Charles Dance

80, from Redditch, Worcestershire, England, UK

Artwork for Godzilla: King of the MonstersImage of 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.

Timeline

2028Future projects

  • Poster for The Batman: Part II

    Christopher Dent

2026Aged 80

  • Poster for The Big Fat Quiz of Telly

    Self - Guest

  • Poster for Ladies First

    Fred Powell

  • Poster for My Duchess

    Lord Mountbatten

2025Aged 79

  • Poster for Creditors

    Gustaf

  • Poster for Frankenstein

    Leopold Frankenstein

  • Poster for Wildcat

    Frasier Mahoney

2024Aged 78

  • Poster for The First Omen

    Father Harris

  • Poster for Rumours

    Edison Wolcott

  • Poster for Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters

    Narrator

  • Poster for Samaná Sunrise

    Noah Blum

2023Aged 77

  • Poster for Savage Waters

    Narrator

2022Aged 76

  • Poster for Against the Ice

    Minister Neergaard

  • Poster for Lancaster

    Narrator (voice)

  • Poster for The Hanging Sun

    Jacob

  • Poster for Portrait of the Queen

    Narrator

2021Aged 75

  • Poster for The Magic of the Movies: Behind the Scenes of David Fincher's Mank

    Self

  • Poster for The Book Of Vision

    Dr. Johan Anmuth

  • Poster for The King's Man

    Kitchener

2020Aged 74

  • Poster for Mank

    William Randolph Hearst

2019Aged 73

  • Poster for Godzilla: King of the Monsters

    Alan Jonah

  • Poster for Iron Mask

    Lord Dudley

  • Poster for Fanny Lye Deliver'd

    John Lye

  • Poster for Master Moley by Royal Invitation

    Mr. James Moley (voice)

2018Aged 72

2017Aged 71

  • Poster for That Good Night

    The Visitor

  • Poster for Wimbledon Official Film 2017

    Narrator (voice)

2016Aged 70

  • Poster for Despite the Falling Snow

    Old Alexander Ivanov

  • Poster for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

    Mr. Bennet

  • Poster for Me Before You

    Stephen Traynor

  • Poster for Ghostbusters

    Harold Fillmore

  • Poster for Underworld: Blood Wars

    Thomas

2015Aged 69

  • Poster for Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience

    Tywin Lannister

  • Poster for Admiral

    King Charles II

  • Poster for Child 44

    Major Grachev

  • Poster for Woman in Gold

    Sherman

  • Poster for Instruments of Darkness

    Duncan

  • Poster for Victor Frankenstein

    Frankenstein

2014Aged 68

  • Poster for Forbidden Empire

    Lord Dudley

  • Poster for Retrospective

    Jonathan Hoyle

  • Poster for Dracula Untold

    Master Vampire

  • Poster for The Imitation Game

    Commander Denniston

2013Aged 67

  • Poster for The Relics of Buddha

    Narrator (voice)

  • Poster for Father's Day

    Don

  • Poster for Justin and the Knights of Valour

    Legantir (voice)

  • Poster for Patrick

    Doctor Roget

  • Poster for Speeches That Shook the World

    Self

  • Poster for The Science of Doctor Who

    Self

2012Aged 66

  • Poster for Underworld: Awakening

    Thomas

  • Poster for Midnight's Children

    William Methwold

  • Poster for St George's Day

    Trenchard

  • The Mapmaker

    Rowan

  • Poster for The Door

    Thomas Arlington

2011Aged 65

  • Poster for Ironclad

    Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury

  • Poster for There Be Dragons

    Solono

  • Poster for Your Highness

    King Tallious

  • Poster for Going Postal 2in1

    Lord Vetinari

2010Aged 64

2008Aged 62

2007Aged 61

  • Poster for Intervention

    Private Investigator

  • Poster for The 50 Greatest Television Dramas

    Self

  • Poster for The Contractor

    DCS Andrew Windsor

  • Poster for Consenting Adults

    Jack Wolfenden

2006Aged 60

  • Poster for Scoop

    Mr. Malcolm

  • Poster for Twice Upon a Time

    Battar Master of Ceremonies

  • Poster for Starter for 10

    Michael Harbinson

2005Aged 59

  • Poster for Titanic: Birth of a Legend

    Narrator (voice)

2004Aged 58

  • Poster for When Hitler Invaded Britain

    Narrator

  • Poster for Saint John Bosco Mission to Love

    Marchese Clementi

  • Poster for Ladies in Lavender

    Executive Producer

2003Aged 57

  • Poster for Swimming Pool

    John Bosload

  • Poster for Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³'

    Self (archive footage)

2002Aged 56

  • Poster for Ali G Indahouse

    Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton

  • Poster for The Making of Gosford Park

    Self (uncredited)

  • Poster for Black and White

    Roderic Chamberlain

2001Aged 55

  • Poster for The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

    Ralph Nickleby

  • Poster for Dark Blue World

    Wing Commander Bentley

  • Poster for Jurij

    K (Padre di Jurij)

  • Poster for Alien Evolution

    Self / Clemens

  • Poster for Gosford Park

    Raymond Stockbridge

2000Aged 54

1999Aged 53

1998Aged 52

  • Poster for What Rats Won't Do

    Gerald Burton Jr

  • Poster for Hilary and Jackie

    Derek du Pré

1997Aged 51

  • Poster for In the Presence of Mine Enemies

    Captain Richter

  • Poster for The Blood Oranges

    Cyril

1996Aged 50

  • Poster for Undertow

    Lyle Yates

  • Poster for Space Truckers

    Nabel / Macanudo

  • Poster for Michael Collins

    Soames

1995Aged 49

  • Poster for The Surgeon

    Dr. Ed Mittlesbay

1994Aged 48

  • Poster for Kabloonak

    Robert Flaherty

  • Poster for China Moon

    Rupert Munro

  • Poster for Shortcut to Paradise

    Quinn

1993Aged 47

  • Poster for Last Action Hero

    Benedict

  • Poster for Century

    Professor Mandry

1992Aged 46

  • Poster for The Making of 'Alien³'

    Self

  • Poster for La valle di pietra

    Surveyor

  • Poster for Alien³

    Clemens

1989Aged 43

  • Poster for Goldeneye

    Ian Fleming

1988Aged 42

  • Poster for Pascali's Island

    Anthony Bowles

  • Poster for Out of the Shadows

    Michael Hayden

  • Poster for First Born

    Edward Forester

1987Aged 41

  • Poster for Good Morning, Babylon

    D.W. Griffith

  • Poster for Hidden City

    James Richards

  • Poster for White Mischief

    Josslyn Hay

1986Aged 40

  • Poster for The McGuffin

    Paul Hatcher

  • Poster for The Golden Child

    Sardo Numspa

1985Aged 39

  • Poster for Plenty

    Raymond Brock

1984Aged 38

  • Poster for Rainy Day Women

    John Truman

1982Aged 36

  • Poster for Little Eyolf

    Borghejm

1981Aged 35

  • Poster for Very Like a Whale

    Party Guest

  • Poster for For Your Eyes Only

    Claus

1980Aged 34

  • Poster for Dreams of Leaving

    Colin

  • Poster for The Fatal Spring

    Siegfried Sassoon

Year unknown