Jason Isaacs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jason Isaacs
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Isaacs at the Berlinale 2025
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| Born | 6 June 1963 Liverpool, England
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| Education | University of Bristol (BA) Central School of Speech and Drama (GrDip) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1988–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Emma Hewitt
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
Jason Isaacs (born 6 June 1963) is a famous English actor. He is well-known for playing many different characters in movies and TV shows. Some of his most famous movie roles include Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films and Captain Hook in Peter Pan.
On TV, he has starred in series like Brotherhood, Awake, and The OA. He also played Captain Gabriel Lorca in Star Trek: Discovery. Jason Isaacs has also lent his voice to animated characters, such as Admiral Zhao in Avatar: The Last Airbender. He has been nominated for several awards for his acting.
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Early Life and Education
Jason Isaacs was born in Liverpool, England, on 6 June 1963. His family was Jewish, and his father worked as a jeweller. He grew up with two older brothers and one younger brother. His early childhood was spent in Childwall, a suburb of Liverpool, in a close-knit Jewish community.
When he was 11, his family moved to London. He attended the Haberdashers' Boys' School where other famous people like Sacha Baron Cohen also studied. Jason Isaacs has mentioned that experiences from his childhood helped him play the "unattractive" villain roles he often takes on.
After school, he studied law at Bristol University from 1982 to 1985. While there, he became very involved in the university's theatre club. He acted in over 30 plays and performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every summer. After finishing university, he went on to train as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London from 1985 to 1988.
Acting Career Highlights
After his acting training, Jason Isaacs quickly started working in theatre and television. His first small movie role was in The Tall Guy (1989). He became known for his TV work in shows like Capital City and Civvies.
Early Film and TV Roles
In 1997, Jason Isaacs got his first big Hollywood movie role in the horror film Event Horizon. He then appeared in the action movie Armageddon (1998). He also played a priest in the miniseries The Last Don II (1998) and in the film The End of the Affair (1999).
Becoming a Well-Known Actor
In 2000, Jason Isaacs played the villain Colonel William Tavington in the historical movie The Patriot, alongside Mel Gibson. This role made him very famous around the world. He then showed his range by playing a drag queen in the romantic comedy Sweet November (2001).
One of his most iconic roles is Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series, which he played from 2002 to 2011. He loved the books, saying they were "like crack" because they were so addictive. He appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
He also played both George Darling and Captain Hook in the 2003 film Peter Pan. Two years later, he voiced Admiral Zhao in the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005). He also starred in the BBC Four miniseries The State Within (2006), earning a Golden Globe nomination.
On American television, he had a notable role as Michael Caffee in the series Brotherhood (2006–2008).
Roles in the 2010s
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In 2010, Jason Isaacs appeared in the thriller Green Zone with Matt Damon. He also voiced Ra's al Ghul in the animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) and Sinestro in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011).
From 2011 to 2013, he starred as Jackson Brodie in the BBC series Case Histories. In 2012, he played Detective Michael Britten in the NBC fantasy drama Awake. This show had a unique idea where his character lived in two different realities after a car accident.
In 2015, he took the lead role in the series Dig, playing an FBI agent in Jerusalem. In December 2016, he appeared in the Netflix series The OA as Dr. Hunter Aloysius "Hap" Percy.
In 2017, Jason Isaacs joined the cast of Star Trek: Discovery as Captain Gabriel Lorca. He also played Field Marshal Georgy Zhukov in the film The Death of Stalin, a movie about the political struggles after Joseph Stalin's death. He received praise for this performance.
He also appeared in the psychological thriller Look Away (2018) and the action thriller Hotel Mumbai. He voiced characters in the TV series Robot Chicken and was the voice of Skekso in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019). In 2020, he voiced Dick Dastardly in the Scooby-Doo film Scoob!.
Recent Work in the 2020s
In 2021, Jason Isaacs played Admiral John Henry Godfrey in the film Operation Mincemeat and Jay Perry in the drama film Mass. He also voiced characters in the animated film Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob.
In 2023, he voiced Lord Enver Gortash, a main villain in the video game Baldur's Gate 3. Later that year, he starred as Cary Grant in the miniseries Archie. In 2025, he appeared as Timothy Ratliff in the third season of the HBO series The White Lotus.
The film "The Salt Path" was released in the UK on 30 May 2025. Jason Isaacs stars in this film alongside Gillian Anderson. He plays Moth Winn, a character who goes on a long walk along the South West Coast Path after losing his home and being diagnosed with a serious health condition.
Personal Life
Jason Isaacs lives with his wife, Emma Hewitt, a BBC documentary filmmaker. They started dating in 1987 and got married in 2001. They have two daughters together. He is also the godfather of writer Ripley Parker.
Jason Isaacs describes himself as Jewish, but not in a religious way. He is involved with several charities, including Bravehound, a Scottish charity for veterans. He has also supported the Labour Party in British politics.
Awards and Nominations
See also
In Spanish: Jason Isaacs para niños
