Jeremy Irons

Jeremy Irons

Birth : 1948-09-19, Cowes, Isle of Wight, England, UK

History

Jeremy John Irons (born 19 September 1948) is an English actor and activist. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has appeared in many West End theatre productions, including the Shakespeare plays The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew and Richard II. In 1984, he made his Broadway debut in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing, receiving the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. Irons's break-out role came in the ITV series Brideshead Revisited (1981) and is frequently ranked among the greatest British television dramas as well as greatest literary adaptations. It would earn him a Golden Globe Award nomination. His first major film role came in the romantic drama The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor. After starring in dramas, such as Moonlighting (1982), Betrayal (1983), and The Mission (1986), he was praised for portraying twin gynaecologists in David Cronenberg's psychological thriller Dead Ringers (1988). Irons has won multiple awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his portrayal of the accused attempted murderer Claus von Bülow in Reversal of Fortune (1990). Irons had roles in Steven Soderbergh's mystery thriller Kafka (1991), the period drama The House of the Spirits (1993), the romantic drama M. Butterfly (1993), voiced Scar in Disney's The Lion King (1994), played Simon Gruber in the action film Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Humbert Humbert in Lolita (1997) and Aramis in The Man in the Iron Mask (1998). He starred in the action adventure Dungeons & Dragons (2000), played Antonio in The Merchant of Venice (2004), appeared in Being Julia (2004), the historical drama Kingdom of Heaven (2005), the fantasy-adventure Eragon (2006), the Western Appaloosa (2008), and the indie drama Margin Call (2011). In 2016, he appeared in Assassin's Creed and portrayed Alfred Pennyworth in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League (2017), and Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021). On television, Irons appeared in the historical miniseries Elizabeth I, receiving a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor. From 2011 to 2013, he starred as Pope Alexander VI in the Showtime historical series The Borgias. In 2019, he appeared as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias in HBO's Watchmen. He is one of the few actors who have achieved the "Triple Crown of Acting" in the US, winning an Oscar for film, an Emmy for television and a Tony Award for theatre. In October 2011, he was nominated the Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Profile

Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons

Movies

Quintessentially Irish
Self
A celebration of all things Irish, from sweeping landscapes to traditions and quirky sense of humor.
Uomini e Dei le meraviglie del Museo Egizio
Kha, architect and builder of tombs for the pharaohs, must undertake the journey to the Underworld. Telling us the story of his voyage is Jeremy Irons, in the guise of a narrator. His words take us inside the secret world of Egyptian mythology, religion and funerary culture, interweaving the story with the history of the oldest museum in the world, the Museo Egizio in Turin, founded in 1824 and will soon be celebrating its 200th anniversary. In fact, the Kha’s own Tomb is to be found in Turin along with the most complete and most valuable private collection of grave goods outside of Egypt.
The Beekeeper
Wallace Westwyld
One man’s campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as Beekeepers.
Once Upon a Studio
Scar (voice)
Created for Disney's 100th anniversary, the short sees Mickey Mouse corralling a gallery of legendary Disney characters for a group photo.
The Flash
Alfred Pennyworth
When his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry Allen becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. In order to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry's only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
Franco Zeffirelli: Rebel Conformist
Self
The documentary relates the decisive moments, the turning points and the rollercoaster ride of a brilliant, eventful international career and the extraordinary life of a great Italian artist. From his origins as an illegitimate child with no name to the attainment of great international fame as a film director, art director, painter and stager of theatrical and operatic productions. Through original and archive interviews with some of the most acclaimed stars who have known, admired and loved him and with his closest relatives, friends and collaborators, this gripping account paints a picture of the person and the artist—and not just “the master”—Franco Zeffirelli in all his many and even conflicting facets.
Birds Like Us
Mi (voice)
The story follows a group of birds on a journey where they try to find a better life for themselves and the ones they love.
Eye of the Leopard: Revealed
Narrator (voice)
National Geographic filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert set out to create a film on leopards but never imagined they would be seduced by a small, eight-day-old cub named Legadema. Eye of the Leopard follows Legadema’s journey from a playful cub to a skilled huntress.
Eternal Enemies: Revealed
Narrator (voice)
The film reveals the story of conflict between lions and hyenas, relatively unknown or even suspected in the scientific world before this. The intense relationship and enduring rivalry between the two species play out in a battle of survival.
Relentless Enemies: Revealed
Narrator (voice)
A buffalo herd of over 1,200 is forced to move through three lion territories while being confined by the flood waters on a small island in the Okavango. As the buffalo strategize their advancements, the lions react to each and every move they make. From the Joubert’s home base in Botswana, comes the epic story of buffalo and lions surviving and adapting to each other.
Ultimate Enemies: Revealed
Narrator (voice)
National Geographic filmmakers, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, explore how some animals are thrust together by the forces of nature-sometimes through a millennium of evolution or even last year’s drought. In the aftermath of strange elephant deaths, they piece together a visually stunning story that confirms their theory that lions were hunting elephants. Narrated by Jeremy Irons.
The Way of the Cheetah
Narrator (voice)
This not to be missed story by award-winning filmmakers, conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, takes through how Immani protects her four cubs from predators in deadly Kenyan terrain.
Munich: The Edge of War
Neville Chamberlain
At the tense 1938 Munich Conference, former friends who now work for opposing governments become reluctant spies racing to expose a Nazi secret.
House of Gucci
Rodolfo Gucci
When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately… murder.
Napoleone - Nel nome dell'arte
The documentary tells how Bonaparte's passion - sometimes Bonaparte's obsession - for art and knowledge, has changed the face of modern culture: from the birth of schools, libraries and public museums (including Brera and the Louvre) to foundation of Egyptology thanks to the Egyptian campaign, from the extraordinary archaeological discoveries to the looting of works of art, up to the paintings and sculptures dedicated to him. We will enter the mind of Napoleon and his literary predilections, his psychology, his immoderate passion for self-affirmation, which so much inspired men of power, intellectuals, dictators over the following centuries.
Armin Mueller-Stahl - Ein Gaukler in Hollywood
The Architects of Ancient Arabia
Narrator
Unearthing the previously unknown aspects of the ancient history of Saudi Arabia, experts uncover traces of a society from more than 7,000 years ago. Archeologists unearth evidence for an ancient ritual, completely unexpected and extraordinary as they continue to piece together Al Ula's rich history in time to welcome guests from around the world, as specialist teams seek to decipher the activities associated with ancient stone structures, with their findings aiding to deepen the historical legacy of the country, and of ancient Arabia. Using multiple modern technologies to record tens of thousands of sites, they choose some to explore in greater detail, to begin piecing together a new chapter in the story of human civilisation.
Zack Snyder's Justice League: Justice is Gray
Alfred Pennyworth
Monochromatic blockbusters are all the rage, with Mad Max: Fury Road and Logan receiving black-and-white reissues in recent years. So it was only logical that Zack Snyder would anoint his new cut of Justice League worthy of the upper echelon of action movies with a second release that strips out the remaining color. One week after the release of the “Snyder Cut,” fans have yet another four-hour experience at their hands: Justice League: Justice Is Gray.
Zack Snyder's Justice League
Alfred Pennyworth
Determined to ensure Superman's ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.
Nepal Beyond
Executive Producer
Four years after the devastating Gorkha earthquake, the people of Nepal still live everyday with the problems the world left behind.
Love, Weddings & Other Disasters
Lawrence Philips
A fussy celebrity caterer, a blind woman, a tour-bus guide and an inexperienced wedding planner search for love.
The Prado Museum: A Collection of Wonders
Self / Narrator (voice)
Actor Jeremy Irons embarks on an epic journey through the halls of the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain, two hundred years after its inauguration, along corridors where thousands of masterpieces of all time tell the lives of rulers and common people, and tales about times of war and madness and times of peace and happiness; because, as Goya said, imagination, the mother of the arts, produces impossible monsters, but also unspeakable wonders.
An Actor Prepares
Atticus
After suffering a heart attack, a world-famous and hard-drinking actor is forced to drive across country with his estranged son—who testified against him in his parents' divorce—on one last madcap adventure.
Better Start Running
Garrison
An eclectic band of misfits becomes an unlikely family as they take a wild journey in the name of love while on the run from an overzealous FBI duo who want them dead or alive - preferably dead.
Red Sparrow
Vladimir Korchnoi
Prima ballerina, Dominika Egorova faces a bleak and uncertain future after she suffers an injury that ends her career. She soon turns to Sparrow School, a secret intelligence service that trains exceptional young people to use their minds and bodies as weapons. Dominika emerges as the most dangerous Sparrow after completing the sadistic training process. As she comes to terms with her new abilities, she meets a CIA agent who tries to convince her that he is the only person she can trust.
Justice League
Alfred Pennyworth
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen, Arthur Curry and Victor Stone to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.
Their Finest
Secretary of War
During the Blitz of World War II, a female screenwriter works on a film celebrating England's resilience as a way to buoy a weary populace's spirits. Her efforts to dramatise the true story of two sisters who undertook their own maritime mission to rescue wounded soldiers are met with mixed feelings by a dismissive all-male staff.
Assassin's Creed
Alan Rikkin
Through unlocked genetic memories that allow him to relive the adventures of his ancestor in 15th century Spain, Callum Lynch discovers he's a descendant of the secret 'Assassins' society. After gaining incredible knowledge and skills, he is now poised to take on the oppressive Knights Templar in the present day.
The Sultan and the Saint
Narrator
Two men of faith, one a traveling Christian preacher, the other the ruler of a Muslim Empire, bucked a century of war, distrust, and insidious propaganda in a search for mutual respect and common ground. It is the story of Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt, and their meeting on a bloody battlefield during the period of Christian- Muslim conflict known as the Crusades.
The Man Who Knew Infinity
G. H. Hardy
Growing up poor in Madras, India, Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar earns admittance to Cambridge University during WWI, where he becomes a pioneer in mathematical theories with the guidance of his professor, G.H. Hardy.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Alfred Pennyworth
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
Race
Avery Brundage
Based on the story of Jesse Owens, the athlete whose quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrusts him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler's vision of Aryan supremacy.
DC Films Presents Dawn of the Justice League
Himself
A documentary special taking a look at the upcoming films making up the DC Universe. Kevin Smith hosts with Geoff Johns, as they take a look at Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, the upcoming Wonder Woman and Justice League movies.
Correspondence
Ed Phoerum
The relationship between Ed, a married astronomer and Amy, his lover, who spend their years apart, is based only on phone calls and texts. One day Amy begins noticing something strange in Ed's messages.
I Wish For You
Grandfather
A woman is moving house and as she is unpacking boxes she finds a long lost letter from her grandfather. As she reads it, his words evoke strong emotive memories and she is transported back into her childhood by her grandfathers words. As he shares his love and concern for the natural world around us. The journey back in time leaves Mia (the woman) visually and emotionally moved as she remembers and shares her grandfathers love and hope for the world around us. It is a story that transcends time.
High-Rise
Anthony Royal
Life for the residents of a tower block begins to run out of control.
The Genius of George Boole
Narrator (voice)
Narrated by Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons, The Genius of George Boole assembles academics and industry leaders from across the globe to explore the life and importance of one of the world’s greatest unsung heroes.
Emotional Uncertainties
Thanks
In this short documentary, produced in 2015, actors Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep and editor John Bloom discuss director Karel Reisz and their experiences working on THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN.
Emotional Uncertainties
In this short documentary, produced in 2015, actors Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep and editor John Bloom discuss director Karel Reisz and their experiences working on THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN.
Earthquake On Everest
Narrator (voice)
Eyewitness accounts, incredible home-video and the latest scientific revelations tell the gripping tragedy of an earthquake that unleashed terror on Nepal and the world’s highest mountain.
Endless Corridor
Narrator
"Endless Corridor" is the definitive account of an agonizing human rights tragedy in which hundreds of Azerbaijanis massacred after Armenian Forces stormed the city of Khojaly during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. It happened in 1992, but the full story never been told throughout the world until now.
Game of Lions
Narrator (voice)
From award-winning filmmakers and National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert, follow the journey of the lives of young male lions in the African bush and their potential to be king.
Muse of Fire
Self
Funny, passionate, exciting, and smart: ‘Muse Of Fire’ will change the way you feel about Shakespeare forever. This unique feature documentary follows two actors, Giles Terera and Dan Poole, as they travel the world to find out everything they can about tackling the greatest writer of them all. Together they have directed and produced an inspiring film that aims to demystify and illuminate Shakespeare’s work for everyone: from actors, directors and students of all disciplines, right through to the? man on the street? Denmark with Jude Law, Baz Luhrmann in Hollywood, Prison in Berlin, and on the street with Mark Rylance. Think Shakespeare is boring? Think again!
The Sunflower Superjam 2012
himself
The Sunflower Superjam 2012 was a once-in-a-lifetime event that you can now experience with the release of the DVD, due on September 16. On stage together for the only time, you can watch Alice Cooper, Brian May (QUEEN), Bruce Dickinson (IRON MAIDEN), John Paul Jones (LED ZEPPELIN), Ian Paice (DEEP PURPLE), Mark King, Alfie Boe and a host of other exceptional musicians "jam" at the Royal Albert Hall, making the iconic London venue rock like never before. Plus, enjoy the Sunflower Superjam 2011 on the bonus disc with performances from DEEP PURPLE, Rick Wakeman, Joe Bonamassa, Newton Faulkner and including the last live performance from the legendary Jon Lord (DEEP PURPLE). Produced by The Sunflower Jam charity, all monies raised will go directly to supporting the research and application of holistic and non-toxic treatments for children and young adults suffering from cancer.
The Wind Gods
Narrator
A feature length documentary film following Larry Ellison's 10-year quest to bring the oldest trophy in international sport, The America's Cup, back to the United States.
Night Train to Lisbon
Raimund
Raimund Gregorius, having saved a beautiful Portuguese woman from leaping to her death, stumbles upon a mesmerizing book by a Portuguese author, which compels him to suddenly abandon the boring life he has led for years and to embark on an enthralling adventure. In search of the author, Gregorius acts as detective, pulling together pieces of a puzzle that involves political and emotional intrigue and the highest possible stakes. His voyage is one that transcends time and space, delving into the realms of history, medicine and love, all in search of true meaning to his life.
Beautiful Creatures
Macon Ravenwood
Ethan Wate just wants to get to know Lena Duchannes better, but unbeknownst to him, Lena has strange powers. As Lena's 16th birthday approaches she might decide her fate, to be good or evil. A choice which will impact her relationship forever.
Trashed
Himself
Trashed - looks at the risks to the food chain and the environment through pollution of our air, land and sea by waste. The film reveals surprising truths about very immediate and potent dangers to our health. It is a global conversation from Iceland to Indonesia between the film star Jeremy Irons and scientists, politicians and ordinary individuals whose health and livelihoods have been fundamentally affected by waste pollution. Visually and emotionally the film is both horrific and beautiful: an interplay of human interest and political wake-up call. But it ends on a message of hope: showing how the risks to our survival can easily be averted through sustainable approaches that provide far more employment than the current 'waste industry.'
Another Way Home
Narrator
A look at the work of Slí Eile — a live-in centre for sufferers of mental illnesses in Cork, Ireland—and the dedication of founder Joan Hamilton to establishing a support community in the wake of her own daughter's mental health issues.
The Words
The Old Man
The Words follows young writer Rory Jansen who finally achieves long sought after literary success after publishing the next great American novel. There's only one catch - he didn't write it. As the past comes back to haunt him and his literary star continues to rise, Jansen is forced to confront the steep price that must be paid for stealing another man's work, and for placing ambition and success above life's most fundamental three words.
Seeds of Freedom
Narator
Seeds of Freedom charts the story of seed from its roots at the heart of traditional, diversity rich farming systems across the world, to being transformed into a powerful commodity, used to monopolise the global food system. The film highlights the extent to which the industrial agricultural system, and genetically modified (GM) seeds in particular, has impacted on the enormous agro-biodiversity evolved by farmers and communities around the world, since the beginning of agriculture.
The Last Lions
Narrator
In Botswana's Okavango Delta, an ostracized lioness and her two cubs must fight alone to survive - overcoming all manner of hazards. Their only defense is to escape to Duba Island -- and with that, an unknown future. The setting for this epic tale is one of the last regions where lions can live in the wild. Faced with dwindling land and increasing pressure from hunting, lions - like our lone lioness and her cubs - are approaching the brink of extinction.
Margin Call
John Tuld
A thriller that revolves around the key people at an investment bank over a 24-hour period during the early stages of the financial crisis.
Harold Pinter:  A Celebration
In June 2009, a group Britain's leading actors gathered for one night only to perform a celebration of the work of Harold Pinter at the National Theatre, directed by Ian Rickson. The team who made the acclaimed Harold Pinter documentaries for BBC's Arena was there to record this unique performance.
The Majestic Plastic Bag
Narrator
Mockumentary - A plastic bag encounters enemies and escapes death on its epic migration to its final destination: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
The Power of the Powerless
The legacy of Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution.
Georgia O'Keeffe
Alfred Stieglitz
Biopic of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz.
Waking Sleeping Beauty
Self (archive footage)
By the mid-1980s, the fabled animation studios of Walt Disney had fallen on hard times. The artists were polarized between newcomers hungry to innovate and old timers not yet ready to relinquish control. These conditions produced a series of box-office flops and pessimistic forecasts: maybe the best days of animation were over. Maybe the public didn't care. Only a miracle or a magic spell could produce a happy ending. Waking Sleeping Beauty is no fairy tale. It's the true story of how Disney regained its magic with a staggering output of hits - "Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast ," "Aladdin," "The Lion King," and more - over a 10-year period.
The Chronoscope
Narrator
A documentary about the Irish scientist Charlotte Keppel who in the 1930s invented a machine that could see into the past.
The Pink Panther 2
Avellaneda
When legendary treasures from around the world are stolen, including the priceless Pink Panther Diamond, Chief Inspector Dreyfus is forced to assign Inspector Clouseau to a team of international detectives and experts charged with catching the thief and retrieving the stolen artifacts.
Appaloosa
Randall Bragg
Two friends hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow.
1984
Television Voice
Inspired by one of the twentieth century's greatest novels, composer Lorin Maazel evokes Orwell's totalitarian nightmare, where "Big Brother" is always watching, and those guilty of "thoughtcrime" are condemned to face their worst fears in the infamous "Room 101". Filmed during world premiere performances of Robert Lepage's spectacular and psychologically gripping Royal Opera production and conducted by the composer, an international cast brings George Orwell's dark vision to shattering operatic life.
Eden at the End of the World
Narrator
At the bottom of South America, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans collide, is Patagonia, one of the last great wild Edens on Earth. Join National Geographic on a journey to this breathtaking subantarctic region and its crowned jewel—Tierra del Fuego—a beautifully desolate island at its most southern tip. Home to Magellanic penguins, elephant seals, right whales, and guanacos, this stark, wind-whipped wilderness now faces its greatest challenge: recovering from the misguided actions of man. With stunning footage and behind-the-scenes interviews with some of the world's most committed conservationists, Eden at the End of the World offers a wondrous glimpse into the pristine haven that is Patagonia.
Lynch 2
Self
Follow up of the Lynch documentary on the making of Inland Empire. Released as an extra on the Inland Empire DVD.
Eragon
Brom
In his homeland of Alagaesia, a farm boy happens upon a dragon's egg -- a discovery that leads him on a predestined journey where he realized he's the one person who can defend his home against an evil king.
The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Ball in the Hall
Self
The rebirth of Amnesty International's legendary SECRET POLICEMAN'S BALL at the Royal Albert Hall on 14th October - after a 15 year hiatus - was a resounding success. Bigger, Better and Ballsier than ever before, 'The Ball In The Hall' is a non-stop, rapid-fire, relentless smorgasbord of comedy and music. 6,000 people turned up to create a fantastic atmosphere as some of the best contemporary comic and music talent from both sides of the Atlantic delivered one show-stopping performance after another. Featuring never-before-seen collaborations, brand new sketches, explosive stand-up, off-stage performances, surprise ingredients and an anthem for the world, there has been nothing like it in the comedy world for years.
Eye of the Leopard
Narrator
Eye of the Leopard follows the remarkable life of one small leopard from when she is just 8 days old every step of the way until she is 3 years old and on the brink of adulthood. Legadema, as she is named, works her way into your heart as she slips in and out of danger virtually every day, running from baboons and hyenas but also making landmark strides in hunting and surviving. Narrated by Jeremy Irons it is the story of a mother and daughter relationship as well as that of an emerging huntress in Botswana’s magnificent Mombo region of the Okavango Delta.
Inland Empire
Kingsley Stewart
An actress’s perception of reality becomes increasingly distorted as she finds herself falling for her co-star in a remake of an unfinished Polish production that was supposedly cursed.
Mathilde
Col. De Petris
A young girl attempts to kill a UN peacekeeper after the war in Croatia, leading to an investigation into the circumstances of their first meeting.
The Path to Redemption
Self
From pre-production to release, we are given an exclusive look into the making of Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven (2005). Interviews with the cast and crew members take up the bulk of this film, but are accompanied by plenty of on-set footage. We are also given a glimpse at a lot of the deleted material, much of which will be in the director's cut.
Casanova
Pucci
With a reputation for seducing members of the opposite sex, regardless of their marital status, a notorious womanizer discovers a beauty who seems impervious to his charms. However, as he continues to pursue the indifferent lady, he finds himself falling in love.
Revisiting Brideshead
Self
Documentary with an affectionate look back at the classic Granada TV dramatisation of Evelyn Waugh's famous novel "Brideshead Revisited".
Kingdom of Heaven
Tiberias
After his wife dies, a blacksmith named Balian is thrust into royalty, political intrigue and bloody holy wars during the Crusades.
Gelibolu
Narrator
The Gallipoli campaign of World War I was so controversial & devastating, it changed the face of battle forever. Using diaries, letters, photographs and memoirs, acclaimed director, Tolga Ornek, traces the personal journeys of Australian, New Zealand, British and Turkish soldiers, from innocence and patriotism to hardship and heartbreak.
The Merchant of Venice
Antonio
Venice, 1596. Bassanio begs his friend Antonio, a prosperous merchant, to lend him a large sum of money so that he can woo Portia, a very wealthy heiress; but Antonio has invested his fortune abroad, so they turn to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and ask him for a loan.
Being Julia
Michael Gosselyn
Julia Lambert is a true diva: beautiful, talented, weathly and famous. She has it all - including a devoted husband who has mastermined her brilliant career - but after years of shining in the spotlight she begins to suffer from a severe case of boredom and longs for something new and exciting to put the twinkle back in her eye. Julia finds exactly what she's looking for in a handsome young American fan, but it isn't long before the novelty fling adds a few more sparks than she was hoping for. Fortuately for her, this surprise twist in the plot will thrust her back into the greatest role of her life.
The Hittites - A Civilization that Changed the World
Narrator
This is the glorious story of the Hittites - the most powerful people in the Near East of their time. Narrated by Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons, "The Hittites" brings the fascinating history of this mighty empire to life with expert interviews, stunning cinematography, dramatic reenactments, and visual effects. Highlights include a breathtaking recreation of the controversial battle of Kadesh that decimated the armies of Egypt's Pharaoh Ramesses II. Based on the actual words of the Hittites, deciphered from ancient clay tablets excavated in the 20th century, their story unfolds as beautifully as it written almost 3500 years earlier.
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Himself
Broadway: The Golden Age is the most important, ambitious and comprehensive film ever made about America's most celebrated indigenous art form. Award-winning filmmaker Rick McKay filmed over 100 of the greatest stars ever to work on Broadway or in Hollywood. He soon learned that great films can be restored, fine literature can be kept in print - but historic Broadway performances of the past are the most endangered. They leave only memories that, while more vivid, are more difficult to preserve. In their own words — and not a moment too soon — Broadway: The Golden Age tells the stories of our theatrical legends, how they came to New York, and how they created this legendary century in American theatre. This is the largest cast of legends ever in one film.
Callas Forever
Larry Kelly
A fictionalized account of the last days of opera singer Maria Callas.
And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen...
Valentin Valentin
A jazz singer and a British jewel thief are brought together by their mutual desire to forget the past.
Last Call
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Renowned writer F. Scott Fitzgerald is living the last months of his life with his youthful secretary, confidant, and protégé who later wrote a memoir of their time together.
The Time Machine
Über-Morlock
Hoping to alter the events of the past, a 19th century inventor instead travels 800,000 years into the future, where he finds mankind divided into two warring races.
Het korte leven van Anne Frank
Narrator (English version)
The Short Life of Anne Frank tells her life through quotations from her diary, unique photographs from the Frank Family albums and historical film extracts, against the background of Nazi-Germany, the Holocaust and the Second World War. It also includes the only footage of Anne Frank, in Amsterdam, 1941.
The Fourth Angel
Jack Elgin
Workaholic reporter, Jack Elgin takes his family on a working trip to India, but their aircraft is hijacked in Cyprus by a previously-unknown terrorist movement, and his wife and daughter are among the slaughtered. With western governments suppressing key facts and unwilling to go after the terrorists, Jack uses his contacts and snooping skill to seek the truth himself.
Dungeons & Dragons
Profion
The Empire of Izmer is a divided land: elite magicians called “mages” rule while lowly commoners are powerless. When Empress Savina vows to bring equality and prosperity to her land, the evil mage Profion plots to depose her.
Longitude
Rupert Gould
Parallel stories: 18th century Harrison builds the marine chronometer for safe navigation at sea; 20th century Gould is obsessed with restoring it.
Ohio Impromptu
Reader / Listener
A reader tells a sad story to a listener, who only knocks in response.
Faeries
The Shapeshifter (voice)
While waiting for their new home to be renovated, Nellie and her younger brother George are sent to a farm in the countryside, much to George's delight and Nellie's disgust. However, the farmhouse and the surrounding area are teeming with fey creatures. The first the two children encounter is a somewhat crotchety and unfriendly hobgoblin named Broom, who is (more or less) secretly looking after the farm.
The Man in the Iron Mask
Aramis
Years have passed since the Three Musketeers, Aramis, Athos and Porthos, have fought together with their friend, D'Artagnan. But with the tyrannical King Louis using his power to wreak havoc in the kingdom while his twin brother, Philippe, remains imprisoned, the Musketeers reunite to abduct Louis and replace him with Philippe.
The Lolita Story
Himself
An investigation into the making of Adrian Lyne's 1997 film Lolita.
Chinese Box
John
The story of Hong Kong, from New Year's Day to June 30th, 1997, when the British left their colony and turned it over to the People's Republic of China.
Lolita
Humbert Humbert
Urbane professor Humbert Humbert marries a New England widow to be near her nymphet daughter.
Stealing Beauty
Alex Parrish
Lucy Harmon, an American teenager is arriving in the lush Tuscan countryside to be sculpted by a family friend who lives in a beautiful villa. Lucy visited there four years earlier and exchanged a kiss with an Italian boy with whom she hopes to become reacquainted.
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self
Based on the first centenary of the largest exporter of films in the world, that is Hollywood, is the story told by its protagonists, actors and writers and other people who made life in this business, interspersing images of famous movies.
Die Hard: With a Vengeance
Simon
New York detective John McClane is back and kicking bad-guy butt in the third installment of this action-packed series, which finds him teaming with civilian Zeus Carver to prevent the loss of innocent lives. McClane thought he'd seen it all, until a genius named Simon engages McClane, his new "partner" -- and his beloved city -- in a deadly game that demands their concentration.
The Making of the Lion King
Self
A behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Lion King.
The Lion King
Scar (voice)
A young lion prince is cast out of his pride by his cruel uncle, who claims he killed his father. While the uncle rules with an iron paw, the prince grows up beyond the Savannah, living by a philosophy: No worries for the rest of your days. But when his past comes to haunt him, the young prince must decide his fate: Will he remain an outcast or face his demons and become what he needs to be?
Sesame Street All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
Self (archive footage)
Sesame Street All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! was a 1994 TV special that aired on ABC to celebrate Sesame Street's 25th anniversary. It was originally broadcast on May 18, 1994. The show featured Joe Pesci (as Ronald Grump), Corbin Bernsen (as real estate attorney, Arnie), Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman (as a Worm TV hosts), John Goodman (as Tough Guy Helpline operator), Charles Grodin (as Chaz), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (as reporter Kathie Lee Kathie), Rosie O'Donnell (as the Good Hope Fairy), Susan Sarandon (as Bitsy), Barbara Walters (reporting for 25/25), and Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford (as themselves).
The House of the Spirits
Esteban Trueba
A rancher, his clairvoyant wife and their family face turbulent years in South America.
M. Butterfly
René Gallimard
In 1960s China, French diplomat Rene Gallimard falls in love with an opera singer, Song Liling - but Song is not at all who Gallimard thinks.
Damage
Dr. Stephen Fleming
The life of a respected British politician at the height of his career crumbles when he becomes obsessed with his son's lover.
Tales from Hollywood
Odon Von Horvath
A slightly ironical description of the colony of German artists in Los Angeles, who had to leave their country during the Nazi-regime. A young playwriter (von Horvath) joins them and finds out, that there are gaps between the artistical attitudes and the real live behavior of authors like Thomas or Heinrich Mann, Lion Feuchtwanger or Bertold Brecht.
Earth and the American Dream
A beautiful and disturbing film recounts America’s story from the environment’s point of view. From the arrival of Columbus to the simple wilderness living of the 16th and 17th centuries, through the agrarian lifestyle of the 18th century, the changes from the Industrial Revolution, to the 20th century when most of the planet’s resources have been depleted — this film examines the North American landscape and all the wildlife destruction, deforestation, soil depletion and pollution that have been wrought to make the American Dream come true.
Waterland
Tom Crick
The story of a mentally anguished high school history teacher going through a complete reassessment of his life. His method for reassessing his life is to narrate it to his class and interweave in it three generations of his family's history.
Kafka
Kafka
Kafka, an insurance worker gets embroiled in an underground group after a co-worker is murdered. The underground group is responsible for bombings all over town, attempting to thwart a secret organization that controls the major events in society. He eventually penetrates the secret organization and must confront them.
The Beggar's Opera
Prisoner
Unlike any other opera, the so-called Beggar's Opera is not just one composition, but a lineage of adapted compositions, beginning with the original hugely successful 1728 political satire written by Englishman John Gay. Composers and writers have penned variations on it ever since. The most famous of these was A Threepenny Opera by Bertholt Brecht and Kurt Weill. Some things these compositions share in common is their setting among the poor and criminal classes, and the roguish character Macheath. This production is based on an adaptation of Gay's original by Vaclav Havel the freedom-fighter, writer and philosopher who became the first (and only) president of the united post-communist country of Czechoslovakia, and it retains many traces of its theatrical origins. Film reviewers were not too tolerant of what they called "slavish adherence" to the noted Czech writer's stage production, but theater, philosophy and history buffs may feel otherwise.
Reversal of Fortune
Claus von Bülow
Wealthy Sunny von Bülow lies brain-dead, husband Claus guilty of attempted murder; but he says he's innocent and hires Alan Dershowitz for his appeal.
Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!
himself
Big Bird and his pals are making musical mayhem as they sing the goofiest, nuttiest, silliest songs ever. Join in with Sesame Street favorites Oscar, Ernie, the Count, and more as they tickle your funny bone with tunes like, "Everything in the Wrong Place Ball," "Mary Had a Bicycle," and more. James Taylor drops by to sing "Jellyman Kelly," and Jeremy Irons, Jane Curtin, and Paul Simon lead an all-star cast of celebrities in the showstopper, "Put Down the Duckie." Songs: The Honker-Duckie-Dinger Jamboree; Ladybug Picnic; Jellyman Kelly; Wavin' Goodbye to You with My Heart; Old MacDonald Cantata; Everything in the Wrong Place Ball; One Banana; Calcutta Joe; Mary Had a Bicycle; Ten Tiny Turtles on the Telephone; Put Down the Duckie.
Australia
Edouard Pierson
Widower Edouard Pierson (Jeremy Irons) fought for Australia in World War Two, but he was born (and married) in Belgium. For the past twelve years, he has been living in Australia with his daughter. His occupation as a wool merchant is in keeping with his family's tradition. He is determined to remain in Australia, and is equally determined to keep his daughter (Danielle Lyttleton) from learning much about her mother, whom she never knew. Nonetheless, when his brother (Tcheky Karyo) calls urgently from Belgium, requesting his help in saving the family's business there, he returns to his hometown of Verviers. In addition to saving the family business, he comes to have second thoughts about returning to Australia after he has a brief affair with a Belgian woman (Fanny Ardant). Meanwhile, his daughter has made contact with her grandmother (Helene Surgere), and is beginning to learn about her mother.
A Chorus of Disapproval
Guy Jones
Guy Jones (Irons) moves to a small British town and joins the local amateur dramatics society as a way to meet people. However he soon finds the drama offstage far outweighs those onstage.
Danny the Champion of the World
William Smith
Somewhere in England, in the Autumn of 1955, a widowed father and his son live an idyllic life together. Only their gas station happens to sit on a piece of land that a local developer wants to buy. And when he won't take no for an answer, and sets government inspectors and social works onto Danny and his father, Danny and his father decide to get even with Hazell and his pheasant- shooting friends in a manner in keeping with their own family tradition.
The Dream
Starring Jeremy Irons in a one-man drama, adapted from a Dostoevsky short story by Murray Watts. In his dream, the Man visits an unspoilt Garden of Eden.
Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie: An All-Star Musical Special
Self
The stars come out on Sesame Street in this fun-filled video featuring the show's most memorable moments. Sing-along in this star-studded celebration!
Dead Ringers
Beverly / Elliot Mantle
Elliot, a successful gynecologist, works at the same practice as his identical twin, Beverly. Elliot is attracted to many of his patients and has affairs with them. When he inevitably loses interest, he will give the woman over to Beverly, the meeker of the two, without the woman knowing the difference. Beverly falls hard for one of the patients, Claire, but when she inadvertently deceives him, he slips into a state of madness.
The Making of Dead Ringers
A short behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of "Dead Ringers," including interviews with writer-director David Cronenberg, star Jeremy Irons, co-producer Marc Boyman, and optical effect supervisor Lee Wilson.
The Mission
Father Gabriel
When a Spanish Jesuit goes into the South American wilderness to build a mission in the hope of converting the Indians of the region, a slave hunter is converted and joins his mission. When Spain sells the colony to Portugal, they are forced to defend all they have built against the Portuguese aggressors.
Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50th Anniversary
Self
Celebrities are interviewed about the social and working lives of Bugs, Daffy, Porky and the rest of the Looney Tunes.
The Statue of Liberty
Himself (voice)
For more than 100 years, the Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of hope and refuge for generations of immigrants. In this lyrical, compelling and provocative portrait of the statue, Ken Burns explores both the history of America’s premier symbol and the meaning of liberty itself. Featuring rare archival photographs, paintings and drawings, readings from actual diaries, letters and newspapers of the day, the fascinating story of this universally admired monument is told. In interviews with Americans from all walks of life, including former New York governor Mario Cuomo, the late congresswoman Barbara Jordan and the late writers James Baldwin and Jerzy Kosinski, The Statue of Liberty examines the nature of liberty and the significance of the statue to American life. Nominated for both the Academy Award ® and the Emmy Award ®, The Statue of Liberty received the prestigious CINE Golden Eagle, the Christopher Award and the Blue Ribbon at the American Film Festival.
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
This special is the second "Night of 100 Stars" to benefit The Actors Fund of America. Edited from a seven-hour live entertainment marathon that was taped February 17, 1985, at New York's Radio City Music Hall, this sequel to the 1982 "Night of 100 Stars" special features 288 celebrities.
The Wild Duck
Harold
The Wild Duck is a 1983 Australian film adapted from the play by Ibsen
Swann in Love
Charles Swann
The beginning of the 20th century. Charles Swann, a young and wealthy dandy, spends most of his time hanging out with the old nobility, notably the Duke and Duchess of Guermantes. He is madly in love with a pretty demi-mondaine, Odette de Crécy. Idle, Swann surrendered complacently to the torments of jealousy. After hours of suffering, he manages to spend a night with Odette. In the morning, he believes that ultimately, this one is "not his type". However, we find him, many years later, alongside Odette who, now his wife, gave him a daughter. In the company of Baron de Charlus, brother of the Duchess of Guermantes, he wonders about the failure of his sentimental life, so far removed from this absolute he dreamed of...
Betrayal
Jerry
Pinter's semi-autobiographical play examining the surprise attraction, shy first steps, gradual flowering, and treasonous deception of a woman's extramarital affair with her husband's best friend; the entire story is told from the husband's point of view, with the scenes in precise reverse chronological order. Written by Dan Hartung
Moonlighting
Nowak
A Polish contractor, Nowak, leads a group of workmen to London so they can provide cheap labor for a government official based there. Nowak has to manage the project and the men as they encounter the tempations of the West and loneliness and separation from their families. Nowak is the only one of the group who speaks English, and he uses this as a tool over his team. When the unrest in Poland leads to a military takeover, Nowak is faced with a much more difficult situation than he expected.
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Charles Henry Smithson / Mike
In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity.
Nijinsky
Mikhail Fokine
The film suggests Nijinsky was driven into madness by both his consuming ambition and self-enforced heterosexuality, the latter prompted by his romantic involvement with Romola de Pulszky, a society girl who joins impresario Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes specifically to seduce Nijinsky. After a series of misunderstandings with Diaghilev, who is both his domineering mentor and possessive lover, Nijinsky succumbs to Romola's charms and marries her, after which his gradual decline from artistic moodiness to complete lunacy begins.
Langrishe, Go Down
Otto Beck
In the late 1930s, three reclusive middle-aged spinster sisters live on their run down family estate in Ireland. Otto Beck, a perpetual graduate student from Bavaria with a habit of making pompous declamations, rents the back lodge to work on his esoteric thesis. Imogen Langrishe, the least repressed of the sisters, begins an affair with Otto. Imogen takes the love affair seriously, but Otto just enjoys the cheap lodging and the comfort of Imogen.
Seeing Through the Mists of Oblivion
Traveller (archived audio)
After the end of civilization, an aged man undergoes a mysterious journey through space and time that takes him through memories, visions, and historical events, ultimately transcending the limitations of the senses and into a new cosmic rebirth.
The Cello
An aspiring cellist learns the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought.
Zack Snyder's Justice League 2
Alfred Pennyworth
The anticipated sequel to Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) and third installment his DCEU pentalogy consisting of Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), Zack Snyder's Justice League 2, and Zack Snyder's Justice League 3.
A Magnificent Death from a Shattered Hand
An ex-soldier attempts to clear his name while being relentlessly tracked down for the murder and rape of a well-to-do woman.