Tilda Swinton
Katherine Matilda Swinton (born November 5, 1960) is an award-winning British actress of Scottish descent, known for her versatile roles in independent films and blockbusters. She is a recipient various accolades throughout her long career, including an Academy Award and two BAFTA Awards, in addition to being nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and five Screen Actors Guild Awards. Swinton began her career by appearing in experimental films starting with Caravaggio (1986), followed by The Last of England (1988), War Requiem (1989), and The Garden (1990). She won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for her portrayal of Isabella of France in Edward II (1991). She next starred in Sally Potter's Orlando (1992), for which she received a nomination for the European Film Award for Best Actress. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance in The Deep End (2001), and followed this with appearances in Vanilla Sky (2001), Adaptation (2002), Constantine (2005), Julia (2008), and I Am Love (2009). For the film Young Adam (2003), she won the British Academy Scotland Award for Best Actress. Her performance in Michael Clayton (2007) won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Additionally, she won the European Film Award for Best Actress and received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the psychological thriller We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011). Swinton has also played the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia series (2005–2010) and the Ancient One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Swinton was awarded the Richard Harris Award by the British Independent Film Awards in recognition of her contributions to the British film industry. In 2013, she was given a special tribute by the Museum of Modern Art. In 2020, Swinton was awarded the British Film Institute Fellowship, the highest honour presented by the institution, for her "daringly eclectic and striking talents as a performer and film-maker and recognizes her great contribution to film culture, independent film exhibition and philanthropy." That same year, The New York Times ranked her thirteenth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century up to that point.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things as Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (voice)
- 2024 · The Room Next Door as Martha / Michelle
- 2023 · The Killer as The Expert
- 2023 · Asteroid City as Dr. Hickenlooper
- 2022 · Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio as Wood Sprite / Death (voice)
- 2022 · Three Thousand Years of Longing as Alithea
- 2021 · The French Dispatch as J.K.L. Berensen
- 2021 · Memoria as Jessica Holland
- 2021 · What If...? as The Ancient One (voice)
- 2021 · Marvel Studios Legends as The Ancient One (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2020 · The Human Voice as Woman
- 2019 · Uncut Gems as Anne - Adley's Auction Manager (voice)
- 2019 · The Boys as Ambrosius (voice)
- 2019 · The Dead Don't Die as Zelda Winston
- 2019 · Avengers: Endgame as The Ancient One
- 2019 · What We Do in the Shadows as Tilda
- 2018 · Suspiria as Madame Blanc / Dr. Klemperer / Helena Markos
- 2018 · Isle of Dogs as Oracle (voice)
- 2016 · Doctor Strange as The Ancient One
- 2016 · Hail, Caesar! as Thora Thacker / Thessaly Thacker
- 2015 · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · The Grand Budapest Hotel as Madame D.
- 2014 · Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- 2013 · Only Lovers Left Alive as Eve
- 2013 · Snowpiercer as Mason
- 2012 · Moonrise Kingdom as Social Services
- 2011 · We Need to Talk About Kevin as Eva Khatchadourian
- 2010 · The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader as White Witch
- 2009 · The Limits of Control as Blonde
- 2008 · The Curious Case of Benjamin Button as Elizabeth Abbott
- 2008 · Burn After Reading as Katie Cox
- 2008 · The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian as White Witch
- 2005 · The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as White Witch
- 2005 · Made in Hollywood as Self
- 2005 · Constantine as Gabriel
- 2002 · Adaptation. as Valerie Thomas
- 2001 · Vanilla Sky as Rebecca Dearborn
- 2000 · The Beach as Sal
- 1998 · Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon as Muriel Belcher
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1992 · Orlando as Orlando
- 1986 · Caravaggio as Lena
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee
- Future · Jengira’s Magnificent Dream as
- 2025 · Ballad of a Small Player as Cynthia Blithe
- 2024 · The End as Mother
- 2024 · Fantasmas as Water (voice)
- 2024 · Problemista as Elizabeth
- 2022 · Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema as Self
- 2022 · The Eternal Daughter as Julie / Rosalind
- 2021 · The Storms of Jeremy Thomas as Self
- 2021 · The Souvenir: Part II as Rosalind
- 2019 · The Personal History of David Copperfield as Betsey Trotwood
- 2019 · The Souvenir as Rosalind
- 2017 · Okja as Lucy Mirando / Nancy Mirando
- 2017 · War Machine as German Politician
- 2017 · async - first light as
- 2015 · A Bigger Splash as Marianne Lane
- 2015 · Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom' as Self / Social Services
- 2015 · Trainwreck as Dianna
- 2013 · The Zero Theorem as Dr. Shrink-Rom
- 2013 · David Bowie: Five Years as Self (archive footage)
- 2013 · One Water as
- 2013 · The Stars (Are Out Tonight) as
- 2011 · Cinema Is Everywhere as Self
- 2010 · Behind Jim Jarmusch as Self
- 2009 · The Invisible Frame as The Cyclist
- 2008 · Julia as Julia
- 2008 · The New Ten Commandments as Self
- 2007 · Cannes: All Access as Self
- 2007 · Michael Clayton as Karen Crowder
- 2007 · Here’s Looking at You, Boy as Self
- 2007 · Strange Culture as Hope Kurtz
- 2005 · Broken Flowers as Penny
- 2003 · The Statement as Annemarie Livi
- 2003 · Young Adam as Ella Gault
- 2001 · The Deep End as Margaret Hall
- 2000 · The Dilapidated Dwelling as Narrator (voice)
- 2000 · Possible Worlds as Joyce
- 1997 · Female Perversions as Evelyn Stephens
- 1993 · Blue as (voice)
- 1993 · Wittgenstein as Lady Ottoline Morrell
- 1992 · Shakespeare: The Animated Tales as Ophelia (voice)
- 1991 · Edward II as Isabella
- 1991 · Derek Jarman: A Portrait as Self
- 1990 · The Garden as Madonna/Voice Overs
- 1989 · War Requiem as The Nurse
- 1987 · The Last of England as The Maid
- 1987 · Aria as Young Girl
- Future · Hamlet as Ophelia
- 2025 · Karl as Self
- 2024 · January Stories (version Harinezumi) as
- 2024 · The Hexagonal Hive and a Mouse in a Maze as Self
- 2023 · Cannes Uncut as Self
- 2022 · Durmiente as
- 2020 · The Human Voice Q&A With Pedro Almodovar And Tilda Swinton, Hosted By Mark Kermode as Self
- 2020 · Last and First Men as Narrator (voice)
- 2018 · Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Letters from Baghdad as Gertrude Bell (voice)
- 2014 · The Gospel According to St Derek as Self
- 2012 · Radioman as Self
- 2012 · Ashes as Self
- 2012 · Song 1 as Self
- 2011 · Women, War & Peace as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · I Am Love as Emma Recchi
- 2009 · Getting On as Elke
- 2009 · Moments on the Set of I Am Love as Self
- 2008 · Derek as Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · The Man from London as Camélia
- 2007 · Stephanie Daley as Lydie Crane
- 2006 · Deep Water as Narrator (voice)
- 2006 · Galapagos as Self - Presenter
- 2005 · The Somme as Narrator (voice)
- 2005 · Thumbsucker as Audrey Cobb
- 2002 · Teknolust as Rosetta / Ruby / Marinne / Olive
- 1999 · The Protagonists as Actress
- 1999 · The War Zone as Mum
- 1999 · Conceiving Ada as Ada Augusta Byron King, Countess of Lovelace
- 1994 · Death of a World Star as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1994 · Remembrance of Things Fast: True Stories Visual Lies as
- 1994 · Glitterbug as Self
- 1994 · Visions of Heaven and Hell as Narrator (voice)
- 1992 · Hamlet as Ophelia
- 1990 · Your Cheatin' Heart as
- 1990 · Your Cheatin' Heart as Cissie Crouch
- 1989 · Play Me Something as Hairdresser
- 1989 · Volcano Saga as Gudrun
- 1987 · Friendship's Death as Friendship
- 1987 · Depuis le Jour as
- 1987 · Egomania: Island Without Hope as Sally
- Future · Untitled Apichatpong Weerasethakul Dreams Project as
- 1986 · Caprice as Lucky
- Future · Death in Her Hands as Vesta Gul
- 2025 · Recipes for Phantoms as Herself
- 2025 · Phantoms as
- 2025 · Camaraderie as
- 2025 · Broken English as The Overseer
- 2025 · Instant Coffee as Self
- 2024 · Impulse: Playing with Reality as Narrator
- 2024 · Chroma as
- 2024 · Transparent as
- 2023 · All Kinds of Love as Self
- 2023 · Some Thoughts On The Common Toad as Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · Sleep Song as
- 2021 · Goliath: Playing with Reality as Narrator (voice)
- 2020 · Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence as Self (archive footage)
- 2017 · Letters from Generation Rx as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger as Self
- 2017 · Tania Libre as Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · Phantom of the Universe as Narrator
- 2015 · B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989 as Self
- 2015 · Dreams Rewired as Narrator (voice)
- 2014 · Antarctica: On the Edge as Narrator (voice)
- 2014 · Travelling at Night with Jim Jarmusch as Self
- 2014 · Snowpiercer: Transperceneige, From the Blank Page to the Black Screen as Self
- 2013 · Death for a Unicorn as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · When Björk Met Attenborough as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · Love Flesh as Self
- 2013 · Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · Climate of Change as Narrator (voice)
- 2008 · Finding the Burn as Self / Katie Cox (archive footage)
- 2008 · DC Insiders Run Amuck as Self
- 2007 · Faceless as Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Sleepwalkers as Violinist Working As a Copy Clerk
- 2007 · Hitler's Favourite Royal as Narrator
- 2006 · Thumbsucker - Behind the Scenes as Self
- 1993 · The Open Universe as Carla
- 1992 · Man to Man as Ella / Max Gerike
- 1991 · The Party: Nature Morte as Queenie
- Future · WOLF as
- 2002 · Tilda Swinton: The Love Factory as Self
- 1989 · A Call to Arms as
- 1988 · Cycling the Frame as The Cyclist
- 1988 · Degrees of Blindness as
- 1986 · Zastrozzi: A Romance as Julia
- 1986 · The Sluggard as The Sluggard