Charles Dance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Dance
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Dance in July 2012
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| Born |
Walter Charles Dance
10 October 1946 Redditch, Worcestershire, England
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Joanna Haythorn
(m. 1970; div. 2004) |
| Children | 3 |
Walter Charles Dance (born 10 October 1946) is a famous English actor. He is well-known for playing strong, powerful, and sometimes villainous characters. Charles Dance began his acting journey on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Later, he moved into films and television shows. In 2006, he was honored by Queen Elizabeth II and received the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his amazing work in drama.
He first appeared in a big movie in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981). Since then, he has been in many popular films. These include historical dramas like Michael Collins (1996), Gosford Park (2001), and The Imitation Game (2014). He also starred in action and fantasy movies such as Alien 3 (1992), Last Action Hero (1993), and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019). Charles Dance also directed and wrote a film called Ladies in Lavender (2004).
On television, he played important roles in many shows. He was Guy Perron in The Jewel in the Crown (1984). He also played Mr. Tulkinghorn in Bleak House (2005). Many people know him as Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones (2011–2015). More recently, he played Lord Mountbatten in The Crown (2019–2020). For his role in The Crown, he was nominated for a special award called a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
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Discovering Charles Dance's Early Life
Walter Charles Dance was born in Redditch, Worcestershire, England. His birthday is on 10 October 1946. His mother, Eleanor Marion, was a cook. His father, Walter Dance, was an electrical engineer. His father was much older, in his 70s, when Charles was born. Charles also has older half-sisters and an elder half-brother.
In 2016, Charles Dance learned more about his family history. He found out his mother's family came from Spa, Belgium. His ancestor, Charles François Futvoye, was a pioneer in a special art called japanning. This art involved decorating metal with a shiny, black lacquer. Charles grew up in Plymouth. He went to Widey Technical School for Boys. He later studied graphic design and photography at art colleges.
Charles Dance's Acting Journey
Starting with the Royal Shakespeare Company
Charles Dance was a key member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in the 1970s. He performed in many plays in London and Stratford-upon-Avon. He returned to the RSC later to play the main role in Coriolanus. This was in 1989 and 1990. He received excellent reviews for his performance. He also won a Critics' Circle Best Actor award. This was for his role as C. S. Lewis in the play Shadowlands in 2007.
His Work in Television and Movies
Charles Dance first appeared on screen in 1974 in a TV series called Father Brown. He had small roles at first. His big break came in 1984. He played Guy Perron in The Jewel in the Crown. This show made him a well-known actor.
He also had an early movie role in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. He played a bad guy named Claus. Interestingly, he later played Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, in a TV biography called Goldeneye in 1989.
Charles Dance has been in many other British TV dramas. These include Edward the Seventh, Murder Rooms, and Bleak House. For Bleak House, he was nominated for an Emmy award. He also appeared in the comedy series Absolutely Fabulous. He played a character in Foyle's War and Dr. Maltravers in Trinity.
He made a guest appearance in the BBC drama Merlin. He played the Witchfinder Aredian. He also played Lord Vetinari in the 2010 TV show Terry Pratchett's Going Postal. One of his most famous roles is Tywin Lannister in HBO's Game of Thrones. He also played Conrad Knox in Strike Back: Vengeance.
Since 2012, Charles Dance has appeared on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year. He reads funny parts from books in a serious way. In 2013, he was on Top Gear as a "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car." In 2018, he narrated a documentary called Spitfire. This film was about the famous Supermarine Spitfire planes and the pilots who flew them in World War II.
In 2019, he was in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. He also played Lord Mountbatten in The Crown. In 2020, he played William Randolph Hearst in the film Mank. In 2021, he joined the cast of the Netflix show The Sandman. In 2024, he starred as Michelangelo in the BBC show Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty.
Writing and Directing Films
Charles Dance also writes and directs movies. His first film as a writer and director was Ladies in Lavender (2004). This movie starred famous actresses Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. In 2009, he directed another film. It was his own version of The Inn at the Edge of the World.
Charles Dance's Personal Life
Charles Dance married Joanna Haythorn in 1970. They had two children: a son named Oliver (born 1974) and a daughter named Rebecca (born 1980). They divorced in 2004.
He later had a relationship with Eleanor Boorman from 2008 to 2012. They had a daughter named Rose (born 2012).
Currently, he is in a relationship with Alessandra Masi. She is an Italian production manager and former actress. They met in Italy in 2018. As of 2018, Charles Dance lives in Kentish Town, London.
Charles Dance's Views
Charles Dance has shared some of his political opinions. He describes his views as "very left-of-centre." He supported the UK staying in the European Union before the 2016 vote. He wanted the country to be closer to Europe. He felt this would prevent it from being "a little satellite of America."
In a 2020 interview, he said that NHS workers should get a better pay raise. He also called Boris Johnson a "bumbling buffoon."
During the Israel–Hamas war, Charles Dance signed a letter. Over two thousand artists signed this letter. It asked for a ceasefire. It also said that some Western governments were helping with war crimes. Dance also supported South Africa's legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Awards and Special Recognitions
Charles Dance was given a special honor in 2006. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This award recognizes his important contributions to drama.
He has also won several awards for his acting.
- In 2002, he won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble for the film Gosford Park.
- He also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Gosford Park in 2002.
- In 2020, he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for his work in The Crown.
He has also been nominated for many other awards, including:
- British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for The Jewel in the Crown in 1985.
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for Bleak House in 2006.
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator for Savage Kingdom in 2018 and 2019.
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for The Crown in 2021.
- Several Screen Actors Guild Awards for his work in Game of Thrones and The Imitation Game.
Images for kids
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Dance in July 2012
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Shadowlands at the Wyndham's Theatre.
See also
In Spanish: Charles Dance para niños
