Charles Dance
ActingAbout Charles Dance
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.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Charles Dance reveals a career defined by exceptional commercial consistency. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Charles Dance's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 72% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Charles Dance remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Instruments of Darkness, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Charles Dance Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Charles Dance's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Charles Dance.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Frankenstein | Leopold Frankenstein | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2024 | Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters | Narrator | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2024 | The First Omen | Father Harris | Hit | Similar → |
| 2022 | Lancaster | Narrator (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2022 | Against the Ice | Minister Neergaard | Hit | Similar → |
| 2021 | The King's Man | Kitchener | Hit | Similar → |
| 2021 | The Book Of Vision | Dr. Johan Anmuth | Average | Similar → |
| 2020 | Mank | William Randolph Hearst | Hit | Similar → |
| 2019 | Fanny Lye Deliver'd | John Lye | Average | Similar → |
| 2019 | Godzilla: King of the Monsters | Alan Jonah | Hit | Similar → |
| 2018 | Happy New Year, Colin Burstead | Uncle Bertie | Average | Similar → |
| 2018 | Johnny English Strikes Again | Agent Seven | Average | Similar → |
| 2018 | Spitfire | Narrator (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2018 | The Muppets Take The O2 | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2018 | Euphoria | Mr. Daren | Average | Similar → |
| 2017 | That Good Night | The Visitor | Hit | Similar → |
| 2016 | Me Before You | Stephen Traynor | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2016 | Pride and Prejudice and Zombies | Mr. Bennet | Average | Similar → |
| 2015 | Instruments of Darkness | Duncan | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2015 | Woman in Gold | Sherman | Hit | Similar → |
| 2015 | Child 44 | Major Grachev | Average | Similar → |
| 2015 | Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience | Tywin Lannister | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2015 | Admiral | King Charles II | Hit | Similar → |
| 2014 | The Imitation Game | Commander Denniston | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2014 | Dracula Untold | Master Vampire | Hit | Similar → |
| 2013 | The Science of Doctor Who | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | The Mapmaker | Rowan | Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | Underworld: Awakening | Thomas | Average | Similar → |
| 2011 | Ironclad | Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury | Average | Similar → |
| 2006 | Starter for 10 | Michael Harbinson | Average | Similar → |
| 2006 | Scoop | Mr. Malcolm | Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | Titanic: Birth of a Legend | Narrator (voice) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | Saint John Bosco Mission to Love | Marchese Clementi | Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³' | Self (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Swimming Pool | John Bosload | Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | Gosford Park | Raymond Stockbridge | Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | Dark Blue World | Wing Commander Bentley | Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby | Ralph Nickleby | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2000 | Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes | Sir Henry Carlyle | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1998 | Hilary and Jackie | Derek Du Pré | Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | Michael Collins | Soames | Hit | Similar → |
| 1994 | China Moon | Rupert Munro | Average | Similar → |
| 1994 | Kabloonak | Robert Flaherty | Hit | Similar → |
| 1993 | Last Action Hero | Benedict | Hit | Similar → |
| 1992 | Alien³ | Clemens | Average | Similar → |
| 1988 | First Born | Edward Forester | Hit | Similar → |
| 1988 | Pascali's Island | Anthony Bowles | Average | Similar → |
| 1987 | Good Morning, Babylon | D.W. Griffith | Average | Similar → |
| 1981 | For Your Eyes Only | Claus | Hit | Similar → |
| 1980 | Dreams of Leaving | Colin | Hit | Similar → |
Charles Dance - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Charles Dance?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Charles Dance is "Instruments of Darkness" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Charles Dance acted in?
Charles Dance has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Charles Dance?
Other notable films include "The Muppets Take The O2", "Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience", and "Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes".