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
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
(2019)
Alan Jonah
The King's Man
(2021)
Kitchener
Alien³
(1992)
Clemens
Me Before You
(2016)
Stephen Traynor
The Imitation Game
(2014)
Commander Denniston
Dracula Untold
(2014)
Master Vampire
Gosford Park
(2001)
Raymond Stockbridge
Mank
(2020)
William Randolph Hearst
Child 44
(2015)
Major Grachev
Underworld: Awakening
(2012)
Thomas
Underworld: Blood Wars
(2016)
Thomas
Johnny English Strikes Again
(2018)
Agent Seven
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
(2016)
Mr. Bennet
For Your Eyes Only
(1981)
Claus
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 Golden Child
(1986)
Sardo Numspa
The McGuffin
(1986)
Paul Hatcher
White Mischief
(1987)
Josslyn Hay
Good Morning, Babylon
(1987)
D.W. Griffith
Hidden City
(1987)
James Richards
Pascali's Island
(1988)
Anthony Bowles
Out of the Shadows
(1988)
Michael Hayden
First Born
(1988)
Edward Forester
Goldeneye
(1989)
Ian Fleming
Alien³
(1992)
Clemens
La valle di pietra
(1992)
Surveyor
Last Action Hero
(1993)
Benedict
Century
(1993)
Professor Mandry
China Moon
(1994)
Rupert Munro
Shortcut to Paradise
(1994)
Quinn
Kabloonak
(1994)
Robert Flaherty
The Surgeon
(1995)
Dr. Ed Mittlesbay
Space Truckers
(1996)
Nabel / Macanudo
Undertow
(1996)
Lyle Yates
Michael Collins
(1996)
Soames
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
Gosford Park
(2001)
Raymond Stockbridge
Dark Blue World
(2001)
Wing Commander Bentley
Alien Evolution
(2001)
Self / Clemens
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
(2001)
Ralph Nickleby
Jurij
(2001)
Ali G Indahouse
(2002)
Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton
Black and White
(2002)
Roderic Chamberlain
The Making of 'Gosford Park'
(2002)
Self (uncredited)
Swimming Pool
(2003)
John Bosload
Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³'
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Saint John Bosco Mission to Love
(2004)
Marchese Clementi
Titanic: Birth of a Legend
(2005)
Narrator (voice)
Twice Upon a Time
(2006)
Battar Master of Ceremonies
Starter for 10
(2006)
Michael Harbinson
Scoop
(2006)
Mr. Malcolm
Consenting Adults
(2007)
Jack Wolfenden
The Contractor
(2007)
DCS Andrew Windsor
Intervention
(2007)
Private Investigator
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
(2007)
Self
Dickens' Secret Lover
(2008)
Self - Narrator (voice)
Paris Connections
(2010)
Aleksandr Borinski
The Clerk's Tale
(2010)
Ralph
The Commuter
(2010)
The Traffic Warden
Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-A Healing Heart
(2010)
Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-Family Secret
(2010)
Your Highness
(2011)
King Tallious
There Be Dragons
(2011)
Solono
Ironclad
(2011)
Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury
Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Reunion
(2011)
Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Scandal
(2011)
Underworld: Awakening
(2012)
Thomas
St George's Day
(2012)
Trenchard
Midnight's Children
(2012)
William Methwold
The Mapmaker
(2012)
Rowan
The Door
(2012)
Thomas Arlington
Berlin Job
(2012)
Trenchard
Justin and the Knights of Valour
(2013)
Legantir (voice)
Patrick
(2013)
Doctor Roget
Speeches That Shook the World
(2013)
Self
Father's Day
(2013)
Don
The Relics of Buddha
(2013)
Narrator (voice)
The Science of Doctor Who
(2013)
Self
Dracula Untold
(2014)
Master Vampire
The Imitation Game
(2014)
Commander Denniston
Forbidden Empire
(2014)
Lord Dudley
Retrospective
(2014)
Jonathan Hoyle
Instruments of Darkness
(2015)
Duncan
Woman in Gold
(2015)
Sherman
Admiral
(2015)
King Charles II
Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience
(2015)
Tywin Lannister
Child 44
(2015)
Major Grachev
Victor Frankenstein
(2015)
Frankenstein
Despite the Falling Snow
(2016)
Old Alexander Ivanov
Me Before You
(2016)
Stephen Traynor
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
(2016)
Mr. Bennet
Underworld: Blood Wars
(2016)
Thomas
Ghostbusters
(2016)
Harold Fillmore
That Good Night
(2017)
The Visitor
Wimbledon Official Film 2017
(2017)
Narrator (voice)
Euphoria
(2018)
Mr. Daren
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead
(2018)
Uncle Bertie
Spitfire
(2018)
Narrator (voice)
Johnny English Strikes Again
(2018)
Agent Seven
The Muppets Take The O2
(2018)
Self
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)
Fanny Lye Deliver'd
(2021)
John Lye
The Book of Vision
(2021)
Dr. Johan Anmuth
The King's Man
(2021)
Kitchener
The Magic of the Movies: Behind the Scenes of David Fincher's Mank
(2021)
Self
Against the Ice
(2022)
Minister Neergaard
The Hanging Sun
(2022)
Jacob
Lancaster
(2022)
Narrator (voice)
Portrait of the Queen
(2022)
Savage Waters
(2023)
The First Omen
(2024)
Father Harris
Writing
Directing
Production