Jeremy Irons

Biography

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.

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Damage

The Simpsons

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Saturday Night Live

The View

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

All Movies (167)

• The Beekeeper 22027 · as Wallace Westwyld
• The Crystal Planet2026 · as Governor Mordokan (voice)
• What is dyslexia?2026 · as The Inventor
• Wild Transylvania – Dracula's Hidden Kingdom2026 · as Narrator
• Last Movies2026 · as Self - Narrator
• This Ordinary Thing2025 · as Self (voice)
• Palestine 362025 · as High Commissioner Wauchope
• The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl2025 · as Self
• Alec Guinness: A Class Act2024 · as self
• Quintessentially Irish2024 · as Self
• The Immortals: The Wonder of the Museo Egizio2024
• The Beekeeper2024 · as Wallace Westwyld
• Codice Carla2023 · as Self
• Once Upon a Studio2023 · as Scar (voice)
• The Cello2023 · as Francesco
• Making The Flash: Worlds Collide2023 · as Self - 'Alfred'
• The Flash2023 · as Alfred Pennyworth
• Tom Hanks: The Nomad2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• Prisoners of Our Own History: The First Four Films of Roland Joffé2022 · as Self (archive footage)
• Franco Zeffirelli: Rebel Conformist2022 · as Self
• Eye of the Leopard: Revealed2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• Eternal Enemies: Revealed2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• Ultimate Enemies: Revealed2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• Relentless Enemies: Revealed2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• Living With Big Cats: Revealed2022 · as Narrator
• The Way of the Cheetah2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• Munich - The Edge of War2021 · as Neville Chamberlain
• House of Gucci2021 · as Rodolfo Gucci
• Napoleon: In the Name of Art2021
• Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto2021 · as Self
• Armin Mueller-Stahl - Ein Gaukler in Hollywood2021 · as Self
• Architects of Ancient Arabia2021 · as Narrator
• Zack Snyder's Justice League2021 · as Alfred
• Love, Weddings & Other Disasters2020 · as Lawrence Philips
• Jade Eyed Leopard2020 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Prado Museum: A Collection of Wonders2019 · as Self - Host / Narrator (voice)
• An Actor Prepares2018 · as Atticus
• Better Start Running2018 · as Garrison
• Red Sparrow2018 · as Vladimir Korchnoi
• Justice League2017 · as Alfred
• Birds Like Us2017 · as Mi (voice)
• Their Finest2017 · as Secretary of War
• Assassin's Creed2016 · as Alan Rikkin
• The Sultan and the Saint2016 · as Narrator
• The Man Who Knew Infinity2016 · as G. H. Hardy
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice2016 · as Alfred
• Race2016 · as Avery Brundage
• DC Films Presents Dawn of the Justice League2016
• Correspondence2016 · as Ed Phoerum
• I Wish For You2016 · as Grandfather
• High-Rise2015 · as Anthony Royal
• The Genius of George Boole2015 · as Narrator (voice)
• Emotional Uncertainties2015 · as Self
• Earthquake On Everest2015 · as Narrator (voice)
• Endless Corridor2014 · as Narrator
• The Voysey Inheritance2014 · as Edward Voysey
• Game of Lions2013 · as Narrator (voice)
• Muse of Fire2013 · as Self
• The Sunflower Superjam 20122013 · as Self
• Goodbye Granadaland2013 · as Self
• The Wind Gods2013 · as Narrator (voice)
• Night Train to Lisbon2013 · as Raimund
• Beautiful Creatures2013 · as Macon Ravenwood
• Trashed2012 · as Himself
• Another Way Home2012 · as Narrator
• The Words2012 · as The Old Man
• Seeds of Freedom2012 · as Narator
• Margin Call2011 · as John Tuld
• The Last Lions2011 · as Narrator
• Harold Pinter: A Celebration2010 · as Self
• The Majestic Plastic Bag2010 · as Narrator
• The Power of the Powerless2009
• Georgia O'Keeffe2009 · as Alfred Stieglitz
• Waking Sleeping Beauty2009 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Chronoscope2009 · as Narrator
• The Pink Panther 22009 · as Avellaneda
• Appaloosa2008 · as Randall Bragg
• Magic in the air, Bantry House Music2008 · as Festival audience member
• 19842008 · as Television Voice
• Eden at the End of the World2008 · as Narrator
• The Color of Magic - Die Reise des Zauberers Teil 12008 · as Patrician
• The Color of Magic - Die Reise des Zauberers Teil 22008 · as Patrician
• Lynch 22007 · as Self
• J.M.W. Turner: A National Gallery of Art Film Presentation2007 · as Narrator
• Eragon2006 · as Brom
• Inland Empire2006 · as Kingsley Stewart
• The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Ball in the Hall2006 · as Self
• Eye of the Leopard2006 · as Narrator
• The Path to Redemption2006 · as Self
• Relentless Enemies: Lions and Buffalo2006 · as Narrator (voice)
• Mathilde2006 · as Col. De Petris
• Casanova2005 · as Pucci
• Revisiting Brideshead2005 · as Self
• The Merchant of Venice2005 · as Himself
• Kingdom of Heaven2005 · as Tiberias
• Gallipoli2005 · as Narrator
• Fiat Croma2005 · as Lead
• The Merchant of Venice2004 · as Antonio
• Being Julia2004 · as Michael Gosselyn
• Ultimate Enemies: Elephants and Lions2003 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Hittites: A Civilization that Changed the World2003 · as Narrator
• Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There2003 · as Self
• Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film2003 · as Self - Reader / Self - Listener ("Ohio Impromptu")
• Callas Forever2002 · as Larry Kelly
• And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen...2002 · as Valentin Valentin
• Last Call2002 · as F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Heart of the Festival2002 · as Self (archive footage)
• Ohio Impromptu2002 · as Reader / Listener
• The Time Machine2002 · as Über-Morlock
• The Short Life of Anne Frank2001 · as Narrator (English version)
• The Fourth Angel2001 · as Jack Elgin
• The Making of "Dungeons and Dragons"2001 · as Self
• Dungeons & Dragons2000 · as Profion
• Longitude2000 · as Rupert Gould
• Faeries1999 · as The Shapeshifter (voice)
• The Man in the Iron Mask1998 · as Aramis
• The Lolita Story1998 · as Himself
• Chinese Box1997 · as John
• Lolita1997 · as Humbert Humbert
• Stealing Beauty1996 · as Alex Parrish
• The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies1995 · as Self
• Die Hard: With a Vengeance1995 · as Simon
• A Night to Die For1995 · as Self
• The Making of the Lion King1994 · as Self
• The Lion King1994 · as Scar (voice)
• Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!1994 · as Self (archive footage)
• The House of the Spirits1993 · as Esteban Trueba
• M. Butterfly1993 · as René Gallimard
• Damage1992 · as Dr. Stephen Fleming
• Tales from Hollywood1992 · as Odon Von Horvath
• Earth and the American Dream1992 · as Reader (voice)
• Waterland1992 · as Tom Crick
• From Time to Time1992 · as H.G. Wells
• Kafka1991 · as Kafka
• The Beggar's Opera1991 · as Prisoner
• 'Still Life' at the Penguin Cafe1991 · as Narrator
• Reversal of Fortune1990 · as Claus von Bülow
• Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!1990 · as Self (archive footage)
• Australia1989 · as Edouard Pierson
• Danny and the Dirty Dog: The Making of 'Roald Dahl's Danny the Champion of the World'1989 · as Narrator
• A Chorus of Disapproval1989 · as Guy Jones
• Danny the Champion of the World1989 · as William Smith
• The Dream1989
• Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie1988 · as Self
• Dead Ringers1988 · as Beverly Mantle / Elliot Mantle
• The Making of Dead Ringers1988 · as Self - Actor
• The Mission1986 · as Father Gabriel
• Rabbit Ears - The Steadfast Tin Soldier1986 · as Narrator (voice)
• Looney Tunes 50th Anniversary1986 · as Self
• The Statue of Liberty1985 · as Self (voice)
• Night of 100 Stars II1985 · as Self
• The Wild Duck1984 · as Harold
• Swann in Love1984 · as Charles Swann
• Betrayal1983 · as Jerry
• The Captain's Doll1983 · as Captain Alexander Hepburn
• Moonlighting1982 · as Nowak
• The French Lieutenant's Woman1981 · as Charles Henry Smithson / Mike
• Nijinsky1980 · as Mikhail Fokine
• Langrishe, Go Down1978 · as Otto Beck
• A Magnificent Death from a Shattered Hand—
• Broadway: The Next Generation— · as Self
• The Well of Saint Nobody— · as William
• Encore— · as Nigel
• Water People: The Story of Us— · as The Ocean (voice)
• Highlander—
• Rihana— · as Julian Miles
• RSC Meets USA: Working Shakespeare— · as Self (Host)

All TV Shows (49)

• Mara: Rebirth2025 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Count of Monte Cristo2025 · as Abbé Faria
• Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled2023 · as Self
• The Pentaverate2022 · as Jeremy Irons
• The Morning Show2019 · as Martin Levy
• Watchmen2019 · as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias
• StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson2015 · as Self
• Metropolis2015
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self
• Racing Legends2012 · as Self
• The Hollow Crown2012 · as Henry IV
• Shakespeare Uncovered2012 · as Himself
• Prohibition2011 · as Reader (voice)
• The Borgias2011 · as Rodrigo Borgia
• The Colour of Magic2008 · as Patrician
• Elizabeth I2005 · as Earl of Leicester
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson2005 · as Self
• Who Do You Think You Are?2004 · as Self
• Working Shakespeare2003 · as Host
• Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites2003 · as Readings (Voice)
• Longitude2000 · as Rupert Gould
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Dr. Cap Jackson
• The View1997 · as Self
• E! True Hollywood Story1996
• Inside the Actors Studio1994 · as Self
• Brisant1994 · as Self
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993 · as Self - Guest
• HBO First Look1992
• Performance1991 · as Odon Von Horvath
• The Civil War1990 · as Various (voice)
• The Simpsons1989 · as Bar Rag (voice)
• Comic Relief1988
• Daytime Live1987
• Nature1982 · as Narrator
• Brideshead Revisited1981 · as Charles Ryder
• Wetten, dass..?1981 · as Self
• BBC2 Play of the Week1977 · as Otto Beck
• Love for Lydia1977 · as Alex Sanderson
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• Churchill's People1974 · as Samuel Ross
• Notorious Woman1974 · as Franz Liszt
• The Pallisers1974 · as Frank Tregear
• Film '721971 · as Self
• The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes1971 · as Nephew
• Great Performances1971 · as Self
• BBC Play of the Month1965 · as Edward Voysey
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Host
• The Oscars1953 · as Self