Jonathan Pryce, CBE (born John Price; 1 June 1947) is a Welsh actor and singer. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and meeting his longtime girlfriend, English actress Kate Fahy, in 1974, he began his career as a stage actor in the 1970s. His work in theatre, including an award-winning performance in the title role of the Royal Court Theatre's Hamlet, led to several supporting roles in film and television. He made his breakthrough screen performance in Terry Gilliam's 1985 cult film Brazil.Critically lauded for his versatility, Pryce has participated in big-budget films such as Evita, Tomorrow Never Dies, Pirates of the Caribbean and The New World, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, GI Joe: Retaliation as well as independent films such as Glengarry Glen Ross and Carrington. His career in theatre has also been prolific, and he has won two Tony Awards—the first in 1977 for his Broadway debut in Comedians, the second for his 1991 role as The Engineer in the musical Miss Saigon.
Tony Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical, Cannes Best Actor Award, Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, Laurence Olivier...
Nominations
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Perfo...
Movies
Tomorrow Never Dies, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Brazil, Evita, Glengarry Glen Ross, Hysteria, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ronin, Listen Up Philip, Stigmata, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, What a Girl Wants, The Brot...
TV Shows
Wolf Hall, Game of Thrones, Taboo, Clone
#
Quote
1
When I left school, I wanted to be an artist, specifically a painter.
2
I know people whose entire lives are ruined by fame. If you make yourself exclusive, people want to break that down, but if you go about doing your shopping, no one bugs you.
3
I live a very ordinary life. The rare awards ceremonies I go to are quite fun, because I can enjoy the irony of one minute walking to the tube, and the next being driven along the same stretch of road in a limo.
4
I grew up in the 1950s at the beginning of rock n' roll, and would strum a tennis racket in front of the mirror.
5
I have just enough public appreciation to make me happy.
6
I'll read a book every now and then, but unlike most of my friends I don't always have one on the go.
7
Oddly enough, I'm not religious but I'm also very fond of St Peter's in Rome. When I'm there, I always know there's a good meal not far away.
8
The older you get, the more you find yourself looking for things you used to see and liked when you were younger.
9
'I'm not a star, I'm an actor - there's a difference!'
Starred in Harold Pinter's "The Caretaker" at the Everyman in Liverpool. [October 2009]
5
Started a stint as conman Lawrence Jameson in the hit Broadway Musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" playing at the Imperial Theater in NYC [January 2006]
6
Starred in Broadway's "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" taking over the role of Lawrence Jamieson, originally played by John Lithgow. [January 2005]
7
Starred as Professor Henry Higgins in Trevor Nunn's production of "My Fair Lady", which began at the National Theatre and has since moved to the Drury Lane Theatre in London. [2001]
8
Camden Town, London, England [June 2009]
9
Starred in Broadway's "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" with Norbert Leo Butz. [2006]
10
Reprised his role as Zarniwoop (and a new character, Vann Harl) in the new "Quandary Phase" episodes of "The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy" BBC4 radio series, adapted from book 4 of the late Douglas Adams' "Hitch Hiker's Trilogy", "So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish". [May 2005]
11
Starred as Martin in Edward Albee's controversial play "The Goat or Who is Sylvia?" at the Apollo Theatre in London's West End. [April 2004]
12
He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to Drama.
13
Awarded an honorary doctorate by The University of Liverpool on 12th December 2006 in recognition of his contribution to the acting arts on stage and screen.
14
He won a 1980 Laurence Olivier Award for his depiction of Hamlet, a performance made famous by his also playing the role of Hamlet's father's ghost as a regurgitated voice.
15
Pryce was at the center of a racially-charged controversy regarding his role in the mid-1980s musical Miss Saigon. He played 'The Engineer', a half-French Caucasian/half-Vietnamese Asian pimp, in the original London cast, but when producer Cameron Mackintosh wanted to transfer the UK cast to the original Broadway opening, the US performers' union Actors' Equity objected on the grounds that Pryce, a Welsh Caucasian, should not have been allowed to play an Asian person. Their arguments against Pryce's casting were that a White person playing an Asian one amounted to minstrelsy, denied already-scarce roles to Asian actors, and was an "affront to the Asian community." In response, Mackintosh canceled the Broadway production (despite having sold advance tickets), so Actor's Equity reversed its decision on a technicality in their bylaws that exempts producers from having to audition domestic actors for a transplanted production if the original star is deemed famous enough. The policies regarding racial casting issues that Actor's Equity set in place in response to this incident still govern Broadway casting as of 2006.
16
Won two Tony Awards: in 1977 as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play) for "Comedians" and in 1991 for Best Actor (Musical) for "Miss Saigon".
17
He appeared in most of Nissan's luxury car division in America, Infiniti's television ads in the mid-1990s.
18
Was the artistic director of the Liverpool Everyman, during the seventies.
19
Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
20
Became an Associate Member of RADA.
21
Performed in plays for the Royal Shakespeare Company, in the period 1978 to 1987.
He was nominated for a 2002 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Musical of 2001 for his performance in "My Fair Lady" at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and then later at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
24
He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1990 (1989 season) for Best Actor in a Musical for "Miss Saigon".
25
Originated the role of 'The Engineer' in the musical "Miss Saigon".
26
Pryce was one of the stars of Dark Blood (2012), along with Judy Davis and River Phoenix, but the movie was never released due to Phoenix's death during filming in 1993.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2003
Governor Weatherby Swann
What a Girl Wants
2003
Alistair Payne
Mad Dogs
2002
Supreme Being
Unconditional Love
2002
Victor Fox
The Wonderful World of Disney
2002
TV Series
Master Schoenmacker
The Affair of the Necklace
2001
Cardinal Louis de Rohan
Victoria & Albert
2001
TV Movie
King Leopold I of Belgium
Bride of the Wind
2001
Gustav Mahler
Very Annie Mary
2001
Jack Pugh
Taliesin Jones
2000
Tal's Dad
The Suicide Club
2000
Bourne
Stigmata
1999
Cardinal Daniel Houseman
Il gioco
1999
Mark
Comic Relief: Doctor Who - The Curse of Fatal Death
1999
TV Short
The Master
Ronin
1998
Seamus O'Rourke
Into the Unknown
1997
TV Series
Narrator (1997)
Tomorrow Never Dies
1997
Elliot Carver
Behind the Lines
1997
Capt. William Rivers
David
1997
TV Movie
Saul
Evita
1996
Juan Perón
Carrington
1995
Lytton Strachey
A Troll in Central Park
1994
Alan (voice, as Jonathon Price)
Shopping
1994
Conway
Great Moments in Aviation
1994
Duncan Stewart
Deadly Advice
1994
Dr. Ted Philips
A Business Affair
1994
Alec Bolton
The Age of Innocence
1993
Rivière
Thicker Than Water
1993
TV Movie
Sam
Barbarians at the Gate
1993
TV Movie
Henry Kravis
Mr. Wroe's Virgins
1993
TV Mini-Series
John Wroe
Glengarry Glen Ross
1992
James Lingk
Freddie as F.R.O.7.
1992
Trilby (voice)
A Child's Garden of Verses
1992
TV Movie
Narrator / Father (voice)
Selling Hitler
1991
TV Mini-Series
Gerd Heidemann
Screen Two
1990
TV Series
William Wallace
The Jim Henson Hour
1990
TV Series
King
The Rachel Papers
1989
Norman
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1988
The Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson
The Storyteller
1988
TV Series
King
Consuming Passions
1988
Mr. Farris
Tickets for the Titanic
1988
TV Series
Rev Richard Hopkins
Man on Fire
1987
Michael
Jumpin' Jack Flash
1986
Jack
Haunted Honeymoon
1986
Charles
The Doctor and the Devils
1985
Robert Fallon
Brazil
1985
Sam Lowry
Martin Luther, Heretic
1983
TV Movie
Martin Luther
Praying Mantis
1983
TV Movie
Christian Magny
The Ploughman's Lunch
1983
James Penfield
Something Wicked This Way Comes
1983
Mr. Dark
Panorama
1982
TV Series documentary
Fr. Pawlak
Murder Is Easy
1982
TV Movie
Mr. Ellsworthy
Theatre Box
1981
TV Series
Drippens
Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore
1981
TV Series
Roger Flower
Timon of Athens
1981
TV Movie
Timon
Loophole
1981
Taylor
Spine Chillers
1980
TV Series
Read by
Breaking Glass
1980
Ken
The Day Christ Died
1980
TV Movie
Herod
Play for Today
1975-1979
TV Series
Gethin Price / Tommy
BBC2 Play of the Week
1978
TV Series
Nicholas
Chalk and Cheese
1977
TV Series
Dave Finn
Spasms
1977
TV Movie
Dave Finn
After the Boom Was Over
1977
TV Movie
Mr. Ambrose
The Sound of Laughter
1977
TV Series
Mr. Ambrose
Voyage of the Damned
1976
Joseph Manasse
Bill Brand
1976
TV Mini-Series
Jamie Finn
BBC2 Playhouse
1976
TV Series
Playleader
Daft As a Brush
1975
TV Movie
Donald
Doomwatch
1972
TV Series
Police Constable
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
2018
post-production
Don Quixote
The Man Who Invented Christmas
2017
post-production
John Dickens
The Wife
2017/I
post-production
Joe Castleman
The Ghost and The Whale
2017
Whale
Taboo
2017
TV Series
Sir Stuart Strange
The Healer
2017
Raymond Heacock
To Walk Invisible: The Bronte Sisters
2016
TV Movie
Patrick Brontë
Miss Saigon: 25th Anniversary
2016
The Engineer (finale)
One Last Dance
2016/III
Short
John
Game of Thrones
2015-2016
TV Series
High Sparrow
The White King
2016
Colonel Fitz
The Complete Walk: The Merchant of Venice
2016
Short
Shylock
Narcopolis
2015
Yuri Sidorov
Dough
2015
Nat Dayan
Wolf Hall
2015
TV Mini-Series
Cardinal Wolsey
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
De-Lovely
2004
performer: "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" 1934
Unconditional Love
2002
performer: "Hitchcock Railway", "Beneath a Blanket of Stars", "Always on My Mind", "All the Way", "For the Good Times", "Can't Help Falling in Love", "They Long to Be Close to You", "I Only Want to Be with You", "Over the Rainbow", "Can't Smile Without You"
Evita
1996
performer: "Charity Concert", "I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You", "Hello and Goodbye", "A New Argentina", "On the Balcony of the Casa Rosada 1", "Rainbow Tour", "She Is a Diamond", "Your Little Body's Slowly Breaking Down" - uncredited
The 45th Annual Tony Awards
1991
TV Special performer: "The American Dream"
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen
2008
Video documentary special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Aberfan: The Green Hollow
2016
TV Movie documentary
Sunday AM
2015
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Mark Lawson Talks to...
2015
TV Series
Himself
Game of Thrones: A Day in the Life
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself / High Sparrow (uncredited)
Sluizer Speaks
2014
Documentary
Himself
Michael Grade's Stars of the Musical Theatre
2014
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Patience (After Sebald)
2012
Documentary
Voiceover
The Story of Musicals
2012
TV Series documentary
Himself
Wandlungen - Richard Wilhelm und das I Ging
2011
Documentary
Richard Wilhelm - English (voice)
In Love with Shakespeare
2011
TV Movie
Himself
Face Booth
2010
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Pinter's Progress
2009
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Breakfast
2009
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Genius
2009
TV Series
Himself
The Orange British Academy Film Awards
2009
TV Special
Himself - Presenter
Cranford in Detail
2009
Video documentary short
Himself / Mr Buxton (uncredited)
Ian Fleming: Where Bond Began
2008
TV Movie documentary
Ian Fleming (voice)
The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen
2008
Video documentary
Himself / Horatio Jackson
The One Show
2008
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
2008
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Bloopers of the Caribbean
2006
Video short
Himself / Governor Weatherby Swann (uncredited)
50 Films to See Before You Die
2006
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The 60th Annual Tony Awards
2006
TV Special
Himself - Presenter: Best Revival of a Musical
Imagine
2006
TV Series documentary
Himself
Working in the Theatre
1991-2006
TV Series documentary
Himself - Actor / Himself
Film '72
1988-2005
TV Series
Himself
The Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2004
2004
TV Special
Himself
GMTV
2004
TV Series
Himself
This Morning
2004
TV Series
Himself - Guest
An Epic at Sea: The Making of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'
2003
Video documentary short
Himself
The Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2003
2003
TV Movie documentary
Himself
TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV
2003
TV Special documentary
Himself
Best Ever Bond
2002
TV Movie documentary
Himself
A Week in the West End
2002
TV Series
Himself
A History of Britain
2002
TV Mini-Series documentary
HBO First Look
2001
TV Series documentary short
Himself
Divine Rites: The Story of Stigmata
1999
TV Short documentary
Himself
Titanic: Answers from the Abyss
1999
Documentary
Narrator
The Union Game: A Rugby History
1999
TV Mini-Series documentary
Narrator (voice)
The Book That Wrote Itself
1999
Himself
Supernatural Science
1999
TV Series documentary
Narrator
Great Performances
1999
TV Series
Narrator
Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh
1998
TV Special documentary
Professor Henry Higgins / The Engineer
Highly Classified: The World of 007
1998
Video documentary
Himself
Countdown to Tomorrow
1997
Documentary
Himself / Eliot Carver
Showbuzz
1997
TV Series
Himself
The Secrets of 007: The James Bond Files
1997
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1997
TV Series
Himself - Guest
James Bond: Shaken and Stirred
1997
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Invisible Man
1996
TV Movie documentary
Stanley Kubrick (voice)
A New Madonna: The Making of 'Evita'
1996
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Royal Variety Performance
1994
TV Movie
Himself / Fagin
Halloween!
1994
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Host
The 47th Annual Tony Awards
1993
TV Special
Himself - Presenter: Best Play
The 45th Annual Tony Awards
1991
TV Special
Himself - Performer & Winner: Best Leading Actor in a Musical
The Evening Standard Drama Awards
1990
TV Special
Himself
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
1988-1990
TV Series
Himself
The Heat Is On
1989
TV Movie documentary
Himself
A Night of Comic Relief 2
1989
TV Special
Hamlet
What Is Brazil?
1985
TV Short documentary
Himself
An Audience with Mel Brooks
1983
TV Special
Himself
The Making of 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'
1983
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The 31st Annual Tony Awards
1977
TV Special
Himself - Winner
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
60/90
2008
TV Series
Elliot Carver
La mandrágora
2008
TV Series
Himself
Planet Voice
2007
TV Series
Governor Weatherby Swann
What the Pythons Did Next...
2007
TV Movie documentary
Sam Lowry (uncredited)
George Sluizer - Filmen over grenzen
2006
Documentary
Harry
Ban the Sadist Videos! Part 2
2006
Video documentary
Himself
Great Performances
2005
TV Series
Himself - Performer
The Directors
2000
TV Series documentary
Sam Lowry
Biography
1996
TV Series documentary
Himself
Madonna: You Must Love Me
1996
Video short
Juan Perón
Comic Relief: Behind the Nose
1992
TV Movie
Hamlet
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
1988-1990
TV Series
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2015
OFTA Television Award
Online Film & Television Association
Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Game of Thrones (2011)
2002
Special Award
BAFTA Awards, Wales
1996
Evening Standard British Film Award
Evening Standard British Film Awards
Best Actor
Carrington (1995)
1995
Best Actor
Cannes Film Festival
Carrington (1995)
1992
Best Actor
Valladolid International Film Festival
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
1981
Evening Standard British Film Award
Evening Standard British Film Awards
Most Promising Newcomer - Actor
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2017
Actor
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Game of Thrones (2011)
2015
Critics' Choice TV Award
Critics Choice Television Awards
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Limited Series
Wolf Hall (2015)
2014
ICP Award
Indiewire Critics' Poll
Best Supporting Actor
Listen Up Philip (2014)
2014
VVFP Award
Village Voice Film Poll
Best Supporting Actor
Listen Up Philip (2014)
2010
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
Cranford (2007)
2010
OFTA Television Award
Online Film & Television Association
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries
Cranford (2007)
2000
Blockbuster Entertainment Award
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
Favorite Supporting Actor - Horror
Stigmata (1999)
1999
Genie
Genie Awards
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Regeneration (1997)
1998
British Independent Film Award
British Independent Film Awards
Best Performance by a British Actor in an Independent Film
Regeneration (1997)
1996
BAFTA Film Award
BAFTA Awards
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Carrington (1995)
1996
Chlotrudis Award
Chlotrudis Awards
Best Actor
Carrington (1995)
1994
Golden Globe
Golden Globes, USA
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Barbarians at the Gate (1993)
1994
CableACE
CableACE Awards
Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries
Barbarians at the Gate (1993)
1993
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special
Barbarians at the Gate (1993)
1984
Saturn Award
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
Best Supporting Actor
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
Known for movies
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) as Governor Weatherby Swann
Brazil (1985) as Sam Lowry
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) as Governor Weatherby Swann
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) as Governor Weatherby Swann