
Charles Dance
Walter Charles Dance OBE (born 10 October 1946) 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
- 2025 · Frankenstein as Baron Leopold Frankenstein
- 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 Hanging Sun as Jacob
- 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 · Fanny Lye Deliver'd as John Lye
- 2019 · Iron Mask as Lord Dudley
- 2019 · Godzilla: King of the Monsters as Alan Jonah
- 2018 · The Little Drummer Girl as Commander Picton
- 2018 · Johnny English Strikes Again as Agent Seven
- 2018 · Euphoria as Mr. Daren
- 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 · Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience as Tywin Lannister
- 2014 · The Imitation Game as Commander Denniston
- 2014 · Dracula Untold as Master Vampire
- 2014 · Forbidden Empire as Lord Dudley
- 2013 · Patrick as Doctor Roget
- 2012 · St George's Day as Trenchard
- 2012 · Underworld: Awakening as Thomas
- 2011 · Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- 2011 · Game of Thrones as Tywin Lannister
- 2011 · Ironclad as Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury
- 2010 · The Commuter as The Traffic Warden
- 2010 · Strike Back as Conrad Knox
- 2008 · Merlin as Aredian
- 2008 · Dickens' Secret Lover as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Would I Lie to You? as Self
- 2006 · Twice Upon a Time as Battar Master of Ceremonies
- 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 · Fingersmith as Mr. Chistopher Lilly
- 2004 · Agatha Christie's Marple as Septimus Bligh
- 2004 · Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
- 2004 · Saint John Bosco Mission to Love as Marchese Clementi
- 2003 · Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³' as Self (archive footage)
- 2003 · Swimming Pool as John Bosload
- 2002 · Foyle's War as Guy Spencer
- 2002 · Top Gear as Self
- 2002 · Ali G Indahouse as Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton
- 2001 · Gosford Park as Raymond Stockbridge
- 2001 · The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby as Ralph Nickleby
- 1998 · Hilary and Jackie as Derek Du Pré
- 1997 · Trial & Retribution as
- 1997 · The Blood Oranges as Cyril
- 1997 · In the Presence of Mine Enemies as Captain Richter
- 1997 · Rebecca as Maxim de Winter
- 1996 · Michael Collins as Soames
- 1996 · Space Truckers as Nabel / Macanudo
- 1996 · Undertow as Lyle Yates
- 1994 · Shortcut to Paradise as Quinn
- 1994 · Room 101 as Self
- 1994 · Kabloonak as Robert Flaherty
- 1993 · Century as Professor Mandry
- 1993 · Last Action Hero as Benedict
- 1992 · Alien³ as Clemens
- 1988 · Out of the Shadows as Michael Hayden
- 1986 · The Golden Child as Sardo Numspa
- 1986 · The Flying Doctors as Minister
- 1986 · The McGuffin as Paul Hatcher
- 1985 · Plenty as Raymond Brock
- 1985 · Screen Two as Paul Hatcher
- 1983 · Natural World as
- 1981 · For Your Eyes Only as Claus
- 1980 · Fatal Spring as Siegfried Sassoon
- 1980 · Dreams of Leaving as Colin
- 1979 · Tales of the Unexpected as Robert Smythe
- 1978 · An Audience with... as Self
- 1977 · The Professionals as Parker
- 1974 · Playhouse as Siegfried Sassoon
- 1970 · Play for Today as
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as Borghejm
- Future · Viy 3: Travel to India as
- 2022 · This England as Max Hastings
- 2020 · The Singapore Grip as Mr Webb
- 2019 · The Widow as Martin Benson
- 2018 · Hang Ups as Jeremy Pitt
- 2018 · Spitfire as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Wimbledon Official Film 2017 as Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · Savage Kingdom as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2015 · Instruments of Darkness as Duncan
- 2015 · Deadline Gallipoli as Sir Ian Hamilton
- 2014 · The Great Fire as Lord Denton
- 2013 · Justin and the Knights of Valour as Legantir (voice)
- 2012 · Secret State as John Hodder
- 2012 · The Door as Thomas Arlington
- 2012 · Midnight's Children as William Methwold
- 2011 · Neverland as Dr. Fludd
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher's Shades of Love as Edmund Aird
- 2011 · Your Highness as King Tallious
- 2010 · Paris Connections as Aleksandr Borinski
- 2010 · Going Postal as Lord Vetinari
- 2007 · The Contractor as DCS Andrew Windsor
- 2007 · Fallen Angel as David Byfield
- 2006 · Jam and Jerusalem as Self
- 2005 · To the Ends of the Earth as Sir Henry Somerset
- 2003 · Henry VIII as Edward Stafford
- 2002 · Black and White as Roderic Chamberlain
- 2002 · The Making of 'Gosford Park' as Self (uncredited)
- 2001 · Alien Evolution as Self / Clemens
- 2000 · Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) as
- 2000 · Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes as Sir Henry Carlyle
- 1999 · Chrono-Perambulator as James 'Dougie' Douglas
- 1999 · Don't Go Breaking My Heart as Frank
- 1998 · What Rats Won't Do as Gerald Burton Jr
- 1995 · The Surgeon as Dr. Ed Mittlesbay
- 1994 · China Moon as Rupert Munro
- 1992 · La valle di pietra as Surveyor
- 1989 · Goldeneye as Ian Fleming
- 1987 · White Mischief as Josslyn Hay
- 1987 · Hidden City as James Richards
- 1984 · Rainy Day Women as John Truman
- 1982 · Little Eyolf as Borghejm
- 1977 · Raffles as
- 1974 · Father Brown as
- Future · Ladies First as
- 1984 · The Jewel in the Crown as Guy Perron
- Future · The Liar as Tickford
- Future · A Patriot as Dr. Hastings
- 2024 · Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty as Old Michaelangelo
- 2024 · Samaná Sunrise as Noah Blum
- 2024 · Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters as Narrator
- 2024 · The Big Fat Quiz of Telly as Self
- 2023 · Savage Waters as
- 2022 · Portrait of the Queen as
- 2022 · Lancaster as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · The Book of Vision as Dr. Johan Anmuth
- 2021 · The Magic of the Movies: Behind the Scenes of David Fincher's Mank as Self
- 2019 · Master Moley by Royal Invitation as Mr. James Moley (voice)
- 2018 · Happy New Year, Colin Burstead as Uncle Bertie
- 2018 · The Muppets Take The O2 as Self
- 2018 · The Woman in White as Frederick Fairlie
- 2017 · That Good Night as The Visitor
- 2016 · Despite the Falling Snow as Old Alexander Ivanov
- 2015 · Admiral as King Charles II
- 2014 · Retrospective as Jonathan Hoyle
- 2013 · The Science of Doctor Who as Self
- 2013 · Speeches That Shook the World as Self
- 2013 · Father's Day as Don
- 2013 · The Relics of Buddha as Narrator (voice)
- 2012 · The Mapmaker as Rowan
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Scandal as
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Reunion as
- 2011 · There Be Dragons as Solono
- 2010 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-Family Secret as
- 2010 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-A Healing Heart as
- 2010 · Drama Trails as
- 2010 · The Clerk's Tale as Ralph
- 2009 · Trinity as Dr. Edmund Maltravers
- 2007 · Consenting Adults as Jack Wolfenden
- 2007 · The 50 Greatest Television Dramas as Self
- 2007 · Intervention as Private Investigator
- 2005 · Titanic: Birth of a Legend as Narrator (voice)
- 2001 · Jurij as
- 2001 · Dark Blue World as Wing Commander Bentley
- 1990 · The Phantom of the Opera as The Phantom of the Opera
- 1988 · First Born as Edward Forester
- 1988 · First Born as
- 1988 · Pascali's Island as Anthony Bowles
- 1987 · Good Morning, Babylon as D.W. Griffith
- 1987 · Out on a Limb as Gerry Stamford
- 1985 · Time for Murder as James Latimer
- 1975 · Edward the Seventh as Prince Eddy
- 1974 · The Inheritors as Simon Leadbetter