Charles Dance

Charles Dance

Known For

The 50 Greatest Television Dramas

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.

Movies Featuring Charles Dance

Wildcat

Wildcat (2025)

as Frasier Mahoney
Frankenstein

Frankenstein (2025)

as Leopold Frankenstein
Rumours

Rumours (2024)

as Edison Wolcott
The First Omen

The First Omen (2024)

as Father Harris
Lancaster

Lancaster (2022)

as Narrator (voice)
Against the Ice

Against the Ice (2022)

as Minister Neergaard
The Book Of Vision

The Book Of Vision (2021)

as Dr. Johan Anmuth
Mank

Mank (2020)

as William Randolph Hearst
Iron Mask

Iron Mask (2019)

as Lord Dudley
Spitfire

Spitfire (2018)

as Narrator (voice)
Euphoria

Euphoria (2018)

as Mr. Daren
Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters (2016)

as Harold Fillmore
Me Before You

Me Before You (2016)

as Stephen Traynor
Despite the Falling Snow

Despite the Falling Snow (2016)

as Old Alexander Ivanov
Child 44

Child 44 (2015)

as Major Grachev
Admiral

Admiral (2015)

as King Charles II
The Imitation Game

The Imitation Game (2014)

as Commander Denniston
Dracula Untold

Dracula Untold (2014)

as Master Vampire
Retrospective

Retrospective (2014)

as Jonathan Hoyle
Patrick

Patrick (2013)

as Doctor Roget
The Door

The Door (2012)

as Thomas Arlington
Your Highness

Your Highness (2011)

as King Tallious
Ironclad

Ironclad (2011)

as Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury
No Image

The Commuter (2010)

as The Traffic Warden
Paris Connections

Paris Connections (2010)

as Aleksandr Borinski
No Image

Dickens' Secret Lover (2008)

as Self - Narrator (voice)
The Contractor

The Contractor (2007)

as DCS Andrew Windsor
Intervention

Intervention (2007)

as Private Investigator
Twice Upon a Time

Twice Upon a Time (2006)

as Battar Master of Ceremonies
Starter for 10

Starter for 10 (2006)

as Michael Harbinson
Scoop

Scoop (2006)

as Mr. Malcolm
Black and White

Black and White (2002)

as Roderic Chamberlain
Ali G Indahouse

Ali G Indahouse (2002)

as Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton
Gosford Park

Gosford Park (2001)

as Raymond Stockbridge
Alien Evolution

Alien Evolution (2001)

as Self / Clemens
Dark Blue World

Dark Blue World (2001)

as Wing Commander Bentley
No Image

Chrono-Perambulator (1999)

as James 'Dougie' Douglas
What Rats Won't Do

What Rats Won't Do (1998)

as Gerald Burton Jr
Space Truckers

Space Truckers (1996)

as Nabel / Macanudo
Undertow

Undertow (1996)

as Lyle Yates
The Surgeon

The Surgeon (1995)

as Dr. Ed Mittlesbay
China Moon

China Moon (1994)

as Rupert Munro
Kabloonak

Kabloonak (1994)

as Robert Flaherty
Century

Century (1993)

as Professor Mandry
Goldeneye

Goldeneye (1989)

as Ian Fleming
First Born

First Born (1988)

as Edward Forester
Hidden City

Hidden City (1987)

as James Richards
The McGuffin

The McGuffin (1986)

as Paul Hatcher
Plenty

Plenty (1985)

as Raymond Brock
Fatal Spring

Fatal Spring (1980)

as Siegfried Sassoon
No Image

A Patriot (N/A)

as Dr. Hastings