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1->''"It is true that there are few plays of Shakespeare I haven't done."''
2-->-- '''[[UsefulNotes/KnightFever Dame]] Creator/JudiDench'''
3
4As in "classically trained [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespearian]] actor". These actors (male and female), usually Brits, have had some ''serious'' training — often a stint at the Creator/RoyalShakespeareCompany or the Royal National Theatre — and so have developed redoubtable acting skills.
5
6Of course, they won't necessarily limit themselves to Shakespeare, or even to theater. It's entirely possible for these people to do comedy, appear in major action movies and even enter LargeHam territory at times (see, for instance, Creator/BrianBlessed).
7
8Used intelligently, Shakespearian Actors can raise ''everyone'''s game, or turn a blah character into a BreakoutCharacter. But beware: being cast alongside one or more Shakespearian Actors makes it painfully clear if someone can't act (see, for instance, ''Film/TeachingMrsTingle'', in which Creator/HelenMirren out-acts all of her co-stars ''combined'' with her hands quite literally tied behind her back). Think of them as the acting equivalent of Spandex: they make good things better, and bad things much, much worse. Another drawback is the tendency to re-use GratuitousIambicPentameter in stories that don't necessarily call for it, otherwise known as [[Creator/WilliamShatner Shatner]]-speak.
9
10Because these actors will be critically acclaimed (they can be popular as well), they are more likely than most actors, if they're British, to succumb to the K-strain of UsefulNotes/KnightFever, i.e. getting a knighthood.
11
12One of the litmus tests for being a Shakespearian actor is to have played a major/lead role for the Royal Shakespeare Company or the Royal National Theatre. These two theatres are the most prominent and prestigious theatres in Great Britain with the globally-known RSC catering (almost) exclusively Shakespeare's plays. (RSC's closest North American equivalents are probably the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.) Even better, see the Website/YouTube entries for the old educational series, ''Playing Shakespeare'', featuring the RSC players of its day, now in retrospect stock-full of future movie stars like Sir Creator/PatrickStewart, Dame Creator/JudiDench, Sir Creator/BenKingsley, and Sir Creator/IanMcKellen.
13
14!!Shakespearian Actors in fiction
15
16As we've just seen, real-life Shakespearian Actors take a variety of roles for a variety of reasons, and few jobbing actors--even among this exceptionally talented bunch — can afford to be picky about the sorts of roles they accept. In fiction, though, the Shakespearian Actor tends to be a particular subtype of the high-maintenance diva archetype: one who constantly laments his decision to give up theater and who has nothing but contempt for the tripe he's being asked to deliver. This version is the ClassicallyTrainedExtra.
17
18%%PLEASE ADD ACTORS' NAMES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
19%% Also note that many of the names are red links. This is because otherwise it would mess up the index.
20----
21!!Real examples:
22[[index]]
23[[foldercontrol]]
24
25[[folder:A-C]]
26* Creator/FMurrayAbraham
27* Creator/AmyAcker
28* Creator/MarkAddy
29* Creator/WesleyAddy
30* Creator/JennyAgutter: Veteran of both the RSC and the National Theatre, including the title role in ''Theatre/HeddaGabler'' among ''many'' others.
31* Creator/AliAhn
32* Creator/JaneAlexander
33* Creator/RogerAllam: Old hand at the RSC, has turned his hand to film, musicals, television and radio.
34* Creator/WoodyAllen
35* Creator/LaurenAmbrose
36* Creator/AnthonyAndrews
37* Creator/HarryAndrews
38* Creator/GethinAnthony
39* Creator/RichardArmitage
40* Creator/GemmaArterton: Graduated from RADA and was in ''Theatre/LovesLaboursLost'' at the Globe.
41* Creator/BeaArthur
42* Dame Creator/PeggyAshcroft: One of the queens of the British stage from the '30s to the '80s, and an Oscar-winner.
43* Creator/AnnaleighAshford
44* Creator/RogerAshtonGriffiths
45* Dame Eileen Atkins: Has been appearing on stage since the late 1950s
46* Creator/AshlieAtkinson
47* Creator/RowanAtkinson
48* Creator/HayleyAtwell
49* Sir Creator/RichardAttenborough
50* Creator/KellyAuCoin
51* Creator/ErickAvari
52* Creator/TomBaker
53* Creator/AlecBaldwin
54* Creator/ChristianBale
55* Creator/JamieBamber
56* Creator/TallulahBankhead
57* Creator/LeslieBanks
58* Creator/ChristineBaranski
59* Creator/FrancesBarber
60* Creator/BarbaraBarrie
61* Creator/JohnBarrowman
62* Creator/EthelBarrymore
63* Creator/JohnBarrymore
64* Creator/LionelBarrymore
65* Creator/DavidAlanBasche
66* Creator/AngelaBassett
67* Creator/SeanBean: Made his professional debut as Tybalt in ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' and has appeared on several plays (not just Shakespearean) since, in addition to being one of RSC's prominent alumni. He's primarily known as a legendary ChronicallyKilledActor, though.
68* Creator/JimBeaver
69* Creator/KateBeckinsale
70* Creator/TonyBeckley
71* Creator/LauraBenanti
72* Creator/AnnetteBening
73* Creator/MelissaBenoist
74* Creator/JonBernthal
75* Creator/EveBest
76* Creator/PaulBettany
77* Creator/ClaudiaBlack
78* Creator/KarenBlack
79* Creator/MarshaStephanieBlake
80* Creator/CateBlanchett: While not a member of the RSC, is a classically trained theatre actress with a Shakespeare background who has her name mentioned in the same breath as the most famous RSC alums.
81* Creator/JulianBleach
82* Creator/HansChristianBlech
83* Creator/BrianBlessed
84* Claire Bloom: Among other work, played [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Ophelia]] opposite both Creator/RichardBurton and Creator/PaulScofield.
85* Creator/OrlandoBloom
86* Creator/DylanBluestone
87* Creator/EmilyBlunt
88* Creator/MaryBoland
89* Creator/SamanthaBond
90* Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter
91[[/index]]
92* Hugh Bonneville: Best known as the [[Series/DowntonAbbey Earl of Grantham]].
93[[index]]
94* Creator/JessicaBoone
95* Creator/RichardBoone
96* Creator/BarryBostwick
97* Creator/DennisBoutsikaris
98* Creator/JohnBoyega
99* Creator/DavidBradley
100* Creator/ZachBraff
101* Sir Creator/KennethBranagh: Almost singlehandedly revived Shakespeare on film with a string of hits in the Nineties.
102* Creator/MarlonBrando
103* Creator/AndreBraugher
104* Creator/BernardBresslaw: He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but spent the last 20 years of his career frequently appearing in the RSC's theatre productions.
105* Creator/JeremyBrett
106* Creator/LloydBridges
107* Creator/RichardBriers
108* Creator/JimBroadbent
109* Creator/JacquelineBrookes
110* Creator/AveryBrooks
111* Creator/DanielleBrooks
112* Creator/RachelBrosnahan
113* Creator/SterlingKBrown
114* Creator/JessicaBrownFindlay
115* Creator/KarenBryson
116* Creator/JessieBuckley
117* Creator/VictorBuono
118* Creator/MyAnnaBuring
119* Creator/TyBurrell
120* Creator/KateBurton
121* Creator/RichardBurton
122* Creator/GerardButler
123* Creator/LScottCaldwell
124* Creator/JamesCagney
125* Creator/JonathanCake
126* Creator/JDCannon
127* Creator/PeterCapaldi
128* Creator/JessicaCapshaw
129* Creator/LorneCardinal
130* Creator/TantooCardinal
131* Creator/JohnCariani
132* Creator/JaneCarr
133* Creator/RockyCarroll
134* Creator/JohnCarradine
135* Creator/GarryChalk
136* Creator/StockardChanning
137* Creator/OonaChaplin: Best known as [[Series/GameOfThrones Talisa Maegyr/Stark]]. She performed in a few Shakespearean plays even before admitting to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
138* Creator/AnyaChalotra
139* Ian Charleson: Of ''Film/ChariotsOfFire'' and ''Film/{{Gandhi}}''. His Hamlet at the National Theatre in 1990 was widely acclaimed, and Ian [=McKellen=], having won the Evening Standard Best Actor award, gave Charleson the statuette, feeling that he deserved it more. Charleson died soon after (the first UK celebrity death openly attributed to AIDS), and the Ian Charleson Awards were established within the year to recognize actors under the age of thirty.
140* Creator/JessicaChastain
141* Creator/JuanChioran
142* Creator/GwendolineChristie: Best known as [[Series/GameOfThrones Brienne of Tarth]]. She performed as The Queen in a production of ''Theatre/{{Cymbeline}}'', and her first post-''Thrones'' outing was as Titania in a production of ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream''.
143* Creator/JulieChristie
144* Creator/MorfyddClark
145* Creator/GlennClose
146* Creator/RhysCoiro
147* Creator/JohnColicos
148* Creator/ToniCollette
149* Creator/LynnCollins
150* Creator/KerryCondon
151* Creator/SeanConnery
152* Creator/KennethConnor
153* Creator/FrancesConroy
154* Creator/KevinConroy
155* Creator/CarrieCoon
156* Creator/ChrisCooper
157* Creator/DominicCooper
158* Creator/GretchenCorbett
159* Creator/JudyCornwell
160* Creator/DavidCostabile
161* Creator/NikolajCosterWaldau
162* Creator/MarionCotillard
163* Creator/JosephCotten
164* Creator/GeorgeCoulouris
165* Creator/BrianCox
166* Creator/CharlieCox
167* Creator/DanielCraig
168* Creator/BernardCribbins
169* Creator/StephenCritchlow
170* Creator/JamesCromwell
171* Creator/HumeCronyn
172* Creator/MackenzieCrook
173* Creator/BenCross
174* Creator/LindsayCrouse
175* Creator/BillyCrudup
176* Creator/MartonCsokas
177* Creator/JohnCullum
178* Creator/BenedictCumberbatch has not yet played for the RSC, but has played lead roles in Royal National Theatre productions; he has twice been nominated for an Olivier Award (winning for ''Theatre/Frankenstein2011'' in 2012).
179* Creator/AnnaCummer
180* Creator/AlanCumming
181* Creator/LiamCunningham
182* Creator/TimCurry
183* Creator/JoanCusack
184* Creator/NiamhCusack
185* Creator/PeterCushing
186* Creator/HenryIanCusick: Attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and appeared in productions with the Strathclyde Theatre Group in Glasgow.
187[[/folder]]
188
189[[folder:D-G]]
190* Creator/JimDale
191* Creator/TimothyDalton: Trained at RADA for two years and spent most of the 1970s performing with the RSC and other troupes.
192* Creator/CharlesDance
193* Creator/ClaireDanes: A weird example in that her first Shakespearean work is [[Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet a movie adaptation]] before she started regularly appearing on stage.
194* Creator/BenDaniels
195* Creator/NathanDarrow
196* Creator/ArthurDarvill
197* Creator/KeithDavid
198* Creator/LaneDavies
199* Creator/EmbethDavidtz
200[[/index]]
201* Daniel Davis has reportedly been in all but six of Shakespeare's plays, presumably thanks to his ''ridiculously'' good English accent. (He's from Arkansas.) Also performed with both the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
202[[index]]
203* Creator/JudyDavis
204* Creator/ViolaDavis: Graduated from Juilliard, won a Tony for ''Fences'' and then an Oscar for the film adaptation.
205* Creator/BruceDavison
206* Creator/PeterDavison
207* Creator/DavidDawson
208* Creator/RosarioDawson
209* Creator/DanielDayLewis: Performed at the National Youth Theatre, attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and performed with the RSC.
210* Creator/ElizabethDebicki
211* Dame Creator/OliviaDeHavilland
212[[/index]]
213* Frances de la Tour: Madame Olympe Maxime in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' series; she joined the RSC in 1965 and is a three-time Olivier Award winner.
214[[index]]
215* Creator/JohnDeLancie
216* Creator/DanaDelany
217* Creator/JeffreyDeMunn
218* Dame Creator/JudiDench: M in the last half-dozen or so ''Film/JamesBond'' films. Also stole ''Film/ShakespeareInLove'' as Queen Elizabeth I with roughly nine total minutes of screen time. She picked up an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward as Best Supporting Actress for the performance.
219* Creator/BrianDennehy
220* Creator/GerardDepardieu
221* Creator/WilliamDevane
222* Creator/DannyDeVito
223[[/index]]
224* Colleen Dewhurst: The "Queen of Off-Broadway" who appeared several times in Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival. Won two Tonys and four Emmys (two of them for playing Series/{{Murphy Brown}}'s mother).
225[[index]]
226* Creator/ReedDiamond
227* Creator/DaleDickey
228* Creator/AugustDiehl
229* Creator/DaveedDiggs
230* Creator/StephenDillane
231* Creator/JoeDinicol
232* Creator/PeterDinklage: Best known as [[Series/GameOfThrones Tyrion Lannister]]. He's one of notable actors to portray the titular ''Theatre/RichardIII'' in the modern era.
233* Creator/KenDodd
234* Creator/RobertDonat
235* Creator/ColinDonnell
236* Creator/JeffreyDonovan
237* Creator/NatalieDormer
238* Creator/MelvynDouglas
239* Creator/RobertDowneyJr
240* Creator/RachelDratch
241* Creator/RichardDreyfuss
242* Creator/LindsayDuncan
243* Creator/CharlesDurning
244* Creator/ChristopherEccleston
245* Creator/AdrianEdmondson
246* Creator/SamanthaEggar
247* Creator/ChiwetelEjiofor, the Operative from ''Film/{{Serenity}}''. Has played ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' -- and won the 2008 Olivier for Best Actor in a Play -- and Orsino from ''Theatre/TwelfthNight''.
248* Creator/IdrisElba
249* Creator/DenholmElliott
250* Creator/MaryElizabethEllis
251* Creator/MichaelEmerson
252* Creator/RobertEnglund
253* Creator/CynthiaErivo
254* Creator/NormanEshley
255* Creator/RaulEsparza
256[[/index]]
257* Dame Edith Evans: Three-time Academy Award-nominee.
258[[index]]
259* Creator/MauriceEvans
260* Creator/RupertEvans
261* Creator/RupertEverett
262* Creator/MichelleFairley
263* Creator/VeraFarmiga
264* Creator/MiaFarrow
265* Creator/MichaelFassbender
266* Creator/ColmFeore
267* Creator/JesseTylerFerguson
268* Creator/JosephFiennes, who played the title role in ''Film/ShakespeareInLove'', and is the younger brother of
269* Creator/RalphFiennes
270* Creator/NathanFillion
271* Creator/JonFinch
272* Creator/AlbertFinney
273* Creator/ColinFirth
274* Creator/LaurenceFishburne: A stage veteran and the first African American to portray ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' in a motion picture by a major studio.
275* Creator/RayFisher
276* Creator/TaraFitzgerald
277* Creator/KateFleetwood
278* Creator/GlennFleshler
279* Creator/CalistaFlockhart
280* Creator/DannFlorek
281* Creator/BarrettFoa
282* Creator/MeganFollows
283* Creator/EmiliaFox
284* Creator/ClaireFoy: Has played Lady Theatre/{{Macbeth}} opposite Creator/JamesMcAvoy as the VillainProtagonist.
285* Creator/KayFrancis
286* Creator/DennisFranz
287* Creator/LauraFraser
288* Creator/MartinFreeman
289* Creator/MorganFreeman
290* Creator/AnnaFriel
291* Creator/StephenFry
292* Creator/MichaelGambon
293* Creator/RomolaGarai
294* Creator/AndrewGarfield
295* Creator/GreerGarson
296* Creator/MarkGatiss
297* Creator/WillGeer
298* Creator/RichardGere
299* Creator/PaulGiamatti
300* Creator/MelGibson
301* Creator/ThomasGibson
302* Creator/JohnGielgud: Up there with Olivier as one of the most important British stage actors of the 20th century.
303* Creator/AidanGillen
304* Creator/JessalynGilsig
305* Creator/LillianGish
306* Creator/IainGlen
307* Creator/KimikoGlenn
308* Creator/JohnGlover
309* Creator/JulianGlover
310* Creator/JeffGoldblum: His first professional acting credit was as a chorus member/understudy for Eglamour in the Broadway musical adaptation of ''Theatre/TheTwoGentlemenOfVerona'', which originated as a Shakespeare in the Park production. He played Malvolio in a straight production of ''Theatre/TwelfthNight'' in 1989, though he got bad reviews[[note]]this is VERY likely the unhappy experience he talks about in a ''Creator/ConanOBrien Needs a Friend'' podcast appearance, though he doesn't name the show or the producer who took pity on him (which would have been Joseph Papp in that case)[[/note]].
311* Creator/ReneeEliseGoldsberry
312* Creator/CarolineGoodall
313* Creator/JohnGoodman
314* Creator/GinniferGoodwin
315* Creator/MichelleGomez
316* Creator/BurnGorman
317* Creator/MichaelGough
318* Creator/HughGrant
319* Creator/RichardEGrant
320* Creator/ShalitaGrant
321* Creator/RupertGraves
322* Creator/CharlesGray
323* Creator/MackenzieGray
324* Creator/LorneGreene
325* Creator/ClarkGregg
326* Creator/StephenGreif
327* Creator/RichardGriffiths
328* Creator/IoanGruffudd
329* Sir Creator/AlecGuinness: Spoke the very first lines at the Stratford Festival (namely, "[[Theatre/RichardIII Now is the winter of our discontent]]").
330* Creator/PeterGuinness
331* Creator/DanaiGurira
332* Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal
333[[/folder]]
334
335[[folder:H-L]]
336* Creator/JonathanHadary
337* Creator/DavidHaig
338* Creator/RonHalder
339* Creator/MichaelCHall
340* Creator/RebeccaHall
341* Creator/HarryHamlin
342* Creator/JonHamm
343* Creator/TomHanks
344* Creator/JohnHannah
345* Creator/DavidHarbour
346* Creator/MarciaGayHarden
347* Creator/CedricHardwicke
348* Creator/RobertHardy has appeared on stage in ''Theatre/{{Coriolanus}}'' and ''Theatre/HenryV'' (and played the latter role in the 1960 mini-series ''An Age of Kings'').
349* Creator/DorisHare
350* Creator/DavidHarewood
351* Creator/KitHarington
352* Creator/WilliamJacksonHarper
353* Creator/LauraElenaHarring
354* Creator/EdHarris
355* Creator/JaredHarris
356* Julie Harris: Possibly ''the'' most acclaimed American stage actress, with ten Tony Award nominations and five wins.
357* Creator/NeilPatrickHarris
358* Creator/RichardHarris
359* Creator/RosemaryHarris
360* Creator/WilliamHartnell: Appeared in a number of Shakespeare productions starting in 1925.
361* Creator/JoshHartnett
362* Creator/HurdHatfield
363* Creator/AnneHathaway
364* Creator/EthanHawke
365* Creator/SallyHawkins
366* Creator/GoldieHawn
367* Creator/NigelHawthorne
368* Creator/CHarlesHawtrey
369[[/index]]
370* Helen Hayes, "First Lady of the American Theatre" and an EGOT-winner.
371[[index]]
372* Creator/DavidHedison
373* Creator/DonHenderson
374* Creator/ShirleyHenderson
375* Creator/IanHendry
376* Creator/BrianTyreeHenry
377* Creator/GreggHenry
378* Creator/GuyHenry
379* Creator/KatharineHepburn
380* Creator/EdwardHerrmann
381* Creator/CharltonHeston
382* Creator/SamHeughan
383* Creator/TomHiddleston, trained at RADA. Played [[Theatre/HenryIV Prince Hal]][=/=]Theatre/HenryV in a new BBC production of the Henriad coinciding with Britain's hosting the Olympics. Nominated at the Olivier awards for Best Newcomer in a Play twice, once in 2008 for Cassio in ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' with the aforementioned Chiwetel Ejiofor in the title role and again -- also in 2008 -- for his double performance as Cloten and Posthumus in the lesser-known Shakespeare play ''Cymbeline''. He won for ''Cymbeline''. He also starred as Caius Martius in the National Theatre production of ''Theatre/{{Coriolanus}}'' from December 2013 to February 2014, which earned him his third nomination at the Oliver awards, this time for Best Actor in a Play.
384* Creator/FreddieHighmore
385* Creator/ConlethHill
386* Creator/JacquelineHill
387* Creator/WendyHiller
388* Creator/CiaranHinds
389* Creator/DouglasHodge
390* Creator/DustinHoffman
391* Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman
392* Creator/EdwardHogg
393* Creator/HalHolbrook
394* Creator/LaurieHolden
395* Creator/TomHollander
396* Creator/IanHolm
397* Creator/CharlotteHope
398* Sir Creator/AnthonyHopkins: Despite his stated uninterest in "Shakespeare and all that British nonsense," he studied at RADA and was Laurence Olivier's understudy for a while.
399* Creator/OskarHomolka
400* Creator/MichaelHordern
401* Creator/BernardHorsfall
402* Creator/BobHoskins
403* Creator/JayneHoudyshell
404* Creator/BryceDallasHoward
405* Creator/LeslieHoward
406* Creator/TrevorHoward
407* Creator/FrankieHowerd
408* Creator/NealHuff
409* Creator/HelenHunt
410* Creator/KathrynHunter
411* Creator/IsabelleHuppert
412* Creator/JohnHurt
413* Creator/MaryBethHurt
414* Creator/WilliamHurt
415* Creator/OliviaHussey
416* Creator/JosephineHutchinson
417* Creator/JonathanHyde
418* Creator/RhysIfans
419* Creator/CeliaImrie
420* Creator/JeremyIrons: Educated at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
421* Creator/JeremyIrvine
422* Creator/AmyIrving
423* Creator/BillIrwin
424* Creator/OscarIsaac
425* Creator/ZeljkoIvanek
426* Creator/DanaIvey
427* Creator/ChukwudiIwuji
428* Sir Creator/DerekJacobi: Invited by Lawrence Olivier to be a founding member of the National Theatre, and played Laertes in the Theatre's inaugural production of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''. He's won two Lawrence Olivier Awards and a Tony.
429* Creator/GillianJacobs
430* Creator/LennieJames
431* Creator/LilyJames
432* Creator/LouiseJameson
433* Creator/AllisonJanney
434* Creator/TonyJay
435* Creator/MichaelJayston
436* Creator/IsabelJeans
437* Creator/RichardJenkins
438* Creator/CarolineJohn
439* Creator/HannahJohnKamen
440* Creator/AaronTaylorJohnson
441* Creator/RichardJohnson
442* Creator/CherryJones: Five-time Tony Award nominee, two-time winner, including one for the original production of ''Film/{{Doubt}}''.
443* Creator/FelicityJones
444* Creator/FreddieJones
445* Creator/JamesEarlJones: Played Theatre/{{Othello}} (duh) and numerous other Shakespeare roles, and won two Tonys.
446* Creator/MarkLewisJones
447* Creator/NealJones
448* Creator/RonCephasJones
449* Creator/PatersonJoseph
450* Creator/RaulJulia
451* Creator/CushJumbo: Nominated for an Olivier Award for her portrayal of Mark Antony in an all-female ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar''.
452* Creator/CarolKane
453* Creator/JohnKani
454* Creator/KareenaKapoor
455* Tunji Kasim: Now on ''Series/NancyDrew2019'', he was part of the RSC from 2009 to 2011, and read Shakespearian sonnets for a phone app.
456* Creator/LloydKaufman
457* Creator/HakeemKaeKazim
458* Creator/StacyKeach: Appeared in Shakespearean plays from the early 1960s until well into the 2000s.
459* Creator/MichaelKeaton
460* Creator/HughKeaysByrne
461* Creator/TobyKebbell
462* Creator/PenelopeKeith
463* Creator/EllieKendrick
464* Creator/JohnKeston: Became famous for the character Gehn in VideoGames/RivenTheSequelToMyst. Atrus' father and the main antagonist of said game.
465* Creator/ValKilmer
466* Creator/KimYunjin
467* Sir Creator/BenKingsley: Joined the RSC in 1967 and spent most of the next fifteen years on stage.
468* Creator/FerdinandKingsley
469* Creator/AlexKingston of ''Series/{{ER}}'' and ''Series/DoctorWho'' fame.
470* Creator/RoryKinnear
471* Creator/EmilyKinney
472* Creator/VanessaKirby: Has appeared in ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' and ''Theatre/AsYouLikeIt''.
473* Creator/MichaelKitchen
474* Creator/GertanKlauber
475* Creator/KevinKline: Studied at Juilliard and formed, with some of his classmates (including Creator/PattiLuPone and Creator/DavidOgdenStiers), the City Center Acting Company (later renamed The Acting Company) and spent the next few years performing on stage, including Shakespeare. He's won three Tony Awards.
476* Creator/TRKnight
477* Creator/ThomasKopache
478* Creator/YaphetKotto
479* Creator/RikiyaKoyama
480* Creator/StephenKunken
481* Creator/PhilLaMarr
482* Creator/EriqLaSalle
483* Creator/DianeLane
484* Creator/NathanLane
485* Creator/StephenLang
486* Creator/JessicaLange
487* Creator/FrankLangella
488* Dame Creator/AngelaLansbury
489* Creator/LizaLapira
490* Creator/SanaaLathan
491* Creator/CharlesLaughton
492* Creator/DanLauria, the father on ''Series/TheWonderYears''.
493* Creator/JohnLaurie
494* Creator/PiperLaurie
495* Creator/JudeLaw
496* Creator/AlexLawther
497* Creator/ClorisLeachman
498* Creator/ChristopherLee
499[[/index]]
500* Eva Le Gallienne: Nominated for an Oscar for ''Resurrection'', one of only three movies she made because she was so devoted to the theater. One of the women (like her idol Sarah Bernhardt) to have played Theatre/{{Hamlet}}.
501[[index]]
502* Creator/JohnLeguizamo
503* Creator/JenniferJasonLeigh
504* Creator/VivienLeigh
505* Creator/MargaretLeighton
506* Creator/HarryLennix
507* Creator/RoseLeslie
508* Creator/AntonLesser
509[[/index]]
510* Adrian Lester of ''Series/{{Hustle}}''
511[[index]]
512* Creator/MattLetscher
513* Creator/KatieLeung
514* Creator/DamianLewis
515* Creator/AndrewLincoln
516* Creator/RobertLindsay
517* Creator/HamishLinklater
518* Creator/LauraLinney: Studied at Juilliard, four-time Tony nominee.
519* Creator/MaureenLipman
520* Creator/JohnLithgow
521* Creator/ChristopherLloyd
522* Creator/HarryLloyd
523* Creator/NormanLloyd
524* Creator/BelaLugosi
525* Creator/PattiLuPone
526[[/folder]]
527
528[[folder:M-R]]
529* Creator/JeanetteMacDonald (starred in operatic version of ''Romeo and Juliet'')
530* Creator/AngusMacfadyen
531* Creator/MatthewMacfadyen
532* Creator/KyleMacLachlan
533* Creator/PatrickMacnee
534* Creator/PeterMacNicol
535* Creator/AnnaMadeley
536* Creator/RichardMadden
537* Creator/PatrickMagee: Appeared in Anew [=McMaster's=] theatre company and later joined the RSC.
538* Creator/PatrickMalahide
539* Creator/ChristopherMalcolm
540* Creator/PaulaMalcomson
541* Creator/LesleyManville
542* Creator/StephanieMarch
543* Creator/NancyMarchand
544* Creator/MiriamMargolyes
545* Creator/JeanMarsh
546* Creator/EGMarshall
547* Creator/HerbertMarshall
548* Creator/FayeMarsay
549[[/index]]
550* William Marshall: Film/{{Blacula}} himself; played Theatre/{{Othello}} in no less than six productions.
551[[index]]
552* Creator/JesseLMartin
553* Creator/NanMartin
554* Creator/ElizabethMarvel
555* Creator/JamesMason
556* Creator/AnnaMassey
557* Creator/MaryElizabethMastrantonio
558* Creator/DannyMastrogiorgio
559* Creator/CarmenMathews
560* Creator/RikMayall
561* Creator/GuguMbathaRaw: Has played [[Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet Juliet]] to Creator/AndrewGarfield's Romeo and [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Ophelia]] to Creator/JudeLaw's Hamlet.
562* Creator/JamesMcAvoy
563* Creator/DavidMcCallum
564* Creator/AlecMcCowen
565* Creator/SylvesterMcCoy
566* Creator/HelenMcCrory
567* Creator/IanMcDiarmid: Best known as [[Franchise/StarWars Emperor Palpatine]]. He's an acclaimed stage director and actor, often involved with Shakespearean works.
568* Creator/AudraMcDonald
569* Creator/FrancesMcDormand
570* Creator/RoddyMcDowall
571* Creator/MalcolmMcDowell: Trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
572* Creator/MichaelMcElhatton
573* Creator/IanMcElhinney
574* Creator/NataschaMcElhone
575* Creator/PeterMcEnery
576* Creator/PaulMcGann
577* Creator/KellyMcGillis
578* Creator/ElizabethMcGovern
579* Creator/EwanMcGregor
580* Creator/TimMcInnerny
581* Creator/NeveMcIntosh
582* Creator/MichaelMcKean
583* Sir Creator/IanMcKellen
584* Creator/JacquelineMcKenzie
585* Creator/LeoMcKern
586* Creator/IanMcShane
587* Creator/GrahamMcTavish
588* Music/MeatLoaf
589* Creator/TobiasMenzies
590* Creator/BurgessMeredith
591* Creator/SimonMerrells
592* Creator/JaneMerrow
593* Creator/JonathanRhysMeyers
594* Creator/AnnMiller
595* Creator/SiennaMiller
596* Creator/HayleyMills
597* Creator/JohnMills
598* Creator/JosephMillson
599* Dame Creator/HelenMirren
600* Creator/ElizabethMitchell
601* Creator/KatherineMoennig
602* Creator/AlfredMolina
603* Creator/JulianneMoore
604* Sir Creator/RogerMoore
605* Creator/EsaiMorales: A veteran screen and stage actor, one of his earliest roles was in ''Theatre/TheTempest'' during the 1981 New York Shakespeare festival.
606* Creator/JeanneMoreau
607* Creator/ColinMorgan
608* Creator/MichaelMoriarty
609* Creator/DavidMorrissey
610* Creator/JoeMorton
611* Creator/WunmiMosaku graduated from RADA.
612* Creator/AnsonMount
613* Creator/JosephMawle, best known for his role as [[Series/GameOfThrones Benjen Stark]], [[Film/MrJones2019 George Orwell]] and [[Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower Adar]], graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2002.
614* Creator/KateMulgrew
615* Creator/CareyMulligan
616* Creator/CillianMurphy
617* Creator/BillMurray
618* Creator/BrianMurray
619* Creator/JaimeMurray
620* Creator/EveMyles
621[[/index]]
622* Jason Narvy: Skull from ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' to ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', has a doctorate in the craft.
623[[index]]
624* Creator/MatthewNeedham
625* Creator/RuthNegga
626* Creator/KateNelligan
627* Creator/TimBlakeNelson
628[[/index]]
629* John Neville: Among other work, did a production of ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' in which he and Richard Burton alternated the roles of Othello and Iago.
630[[index]]
631* Creator/BillNighy
632* Creator/LeonardNimoy
633* Creator/AlessandroNivola
634* Creator/DeanNorris
635* Creator/LupitaNyongo: Attended the Yale School of Drama and appeared in ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew'' and ''Theatre/TheWintersTale''.
636* Creator/DerrickOConnor
637* Creator/FrancesOConnor
638* Creator/JoshOConnor
639* Creator/KateOMara
640* Creator/TerryOQuinn
641* Creator/AnnOgbomo: Has performed with the RSC and National Theatre.
642* Creator/SophieOkonedo: Trained at RADA and won a Tony for ''Theatre/ARaisinInTheSun''.
643* Creator/GaryOldman
644* Creator/PeterOToole, trained at RADA and began his acting career on stage at the Bristol Old Vic before doing a stint with the RSC.
645* Sir Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Lord Olivier: ''the'' Shakesperian actor.
646* Creator/JasonOMara
647* Creator/DeObiaOparei
648* Creator/BrianOsborne
649* Creator/KellyOverton
650* Creator/CliveOwen
651* Creator/DavidOyelowo became the first black actor to play an English king in a major Shakespeare production when he appeared as the title character in the RSC's 2000-01 production of the ''Theatre/HenryVI'' plays.
652* Creator/LeePace
653* Creator/AlPacino
654* Creator/GwynethPaltrow
655* Creator/AnnieParisse
656* Creator/CraigParker
657* Creator/NathanielParker of ''Series/TheInspectorLynleyMysteries'' fame began his career at the RSC.
658* Creator/EstelleParsons
659* Creator/JimParsons
660* Creator/PedroPascal
661* Creator/MandyPatinkin
662* Creator/TrevorPeacock
663* Creator/MaryBethPeil
664* Creator/ElizabethPerkins
665* Creator/HaroldPerrineau
666* Creator/SeanPertwee: Toured with the RSC for three years.
667* Creator/WilliamPetersen
668* Creator/MichellePfeiffer
669* Creator/EthanPhillips
670* Creator/SianPhillips
671* Creator/GeoffPierson
672* Creator/RosamundPike
673* Creator/BilliePiper
674* Creator/OliverPlatt
675* Creator/AmandaPlummer
676* Creator/ChristopherPlummer, trained at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
677* Creator/PeggyPope
678* Creator/AnnaPopplewell
679* Creator/BillyPorter
680* Creator/RayPorter
681* Creator/PetePostlethwaite
682* Creator/MichaelPotts
683* Creator/CCHPounder
684* Creator/CarriePreston
685* Creator/BryanPringle
686* Creator/JonathanPryce: Can't get much more Shakespearian than winning an Olivier Award for playing Theatre/{{Hamlet}}.
687* Creator/JamesPurefoy
688* Creator/LilyRabe
689* Creator/ClaudeRains
690* Creator/DaleRaoul
691* Creator/AnthonyRapp
692* Creator/CondolaRashad
693* Creator/PhyliciaRashad
694* Creator/BasilRathbone
695* Creator/BillRaymond
696* Creator/ElizabethReaser
697* Creator/RachelRedford
698* Creator/JemmaRedgrave
699* Creator/LynnRedgrave
700* Creator/MichaelRedgrave
701* Creator/VanessaRedgrave
702* Creator/EddieRedmayne
703* Creator/RogerRees
704* Creator/ChristopherReeve
705* Creator/KeanuReeves
706* Creator/HalinaReijn
707* Creator/KellyReilly
708* Creator/JohnRhysDavies
709* Creator/MatthewRhys
710* Creator/IanRichardson, worked for the RSC for fifteen years before making glorious infamy as one of fiction's most {{Magnificent Bastard}}s ala [[Series/HouseOfCardsUK Francis Urquhart]].
711* Creator/JoelyRichardson
712* Creator/NatashaRichardson
713* Sir Creator/RalphRichardson: One of the "big three" of the British stage in the mid-20th century alongside Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud.
714* Creator/AlanRickman: Trained at RADA, performed with the RSC, won a Tony, and made his screen debut playing Tybalt in 1978.
715* Creator/DanielRigby
716* Dame Creator/DianaRigg
717* Creator/MollyRingwald
718* Creator/AndreaRiseborough
719* Creator/LinusRoache
720* Creator/MaggieRobertson
721* Creator/LailaRobins
722* Creator/AndrewRobinson
723* Creator/SebastianRoche
724* Creator/MickeyRooney
725* Creator/PatriciaRoutledge
726* Creator/PaulRudd
727* Creator/DeborahRush
728* Creator/GeoffreyRush
729* Creator/MattRyan: Member of the RSC since 2004 and has appeared in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', ''Theatre/TheTempest'' and ''Theatre/HenryV''.
730* Creator/RobertRyan
731* Creator/WinonaRyder
732* Creator/MarkRylance
733[[/folder]]
734
735[[folder:S-W]]
736* Creator/RobinSachs
737* Creator/ThomasSadoski
738* Creator/DianeSalinger
739* Creator/HiroyukiSanada
740* Creator/JayOSanders
741* Creator/StarkSands
742* Creator/SusanSarandon
743* Creator/PeterSarsgaard
744* Creator/RaphaelSbarge
745* Creator/DianaScarwid
746* Creator/AugustSchellenberg
747* Creator/DavidSchramm
748* Creator/LievSchreiber is one of the more prominent Americans of this type.
749* Creator/PaulScofield: His two Oscar nominations came twenty-eight years apart because he was much more interested in the stage than the screen.
750* Creator/AndrewScott
751* Creator/GeorgeCScott
752[[/index]]
753* Margaretta Scott: Best remembered as Mrs. Pumphrey on ''Series/{{All Creatures Great And Small|1978}}''; she was educated at RADA and was one of the first actresses to perform Shakespeare on television (''Much Ado About Nothing'', way back in ''1937'').
754[[index]]
755* Creator/AndySerkis
756* Creator/NestorSerrano
757* Creator/TonyShalhoub
758* Creator/JeremyShamos
759* Creator/DanielSharman
760* Creator/WillSharpe
761* Creator/WilliamShatner, trained at the Canadian National Reparatory Theatre and performed at the Stratford Festival in the 1960s. He repeated some of his roles on TV as well.
762* Creator/FionaShaw: Five Olivier Award nominations, two wins.
763* Creator/MartinShaw
764* Creator/RobertShaw
765* Creator/NormaShearer
766* Creator/MartinSheen
767* Creator/MichaelSheen
768* Creator/PaulShenar - Founding member of the American Conservatory Theater.
769* Creator/SamShepard
770* Creator/WMorganSheppard: RADA graduate and member of the RSC.
771* Creator/JameySheridan
772* Creator/VladekSheybal
773* Creator/AlastairSim
774* Creator/JohnSimm
775* Creator/JoanSims
776* Creator/ElisabethSladen
777* Creator/SharonSmall has played for the Royal National Theatre (U.K.), the Donmar Warehouse, and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
778* Creator/JeanSmart
779* Creator/AnnaDeavereSmith
780* Dame Creator/MaggieSmith
781* Creator/SheridanSmith
782* Creator/JimmySmits
783* Creator/PaulSoles
784* Creator/PaulSorvino
785* Creator/KevinSpacey
786* Creator/RafeSpall
787* Creator/TimothySpall
788* Creator/CliveStanden
789* Creator/RobertStanton
790* Creator/ImeldaStaunton
791* Creator/TobyStephens
792* Creator/DanStevens
793* Creator/FisherStevens
794* Creator/CatrinStewart
795* Sir Creator/PatrickStewart, his classical training has allowed him to dodge being [[TypeCasting type cast]] by either ''Franchise/StarTrek'' or ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', and he's returned to the RSC since (most recently, as Claudius to Creator/DavidTennant's ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'').
796* Creator/DavidOgdenStiers
797* Creator/JuliaStiles
798* Creator/RachaelStirling
799* Creator/NigelStock
800* Creator/CoreyStoll
801* Creator/PeterStormare
802* Creator/MalcolmStorry
803* Creator/KenStott
804* Creator/MerylStreep
805* Creator/MarkStrong
806* Creator/MichaelStuhlbarg
807* Creator/DavidSuchet
808* Creator/DonaldSumpter
809* Creator/TildaSwinton: Performed on stage in college, then joined the RSC in 1984.
810* Creator/MeeraSyal
811* Creator/JeffreyTambor
812* Creator/JessicaTandy: Spent the Thirties on stage alongside such luminaries as Gielgud and Olivier.
813* Creator/CatherineTate did small parts in her youth for the RSC, and in 2011 played Beatrice opposite Creator/DavidTennant's Benedick in ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing''.
814* Dame Creator/ElizabethTaylor
815* Creator/RodTaylor
816* Creator/EricaTazel
817* Creator/NataliaTena
818* Creator/DavidTennant, the Tenth Doctor in ''Series/DoctorWho'', was an RSC man (including a well-regarded [[Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet Romeo]]) before his stint in the TARDIS, and moonlighted as a critically-acclaimed ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' between filming the 2009 specials. He then played Benedick opposite real-life best friend and former ''Who'' co-star Creator/CatherineTate in ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing'', and a few years later returned to the RSC to play the title role in ''Theatre/RichardII''.
819* Creator/OliviaTennet (Dr. K) from ''Series/PowerRangersRPM''. Shortly after her stint on the show, she left for the Globe Theatre in London to participate in workshops with the Young Shakespeare Company as a prize for winning a national Shakespeare competition in New Zealand.
820* Creator/MichaelTherriault
821* Creator/DavidThewlis
822* Creator/GarethThomas
823* Creator/EmmaThompson: Oddly has never played for either the RSC or the RNT,[[note]]in fact, she's done surprisingly little theatre work in general[[/note]] but starred on film as Queen Catherine in ''Film/HenryV'' and Beatrice in ''Film/MuchAdoAboutNothing1993'' (both opposite Kenneth Branagh), as well as Helena in ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' and The Fool in ''Theatre/KingLear'' onstage.
824* Creator/TessaThompson
825* Creator/LindaThorson: Has appeared in a London production of ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream''.
826* Creator/MarisaTomei: Starred in ''Theatre/TheComedyOfErrors'' during the 1992 season of the New York Shakeseapre festival.
827* Creator/AnnaTorv: Graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art, and has played [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Ofelia]] on stage.
828* Creator/LorraineToussaint
829* Creator/RussellTovey
830* Creator/DavidTroughton
831* Creator/PatrickTroughton
832* Creator/StanleyTucci
833* Creator/UlrichTukur
834* Creator/TamaraTunie
835* Creator/AidanTurner
836* Creator/KathleenTurner
837* Creator/AnaUlaru: Did a theatre version of Measure For Measure.
838* Creator/TraceyUllman
839* Creator/BlairUnderwood
840* Creator/CourtneyBVance
841* Creator/IndiraVarma: Graduated from RADA and has appeared in various stage productions in between her film and television work.
842* Creator/JimVarney
843* Creator/TomVaughanLawlor
844* Creator/JohnVernon
845* Creator/SaraVickers
846* Creator/ElliotVillar
847* Creator/GoranVisnjic
848* Creator/AlexanderVlahos
849* Creator/JonVoight
850* Creator/MaxVonSydow
851* Creator/BeckyWahlstrom
852* Creator/RalphWaite
853* Creator/ChristopherWalken
854* Creator/EamonnWalker: The first black actor to play ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and also played Mark Anthony in ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar''.
855* Creator/PollyWalker (Atia of the Julii of ''Series/{{Rome}}'' fame).
856* Creator/EliWallach
857* Creator/PhoebeWallerBridge
858* Creator/GwynythWalsh
859* Creator/KateWalsh
860* Creator/JulieWalters
861[[/index]]
862* Sam Wanamaker
863[[index]]
864* Creator/ZoeWanamaker
865* Creator/LallaWard
866* Creator/DavidWarner
867* Creator/DenzelWashington
868* Creator/KenWatanabe
869* Creator/MatthewWaterhouse
870* Creator/SamWaterston
871* Creator/EmilyWatson
872* Creator/RubyWax
873* Creator/FritzWeaver
874* Creator/SigourneyWeaver
875* Creator/HugoWeaving
876* Creator/PeterWeller
877* Creator/OrsonWelles: Involved in a number of Shakespeare productions early in his career, including directing, at the age of 20, the celebrated "Voodoo ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}''", which transplanted the action to Haiti and featured an entirely African-American cast.
878* Creator/DavidWenham
879* Creator/DominicWest
880* Creator/SamuelWest: Spent two seasons with the Royal Shaekspeare Company, with roles including Hamlet and Richard II.
881* Creator/BenWhishaw
882* Creator/FionnWhitehead
883* Creator/BillieWhitelaw
884* Creator/MayWhitty
885* Creator/DianneWiest
886* Creator/TomWilkinson
887* Creator/OliviaWilliams
888* Creator/RobinWilliams
889* Creator/WadeWilliams
890* Creator/NicolWilliamson: Best known as Merlin in John Boorman's ''Film/{{Excalibur}}''; his Theatre/{{Hamlet}} in the late '60s was wildly successful in both London and New York and then filmed (with Anthony Hopkins as Claudius) in 1969.
891* Creator/RichardWilson
892* Creator/RuthWilson
893* Creator/StuartWilson
894* Creator/PenelopeWilton (aka [[Series/DoctorWho Harriet Jones, Prime Minister]][[note]] Yes, we know who you are[[/note]] and [[Series/DowntonAbbey Isobel Crawley]]) is a Royal National Theatre veteran many times over with a CV that includes [[Creator/AntonChekhov Chekhov]] and [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespeare]]. (Yes, [[RunningGag we know who she is]].)
895* Creator/PhilipWinchester
896* Creator/BarbaraWindsor
897* Creator/KateWinslet
898* Creator/RayWinstone
899* Creator/FinnWittrock
900* Creator/JohnWood: Joined the RSC in 1971.
901* Creator/AlfreWoodard
902* Creator/EdwardWoodward
903* Creator/AlisonWright
904* Creator/JeffreyWright
905* Creator/KitYoung
906* Creator/MichaelYork
907* Creator/HarrisYulin
908* Creator/ShaneZaza
909[[/folder]]
910
911[[/index]]

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