Jeremy Irons
Jeremy John Irons (born 19 September 1948) is an English actor and activist. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has appeared in many West End theatre productions, including the Shakespeare plays The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew and Richard II. In 1984, he made his Broadway debut in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing, receiving the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. Irons's break-out role came in the ITV series Brideshead Revisited (1981) and is frequently ranked among the greatest British television dramas as well as greatest literary adaptations. It would earn him a Golden Globe Award nomination. His first major film role came in the romantic drama The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor. After starring in dramas, such as Moonlighting (1982), Betrayal (1983), and The Mission (1986), he was praised for portraying twin gynaecologists in David Cronenberg's psychological thriller Dead Ringers (1988). Irons has won multiple awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his portrayal of the accused attempted murderer Claus von Bülow in Reversal of Fortune (1990). Irons had roles in Steven Soderbergh's mystery thriller Kafka (1991), the period drama The House of the Spirits (1993), the romantic drama M. Butterfly (1993), voiced Scar in Disney's The Lion King (1994), played Simon Gruber in the action film Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Humbert Humbert in Lolita (1997) and Aramis in The Man in the Iron Mask (1998). He starred in the action adventure Dungeons & Dragons (2000), played Antonio in The Merchant of Venice (2004), appeared in Being Julia (2004), the historical drama Kingdom of Heaven (2005), the fantasy-adventure Eragon (2006), the Western Appaloosa (2008), and the indie drama Margin Call (2011). In 2016, he appeared in Assassin's Creed and portrayed Alfred Pennyworth in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League (2017), and Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021). On television, Irons appeared in the historical miniseries Elizabeth I, receiving a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor. From 2011 to 2013, he starred as Pope Alexander VI in the Showtime historical series The Borgias. In 2019, he appeared as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias in HBO's Watchmen. He is one of the few actors who have achieved the "Triple Crown of Acting" in the US, winning an Oscar for film, an Emmy for television and a Tony Award for theatre. In October 2011, he was nominated the Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Palestine 36 as High Commissioner Wauchope
- 2025 · The Count of Monte Cristo as Abbé Faria
- 2024 · The Beekeeper as Wallace Westwyld
- 2023 · Once Upon a Studio as Scar (voice)
- 2023 · The Flash as Alfred Pennyworth
- 2022 · The Pentaverate as Jeremy Irons
- 2021 · Munich – The Edge of War as Neville Chamberlain
- 2021 · House of Gucci as Rodolfo Gucci
- 2021 · Zack Snyder's Justice League as Alfred
- 2020 · Love, Weddings & Other Disasters as Lawrence Philips
- 2019 · The Morning Show as Martin Levy
- 2019 · Watchmen as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias
- 2018 · Better Start Running as Garrison
- 2018 · Red Sparrow as Vladimir Korchnoi
- 2017 · Justice League as Alfred
- 2017 · Birds Like Us as Mi (voice)
- 2016 · Assassin's Creed as Alan Rikkin
- 2016 · The Man Who Knew Infinity as G. H. Hardy
- 2016 · Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as Alfred
- 2016 · Race as Avery Brundage
- 2016 · Correspondence as Ed Phoerum
- 2015 · High-Rise as Anthony Royal
- 2015 · StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson as Self
- 2014 · Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- 2013 · Night Train to Lisbon as Raimund
- 2013 · Beautiful Creatures as Macon Ravenwood
- 2012 · The Words as The Old Man
- 2012 · The Hollow Crown as Henry IV
- 2011 · Prohibition as Reader (voice)
- 2011 · Margin Call as John Tuld
- 2011 · The Borgias as Rodrigo Borgia
- 2009 · Georgia O'Keeffe as Alfred Stieglitz
- 2009 · Waking Sleeping Beauty as Self (archive footage)
- 2009 · The Pink Panther 2 as Avellaneda
- 2008 · Appaloosa as Randall Bragg
- 2008 · The Colour of Magic as Patrician
- 2007 · Lynch 2 as Self
- 2006 · Eragon as Brom
- 2006 · Inland Empire as Kingsley Stewart
- 2006 · Mathilde as Col. De Petris
- 2005 · Casanova as Pucci
- 2005 · Revisiting Brideshead as Self
- 2005 · The Merchant of Venice as Himself
- 2005 · Elizabeth I as Earl of Leicester
- 2005 · Kingdom of Heaven as Tiberias
- 2005 · The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self
- 2004 · The Merchant of Venice as Antonio
- 2004 · Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
- 2004 · Being Julia as Michael Gosselyn
- 2003 · Working Shakespeare as Host
- 2002 · Callas Forever as Larry Kelly
- 2002 · Last Call as F. Scott Fitzgerald
- 2002 · Ohio Impromptu as Reader / Listener
- 2002 · The Time Machine as Über-Morlock
- 2000 · Dungeons & Dragons as Profion
- 2000 · Longitude as Rupert Gould
- 2000 · Longitude as Rupert Gould
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Dr. Cap Jackson
- 1999 · Faeries as The Shapeshifter (voice)
- 1998 · The Man in the Iron Mask as Aramis
- 1997 · Chinese Box as John
- 1997 · Lolita as Humbert Humbert
- 1997 · The View as Self
- 1996 · E! True Hollywood Story as
- 1996 · Stealing Beauty as Alex Parrish
- 1995 · Die Hard: With a Vengeance as Simon
- 1994 · The Lion King as Scar (voice)
- 1994 · Brisant as Self
- 1993 · The House of the Spirits as Esteban Trueba
- 1993 · M. Butterfly as René Gallimard
- 1993 · Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- 1992 · Damage as Dr. Stephen Fleming
- 1992 · Waterland as Tom Crick
- 1992 · HBO First Look as
- 1991 · Kafka as Kafka
- 1991 · Performance as Odon Von Horvath
- 1991 · The Beggar's Opera as Prisoner
- 1990 · Reversal of Fortune as Claus von Bülow
- 1990 · The Civil War as Various
- 1989 · The Simpsons as Bar Rag (voice)
- 1989 · Australia as Edouard Pierson
- 1989 · The Dream as
- 1988 · Dead Ringers as Beverly Mantle / Elliot Mantle
- 1988 · Comic Relief as
- 1987 · Daytime Live as
- 1986 · The Mission as Father Gabriel
- 1983 · Betrayal as Jerry
- 1982 · Nature as Narrator
- 1982 · Moonlighting as Nowak
- 1981 · Brideshead Revisited as Charles Ryder
- 1981 · Wetten, dass..? as Self
- 1977 · BBC2 Play of the Week as Otto Beck
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
- 1971 · The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes as Nephew
- 1971 · Great Performances as Self
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as Edward Voysey
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Host
- Future · Highlander as
- 1980 · Nijinsky as Mikhail Fokine
- 1974 · Churchill's People as Samuel Ross
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- Future · The Beekeeper 2 as Wallace Westwyld
- Future · Encore as Nigel
- 2025 · This Ordinary Thing as Voice
- 2025 · The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl as Self
- 2024 · Alec Guinness: A Class Act as self
- 2023 · The Cello as Francesco
- 2023 · Making The Flash: Worlds Collide as Self - 'Alfred'
- 2023 · Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled as Self
- 2023 · Tom Hanks: The Nomad as Self (archive footage)
- 2022 · Franco Zeffirelli: Rebel Conformist as Self
- 2019 · The Prado Museum: A Collection of Wonders as Self - Host / Narrator (voice)
- 2018 · An Actor Prepares as Atticus
- 2017 · Broadway: The Next Generation as Self
- 2017 · Their Finest as Secretary of War
- 2016 · DC Films Presents Dawn of the Justice League as Self
- 2016 · I Wish For You as Grandfather
- 2015 · The Genius of George Boole as Narrator (voice)
- 2015 · Metropolis as
- 2014 · Endless Corridor as Narrator
- 2013 · Game of Lions as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · Muse of Fire as Self
- 2012 · Racing Legends as Self
- 2012 · Trashed as Himself
- 2012 · Shakespeare Uncovered as Himself
- 2011 · The Last Lions as Narrator
- 2010 · Harold Pinter: A Celebration as Self
- 2009 · The Chronoscope as Narrator
- 2008 · 1984 as Television Voice
- 2006 · The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Ball in the Hall as Self
- 2006 · Eye of the Leopard as Narrator
- 2006 · The Path to Redemption as Self
- 2006 · Relentless Enemies: Lions and Buffalo as Narrator (voice)
- 2005 · Gallipoli as Narrator
- 2003 · Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites as Readings (Voice)
- 2003 · Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There as Self
- 2002 · And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen... as Valentin Valentin
- 2001 · The Fourth Angel as Jack Elgin
- 1995 · The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies as Self
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1994 · The Making of the Lion King as Self
- 1994 · Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! as Self (archive footage)
- 1992 · Earth and the American Dream as Reader (voice)
- 1992 · From Time to Time as H.G. Wells
- 1989 · Danny the Champion of the World as William Smith
- 1988 · Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie as Self
- 1986 · Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50th Anniversary as Self
- 1985 · Night of 100 Stars II as Self
- 1984 · The Wild Duck as Harold
- 1984 · Swann in Love as Charles Swann
- 1981 · The French Lieutenant's Woman as Charles Henry Smithson / Mike
- 1978 · Langrishe, Go Down as Otto Beck
- 1977 · Love for Lydia as Alex Sanderson
- 1974 · Notorious Woman as Franz Liszt
- Future · Rizana: A Caged Bird as Professor Julian Miles
- 2024 · Wild Transylvania – Dracula's Hidden Kingdom as Narrator
- 2024 · The Immortals: The Wonder of the Museo Egizio as
- 2023 · Seeing Through the Mists of Oblivion as Traveller (archived audio)
- 2022 · Eternal Enemies: Revealed as Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · The Way of the Cheetah as Narrator (voice)
- Future · A Magnificent Death from a Shattered Hand as
- 2024 · Quintessentially Irish as Self
- 2023 · Codice Carla as Self
- 2022 · Prisoners of Our Own History: The First Four Films of Roland Joffé as Self (archive footage)
- 2022 · Eye of the Leopard: Revealed as Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · Relentless Enemies: Revealed as Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · Ultimate Enemies: Revealed as Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · Living With Big Cats: Revealed as Narrator
- 2021 · Napoleon: In the Name of Art as
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Self
- 2021 · Armin Mueller-Stahl - Ein Gaukler in Hollywood as Self
- 2021 · Architects of Ancient Arabia as Narrator
- 2021 · Zack Snyder's Justice League: Justice is gray as Alfred
- 2020 · Jade Eyed Leopard as Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · The Sultan and the Saint as Narrator
- 2016 · Correspondence as Ed Phoerum
- 2015 · Emotional Uncertainties as Self
- 2015 · Earthquake On Everest as Narrator (voice)
- 2014 · The Voysey Inheritance as Edward Voysey
- 2013 · The Sunflower Superjam 2012 as Self
- 2013 · Goodbye Granadaland as Self
- 2013 · The Wind Gods as Narrator (voice)
- 2012 · Another Way Home as Narrator
- 2012 · Seeds of Freedom as Narator
- 2010 · The Majestic Plastic Bag as Narrator
- 2009 · The Power of the Powerless as
- 2008 · Magic in the air, Bantry House Music as Festival audience member
- 2008 · Eden at the End of the World as Narrator
- 2007 · J.M.W. Turner: A National Gallery of Art Film Presentation as Narrator
- 2003 · Ultimate Enemies: Elephants and Lions as Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · The Hittites: A Civilization that Changed the World as Narrator
- 2001 · The Short Life of Anne Frank as Narrator (English version)
- 2001 · The Making of "Dungeons and Dragons" as Self
- 1998 · The Lolita Story as Himself
- 1995 · A Night to Die For as Self
- 1992 · Tales from Hollywood as Odon Von Horvath
- 1991 · 'Still Life' at the Penguin Cafe as Narrator
- 1989 · A Chorus of Disapproval as Guy Jones
- Future · The Well of Saint Nobody as William
- 1990 · Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly! as Self (archive footage)
- 1989 · Danny and the Dirty Dog: The Making of 'Roald Dahl's Danny the Champion of the World' as Narrator
- 1988 · The Making of Dead Ringers as Self - Actor
- 1986 · Rabbit Ears - The Steadfast Tin Soldier as Narrator (voice)
- 1985 · The Statue of Liberty as Self (voice)
- 1983 · The Captain's Doll as Captain Alexander Hepburn
- Future · Water People: The Story of Us as The Ocean (voice)
- Future · The Crystal Planet as Governor Mordokan (voice)