Walter Charles Dance OBE (born October 10, 1946 in Redditch, Worcestershire) 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.
Known For
Ghostbusters
(2016)
Harold Fillmore
The First Omen
(2024)
Father Harris
The King's Man
(2021)
Kitchener
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
(2019)
Alan Jonah
Me Before You
(2016)
Stephen Traynor
Alien³
(1992)
Clemens
The Imitation Game
(2014)
Commander Denniston
Underworld: Blood Wars
(2016)
Thomas
Johnny English Strikes Again
(2018)
Agent Seven
Underworld: Awakening
(2012)
Thomas
Dracula Untold
(2014)
Master Vampire
Child 44
(2015)
Major Grachev
Mank
(2020)
William Randolph Hearst
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
(2016)
Mr. Bennet
For Your Eyes Only
(1981)
Claus
Victor Frankenstein
(2015)
Frankenstein
Full Filmography
Acting
Dreams of Leaving
(1980)
Colin
For Your Eyes Only
(1981)
Claus
Little Eyolf
(1982)
Borghejm
Rainy Day Women
(1984)
John Truman
Plenty
(1985)
Raymond Brock
The McGuffin
(1986)
Paul Hatcher
The Golden Child
(1986)
Sardo Numspa
Hidden City
(1987)
James Richards
Good Morning, Babylon
(1987)
D.W. Griffith
White Mischief
(1987)
Josslyn Hay
First Born
(1988)
Edward Forester
Out of the Shadows
(1988)
Michael Hayden
Pascali's Island
(1988)
Anthony Bowles
Goldeneye
(1989)
Ian Fleming
La valle di pietra
(1992)
Surveyor
Alien³
(1992)
Clemens
Last Action Hero
(1993)
Benedict
Century
(1993)
Professor Mandry
Kabloonak
(1994)
Robert Flaherty
China Moon
(1994)
Rupert Munro
Shortcut to Paradise
(1994)
Quinn
The Surgeon
(1995)
Dr. Ed Mittlesbay
Michael Collins
(1996)
Soames
Space Truckers
(1996)
Nabel / Macanudo
Undertow
(1996)
Lyle Yates
In the Presence of Mine Enemies
(1997)
Captain Richter
The Blood Oranges
(1997)
Cyril
Hilary and Jackie
(1998)
Derek Du Pré
What Rats Won't Do
(1998)
Gerald Burton Jr
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
(1999)
Frank
Chrono-Perambulator
(1999)
James 'Dougie' Douglas
The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes
(2000)
Sir Henry Carlyle
Dark Blue World
(2001)
Wing Commander Bentley
Gosford Park
(2001)
Raymond Stockbridge
Alien Evolution
(2001)
Self / Clemens
Jurij
(2001)
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
(2001)
Ralph Nickleby
Black and White
(2002)
Roderic Chamberlain
Ali G Indahouse
(2002)
Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton
The Making of 'Gosford Park'
(2002)
Self (uncredited)
Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³'
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Swimming Pool
(2003)
John Bosload
Saint John Bosco Mission to Love
(2004)
Marchese Clementi
Titanic: Birth of a Legend
(2005)
Narrator (voice)
Scoop
(2006)
Mr. Malcolm
Starter for 10
(2006)
Michael Harbinson
Twice Upon a Time
(2006)
Battar Master of Ceremonies
The Contractor
(2007)
DCS Andrew Windsor
Intervention
(2007)
Private Investigator
Consenting Adults
(2007)
Jack Wolfenden
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
(2007)
Self
Dickens' Secret Lover
(2008)
Self - Narrator (voice)
Paris Connections
(2010)
Aleksandr Borinski
Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-A Healing Heart
(2010)
Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-Family Secret
(2010)
The Commuter
(2010)
The Traffic Warden
The Clerk's Tale
(2010)
Ralph
Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Reunion
(2011)
Your Highness
(2011)
King Tallious
There Be Dragons
(2011)
Solono
Ironclad
(2011)
Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury
Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Scandal
(2011)
St George's Day
(2012)
Trenchard
Midnight's Children
(2012)
William Methwold
The Mapmaker
(2012)
Rowan
Berlin Job
(2012)
Trenchard
Underworld: Awakening
(2012)
Thomas
The Door
(2012)
Thomas Arlington
The Relics of Buddha
(2013)
Narrator (voice)
Father's Day
(2013)
Don
Speeches That Shook the World
(2013)
Self
The Science of Doctor Who
(2013)
Self
Patrick
(2013)
Doctor Roget
Justin and the Knights of Valour
(2013)
Legantir (voice)
Forbidden Empire
(2014)
Lord Dudley
Retrospective
(2014)
Jonathan Hoyle
The Imitation Game
(2014)
Commander Denniston
Dracula Untold
(2014)
Master Vampire
Child 44
(2015)
Major Grachev
Admiral
(2015)
King Charles II
Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience
(2015)
Tywin Lannister
Woman in Gold
(2015)
Sherman
Instruments of Darkness
(2015)
Duncan
Victor Frankenstein
(2015)
Frankenstein
Ghostbusters
(2016)
Harold Fillmore
Underworld: Blood Wars
(2016)
Thomas
Despite the Falling Snow
(2016)
Old Alexander Ivanov
Me Before You
(2016)
Stephen Traynor
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
(2016)
Mr. Bennet
That Good Night
(2017)
The Visitor
Wimbledon Official Film 2017
(2017)
Narrator (voice)
Euphoria
(2018)
Mr. Daren
Johnny English Strikes Again
(2018)
Agent Seven
Spitfire
(2018)
Narrator (voice)
The Muppets Take The O2
(2018)
Self
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead
(2018)
Uncle Bertie
Iron Mask
(2019)
Lord Dudley
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
(2019)
Alan Jonah
Mank
(2020)
William Randolph Hearst
Master Moley By Royal Invitation
(2020)
Mr. James Moley (voice)
The King's Man
(2021)
Kitchener
The Book of Vision
(2021)
Dr. Johan Anmuth
Fanny Lye Deliver'd
(2021)
John Lye
The Magic of the Movies: Behind the Scenes of David Fincher's Mank
(2021)
Self
The Hanging Sun
(2022)
Jacob
Portrait of the Queen
(2022)
Against the Ice
(2022)
Minister Neergaard
Lancaster
(2022)
Narrator (voice)
Savage Waters
(2023)
Rumours
(2024)
The First Omen
(2024)
Father Harris
Directing
Writing
Production