Paul David Hewson, better known by his stage name Bono, is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician, venture capitalist, businessman, and philanthropist. He is best recognized as the frontman of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his future wife, Alison Stewart, and the future members of U2. Bono writes almost all U2 lyrics, frequently using religious, social, and political themes. During U2's early years, Bono's lyrics contributed to their rebellious and spiritual to; as the band matured, his lyrics became inspired more by personal experiences shared with the other members.
Outside the band, he has collaborated and recorded with numerous artists, is managing director and a managing partner of Elevation Partners, and has refurbished and owns The Clarence Hotel in Dublin with The Edge. He was granted a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and, with Bill and Melinda Gates, was named Time Person of the Year in 2005, among other awards and nominations. On 17 July 2013, the BBC announced that Bono had been made a Commandeur of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters).
Known For
Sing 2
(2021)
Clay Calloway (voice)
Brüno
(2009)
Self - 'Dove of Peace'
Live Aid
(1985)
Self
Quincy
(2018)
Self
Wham!
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Across the Universe
(2007)
Doctor Robert
The Million Dollar Hotel
(2000)
Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Entropy
(1999)
Himself
The Sound of 007
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Pavarotti
(2019)
Self
Live 8
(2005)
Self
Full Filmography
Acting
U2: Follies
(1981)
Self
No Nukes! muziekfestival
(1982)
Self - U2
U2: Live at Red Rocks - Under a Blood Red Sky
(1983)
Self - Vocals
U2: The Unforgettable Fire Collection
(1984)
Bono
U2: A Fire in Dortmund
(1984)
'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - The Story Of The Official Band Aid Video
(1984)
Self
Live Aid
(1985)
Self
U2: Unforgettable Fire
(1985)
U2 at Live Aid
(1985)
U2 & The Police: A Conspiracy of Hope
(1986)
U2 Live from Paris
(1987)
Himself
U2: Live from Syracuse 1987
(1987)
U2 - Live from Los Angeles 1987
(1987)
U2: Outside It's America
(1987)
U2: Rattle and Hum
(1988)
Self
U2: Lovetown
(1989)
Self
Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter
(1990)
Self
U2 - Live from Stockholm 1992
(1992)
U2: Achtung Baby, the Videos, the Cameos and a Whole Lot of Interference from ZOO-TV
(1992)
Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special
(1992)
Himself
New Order Story
(1993)
Self
Daniel Lanois "Rocky World"
(1993)
Self
U2 Zoo TV Live in Adelaide 1993
(1993)
U2: Zoo TV - Live from Sydney
(1994)
In Darkest Hollywood: Cinema and Apartheid
(1994)
Self (archive footage)
Dancing Barefoot
(1995)
Self (voice)
Pavarotti & Friends 3 - Together for the Children of Bosnia
(1995)
Himself
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
(1995)
Self
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
(1995)
Self - Performer
The Rocker: A Portrait of Phil Lynott
(1996)
Self
U2: Popmart - Live from Mexico City
(1997)
Himself
U2: A Year in Pop
(1997)
Himself
The Great Hunger: The Life and Songs of Shane MacGowan
(1997)
Self
Bravo Profiles: Björk
(1997)
Self
U2: Live from Santiago 1998
(1998)
The A-Z of Separating People from their Money
(1998)
Himself
U2 - The Best of 1980-1990
(1998)
U2 - Live at Johannesburg Stadium, South Africa, 1998
(1998)
In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story
(1999)
Self
A Tribute To Johnny Cash
(1999)
Self - Performer
Entropy
(1999)
Himself
Classic Albums: U2 - The Joshua Tree
(1999)
Self
Tina Turner : Celebrate!
(1999)
No Maps for These Territories
(2000)
Himself
Anton Corbijn: Geen Stil Leven
(2000)
Self
The Million Dollar Hotel
(2000)
Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
U2 - Live from Irving Plaza 2000
(2000)
The Beatles Revolution
(2000)
Self
From a Whisper to a Scream: The Living History of Irish Music
(2000)
Self
U2: Elevation 2001 - Live from Boston
(2001)
Vocals & Guitar
Being Mick
(2001)
Self
America: A Tribute to Heroes
(2001)
Self - Performer
Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacColl
(2001)
Self
U2: The Best of 1990-2000
(2002)
Himself
The Corrs Live from Dublin
(2002)
Guest Singer
There's Only One Paul McCartney
(2002)
Self
U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland
(2003)
Vocals
The Importance of Being Morrissey
(2003)
Himself
Bukowski: Born Into This
(2003)
Himself
U2: An Unforgettable Journey
(2003)
Himself
U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
(2004)
Himself
U2 - Live Under the Brooklyn Bridge
(2004)
U2 and 3 songs
(2004)
Bono: Big Daddy
(2004)
Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde
(2004)
Self
U2: Vertigo 2005 - Live from Chicago
(2005)
Vocals
U2: Vertigo 05 - Live from Milan
(2005)
Bono
The Work of Director Anton Corbijn
(2005)
Self (segments "One" and "Electrical Storm")
The Work of Director Mark Romanek
(2005)
Self - Interviewee
Horslips: Return of the Dancehall Sweethearts
(2005)
Himself
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
(2005)
Self
The Pretenders: No Turn Left Unstoned
(2005)
Self
Live Aid Against All Odds
(2005)
Self
Live 8
(2005)
Self
A Concert for Hurricane Relief
(2005)
Self
U2: 18 Videos
(2006)
Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
(2006)
Self
U2 Phenomenon - The Independent Review
(2006)
Himself
U2: Achtung Baby: A Classic Album Under Review
(2006)
U2: City of blinding lights - Live in Buenos Aires
(2006)
Make Poverty History - Music Concert
(2006)
The Art of Football from A to Z
(2006)
Self
U2: Vertigo Tour Live at River Plate Stadium
(2006)
Vocals
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
(2007)
Self
White Diamond: A Personal Portrait of Kylie Minogue
(2007)
Himself
Across the Universe
(2007)
Doctor Robert
U2: The Joshua Tree (Bonus DVD)
(2007)
Vocals
Tony Bennett: Duets - The Making of an American Classic
(2007)
Self
U2 3D
(2007)
Himself
Lord, Save Us from Your Followers
(2008)
Himself (archive footage)
Ronnie Drew: September Song
(2008)
Pavarotti The Duets
(2008)
Self
U2 Live Tour 360° - Paris 11 et 12 Juillet 2009
(2009)
Chant
Brüno
(2009)
Self - 'Dove of Peace'
Q: The Man
(2009)
Self
Keep on Running: 50 Years of Island Records
(2009)
We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial
(2009)
Self
Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me
(2009)
Performer
Linear
(2009)
Self
Pop Galerie Reloaded - U2
(2009)
Himself (archive)
U2: 360° at the Rose Bowl
(2010)
Vocals
Hope for Haiti Now
(2010)
Self
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - Start Me Up
(2010)
Self
u2 360 tour - under the rainy belgium sky
(2010)
U2360° Tour: Squaring The Circle
(2010)
Self
U2: From the Sky Down
(2011)
Self
U2: Live at Glastonbury 2011
(2011)
Himself
U2 - Live from Moncton 2011
(2011)
Anton Corbijn Inside Out
(2012)
Himself
B.B. King: The Life of Riley
(2012)
Self
U2: War - The Ultimate Critical Review
(2012)
himself
U2: Unbroken Toys
(2012)
Miracle Rising: South Africa
(2013)
Himself
Muscle Shoals
(2013)
Self
Who the F**K Is Arthur Fogel
(2013)
himself
Here Comes the Night Time
(2013)
Fake Arcade Fire Bandmember
Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
(2014)
Self
Meteor Choice Music Prize 2014
(2014)
Nominee
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
(2014)
Self
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
(2015)
Self
U2: iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Live in Paris
(2015)
Himself
The Irish Rock Story: A Tale of Two Cities
(2015)
Self
U2 - Vancouver, Canada
(2015)
Irish Rock at the BBC
(2015)
Self
U2: iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Live in Paris - 06/12/2015
(2015)
U2: iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Live in Paris - 11/11/2015
(2015)
Electric Burma: The Concert for Aung San Suu Kyi - Words I Never Said
(2016)
Self
Eagles of Death Metal - Nos Amis (Our Friends)
(2017)
Himself
Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait
(2017)
Self
Michael Hutchence: The Last Rockstar
(2017)
Self
U2 at The BBC
(2017)
U2
Kygo: Stole the Show
(2017)
Himself
In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America
(2017)
Self
Lost in London
(2017)
Bono (voice)
U2 - Live from Abbey Road
(2017)
Linkin Park and Friends - Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
U2: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017
(2017)
Quincy
(2018)
Self
Hansa Studios: By the Wall 1976-90
(2018)
himself
U2: eXPERIENCE - Live in Berlin
(2018)
himself
Liner Notes
(2018)
Narrator (voice)
Pavarotti
(2019)
Self
Mystify: Michael Hutchence
(2019)
Himself
Salman Rushdie: Death on a Trail
(2019)
Self - Musician (archive footage)
ReMastered: Massacre at the Stadium
(2019)
Self
Citizens Of Boomtown: The Story of the Boomtown Rats
(2020)
Himself
The Busk - A Decade of Christmas on Grafton Street
(2020)
Himself
Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President
(2020)
Self
Sing 2
(2021)
Clay Calloway (voice)
ABBA V Queen
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Roy Orbison Forever
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
The Sound of 007
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Paul Muldoon: Laoithe is Lirici
(2022)
Himself
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
(2022)
Self
Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
U2: Rockumentary
(2022)
Self
Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman
(2023)
Self
Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex
(2023)
Self
Wham!
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Zucchero | Sugar Fornaciari
(2023)
Self
Peter & the Wolf
(2023)
Self (Artist)
Kiss the Future
(2024)
Sound
In the Name of the Father
(1993)
Songs
GoldenEye
(1995)
Original Music Composer
Beyond the Clouds
(1995)
Original Music Composer
U2: A Year in Pop
(1997)
Music
Linear
(2009)
Music
Production
Miss Sarajevo
(1995)
Executive Producer
The Million Dollar Hotel
(2000)
Producer
Linear
(2009)
Executive Producer
Waiting for the Miracle to Come
(2019)
Executive Producer
Writing
Crew