015) Season 1, Episode 3 – Eli Winford
Proof (2015)
(TV Series) – Father Donovan (1 episode, 2015)
St. Luke’s (Jul 28, 2015) Season 1, Episode 7 – Father Donovan
Supernatural (2014)
(TV Series) – Lester Morris (2 episodes, 2014)
Click here or anywhere on the above David Nykl showreel screen to watch the reel.