Ivan Kaye
Biography
Ivan Kaye (born 1 July 1961 in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England) is a British actor whose career spans stage, television and film. He developed an interest in acting in early childhood and achieved a successful West End career in both dramatic and musical productions before moving into screen work in his early thirties. Since the early 1990s he has appeared in more than fifty television and film roles, covering leads, main parts, antagonists, villains and comic characters. Internationally he is best known for portraying King Aelle in the series Vikings (2013‑2017) and for playing the goon leader Yankee in the film Gunpowder Milkshake (2021). He is also credited as Ivan Kay and has forty listed screen credits.
Career overview
Ivan Kaye, born on 1 July 1961 in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, is a British actor whose career spans stage, television and film. From an early age he was drawn to acting, and he built a successful presence in London’s West End, performing in both dramatic and musical productions before moving into screen work in his early thirties.
Since the early 1990s Kaye has accumulated more than fifty television and film credits, demonstrating a breadth of versatility that includes leading and supporting roles, antagonists, outright villains and comic characters. He is internationally best known for portraying King Aelle in the historical drama series Vikings, a role he inhabited from 2013 to 2017. More recent screen work includes the part of the goon leader Yankee in the 2021 action‑thriller Gunpowder Milkshake.
According to the Motion Picture Database, Kaye’s credited appearances number around forty, and he is also listed under the alternate spelling Ivan Kay. His career reflects a consistent pattern of varied performances across multiple genres, underscoring his reputation as a remarkably adaptable actor in both stage and screen productions.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
41 titles- Brian and Maggie (2025) as Nigel Lawson
- Apocalypse Clown (2023) as The Great Alphonso
- Sister Boniface Mysteries (2022) as Ted Button
- Gunpowder Milkshake (2021) as Yankee
- End of Term (2021) as Garth Stroman
- The Dead Collectors (2021) as Peter
- The Dark Tower (2020) as Mayor Hart Thorin
- The King (2019) as Scrope
- For Love or Money (2019) as Patrick
- Cliffs of Freedom (2019) as Ghazi Khalif
- The Woman in White (2018) as Pesca
- The Coroner (2015) as Mick Sturrock
- Vikings: Athelstan's Journal (2015) as King Aelle (archive footage)
- Undercover (2015) as Garabed
- Vikings (2013) as King Aelle
- Hammer of the Gods (2013) as Ivar
- Dark Shadows (2012) as Joshua Collins
- Tortoise in Love (2012) as Sean
- The Borgias (2011) as Duke Ludovico Sforza
- The Borgias (2011) as Ludovico Sforza
- Assassination Games (2011) as Polo Yakur
- Injustice (2011) as DS Harry Bowman
- The Green Green Grass (2005)
- Layer Cake (2004) as Freddie Hurst
- Control (2004) as Norton
- Photo Finish (2004) as Herbie Harris
- Inside the Mind of Paul Gascoigne (2003) as Narrator
- Lenny Blue (2002) as DI Ron Featherstone
- Dinotopia (2002)
- A Dinner of Herbs (2000) as Dan Bannaman
- Bad Girls (1999) as Charlie Atkins
- Microsoap (1998) as Roger
- Solomon (1997) as Adonijah
- Solomon (1997) as Adonijah
- Bugs (1995)
- Faith in the Future (1995)
- Cold Comfort Farm (1995) as Reuben Starkadder
- Sam Saturday (1992) as DI Sam Saturday
- The Paradise Club (1989) as Arthur Burns
- Casualty (1986) as Guy
- The Bill (1984)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Ivan Kaye best known for?
Ivan Kaye is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Sister Boniface Mysteries (2022), Gunpowder Milkshake (2021), The King (2019), Vikings (2013).
When and where was Ivan Kaye born?
Ivan Kaye was born on July 1, 1961 in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, UK.
How many credits does Ivan Kaye have?
Ivan Kaye has accumulated over 41 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1984 to 2025.
What is Ivan Kaye's background in cinema and television?
Ivan Kaye (born 1 July 1961 in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England) is a British actor whose career spans stage, television and film. He developed an interest in acting in early childhood and achieved a successful West End career in both dramatic and musical productions before moving into screen work in his early th...
Ivan Kaye by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Vikings (2013) as King Aelle — aged about 52
- The Borgias (2011) as Duke Ludovico Sforza — aged about 50
- The Borgias (2011) as Ludovico Sforza — aged about 50
- Bad Girls (1999) as Charlie Atkins — aged about 38
- The King (2019) as Scrope — aged about 58
- Layer Cake (2004) as Freddie Hurst — aged about 43
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