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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/SydneyBromley
110* Creator/JacquelineBrookes
111* Creator/AveryBrooks
112* Creator/DanielleBrooks
113* Creator/RachelBrosnahan
114* Creator/SterlingKBrown
115* Creator/JessicaBrownFindlay
116* Creator/KarenBryson
117* Creator/JessieBuckley
118* Creator/VictorBuono
119* Creator/MyAnnaBuring
120* Creator/TyBurrell
121* Creator/KateBurton
122* Creator/RichardBurton
123* Creator/GerardButler
124* Creator/LScottCaldwell
125* Creator/JamesCagney
126* Creator/JonathanCake
127* Creator/JDCannon
128* Creator/PeterCapaldi
129* Creator/JessicaCapshaw
130* Creator/LorneCardinal
131* Creator/TantooCardinal
132* Creator/JohnCariani
133* Creator/JaneCarr
134* Creator/RockyCarroll
135* Creator/JohnCarradine
136* Creator/GarryChalk
137* Creator/StockardChanning
138* 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.
139* Creator/AnyaChalotra
140* 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.
141* Creator/JessicaChastain
142* Creator/JuanChioran
143* 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''.
144* Creator/JulieChristie
145* Creator/MorfyddClark
146* Creator/GlennClose
147* Creator/RhysCoiro
148* Creator/JohnColicos
149* Creator/ToniCollette
150* Creator/LynnCollins
151* Creator/KerryCondon
152* Creator/SeanConnery
153* Creator/KennethConnor
154* Creator/FrancesConroy
155* Creator/KevinConroy
156* Creator/CarrieCoon
157* Creator/ChrisCooper
158* Creator/DominicCooper
159* Creator/GretchenCorbett
160* Creator/JudyCornwell
161* Creator/DavidCostabile
162* Creator/NikolajCosterWaldau
163* Creator/MarionCotillard
164* Creator/JosephCotten
165* Creator/GeorgeCoulouris
166* Creator/BrianCox
167* Creator/CharlieCox
168* Creator/DanielCraig
169* Creator/BernardCribbins
170* Creator/StephenCritchlow
171* Creator/JamesCromwell
172* Creator/HumeCronyn
173* Creator/MackenzieCrook
174* Creator/BenCross
175* Creator/LindsayCrouse
176* Creator/BillyCrudup
177* Creator/MartonCsokas
178* Creator/JohnCullum
179* 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).
180* Creator/AnnaCummer
181* Creator/AlanCumming
182* Creator/LiamCunningham
183* Creator/TimCurry
184* Creator/JoanCusack
185* Creator/NiamhCusack
186* Creator/PeterCushing
187* Creator/HenryIanCusick: Attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and appeared in productions with the Strathclyde Theatre Group in Glasgow.
188[[/folder]]
189
190[[folder:D-G]]
191* Creator/JimDale
192* Creator/TimothyDalton: Trained at RADA for two years and spent most of the 1970s performing with the RSC and other troupes.
193* Creator/CharlesDance
194* Creator/ClaireDanes: A weird example in that her first Shakespearean work is [[Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet a movie adaptation]] before she started regularly appearing on stage.
195* Creator/BenDaniels
196* Creator/NathanDarrow
197* Creator/ArthurDarvill
198* Creator/KeithDavid
199* Creator/LaneDavies
200* Creator/EmbethDavidtz
201[[/index]]
202* 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.
203[[index]]
204* Creator/JudyDavis
205* Creator/ViolaDavis: Graduated from Juilliard, won a Tony for ''Fences'' and then an Oscar for the film adaptation.
206* Creator/BruceDavison
207* Creator/PeterDavison
208* Creator/DavidDawson
209* Creator/RosarioDawson
210* Creator/DanielDayLewis: Performed at the National Youth Theatre, attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and performed with the RSC.
211* Creator/ElizabethDebicki
212* Dame Creator/OliviaDeHavilland
213[[/index]]
214* 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.
215[[index]]
216* Creator/JohnDeLancie
217* Creator/DanaDelany
218* Creator/JeffreyDeMunn
219* 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.
220* Creator/BrianDennehy
221* Creator/GerardDepardieu
222* Creator/AngelDesai
223* Creator/WilliamDevane
224* Creator/DannyDeVito
225[[/index]]
226* 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).
227[[index]]
228* Creator/ReedDiamond
229* Creator/DaleDickey
230* Creator/AugustDiehl
231* Creator/DaveedDiggs
232* Creator/StephenDillane
233* Creator/JoeDinicol
234* 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.
235* Creator/KenDodd
236* Creator/RobertDonat
237* Creator/ColinDonnell
238* Creator/JeffreyDonovan
239* Creator/NatalieDormer
240* Creator/MelvynDouglas
241* Creator/RobertDowneyJr
242* Creator/RachelDratch
243* Creator/RichardDreyfuss
244* Creator/LindsayDuncan
245* Creator/CharlesDurning
246* Creator/ChristopherEccleston
247* Creator/AdrianEdmondson
248* Creator/SamanthaEggar
249* 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''.
250* Creator/IdrisElba
251* Creator/DenholmElliott
252* Creator/MaryElizabethEllis
253* Creator/MichaelEmerson
254* Creator/RobertEnglund
255* Creator/CynthiaErivo
256* Creator/NormanEshley
257* Creator/RaulEsparza
258[[/index]]
259* Dame Edith Evans: Three-time Academy Award-nominee.
260[[index]]
261* Creator/MauriceEvans
262* Creator/RupertEvans
263* Creator/RupertEverett
264* Creator/MichelleFairley
265* Creator/VeraFarmiga
266* Creator/MiaFarrow
267* Creator/MichaelFassbender
268* Creator/ColmFeore
269* Creator/JesseTylerFerguson
270* Creator/JosephFiennes, who played the title role in ''Film/ShakespeareInLove'', and is the younger brother of
271* Creator/RalphFiennes
272* Creator/NathanFillion
273* Creator/JonFinch
274* Creator/AlbertFinney
275* Creator/ColinFirth
276* Creator/LaurenceFishburne: A stage veteran and the first African American to portray ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' in a motion picture by a major studio.
277* Creator/RayFisher
278* Creator/TaraFitzgerald
279* Creator/KateFleetwood
280* Creator/GlennFleshler
281* Creator/CalistaFlockhart
282* Creator/DannFlorek
283* Creator/BarrettFoa
284* Creator/MeganFollows
285* Creator/EmiliaFox
286* Creator/ClaireFoy: Has played Lady Theatre/{{Macbeth}} opposite Creator/JamesMcAvoy as the VillainProtagonist.
287* Creator/KayFrancis
288* Creator/DennisFranz
289* Creator/LauraFraser
290* Creator/MartinFreeman
291* Creator/MorganFreeman
292* Creator/AnnaFriel
293* Creator/StephenFry
294* Creator/MichaelGambon
295* Creator/RomolaGarai
296* Creator/AndrewGarfield
297* Creator/GreerGarson
298* Creator/MarkGatiss
299* Creator/WillGeer
300* Creator/RichardGere
301* Creator/PaulGiamatti
302* Creator/MelGibson
303* Creator/ThomasGibson
304* Creator/JohnGielgud: Up there with Olivier as one of the most important British stage actors of the 20th century.
305* Creator/AidanGillen
306* Creator/JessalynGilsig
307* Creator/LillianGish
308* Creator/IainGlen
309* Creator/KimikoGlenn
310* Creator/JohnGlover
311* Creator/JulianGlover
312* 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]].
313* Creator/ReneeEliseGoldsberry
314* Creator/CarolineGoodall
315* Creator/JohnGoodman
316* Creator/GinniferGoodwin
317* Creator/MichelleGomez
318* Creator/BurnGorman
319* Creator/MichaelGough
320* Creator/HughGrant
321* Creator/RichardEGrant
322* Creator/ShalitaGrant
323* Creator/RupertGraves
324* Creator/CharlesGray
325* Creator/MackenzieGray
326* Creator/LorneGreene
327* Creator/ClarkGregg
328* Creator/StephenGreif
329* Creator/RichardGriffiths
330* Creator/IoanGruffudd
331* Sir Creator/AlecGuinness: Spoke the very first lines at the Stratford Festival (namely, "[[Theatre/RichardIII Now is the winter of our discontent]]").
332* Creator/PeterGuinness
333* Creator/DanaiGurira
334* Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal
335[[/folder]]
336
337[[folder:H-L]]
338* Creator/JonathanHadary
339* Creator/DavidHaig
340* Creator/RonHalder
341* Creator/MichaelCHall
342* Creator/RebeccaHall
343* Creator/HarryHamlin
344* Creator/JonHamm
345* Creator/TomHanks
346* Creator/JohnHannah
347* Creator/DavidHarbour
348* Creator/MarciaGayHarden
349* Creator/CedricHardwicke
350* 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'').
351* Creator/DorisHare
352* Creator/DavidHarewood
353* Creator/KitHarington
354* Creator/WilliamJacksonHarper
355* Creator/LauraElenaHarring
356* Creator/EdHarris
357* Creator/JaredHarris
358* Julie Harris: Possibly ''the'' most acclaimed American stage actress, with ten Tony Award nominations and five wins.
359* Creator/NeilPatrickHarris
360* Creator/RichardHarris
361* Creator/RosemaryHarris
362* Creator/WilliamHartnell: Appeared in a number of Shakespeare productions starting in 1925.
363* Creator/JoshHartnett
364* Creator/HurdHatfield
365* Creator/AnneHathaway
366* Creator/EthanHawke
367* Creator/SallyHawkins
368* Creator/GoldieHawn
369* Creator/NigelHawthorne
370* Creator/CHarlesHawtrey
371[[/index]]
372* Helen Hayes, "First Lady of the American Theatre" and an EGOT-winner.
373[[index]]
374* Creator/DavidHedison
375* Creator/DonHenderson
376* Creator/ShirleyHenderson
377* Creator/IanHendry
378* Creator/BrianTyreeHenry
379* Creator/GreggHenry
380* Creator/GuyHenry
381* Creator/KatharineHepburn
382* Creator/EdwardHerrmann
383* Creator/CharltonHeston
384* Creator/SamHeughan
385* 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.
386* Creator/FreddieHighmore
387* Creator/ConlethHill
388* Creator/JacquelineHill
389* Creator/WendyHiller
390* Creator/CiaranHinds
391* Creator/DouglasHodge
392* Creator/DustinHoffman
393* Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman
394* Creator/EdwardHogg
395* Creator/HalHolbrook
396* Creator/LaurieHolden
397* Creator/TomHollander
398* Creator/IanHolm
399* Creator/CharlotteHope
400* 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.
401* Creator/OskarHomolka
402* Creator/MichaelHordern
403* Creator/BernardHorsfall
404* Creator/BobHoskins
405* Creator/JayneHoudyshell
406* Creator/BryceDallasHoward
407* Creator/LeslieHoward
408* Creator/TrevorHoward
409* Creator/FrankieHowerd
410* Creator/NealHuff
411* Creator/HelenHunt
412* Creator/KathrynHunter
413* Creator/IsabelleHuppert
414* Creator/JohnHurt
415* Creator/MaryBethHurt
416* Creator/WilliamHurt
417* Creator/OliviaHussey
418* Creator/JosephineHutchinson
419* Creator/JonathanHyde
420* Creator/RhysIfans
421* Creator/CeliaImrie
422* Creator/JeremyIrons: Educated at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
423* Creator/JeremyIrvine
424* Creator/AmyIrving
425* Creator/BillIrwin
426* Creator/OscarIsaac
427* Creator/ZeljkoIvanek
428* Creator/DanaIvey
429* Creator/ChukwudiIwuji
430* 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.
431* Creator/GillianJacobs
432* Creator/LennieJames
433* Creator/LilyJames
434* Creator/LouiseJameson
435* Creator/AllisonJanney
436* Creator/TonyJay
437* Creator/MichaelJayston
438* Creator/IsabelJeans
439* Creator/RichardJenkins
440* Creator/CarolineJohn
441* Creator/HannahJohnKamen
442* Creator/AaronTaylorJohnson
443* Creator/RichardJohnson
444* Creator/CherryJones: Five-time Tony Award nominee, two-time winner, including one for the original production of ''Film/{{Doubt}}''.
445* Creator/FelicityJones
446* Creator/FreddieJones
447* Creator/JamesEarlJones: Played Theatre/{{Othello}} (duh) and numerous other Shakespeare roles, and won two Tonys.
448* Creator/MarkLewisJones
449* Creator/NealJones
450* Creator/RonCephasJones
451* Creator/PatersonJoseph
452* Creator/RaulJulia
453* Creator/CushJumbo: Nominated for an Olivier Award for her portrayal of Mark Antony in an all-female ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar''.
454* Creator/CarolKane
455* Creator/JohnKani
456* Creator/KareenaKapoor
457* Tunji Kasim: Now on ''Series/NancyDrew2019'', he was part of the RSC from 2009 to 2011, and read Shakespearian sonnets for a phone app.
458* Creator/LloydKaufman
459* Creator/HakeemKaeKazim
460* Creator/StacyKeach: Appeared in Shakespearean plays from the early 1960s until well into the 2000s.
461* Creator/MichaelKeaton
462* Creator/HughKeaysByrne
463* Creator/TobyKebbell
464* Creator/PenelopeKeith
465* Creator/EllieKendrick
466* Creator/JohnKeston: Became famous for the character Gehn in VideoGames/RivenTheSequelToMyst. Atrus' father and the main antagonist of said game.
467* Creator/ValKilmer
468* Creator/KimYunjin
469* Sir Creator/BenKingsley: Joined the RSC in 1967 and spent most of the next fifteen years on stage.
470* Creator/FerdinandKingsley
471* Creator/AlexKingston of ''Series/{{ER}}'' and ''Series/DoctorWho'' fame.
472* Creator/RoryKinnear
473* Creator/EmilyKinney
474* Creator/VanessaKirby: Has appeared in ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' and ''Theatre/AsYouLikeIt''.
475* Creator/MichaelKitchen
476* Creator/GertanKlauber
477* 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.
478* Creator/TRKnight
479* Creator/ThomasKopache
480* Creator/YaphetKotto
481* Creator/RikiyaKoyama
482* Creator/StephenKunken
483* Creator/JenniferLafleur
484* Creator/PhilLaMarr
485* Creator/EriqLaSalle
486* Creator/DianeLane
487* Creator/NathanLane
488* Creator/StephenLang
489* Creator/JessicaLange
490* Creator/FrankLangella
491* Dame Creator/AngelaLansbury
492* Creator/LizaLapira
493* Creator/SanaaLathan
494* Creator/CharlesLaughton
495* Creator/DanLauria, the father on ''Series/TheWonderYears''.
496* Creator/JohnLaurie
497* Creator/PiperLaurie
498* Creator/JudeLaw
499* Creator/AlexLawther
500* Creator/ClorisLeachman
501* Creator/ChristopherLee
502[[/index]]
503* 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}}.
504[[index]]
505* Creator/JohnLeguizamo
506* Creator/JenniferJasonLeigh
507* Creator/VivienLeigh
508* Creator/MargaretLeighton
509* Creator/HarryLennix
510* Creator/RoseLeslie
511* Creator/AntonLesser
512[[/index]]
513* Adrian Lester of ''Series/{{Hustle}}''
514[[index]]
515* Creator/MattLetscher
516* Creator/KatieLeung
517* Creator/DamianLewis
518* Creator/AndrewLincoln
519* Creator/RobertLindsay
520* Creator/HamishLinklater
521* Creator/LauraLinney: Studied at Juilliard, four-time Tony nominee.
522* Creator/MaureenLipman
523* Creator/JohnLithgow
524* Creator/ChristopherLloyd
525* Creator/HarryLloyd
526* Creator/NormanLloyd
527* Creator/BelaLugosi
528* Creator/PattiLuPone
529[[/folder]]
530
531[[folder:M-R]]
532* Creator/JeanetteMacDonald (starred in operatic version of ''Romeo and Juliet'')
533* Creator/AngusMacfadyen
534* Creator/MatthewMacfadyen
535* Creator/KyleMacLachlan
536* Creator/PatrickMacnee
537* Creator/PeterMacNicol
538* Creator/AnnaMadeley
539* Creator/RichardMadden
540* Creator/PatrickMagee: Appeared in Anew [=McMaster's=] theatre company and later joined the RSC.
541* Creator/PatrickMalahide
542* Creator/ChristopherMalcolm
543* Creator/PaulaMalcomson
544* Creator/LesleyManville
545* Creator/StephanieMarch
546* Creator/NancyMarchand
547* Creator/MiriamMargolyes
548* Creator/JeanMarsh
549* Creator/EGMarshall
550* Creator/HerbertMarshall
551* Creator/FayeMarsay
552[[/index]]
553* William Marshall: Film/{{Blacula}} himself; played Theatre/{{Othello}} in no less than six productions.
554[[index]]
555* Creator/JesseLMartin
556* Creator/NanMartin
557* Creator/ElizabethMarvel
558* Creator/JamesMason
559* Creator/AnnaMassey
560* Creator/MaryElizabethMastrantonio
561* Creator/DannyMastrogiorgio
562* Creator/CarmenMathews
563* Creator/RikMayall
564* Creator/GuguMbathaRaw: Has played [[Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet Juliet]] to Creator/AndrewGarfield's Romeo and [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Ophelia]] to Creator/JudeLaw's Hamlet.
565* Creator/JamesMcAvoy
566* Creator/DavidMcCallum
567* Creator/AlecMcCowen
568* Creator/SylvesterMcCoy
569* Creator/HelenMcCrory
570* Creator/IanMcDiarmid: Best known as [[Franchise/StarWars Emperor Palpatine]]. He's an acclaimed stage director and actor, often involved with Shakespearean works.
571* Creator/AudraMcDonald
572* Creator/FrancesMcDormand
573* Creator/RoddyMcDowall
574* Creator/MalcolmMcDowell: Trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
575* Creator/MichaelMcElhatton
576* Creator/IanMcElhinney
577* Creator/NataschaMcElhone
578* Creator/PeterMcEnery
579* Creator/PaulMcGann
580* Creator/KellyMcGillis
581* Creator/ElizabethMcGovern
582* Creator/EwanMcGregor
583* Creator/TimMcInnerny
584* Creator/NeveMcIntosh
585* Creator/MichaelMcKean
586* Sir Creator/IanMcKellen
587* Creator/JacquelineMcKenzie
588* Creator/LeoMcKern
589* Creator/IanMcShane
590* Creator/GrahamMcTavish
591* Music/MeatLoaf
592* Creator/TobiasMenzies
593* Creator/BurgessMeredith
594* Creator/SimonMerrells
595* Creator/JaneMerrow
596* Creator/JonathanRhysMeyers
597* Creator/SarahMiles
598* Creator/AnnMiller
599* Creator/SiennaMiller
600* Creator/HayleyMills
601* Creator/JohnMills
602* Creator/JosephMillson
603* Dame Creator/HelenMirren
604* Creator/ElizabethMitchell
605* Creator/KatherineMoennig
606* Creator/AlfredMolina
607* Creator/JulianneMoore
608* Sir Creator/RogerMoore
609* Creator/EsaiMorales: A veteran screen and stage actor, one of his earliest roles was in ''Theatre/TheTempest'' during the 1981 New York Shakespeare festival.
610* Creator/JeanneMoreau
611* Creator/ColinMorgan
612* Creator/MichaelMoriarty
613* Creator/DavidMorrissey
614* Creator/JoeMorton
615* Creator/WunmiMosaku graduated from RADA.
616* Creator/AnsonMount
617* 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.
618* Creator/KateMulgrew
619* Creator/CareyMulligan
620* Creator/CillianMurphy
621* Creator/BillMurray
622* Creator/BrianMurray
623* Creator/JaimeMurray
624* Creator/EveMyles
625[[/index]]
626* Jason Narvy: Skull from ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' to ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', has a doctorate in the craft.
627[[index]]
628* Creator/MatthewNeedham
629* Creator/RuthNegga
630* Creator/KateNelligan
631* Creator/TimBlakeNelson
632[[/index]]
633* John Neville: Among other work, did a production of ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' in which he and Richard Burton alternated the roles of Othello and Iago.
634[[index]]
635* Creator/BillNighy
636* Creator/LeonardNimoy
637* Creator/AlessandroNivola
638* Creator/DeanNorris
639* Creator/LupitaNyongo: Attended the Yale School of Drama and appeared in ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew'' and ''Theatre/TheWintersTale''.
640* Creator/DerrickOConnor
641* Creator/FrancesOConnor
642* Creator/JoshOConnor
643* Creator/KateOMara
644* Creator/TerryOQuinn
645* Creator/AnnOgbomo: Has performed with the RSC and National Theatre.
646* Creator/SophieOkonedo: Trained at RADA and won a Tony for ''Theatre/ARaisinInTheSun''.
647* Creator/GaryOldman
648* Creator/PeterOToole, trained at RADA and began his acting career on stage at the Bristol Old Vic before doing a stint with the RSC.
649* Sir Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Lord Olivier: ''the'' Shakesperian actor.
650* Creator/JasonOMara
651* Creator/DeObiaOparei
652* Creator/BrianOsborne
653* Creator/KellyOverton
654* Creator/CliveOwen
655* 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.
656* Creator/LeePace
657* Creator/AlPacino
658* Creator/GwynethPaltrow
659* Creator/AnnieParisse
660* Creator/CraigParker
661* Creator/NathanielParker of ''Series/TheInspectorLynleyMysteries'' fame began his career at the RSC.
662* Creator/EstelleParsons
663* Creator/JimParsons
664* Creator/PedroPascal
665* Creator/MandyPatinkin
666* Creator/TrevorPeacock
667* Creator/MaryBethPeil
668* Creator/ElizabethPerkins
669* Creator/HaroldPerrineau
670* Creator/SeanPertwee: Toured with the RSC for three years.
671* Creator/WilliamPetersen
672* Creator/MichellePfeiffer
673* Creator/EthanPhillips
674* Creator/SianPhillips
675* Creator/GeoffPierson
676* Creator/RosamundPike
677* Creator/BilliePiper
678* Creator/OliverPlatt
679* Creator/AmandaPlummer
680* Creator/ChristopherPlummer, trained at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
681* Creator/PeggyPope
682* Creator/AnnaPopplewell
683* Creator/BillyPorter
684* Creator/RayPorter
685* Creator/PetePostlethwaite
686* Creator/MichaelPotts
687* Creator/CCHPounder
688* Creator/CarriePreston
689* Creator/BryanPringle
690* Creator/JonathanPryce: Can't get much more Shakespearian than winning an Olivier Award for playing Theatre/{{Hamlet}}.
691* Creator/JamesPurefoy
692* Creator/LilyRabe
693* Creator/ClaudeRains
694* Creator/DaleRaoul
695* Creator/AnthonyRapp
696* Creator/CondolaRashad
697* Creator/PhyliciaRashad
698* Creator/BasilRathbone
699* Creator/BillRaymond
700* Creator/ElizabethReaser
701* Creator/RachelRedford
702* Creator/JemmaRedgrave
703* Creator/LynnRedgrave
704* Creator/MichaelRedgrave
705* Creator/VanessaRedgrave
706* Creator/EddieRedmayne
707* Creator/RogerRees
708* Creator/ChristopherReeve
709* Creator/KeanuReeves
710* Creator/HalinaReijn
711* Creator/KellyReilly
712* Creator/JohnRhysDavies
713* Creator/MatthewRhys
714* 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]].
715* Creator/JoelyRichardson
716* Creator/NatashaRichardson
717* Sir Creator/RalphRichardson: One of the "big three" of the British stage in the mid-20th century alongside Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud.
718* Creator/AlanRickman: Trained at RADA, performed with the RSC, won a Tony, and made his screen debut playing Tybalt in 1978.
719* Creator/DanielRigby
720* Dame Creator/DianaRigg
721* Creator/MollyRingwald
722* Creator/AndreaRiseborough
723* Creator/LinusRoache
724* Creator/MaggieRobertson
725* Creator/LailaRobins
726* Creator/AndrewRobinson
727* Creator/SebastianRoche
728* Creator/MickeyRooney
729* Creator/GoldaRosheuvel
730* Creator/PatriciaRoutledge
731* Creator/PaulRudd
732* Creator/DeborahRush
733* Creator/GeoffreyRush
734* Creator/MattRyan: Member of the RSC since 2004 and has appeared in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', ''Theatre/TheTempest'' and ''Theatre/HenryV''.
735* Creator/RobertRyan
736* Creator/WinonaRyder
737* Creator/MarkRylance
738[[/folder]]
739
740[[folder:S-W]]
741* Creator/RobinSachs
742* Creator/ThomasSadoski
743* Creator/DianeSalinger
744* Creator/HiroyukiSanada
745* Creator/JayOSanders
746* Creator/StarkSands
747* Creator/SusanSarandon
748* Creator/PeterSarsgaard
749* Creator/RaphaelSbarge
750* Creator/DianaScarwid
751* Creator/AugustSchellenberg
752* Creator/DavidSchramm
753* Creator/LievSchreiber is one of the more prominent Americans of this type.
754* Creator/PaulScofield: His two Oscar nominations came twenty-eight years apart because he was much more interested in the stage than the screen.
755* Creator/AndrewScott
756* Creator/GeorgeCScott
757[[/index]]
758* 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'').
759[[index]]
760* Creator/AndySerkis
761* Creator/NestorSerrano
762* Creator/TonyShalhoub
763* Creator/JeremyShamos
764* Creator/DanielSharman
765* Creator/WillSharpe
766* 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.
767* Creator/FionaShaw: Five Olivier Award nominations, two wins.
768* Creator/MartinShaw
769* Creator/RobertShaw
770* Creator/NormaShearer
771* Creator/MartinSheen
772* Creator/MichaelSheen
773* Creator/PaulShenar - Founding member of the American Conservatory Theater.
774* Creator/SamShepard
775* Creator/WMorganSheppard: RADA graduate and member of the RSC.
776* Creator/JameySheridan
777* Creator/VladekSheybal
778* Creator/AlastairSim
779* Creator/JohnSimm
780* Creator/JoanSims
781* Creator/ElisabethSladen
782* Creator/SharonSmall has played for the Royal National Theatre (U.K.), the Donmar Warehouse, and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
783* Creator/JeanSmart
784* Creator/AnnaDeavereSmith
785* Dame Creator/MaggieSmith
786* Creator/SheridanSmith
787* Creator/JimmySmits
788* Creator/PaulSoles
789* Creator/PaulSorvino
790* Creator/KevinSpacey
791* Creator/RafeSpall
792* Creator/TimothySpall
793* Creator/CliveStanden
794* Creator/RobertStanton
795* Creator/ImeldaStaunton
796* Creator/TobyStephens
797* Creator/DanStevens
798* Creator/FisherStevens
799* Creator/CatrinStewart
800* 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}}'').
801* Creator/DavidOgdenStiers
802* Creator/JuliaStiles
803* Creator/RachaelStirling
804* Creator/NigelStock
805* Creator/CoreyStoll
806* Creator/PeterStormare
807* Creator/MalcolmStorry
808* Creator/KenStott
809* Creator/MerylStreep
810* Creator/MarkStrong
811* Creator/MichaelStuhlbarg
812* Creator/DavidSuchet
813* Creator/DonaldSumpter
814* Creator/TildaSwinton: Performed on stage in college, then joined the RSC in 1984.
815* Creator/MeeraSyal
816* Creator/JeffreyTambor
817* Creator/JessicaTandy: Spent the Thirties on stage alongside such luminaries as Gielgud and Olivier.
818* Creator/CatherineTate did small parts in her youth for the RSC, and in 2011 played Beatrice opposite Creator/DavidTennant's Benedick in ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing''.
819* Dame Creator/ElizabethTaylor
820* Creator/RodTaylor
821* Creator/EricaTazel
822* Creator/NataliaTena
823* 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''.
824* 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.
825* Creator/MichaelTherriault
826* Creator/DavidThewlis
827* Creator/GarethThomas
828* 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.
829* Creator/TessaThompson
830* Creator/LindaThorson: Has appeared in a London production of ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream''.
831* Creator/MarisaTomei: Starred in ''Theatre/TheComedyOfErrors'' during the 1992 season of the New York Shakeseapre festival.
832* Creator/AnnaTorv: Graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art, and has played [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Ofelia]] on stage.
833* Creator/LorraineToussaint
834* Creator/RussellTovey
835* Creator/DavidTroughton
836* Creator/PatrickTroughton
837* Creator/PaulaTrueman
838* Creator/StanleyTucci
839* Creator/UlrichTukur
840* Creator/TamaraTunie
841* Creator/AidanTurner
842* Creator/KathleenTurner
843* Creator/AnaUlaru: Did a theatre version of Measure For Measure.
844* Creator/TraceyUllman
845* Creator/BlairUnderwood
846* Creator/CourtneyBVance
847* Creator/IndiraVarma: Graduated from RADA and has appeared in various stage productions in between her film and television work.
848* Creator/JimVarney
849* Creator/TomVaughanLawlor
850* Creator/JohnVernon
851* Creator/SaraVickers
852* Creator/ElliotVillar
853* Creator/GoranVisnjic
854* Creator/AlexanderVlahos
855* Creator/JonVoight
856* Creator/MaxVonSydow
857* Creator/BeckyWahlstrom
858* Creator/RalphWaite
859* Creator/ChristopherWalken
860* Creator/EamonnWalker: The first black actor to play ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and also played Mark Anthony in ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar''.
861* Creator/PollyWalker (Atia of the Julii of ''Series/{{Rome}}'' fame).
862* Creator/EliWallach
863* Creator/PhoebeWallerBridge
864* Creator/GwynythWalsh
865* Creator/KateWalsh
866* Creator/JulieWalters
867[[/index]]
868* Sam Wanamaker
869[[index]]
870* Creator/ZoeWanamaker
871* Creator/LallaWard
872* Creator/DavidWarner
873* Creator/DenzelWashington
874* Creator/KenWatanabe
875* Creator/MatthewWaterhouse
876* Creator/SamWaterston
877* Creator/EmilyWatson
878* Creator/RubyWax
879* Creator/FritzWeaver
880* Creator/SigourneyWeaver
881* Creator/HugoWeaving
882* Creator/PeterWeller
883* 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.
884* Creator/DavidWenham
885* Creator/DominicWest
886* Creator/SamuelWest: Spent two seasons with the Royal Shaekspeare Company, with roles including Hamlet and Richard II.
887* Creator/BenWhishaw
888* Creator/FionnWhitehead
889* Creator/BillieWhitelaw
890* Creator/MayWhitty
891* Creator/DianneWiest
892* Creator/TomWilkinson
893* Creator/OliviaWilliams
894* Creator/RobinWilliams
895* Creator/WadeWilliams
896* 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.
897* Creator/RichardWilson
898* Creator/RuthWilson
899* Creator/StuartWilson
900* 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]].)
901* Creator/PhilipWinchester
902* Creator/BarbaraWindsor
903* Creator/KateWinslet
904* Creator/RayWinstone
905* Creator/FinnWittrock
906* Creator/JohnWood: Joined the RSC in 1971.
907* Creator/AlfreWoodard
908* Creator/EdwardWoodward
909* Creator/AlisonWright
910* Creator/JeffreyWright
911* Creator/KitYoung
912* Creator/MichaelYork
913* Creator/HarrisYulin
914* Creator/ShaneZaza
915[[/folder]]
916
917[[/index]]

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