Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1962-12-22
- Born Place: Ipswich, Suffolk, England, UK
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is a highly acclaimed English actor, director, and producer, widely regarded as one of the finest and most versatile performers of his generation for his extensive work on both stage and screen. Born on December 22, 1962, in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, Fiennes trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and built a formidable early career as a Shakespearean interpreter at the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his breakthrough and earned international recognition with his terrifying, Academy Award-nominated performance as the Nazi commandant Amon Göth in Steven Spielberg's Holocaust epic, Schindler's List (1993). This was followed by another Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role as the title character, Count Almásy, in the romantic drama The English Patient (1996). Fiennes is known for his ability to seamlessly transition between intense, dramatic, and villainous roles, and light-hearted, comedic ones. His most iconic roles include the malevolent Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series (2005–2011), the charming and fastidious concierge Monsieur Gustave H. in Wes Anderson's critically celebrated comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), and the intelligence chief Gareth Mallory / M in the James Bond franchise (beginning with Skyfall in 2012). His diverse filmography also features notable performances in Red Dragon (2002), The Constant Gardener (2005), In Bruges (2008), The Hurt Locker (2009), and, most recently, the dark satire The Menu (2022) and the two-part horror sequel, 28 Years Later (2025) and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026), where he plays Dr. Ian Kelson. Beyond acting, Fiennes has also directed three feature films, including the Shakespeare adaptation Coriolanus (2011) and the biopic The White Crow (2018), and has served as an ambassador for UNICEF UK since 1999.
