Cary Elwes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cary Elwes
Elwes at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2025
Born	Ivan Simon Cary Elwes (1962-10-26) 26 October 1962 (age 62) Westminster, London, England
Alma mater	Sarah Lawrence College London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1979–present
Spouse(s)	Lisa Marie Kurbikoff ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Dominick Elwes Tessa Kennedy
Relatives	Cassian Elwes (brother) Damian Elwes (brother)

Ivan Simon Cary Elwes (born 26 October 1962) is an English actor. He is well-known for playing Westley in the movie The Princess Bride (1987). He also had important roles in films like Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) and the Saw movie series.

Cary Elwes has been nominated for awards such as a Screen Actors Guild Award. He has appeared in many other films, including Glory (1989), Twister (1996), and Liar Liar (1997). More recently, he acted in BlackBerry (2023) and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023).

On television, Elwes has been in popular shows like The X-Files, Seinfeld, and Psych. In 2019, he joined the cast of the Netflix series Stranger Things. He also appeared in the Amazon Prime series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. In 2024, he was in the Paramount+ comedy series Knuckles. Elwes also wrote a book about his time making The Princess Bride, called As You Wish, which came out in 2014.

Early Life and Education

The arms of the Elwes family

Cary Elwes was born in Westminster, London, England, on 26 October 1962. He is the youngest of three sons. His father was a portrait painter named Dominick Elwes. His mother, Tessa Kennedy, is an interior designer. Cary has two brothers, Damian Elwes, who is an artist, and Cassian Elwes, a film producer. His stepfather, Elliott Kastner, was an American film producer.

One of Cary Elwes's relatives was John Elwes. This relative was known for being very careful with money. He was even an inspiration for the character Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens's famous story A Christmas Carol. Cary Elwes himself played five different characters in the 2009 movie version of A Christmas Carol.

Cary Elwes was raised as a Catholic. He served as an altar boy at Westminster Cathedral. Some of his relatives were also important church leaders. He talked about his Catholic background when he played a young priest in the 2005 TV movie Pope John Paul II.

Elwes's parents divorced when he was four years old. When he was 13, his father passed away. He went to Harrow School and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In 1981, he moved to the United States to study acting at Sarah Lawrence College. He also studied at the Actors Studio. As a teenager, he worked as a production assistant on movies like Octopussy and Superman.

Acting Career

Early Roles and The Princess Bride

Props from the film The Princess Bride (1987)

Cary Elwes started his acting career in 1984 in the film Another Country. He then played Guilford Dudley in the historical drama Lady Jane. In 1987, he got his most famous role as Westley in Rob Reiner's fantasy-comedy The Princess Bride. This movie was based on a popular book.

The Princess Bride was not a huge hit at first. However, it received great reviews from critics. Over time, it became a beloved movie, known as a cult classic. Many people still watch it and share it with their families.

Comedy and Drama Roles

Elwes continued to act in many different types of movies. He took on serious roles, like in the Oscar-winning film Glory (1989). He also starred in comedies, such as Hot Shots! (1991). In 1993, he played the main character in Mel Brooks's comedy Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

He also had supporting roles in films like Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) and Twister (1996). In 1997, he appeared in Liar Liar with Jim Carrey. He also played a theater producer in the film Cradle Will Rock (1999).

Television and Voice Acting

Elwes first appeared on television in 1996 on the show Seinfeld. In 1998, he played astronaut Michael Collins in the HBO series From the Earth to the Moon. He was nominated for an award for his role in The Pentagon Wars (1999). From 2001 to 2002, he had a recurring role in the popular series The X-Files.

Elwes in 2010

In 2004, Elwes starred in the thriller film Saw. This movie was made with a small budget but earned a lot of money worldwide. The same year, he played the villain in Ella Enchanted. He also played the young Karol Wojtyła in a 2005 TV film.

Elwes has also done a lot of voice-over work. He narrated the audiobook The Jester. He voiced characters in animated films like Quest for Camelot and The Cat Returns. He also voiced the main character in the 2004 video game The Bard's Tale. In 2014, he voiced scientists Edmond Halley and Robert Hooke in the series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.

Recent Projects

Elwes at Comic-Con in 2013

In 2010, Elwes returned to the Saw movie series in Saw 3D. He also continued to appear on the TV show Psych in several seasons. In 2011, he acted alongside Natalie Portman in the film No Strings Attached. He also joined the cast of the romantic comedy New Year's Eve.

In 2015, Elwes worked on several independent films. He reunited with director Rob Reiner for the film Being Charlie. In 2016, he starred with Penelope Cruz in the Spanish-language film The Queen of Spain. This movie also brought him back together with his Princess Bride co-star, Mandy Patinkin.

Elwes at the Phoenix Comicon in 2014

In October 2014, Elwes released his book, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride. He wrote it with Joe Layden. The book shares stories from behind the scenes of the movie. It includes interviews with other actors and the director. The book became a best-seller.

In 2014, Elwes also helped write the movie Elvis & Nixon. This film is about a famous meeting between Elvis Presley and President Richard Nixon in 1970. In 2015, he joined the cast of the series The Art of More. This show is about the world of art auctions.

In April 2018, Elwes played Mayor Larry Kline in the third season of the Netflix series Stranger Things. The show premiered in July 2019. He and the cast were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. In May 2019, he joined the third season of the Amazon series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Personal Life

Cary Elwes met his wife, Lisa Marie Kurbikoff, in 1991. They got engaged in 1997 and married in 2000. They have one daughter together. In January 2025, Elwes and his family had to leave their home during the Palisades Fire. They were all safe.

In March 2021, Elwes shared that his younger half-sister, Milica, had passed away after battling cancer.

Elwes is known for his political views. In 2020, he helped organize a fundraiser that brought together many Princess Bride cast members. This event supported Joe Biden's campaign in Wisconsin. The Princess Bride Reunion raised over $4 million for the Wisconsin Democrats.

Saw Lawsuit

In August 2005, Cary Elwes filed a lawsuit against Evolution Entertainment. This was his management company and also produced the movie Saw. Elwes stated he was promised a certain percentage of the movie's profits but did not receive the full amount. The issue was resolved outside of court. Elwes later returned to the Saw series in 2010 for the film Saw 3D.

Filmography

Awards and Honors

See also

In Spanish: Cary Elwes para niños