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
- 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
- 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 · 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
- 2013 · Patrick as Doctor Roget
- 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 · Would I Lie to You? as Self
- 2007 · The Contractor as DCS Andrew Windsor
- 2006 · Jam and Jerusalem 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 · 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 · Henry VIII as Edward Stafford
- 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
- 2000 · Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) as
- 1997 · Trial & Retribution as
- 1997 · The Blood Oranges as Cyril
- 1997 · Rebecca as Maxim de Winter
- 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 · Plenty as Raymond Brock
- 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
- 1980 · Fatal Spring as Siegfried Sassoon
- 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
- 1974 · Playhouse as Siegfried Sassoon
- 1970 · Play for Today as
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as Borghejm
- Future · The Liar as Tickford
- 2022 · This England as Max Hastings
- 2022 · Against the Ice as Minister Neergaard
- 2021 · The Book of Vision as Dr. Johan Anmuth
- 2020 · The Singapore Grip as Mr Webb
- 2018 · Happy New Year, Colin Burstead as Uncle Bertie
- 2017 · That Good Night as The Visitor
- 2016 · Savage Kingdom as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · Despite the Falling Snow as Old Alexander Ivanov
- 2015 · Instruments of Darkness as Duncan
- 2015 · Deadline Gallipoli as Sir Ian Hamilton
- 2015 · Admiral as King Charles II
- 2014 · The Great Fire as Lord Denton
- 2014 · Forbidden Empire as Lord Dudley
- 2013 · Justin and the Knights of Valour as Legantir (voice)
- 2012 · St George's Day as Trenchard
- 2012 · Midnight's Children as William Methwold
- 2010 · Paris Connections as Aleksandr Borinski
- 2010 · Drama Trails as
- 2009 · Trinity as Dr. Edmund Maltravers
- 2008 · Dickens' Secret Lover as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Consenting Adults as Jack Wolfenden
- 2007 · Fallen Angel as David Byfield
- 2007 · Intervention as Private Investigator
- 2006 · Twice Upon a Time as Battar Master of Ceremonies
- 2005 · To the Ends of the Earth as Sir Henry Somerset
- 2003 · Swimming Pool as John Bosload
- 2002 · Black and White as Roderic Chamberlain
- 2002 · The Making of Gosford Park as Self (uncredited)
- 1999 · Don't Go Breaking My Heart as Frank
- 1998 · Hilary and Jackie as Derek Du Pré
- 1997 · In the Presence of Mine Enemies as Captain Richter
- 1996 · Undertow as Lyle Yates
- 1995 · The Surgeon as Dr. Ed Mittlesbay
- 1994 · Kabloonak as Robert Flaherty
- 1993 · Century as Professor Mandry
- 1992 · La valle di pietra as Surveyor
- 1989 · Goldeneye as Ian Fleming
- 1988 · Out of the Shadows as Michael Hayden
- 1987 · Hidden City as James Richards
- 1987 · Out on a Limb as Gerry Stamford
- 1986 · The McGuffin as Paul Hatcher
- 1985 · Time for Murder as James Latimer
- 1984 · Rainy Day Women as John Truman
- Future · Viy 3: Travel to India as
- 2025 · Creditors as Gustaf
- 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 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 · Spitfire as Narrator (voice)
- 2018 · The Muppets Take The O2 as Self
- 2017 · Wimbledon Official Film 2017 as Narrator (voice)
- 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 Door as Thomas Arlington
- 2012 · The Mapmaker as Rowan
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Scandal as
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Reunion as
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher's Shades of Love as Edmund Aird
- 2010 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-A Healing Heart as
- 2010 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-Family Secret as
- 2010 · The Commuter as The Traffic Warden
- 2007 · The 50 Greatest Television Dramas as Self
- 2003 · Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³' as Self (archive footage)
- 2001 · Alien Evolution as Self / Clemens
- 1998 · What Rats Won't Do as Gerald Burton Jr
- 1990 · The Phantom of the Opera as The Phantom of the Opera
- 1988 · Pascali's Island as Anthony Bowles
- Future · A Patriot as Dr. Hastings
- 2010 · The Clerk's Tale as Ralph
- 2005 · Titanic: Birth of a Legend as Narrator (voice)
- 2001 · Jurij as
- 2001 · Dark Blue World as Wing Commander Bentley
- 2000 · Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes as Sir Henry Carlyle
- 1999 · Chrono-Perambulator as James 'Dougie' Douglas
- 1994 · Shortcut to Paradise as Quinn
- 1988 · First Born as Edward Forester
- 1988 · First Born as
- 1987 · Good Morning, Babylon as D.W. Griffith
- 1982 · Little Eyolf as Borghejm
- Future · Ladies First as
- 1980 · Dreams of Leaving as Colin
- 1974 · The Inheritors as Simon Leadbetter