Ralph Fiennes is an English actor and director. Known for his intense and versatile roles on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, an Actor Award and a Tony Award as well nominations for three Academy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and seven Golden Globe Awards.
Fiennes made his film debut playing Heathcliff in Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (1992). The following year, Fiennes received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of sadistic Nazi officer Amon Göth in the Steven Spielberg-directed Holocaust drama Schindler's List (1993) for which he earned the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as well as nominations for the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award. For playing László Almásy in Anthony Minghella's romantic war drama The English Patient (1996), he received Best Lead Actor nominations for the Academy Award, Actor Award, BAFTA Award, and the Golden Globe Award. He played the romantic lead in the Neil Jordan romantic dramaThe End of the Affair (1999), and a British diplomat attempting to solve the murder of his wife in the Fernando Meirelles thriller The Constant Gardener (2005) earning nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for both.
Fiennes made his directorial debut with Coriolanus (2011) earning a nomination for the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. He played William Cavendish in the period drama The Duchess (2008) earning a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture nomination. Fiennes took a rare comedic role as an refined and flirty concierge in the Wes Anderson comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) earning nominations for the BAFTA Award, the Critics' Choice Movie Award, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. He played a sinister Chef in the dark comedy The Menu (2022) receiving a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. He played a cardinal undergoing a crisis of faith in the drama Conclave (2024) earning nominations for the Academy Award, the BAFTA Award, the Critics' Choice Movie Award, the Golden Globe Award, and the Actor Award for Best Actor.
On television, Fiennes portrayed an Irish butler Bernard Lafferty in the HBO television movie Bernard and Doris (2006) for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award, the Golden Globe Award, and the Actor Award. On stage, he received the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play for playing the title role in a revival of the William Shakespeare tragedy Hamlet (1995). He was further Tony-nominated for playing a faith healer in the Brian Friel play Faith Healer (2006). Fiennes is an Honorary Associate of London Film School and received the Richard Harris Award in 2011, and the Stanislavsky Award in 2019.
Major associations Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1994 Best Supporting Actor Schindler's List 1997 Best Actor The English Patient 2025 Conclave
Actor Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1997 Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture The English Patient Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role 2009 Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Bernard and Doris 2015 Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture The Grand Budapest Hotel 2025 Conclave Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result British Academy Film Awards 1994 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Schindler's List 1997Best Actor in a Leading Role The English Patient 2000 The End of the Affair 2006 The Constant Gardener 2012 Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director or Producer Coriolanus 2015Best Actor in a Leading Role The Grand Budapest Hotel 2025 Conclave
Critics' Choice Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2015 Best Actor The Grand Budapest Hotel Best Actor in a Comedy Best Acting Ensemble 2025 Best Actor Conclave Best Acting Ensemble Critics' Choice Super Awards2023 Best Actor in a Horror MovieThe Menu202628 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Primetime Emmy Awards 2008 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Bernard and Doris
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1994 Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Schindler's List 1997 Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama The English Patient 2009 Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture The Duchess Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Bernard and Doris 2015 Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel 2023 The Menu 2025 Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Conclave
Tony Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1995 Best Lead Actor in a Play Hamlet 2006 Faith Healer
Miscellaneous awards Organization Year Category Work Result AACTA International Awards 2025 Best Actor Conclave Annie Awards 1999 Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production The Prince of Egypt 2006 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Berlin International Film Festival 2011 Golden Bear Coriolanus British Independent Film Awards 2005 Best Actor The Constant Gardener 2008 Best Supporting Actor In Bruges The Duchess 2011 Richard Harris Award Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director Coriolanus European Film Awards 1999 European Actor Sunshine 2002 People's Choice Award for Best European Actor Spider 2018 European Achievement in World Cinema 2024 European Actor Conclave Filmfest München 2019 CineMerit Award Genie Awards 2000 Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Sunshine Göteborg Film Festival 2014 Honorary Dragon Award Gotham Awards 2009 Best Ensemble Performance The Hurt Locker IFTA Film & Drama Awards 2009 Best International Actor The Duchess 2025 Conclave Independent Spirit Awards 2017 Best Supporting Male A Bigger Splash Palm Springs International Film Festival 2025 Ensemble Performance Award Conclave Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2025 Outstanding Performer of the Year Award Conclave Satellite Awards 1997 Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama The English Patient 2008 Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Bernard and Doris 2023 Best Actor in Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical The Menu 2025 Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama Conclave Saturn Awards 1996 Best Actor Strange Days 2003 Best Supporting Actor Red Dragon 2012 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 2024 Best Actor in a Film The Menu Tokyo International Film Festival 2018 Best Artistic Contribution The White Crow
Critics associations Organization Year Category Work Result Boston Society of Film Critics 1993 Best Supporting Actor Schindler's List Chicago Film Critics Association 1993 Best Supporting Actor Schindler's List Most Promising Actor 2024 Best Actor Conclave Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association 1993 Best Supporting Actor Schindler's List 2024 Best Actor Conclave Evening Standard British Film Awards 2006 Best Actor The Constant Gardener Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2015 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor Man and Superman 2016 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor The Master Builder and Richard III 2018 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor Antony and Cleopatra London Film Critics' Circle 1995 British Actor of the Year Schindler's List 2001 The End of the Affair 2003 Spider 2006 The Constant Gardener 2009 The Duchess 2023 British/Irish Actor of the Year The Forgiven and The Menu 2025 Actor of the Year Conclave Los Angeles Film Critics Association 1993 Best Supporting Actor Schindler's List New York Film Critics Circle 1993 Best Supporting Actor Schindler's List Online Film Critics Society 2024 Best Actor Conclave San Diego Film Critics Society 2024 Best Actor Conclave Seattle Film Critics Society 2024 Best Lead Actor Conclave Toronto Film Critics Association 2014 Best Actor The Grand Budapest Hotel 2016 Best Supporting Actor A Bigger Splash 2024 Outstanding Lead Performance Conclave
See also Ralph Fiennes on screen and stage List of British actors List of British film directors List of English speaking theatre directors in the 20th and 21st centuries List of Academy Award winners and nominees from Great Britain List of actors with Academy Award nominations List of actors with more than one Academy Award nomination in the acting categories Notes
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