Ralph Fiennes is an English actor and director who has worked extensively on stage and screen. Regarded as one of the finest performers of his generation, Fiennes is known for his versatile performances across independent films, blockbusters, and the stage. Fiennes trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before becoming known as a Shakespeare interpreter, where he excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his feature film debut portraying Heathcliff in the historical film Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (1992).
Fiennes has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Amon Göth in Steven Spielberg's holocaust epic Schindler's List (1993) as well as two Academy Awards for Best Actor for his portrayal of László Almásy in the Anthony Minghella's historical romance The English Patient (1996) and a Cardinal in Edward Berger's religious drama Conclave (2024). Fiennes started his career acting in dramatic films such as Quiz Show (1994), Oscar and Lucinda (1997), The End of the Affair (1999), and Sunshine (1999). He further established himself with acting in diverse films such as Maid in Manhattan (2002), The Constant Gardener (2005), In Bruges, The Duchess, The Reader (all 2008), The Hurt Locker (2009), A Bigger Splash (2015), Hail, Caesar! (2016), The Menu (2022), and 28 Years Later (2025).
He earned critical and awards attention playing against type, taking on the comedic role of a charming concierge in the Wes Anderson comic adventure The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). He also gained international attention for portraying the villain Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series (2005–2011) and Gareth Mallory / M in the James Bond action franchise films (2012–2021). He is also known for voicing roles in animated films such as The Prince of Egypt (1998), Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), and The Lego Batman Movie (2017).
Fiennes made his Broadway debut playing Prince Hamlet in the 1995 revival of the William Shakespeare play Hamlet where he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play. He was Tony-nominated for playing a traveling faith healer in the Brian Friel play Faith Healer (2006). On television, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for playing a self-destructive Irish butler Bernard Lafferty in the HBO movie Bernard and Doris (2006). He also acted in the BBC films Page Eight (2001), Turks & Caicos (2014), and Salting the Battlefield (2014).
Fiennes is an Honorary Associate of London Film School and received the Stanislavsky Award in 2019.
Film
Year Title Role Notes 1992 Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights Heathcliff 1993 The Baby of Mâcon The Bishop's Son Schindler's List Amon Göth 1994 Quiz Show Charles Van Doren 1995 Strange Days Lenny Nero 1996 The English Patient Count László de Almássy 1997 Oscar and Lucinda Oscar Hopkins 1998 The Avengers John Steed The Prince of Egypt Ramesses Voice A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 1999 Sunshine Ignatz Sonnenschein / Adam Sors / Ivan Sors Onegin Evgeny Onegin Also executive producer The End of the Affair Maurice Bendrix 2000 The Miracle Maker Jesus Voice 2002 Spider Dennis "Spider" Cleg The Good Thief Tony Angel Uncredited Red Dragon Francis Dolarhyde Maid in Manhattan Christopher Marshall 2005 The Chumscrubber Mayor Michael Ebbs Chromophobia Stephen Tulloch The Constant Gardener Justin Quayle Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Lord Victor Quartermaine Voice The White Countess Todd Jackson Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Lord Voldemort 2006 Land of the Blind Joe 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Lord Voldemort 2008 In Bruges Harry Waters The Duchess William Cavendish The Reader Older Michael Berg 2009 The Hurt Locker Contractor Team Leader Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Lord Voldemort Archival footage 2010 Cemetery Junction Mr. Kendrick Clash of the Titans Hades Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang Lord Gray The Wildest Dream George Mallory Documentary Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Lord Voldemort 2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Coriolanus Coriolanus Also director and producer 2012 Wrath of the Titans Hades Skyfall Gareth Mallory / M Great Expectations Abel Magwitch 2013 The Invisible Woman Charles Dickens Also director 2014 The Grand Budapest Hotel Monsieur Gustave H. Two Women M.A. Rakitin 2015 A Bigger Splash Harry Hawkes Spectre Gareth Mallory / M 2016 Hail, Caesar! Laurence Laurentz Kubo and the Two Strings Moon King / Raiden Voice 2017 The Lego Batman Movie Alfred Pennyworth Sea Sorrow Prospero Documentary 2018 The White Crow Alexander Pushkin Also director and producer Holmes & Watson Professor Moriarty / Jacob Musgrave 2019 Official Secrets Ben Emmerson The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Alfred Pennyworth Voice; cameo 2020 Dolittle Barry Voice 2021 The Dig Basil Brown No Time to Die Gareth Mallory / M The Forgiven David Henninger The King's Man Orlando, Duke of Oxford Also executive producer 2022 The Menu Chef Julian Slowik 2023 The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar Roald Dahl / The PolicemanShort film The Swan Roald Dahl The Rat Catcher Roald Dahl / Rat Man Poison Roald Dahl Coast Self 2024 Macbeth: Ralph Fiennes & Indira Varma Macbeth Stage recording Conclave Cardinal Thomas Lawrence Also executive producer The Return Odysseus2025 28 Years Later Dr. Ian Kelson The Choral Dr. Guthrie 2026 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Dr. Ian Kelson President Coriolanus Snow Post-production TBA Henrik Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes 1991 Prime Suspect Michael 2 episodes 1992 A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia T. E. Lawrence Television film 2003 Liberty's Kids Charles Cornwallis Voice, 1 episode 2008 Bernard and Doris Bernard LaffertyTelevision film 2011 Page Eight Alec Beasley 2011–2014 Rev. Bishop of London 2 episodes 2014 Turks & CaicosAlec BeasleyTelevision film Salting the Battlefield 2022 Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts Himself Television special Theatre Year Title Role Venue 1985 Twelfth Night Curio Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London A Midsummer Night's Dream Cobweb 1986 Lysander Romeo and Juliet Romeo 1987 Six Characters in Search of an Author Son Royal National Theatre, London Fathers and Sons Arkady Nikolayevich Kirsanov Ting Tang Mine Lisha Ball 1988 Much Ado About Nothing Claudio Stratford-upon-Avon 1988–1989 The Plantagenets: Henry VI, The Rise of Edward IV, Richard III His Death Henry VI Stratford-upon-Avon Barbican Centre, London 1989King John Dauphin Stratford-upon-AvonThe Pit Theatre, London The Man Who Came to Dinner Bert Jefferson Barbican Centre, London Playing with Trains Gant The Pit Theatre, London 1990 Troilus and Cressida Troilus Stratford-upon-Avon King Lear Edmund Stratford-upon-Avon 1991 Love's Labour's Lost King of Navarre Stratford-upon-Avon Barbican Centre, London 1995 Hamlet Prince Hamlet Hackney Empire, London Belasco Theatre, Broadway 1997 Ivanov Ivanov Almeida Theatre, London 2000 Coriolanus Coriolanus BAM Harvey Theatre, Brooklyn Richard II Richard II 2001 The Play What I Wrote Sir Ralph Fiennes Wyndham's Theatre, London's West End 2003 The Talking Cure Carl Jung Royal National Theatre, London Brand Brand Stratford-upon-AvonTheatre Royal Haymarket, London 2005 Julius Caesar Mark Antony Barbican Centre, London and tour 2006 Faith Healer Francis Hardy Gate Theatre, DublinBooth Theatre, Broadway 2007 First Love Sydney Festival 2008 God of Carnage Alain Reille Gielgud Theatre, London Oedipus the King Oedipus Royal National Theatre, London 2011 The Tempest Prospero Theatre Royal Haymarket, London 2013 National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage Lambert Le Roux (Pravda) Royal National Theatre, London 2015 Man and Superman Jack Tanner 2016 The Master Builder Halvard Solness The Old Vic, London Richard III Richard, Duke of Gloucester Almeida Theatre, London 2018 Antony and Cleopatra Antony Royal National Theatre, London 2020 Beat the DevilPerformer Bridge Theatre, London 2021 Four QuartetsPerformer Theatre Royal, Bath/Tour 2022 Straight Line Crazy Robert Moses Bridge Theatre, London The Shed, Off-Broadway 2023 Macbeth Macbeth The Depot, LiverpoolRoyal Highland Centre, EdinburghDock X, LondonShakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C. 2025Grace PervadesHenry Irving Theatre Royal, BathSmall HotelLarry 2026 Eugene Onegin Opéra de Paris DirectorAt the Paris Opera, Ralph Fiennes brings refined pleasures to Eugene Onegin. Marie-Aude Roux, Le Monde, 29 January 2026, accessed 5 February 2026.2026Grace PervadesHenry IrvingTheatre Royal Haymarket, London
Video games Year Title Voice role Notes 2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The Video Game Lord Voldemort 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The Video Game 2015 James Bond: World of Espionage MMobile game
Theme park attractions YearTitleRoleVenue2014Harry Potter and the Escape from GringottsLord VoldemortUniversal Studios Florida
Spoken word When Love Speaks (2002, EMI Classics) – "Sonnet 129" ("Th'expense of spirit in a waste of shame")
See also List of awards and nominations received by Ralph Fiennes 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
References