Charles Dance
Walter Charles Dance OBE (born October 10, 1946 in Redditch, Worcestershire) is an English actor, screenwriter, and director. He typically plays strict, authoritarian characters or villains. He is best known for his roles as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, Kitchener in The King's Man, Martin Benson in Amazon Prime's The Widow, Lord Mountbatten in Netflix's The Crown (for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series), Thomas in Underworld: Awakening and Underworld: Blood Wars, Harold Fillmore in Ghostbusters (2016), Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Frankenstein in Victor Frankenstein, Master Vampire in Dracula Untold, Conrad Knox in the Cinemax series Strike Back, Raymond Stockbridge in Gosford Park, one-eyed hitman Benedict in Last Action Hero, Clemens in Alien³, Sardo Numpsa in The Golden Child, and Guy Perron in The Jewel in the Crown. He started his career on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) before appearing in film and television. For his services to drama, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006. He made his directorial film debut with the drama film Ladies in Lavender (2004), which he also wrote and executive produced.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · The Day of the Jackal as Timothy Winthrop
- 2024 · Rumours as Edison Wolcott
- 2024 · The First Omen as Father Harris
- 2024 · Testament: The Story of Moses as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · Rabbit Hole as Dr. Ben Wilson
- 2022 · The Serpent Queen as Clement VII
- 2022 · The Sandman as Roderick Burgess
- 2022 · Against the Ice as Minister Neergaard
- 2021 · The King's Man as Kitchener
- 2021 · Moley as Mr. Moley (voice)
- 2020 · Mank as William Randolph Hearst
- 2020 · Rise of Empires: Ottoman as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2019 · Iron Mask as Lord Dudley
- 2019 · Godzilla: King of the Monsters as Alan Jonah
- 2019 · The Widow as Martin Benson
- 2018 · The Little Drummer Girl as Commander Picton
- 2018 · Johnny English Strikes Again as Agent Seven
- 2018 · Hang Ups as Jeremy Pitt
- 2018 · The Woman in White as Frederick Fairlie
- 2018 · Euphoria as Mr. Daren
- 2016 · Savage Kingdom as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · Underworld: Blood Wars as Thomas
- 2016 · The Crown as Lord Mountbatten
- 2016 · Ghostbusters as Harold Fillmore
- 2016 · Me Before You as Stephen Traynor
- 2016 · Pride and Prejudice and Zombies as Mr. Bennet
- 2015 · And Then There Were None as Justice Lawrence Wargrave
- 2015 · Childhood's End as Karellen
- 2015 · Victor Frankenstein as Frankenstein
- 2015 · Woman in Gold as Sherman
- 2015 · Child 44 as Major Grachev
- 2015 · Admiral as King Charles II
- 2014 · The Imitation Game as Commander Denniston
- 2014 · Dracula Untold as Master Vampire
- 2014 · Forbidden Empire as Lord Dudley
- 2013 · Patrick as Doctor Roget
- 2013 · Justin and the Knights of Valour as Legantir (voice)
- 2012 · Secret State as John Hodder
- 2012 · Underworld: Awakening as Thomas
- 2011 · Neverland as Dr. Fludd
- 2011 · Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- 2011 · Game of Thrones as Tywin Lannister
- 2011 · Your Highness as King Tallious
- 2011 · There Be Dragons as Solono
- 2011 · Ironclad as Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury
- 2010 · Going Postal as Lord Vetinari
- 2010 · Strike Back as Conrad Knox
- 2008 · Merlin as Aredian
- 2007 · The Contractor as DCS Andrew Windsor
- 2007 · Would I Lie to You? as Self
- 2006 · Starter for 10 as Michael Harbinson
- 2006 · The One Show as Self
- 2006 · Scoop as Mr. Malcolm
- 2005 · Bleak House as Mr. Tulkinghorn
- 2005 · To the Ends of the Earth as Sir Henry Somerset
- 2005 · Fingersmith as Mr. Chistopher Lilly
- 2004 · Big Fat Quiz as Self - Guest
- 2004 · Agatha Christie's Marple as Septimus Bligh
- 2004 · Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
- 2003 · Henry VIII as Edward Stafford, duque de Buckingham
- 2003 · Swimming Pool as John Bosload
- 2002 · Foyle's War as
- 2002 · Top Gear as Self
- 2002 · Ali G Indahouse as Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton
- 2001 · Gosford Park as Raymond Stockbridge
- 2001 · Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes as Sir Henry Carlyle
- 2001 · Dark Blue World as Wing Commander Bentley
- 2000 · Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) as
- 1998 · Hilary and Jackie as Derek Du Pré
- 1997 · Trial & Retribution as
- 1996 · Michael Collins as Soames
- 1996 · Space Truckers as Nabel / Macanudo
- 1994 · Room 101 as Self
- 1994 · China Moon as Rupert Munro
- 1993 · Last Action Hero as Benedict
- 1992 · Alien³ as Clemens
- 1987 · White Mischief as Josslyn Hay
- 1986 · The Golden Child as Sardo Numspa
- 1986 · The Flying Doctors as Minister
- 1985 · Time for Murder as James Latimer
- 1985 · Screen Two as Paul Hatcher
- 1984 · The Jewel in the Crown as Guy Perron
- 1983 · Natural World as
- 1981 · For Your Eyes Only as Claus
- 1979 · Tales of the Unexpected as Robert Smythe
- 1978 · An Audience with... as Self
- 1977 · The Professionals as Parker
- 1977 · Raffles as
- 1974 · Father Brown as
- 1970 · Play for Today as
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as Borghejm
- Future · Frankenstein as
- 2024 · Amanece en Samaná as
- 2024 · Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters as Narrator
- 2022 · This England as Max Hastings
- 2022 · The Hanging Sun as Jacob
- 2021 · The Book of Vision as Dr. Johan Anmuth
- 2020 · The Singapore Grip as Mr Webb
- 2019 · Master Moley By Royal Invitation as Mr. James Moley (voice)
- 2019 · Fanny Lye Deliver'd as John Lye
- 2018 · Happy New Year, Colin Burstead as Uncle Bertie
- 2018 · Spitfire as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · That Good Night as The Visitor
- 2016 · Despite the Falling Snow as Old Alexander Ivanov
- 2015 · Deadline Gallipoli as Sir Ian Hamilton
- 2015 · Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience as Tywin Lannister
- 2014 · The Great Fire as Lord Denton
- 2013 · Father's Day as Don
- 2012 · Midnight's Children as William Methwold
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher's Shades of Love as Edmund Aird
- 2010 · Paris Connections as Aleksandr Borinski
- 2010 · Drama Trails as
- 2010 · The Clerk's Tale as Ralph
- 2009 · Trinity as Dr. Edmund Maltravers
- 2007 · Consenting Adults as Jack Wolfenden
- 2007 · Fallen Angel as David Byfield
- 2007 · The 50 Greatest Television Dramas as Self
- 2004 · Saint John Bosco Mission to Love as Marchese Clementi
- 2003 · Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³' as Self (archive footage)
- 2001 · Alien Evolution as Self / Clemens
- 2001 · The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby as Ralph Nickleby
- 1999 · Don't Go Breaking My Heart as Frank
- 1997 · In the Presence of Mine Enemies as Captain Richter
- 1997 · Rebecca as Maxim de Winter
- 1996 · Undertow as Lyle Yates
- 1995 · The Surgeon as Dr. Ed Mittlesbay
- 1993 · Century as Professor Mandry
- 1990 · The Phantom of the Opera as The Phantom of the Opera
- 1989 · Goldeneye as Ian Fleming
- 1988 · First Born as
- 1988 · Out of the Shadows as Michael Hayden
- 1988 · Pascali's Island as Anthony Bowles
- 1987 · Good Morning, Babylon as D.W. Griffith
- 1987 · Out on a Limb as Gerry Stamford
- 1985 · Plenty as Raymond Brock
- 1975 · Edward the Seventh as Prince Eddy
- Future · Ladies First as
- 2024 · Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty as Old Michaelangelo
- 2023 · Savage Waters as
- 2022 · Portrait of the Queen as
- 2022 · Lancaster as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · The Magic of the Movies: Behind the Scenes of David Fincher's Mank as Self
- 2018 · The Muppets Take The O2 as Self
- 2017 · Wimbledon Official Film 2017 as Narrator (voice)
- 2015 · Instruments of Darkness as Duncan
- 2014 · Retrospective as Jonathan Hoyle
- 2013 · The Science of Doctor Who as Self
- 2013 · Speeches That Shook the World as Self
- 2013 · The Relics of Buddha as Narrator (voice)
- 2012 · The Door as Thomas Arlington
- 2012 · The Mapmaker as Rowan
- 2012 · St George's Day as Trenchard
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Scandal as
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Reunion as
- 2010 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-Family Secret as
- 2010 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-A Healing Heart as
- 2010 · The Commuter as The Traffic Warden
- 2008 · Dickens' Secret Lover as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Intervention as Private Investigator
- 2006 · Twice Upon a Time as Battar Master of Ceremonies
- 2005 · Titanic: Birth of a Legend as Narrator (voice)
- 2002 · Black and White as Roderic Chamberlain
- 2001 · Jurij as
- 1999 · Chrono-Perambulator as James 'Dougie' Douglas
- 1998 · What Rats Won't Do as Gerald Burton Jr
- 1997 · The Blood Oranges as Cyril
- 1992 · La valle di pietra as Surveyor
- 1988 · First Born as Edward Forester
- 1987 · Hidden City as James Richards
- 1982 · Little Eyolf as Borghejm
- Future · The Liar as Tickford
- 1986 · The McGuffin as Paul Hatcher
- 1980 · Fatal Spring as Siegfried Sassoon
- Future · A Patriot as Dr. Hastings
- Future · Viy 3: Travel to India as
- 2002 · The Making of 'Gosford Park' as Self (uncredited)
- 2000 · The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes as Sir Henry Carlyle
- 1994 · Shortcut to Paradise as Quinn
- 1994 · Kabloonak as Robert Flaherty
- 1984 · Rainy Day Women as John Truman
- 1982 · Nancy Astor as Edward Hartford-Jones
- 1980 · Dreams of Leaving as Colin