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Simon Russell Beale

Acting Born Jan 12, 1961 Penang, Malaysia 75 credits
75
Total Credits
2026
42 Years Career Span
34
Vault Titles
10
Key Co-Stars

Biography

Sir Simon Russell Beale CBE is an English actor born on January 12, 1961. He is recognized for his work across film, television, theatre, radio, audiobooks, and narration. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 for services to drama, Beale has extensively performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. He has received ten Laurence Olivier Award nominations, winning three for Volpone (1996), Candide (2000), and Uncle Vanya (2003). His Broadway work includes a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play for his performance as George.

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Known for

Film

De Gaulle: Résistance

as Winston Churchill
Film

De Gaulle: Liberté

as Winston Churchill
Film

The Magic Faraway Tree

as Know All
Film

The Choral

as Sir Edward Elgar
Film

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

as Sir Hector Moreland

Mary & George

as Sir George Villiers

House of the Dragon

as Ser Simon Strong
Film

Thor: Love and Thunder

as Dionysus
Film

The Outfit

as Roy Boyle

Remembers…

as Self
Film

Operation Mincemeat

as Winston Churchill
Film

Radioactive

as Professor Lippmann

Frequent co-stars

Margot Robbie 2 shared titles
Simon Abkarian 2 shared titles
Benoît Magimel 2 shared titles
Loïc Corbery 2 shared titles
Anamaria Vartolomei 2 shared titles
Niels Schneider 2 shared titles
Félix Kysyl 2 shared titles
Karim Leklou 2 shared titles
Tom Mison 2 shared titles
Kacey Mottet Klein 2 shared titles

Career timeline

De Gaulle: RésistanceDe Gaulle: LibertéThe Magic Faraway TreePrima Facie
The ChoralDownton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Mary & GeorgeHome! Home!Douglas Is CancelledFirebrand
House of the DragonThor: Love and ThunderThe OutfitRemembers…Operation Mincemeat
Benediction
RadioactiveA Christmas CarolThe Hour
National Theatre Live: The Lehman TrilogyNational Theatre Live: The Tragedy of King Richard the Second
Mary Queen of ScotsOperation FinaleVanity FairMuseo
The Death of StalinMy Cousin RachelRSC Live: The Tempest
The Legend of TarzanCunk on ShakespeareShakespeare Live! From the RSC
Monteverdi in Mantua - The Genius of the Vespers
Penny DreadfulInto the WoodsNational Theatre Live: King LearThe Mysterious Mr Webster
Lava Land - Glowing HawaiiMuse of FireNational Theatre Live: 50 Years on StageLegacy
The Hollow CrownShakespeare's SonnetsSimon Schama's ShakespeareNational Theatre Live: Timon of Athens
My Week with MarilynThe Deep Blue SeaRoyal Opera House: Alice's Adventures in WonderlandSymphonyNational Theatre Live: Collaborators
BBC Proms: Sondheim's 80th BirthdayNational Theatre Live: London AssuranceSacred Music: A Christmas History
An Easter CelebrationSacred Music
Deep Water
Dunkirk
The Young VisitersThe Gathering
SpooksSpooks
Blackadder: Back & ForthAlice in WonderlandAn Ideal Husband
A Dance to the Music of TimeThe Temptation of Franz Schubert
Hamlet
Persuasion
The Mushroom Picker
Orlando
American Experience
A Very Peculiar Practice
Time and the Conways

Full Filmography

75 titles
  • De Gaulle: Résistance (2026) as Winston Churchill
  • De Gaulle: Liberté (2026) as Winston Churchill
  • The Magic Faraway Tree (2026) as Know All
  • Prima Facie (2026)
  • The Choral (2025) as Sir Edward Elgar
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) as Sir Hector Moreland
  • Mary & George (2024) as Sir George Villiers
  • Home! Home! (2024) as Narrator (voice)
  • Douglas Is Cancelled (2024) as Bently
  • Firebrand (2024) as Stephen Gardiner
  • House of the Dragon (2022) as Ser Simon Strong
  • Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) as Dionysus
  • The Outfit (2022) as Roy Boyle
  • Remembers… (2022) as Self
  • Operation Mincemeat (2022) as Winston Churchill
  • Benediction (2021) as Robbie Ross
  • Radioactive (2020) as Professor Lippmann
  • A Christmas Carol (2020) as Scrooge's voice (voice)
  • The Hour (2020) as Himself
  • National Theatre Live: The Lehman Trilogy (2019) as Henry Lehman
  • National Theatre Live: The Tragedy of King Richard the Second (2019) as Richard II
  • Mary Queen of Scots (2018) as Robert Beale
  • Operation Finale (2018) as David Ben-Gurion
  • Vanity Fair (2018) as John Sedley
  • Museo (2018) as Frank Graves
  • The Death of Stalin (2017) as Lavrenti Beria
  • My Cousin Rachel (2017) as Couch
  • RSC Live: The Tempest (2017) as Prospero
  • The Legend of Tarzan (2016) as Mr. Frum
  • Cunk on Shakespeare (2016) as Self - Actor
  • Shakespeare Live! From the RSC (2016) as Richard II
  • Monteverdi in Mantua - The Genius of the Vespers (2015) as presenter
  • Penny Dreadful (2014) as Ferdinand Lyle
  • Into the Woods (2014) as Baker's Father
  • National Theatre Live: King Lear (2014) as Lear, King of Britain
  • The Mysterious Mr Webster (2014) as Self - Interviewee
  • Lava Land - Glowing Hawaii (2013) as Narrator
  • Muse of Fire (2013) as Self
  • National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage (2013) as Hamlet
  • Legacy (2013) as Hookey
  • The Hollow Crown (2012) as Falstaff
  • Shakespeare's Sonnets (2012)
  • Simon Schama's Shakespeare (2012)
  • National Theatre Live: Timon of Athens (2012) as Timon
  • My Week with Marilyn (2011) as Cotes-Preedy
  • The Deep Blue Sea (2011) as Sir William Collyer
  • Royal Opera House: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (2011) as The Duchess / Introduced by
  • Symphony (2011)
  • National Theatre Live: Collaborators (2011) as Joseph Stalin
  • A Musical Nativity with John Rutter (2011)
  • Sacred Music: God's Composer (2011) as Presenter
  • BBC Proms: Sondheim's 80th Birthday (2010) as Himself - Performer
  • National Theatre Live: London Assurance (2010) as Sir Harcourt Courtly
  • Sacred Music: A Christmas History (2010) as Presenter
  • An Easter Celebration (2008) as presenter
  • Sacred Music (2008) as Presenter
  • Deep Water (2006) as Donald Crowhurst (voice)
  • Dunkirk (2004) as Winston Churchill
  • The Young Visiters (2003) as Prince of Wales
  • The Gathering (2003) as Luke Fraser
  • Spooks (2002) as William Towers
  • Spooks (2002) as Home Secretary
  • Blackadder: Back & Forth (1999) as Wellington
  • Alice in Wonderland (1999) as King Cedric of Hearts
  • An Ideal Husband (1999) as Sir Edward
  • A Dance to the Music of Time (1997) as Widmerpool
  • The Temptation of Franz Schubert (1997) as Franz Schubert
  • Hamlet (1996) as Second Gravedigger
  • Persuasion (1995) as Charles Musgrove
  • The Mushroom Picker (1993) as Anthony
  • Orlando (1992) as Earl of Moray
  • American Experience (1988) as John Adams (voice)
  • A Very Peculiar Practice (1986) as Mark Stibbs
  • Time and the Conways (1985) as Party Guest
  • This Is Your Five Minute Call as Malcolm

Frequently Asked Questions

What movies or TV shows is Simon Russell Beale best known for?

Simon Russell Beale is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including De Gaulle: Résistance (2026), De Gaulle: Liberté (2026), The Magic Faraway Tree (2026), The Choral (2025).

When and where was Simon Russell Beale born?

Simon Russell Beale was born on January 12, 1961 in Penang, Malaysia.

How many credits does Simon Russell Beale have?

Simon Russell Beale has accumulated over 75 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1985 to 2026.

What is Simon Russell Beale's background in cinema and television?

Sir Simon Russell Beale CBE is an English actor born on January 12, 1961. He is recognized for his work across film, television, theatre, radio, audiobooks, and narration. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 for services to drama, Beale has extensively performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatr...