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