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Simon Russell Beale

Simon Russell Beale

Actor · Born January 12, 1961 (65) · Penang, Malaysia

2 BAFTA Awards

Sir Simon Russell Beale CBE (born January 12, 1961) is an English actor. He is known for his appearances in film, television and theatre, and work on radio, on audiobooks and as a narrator. For his services to drama, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2019. He has spent much of his theatre career working in productions for both the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. He has received ten Laurence Olivier Award nominations, winning three awards for his performances in Volpone (1996), Candide (2000), and Uncle Vanya (2003). For his work on the Broadway stage he has received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination for his performance as George in the Tom Stoppard play Jumpers in 2004. For his role as Henry Lehman in The Lehman Trilogy, he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and was nominated for an Olivier Award. Beale has been described by The Independent as "the greatest stage actor of his generation". Beale made his film debut in Sally Potter's period drama Orlando (1992). He continued acting in films such as Persuasion (1995), Hamlet (1996), My Week with Marilyn (2011), The Deep Blue Sea (2011), Into the Woods (2014), and Mary Queen of Scots (2018). In 2017, he starred in Armando Iannucci's dark comedy The Death of Stalin playing Lavrentiy Beria for which he received the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He has also appeared in the television projects The Young Visiters (2003), Dunkirk (2004), and as Falstaff in the BBC made-for-television films Henry IV, Part I and Part II (2012). He was part of the main cast of Showtime's Penny Dreadful.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 12, 1961 (65)
From
Penang, Malaysia
Works as
Actor
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 68 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

What are Simon Russell Beale's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
27%
Self
27%
Power
14%
Society
11%
Bonds
10%
Survival
8%
Ideas
4%
Ambition7 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themePower3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 6 · Dark 10

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 10 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 13

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 3

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 13 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 3 of 9 analyzed roles.

Mentor
3 of 9
Threshold guardian
2 of 9
Ally
2 of 9
Shadow
1 of 9
Herald
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Melancholic
17
Dread
7
Contemplative
6
Bittersweet
5
Other
23

How their films linger

Thought-provoking13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Simon Russell Beale's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Simon Russell Beale's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

68 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Prima Facie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • De Gaulle: Liberté(2026)

    as Winston Churchill

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • De Gaulle: Résistance(2026)

    as Winston Churchill

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Magic Faraway Tree(2026)

    as Know All

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Choral(2025)

    as Sir Edward Elgar

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale(2025)

    as Sir Hector Moreland

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Douglas Is Cancelled(2024)

    Show 4 episodes · as Bently

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Firebrand(2023)

    as Stephen Gardiner

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Mary & George(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Sir George Villiers

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Home! Home! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • House of the Dragon(2022)

    Show 7 episodes · as Ser Simon Strong

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Thor: Love and Thunder(2022)

    as Dionysus

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Operation Mincemeat(2021)

    as Winston Churchill

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Outfit(2022)

    as Roy Boyle

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Benediction(2021)

    as Robbie Ross

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • A Christmas Carol(2020)

    as Scrooge's voice (voice)

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Radioactive(2019)

    as Professor Lippmann

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: The Lehman Trilogy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Henry Lehman

  • National Theatre Live: The Tragedy of King Richard the Second (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Richard II

  • Mary Queen of Scots(2018)

    as Robert Beale

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Vanity Fair(2018)

    Show 7 episodes · as John Sedley

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Operation Finale(2018)

    as David Ben-Gurion

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Museo(2018)

    as Frank Graves

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Death of Stalin(2017)

    as Lavrenti Beria

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • My Cousin Rachel(2017)

    as Couch

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • RSC Live: The Tempest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Prospero

  • The Legend of Tarzan(2016)

    as Mr. Frum

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Shakespeare Live! From the RSC(2016)

    as Richard II

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Monteverdi in Mantua - The Genius of the Vespers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as presenter

  • Into the Woods(2014)

    as Baker's Father

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Penny Dreadful(2014)

    Show 14 episodes · as Ferdinand Lyle

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: King Lear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Lear, King of Britain

  • Legacy(2013)

    as Hookey

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Lava Land - Glowing Hawaii (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Narrator

  • National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Hamlet

  • National Theatre Live: Timon of Athens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Timon

  • Shakespeare's Sonnets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • The Hollow Crown(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · as Falstaff

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Simon Schama's Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • A Musical Nativity with John Rutter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Sacred Music: God's Composer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Presenter

  • National Theatre Live: Collaborators (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Joseph Stalin

  • The Deep Blue Sea(2011)

    as Sir William Collyer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • My Week with Marilyn(2011)

    as Cotes-Preedy

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Symphony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland(2011)

    as The Duchess / Introduced by

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Sacred Music: A Christmas History (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Presenter

  • National Theatre Live: London Assurance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Sir Harcourt Courtly

  • An Easter Celebration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as presenter

  • Sacred Music (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 8 episodes · as Presenter

  • Deep Water(2006)

    as Donald Crowhurst (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Dunkirk(2004)

    Show 3 episodes · as Winston Churchill

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • The Young Visiters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Prince of Wales

  • The Gathering(2003)

    as Luke Fraser

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 7 episodes · as Home Secretary · as William Towers

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Blackadder: Back & Forth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Wellington

  • Alice in Wonderland(1999)

    as King Cedric of Hearts

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • An Ideal Husband(1999)

    as Sir Edward

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Temptation of Franz Schubert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Franz Schubert

  • A Dance to the Music of Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 4 episodes · as Widmerpool

  • Hamlet(1996)

    as Second Gravedigger

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Persuasion(1995)

    as Charles Musgrove

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Mushroom Picker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 3 episodes · as Anthony

  • Orlando(1992)

    as Earl of Moray

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • American Experience(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as John Adams (voice)

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • A Very Peculiar Practice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Mark Stibbs

  • Time and the Conways (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Party Guest

  • This Is Your Five Minute Call (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Malcolm

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 68 titles, 66 of them dated from 1985 to 2026; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

$357M worldwide

Highest rated

De Gaulle: Liberté (2026)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Penny Dreadful (2014)

Film career

19852026

Peak 2017 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting68 of 68: 68 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69th

By decade

1980s3 · acting1990s9 · acting2000s7 · acting2010s31 · acting2020s16 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 27 roles
92021722

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

2 BAFTA Awards from 2 major nominations, 1998–2013.

  1. 2013
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Supporting Actor
  2. 1998
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Actor

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Simon Russell Beale's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 72nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up18
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th8

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 40 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

A Christmas Carol (2020)

81st percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

De Gaulle: Liberté (2026)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 21 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Simon Russell Beale's work okay for kids?

Across up to 17 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles6–68 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity17 titles21–56 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles33–82 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles30–53 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles21–64 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Simon Russell Beale work with?

People who share at least 2 of Simon Russell Beale's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Johnny Flynn shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers