If you ever need a reminder of just how powerful a proper, classically trained British actor can be, look no further than Ralph Fiennes. The man is pure cinematic royalty, possessing a terrifyingly sharp intensity and a voice that can drop the temperature of a room by ten degrees. He has spent over three decades establishing himself as one of the most respected talents of his generation, completely refusing to take the easy route. Whether he is playing a broken romantic hero, a smooth-talking concierge, or a completely irredeemable monster, he brings a commanding weight to the screen that is impossible to ignore.
He first shocked the world and earned his first Oscar nod in Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List, putting in a chillingly brutal performance as the Nazi commandant Amon Goeth. It was a role so terrifyingly authentic that it permanently stamped his name into Hollywood history. Rather than being boxed into playing purely dark villains, Ralph immediately showed his massive range by starring in the epic romance The English Patient, earning another Academy Award nomination and proving he could carry a massive, sweeping blockbuster on his shoulders.
Of course, for millions of film fans across the planet, he will always be the definitive face of pure evil: Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise. Hidden beneath layers of pale makeup and completely lacking a nose, Ralph relied entirely on his slithering body language and a quiet, whispering voice to terrify an entire generation of children. He then stepped right into another massive British institution, taking over the role of M in the James Bond series, bringing a sharp, bureaucratic grit to Daniel Craig's final outings as 007.
Lately, the man has been keeping himself exceptionally busy across a massive variety of genres. He recently earned huge critical acclaim for his brilliant performance in the intense Vatican thriller Conclave, completely controlled the post-apocalyptic chaos of the horror flick 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and has lined up a massive role in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping. He is a proper icon who has completely mastered his craft, and modern cinema is infinitely richer every single time he steps in front of the camera.
• The Titanic Connection: Ralph's family tree has a fascinating and tragic link to one of the most famous events in maritime history. His great-great-uncle was Edward Pomeroy Colley, a first-class passenger and civil engineer who sadly lost his life during the sinking of the RMS Titanic back in 1912.
• The Nose-Less Nephew: When the production team was casting for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, they needed a young actor to play an eleven-year-old version of Tom Riddle. Instead of looking far and wide, they cast Ralph's actual nephew, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, to play the future Dark Lord, keeping the family connection to Voldemort firmly alive.
• The Initial Rejection: It’s completely impossible to imagine anyone else playing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but Ralph actually turned down the role of Voldemort when it was first offered to him. He hadn't read the books and didn't really understand the scale of the films until his sister showed him pictures of the character and convinced him how brilliantly dark the role could be.
Ralph Fiennes is a proper, top-tier heavyweight of the acting world. In an industry that often relies heavily on cheap gimmicks and loud explosions, he commands the screen through pure, old-school acting talent and an incredible physical presence. He can communicate more raw emotion with a single, unblinking look than most actors can manage with a ten-minute monologue. Whether he is playing a terrifying dark wizard, a sophisticated hotel manager, or a plotting cardinal, he brings an elite level of honesty and class to every single project he touches.
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