Jonathan Pryce
Biography
Jonathan Pryce is a Welsh actor who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began on stage in the early 1970s. Born in Carmel, Flintshire, he won a Tony Award in 1977 for his Broadway debut in Comedians and an Olivier Award in 1980 for Hamlet at the Royal Court. He originated The Engineer in Miss Saigon, winning another Tony. His screen breakthrough came with Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985), followed by Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), The Age of Innocence (1993), Carrington (1995), Evita (1996) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). He played Governor Weatherby Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean films from 2003 to 2007. Credits include The Wife (2017) and The Two Popes (2019), earning his first Academy Award nomination. On TV he appeared in Barbarians at the Gate (1993), Wolf Hall (2015), Game of Thrones (2015 to 2016) and Slow Horses. He has won two Tony Awards and two Olivier Awards and was knighted in 2021.
79years old
Turns 80 on June 1in 226 days
- Born Carmel
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- John Price (birth name)Also credited as Sir Jonathan Pryce
Movie Career
- Films
- 63
- Career span
- 49 years1976 to 2025
Genres
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About the name
Pryce became a member of Equity and chose the stage name Jonathan Pryce, since his birth name was too close to one belonging to a performer Equity already represented.
First role
Pryce earned his Equity card with a minor part in the 1972 Doomwatch episode "Fire & Brimstone", his first screen appearance.
Big break
Pryce's breakthrough came when he played Sam Lowry, the subdued protagonist, in Terry Gilliam's science fiction dystopian dark comedy Brazil, released in 1985.
Behind the award
At the Nottingham Playhouse, Pryce took a part in Trevor Griffiths' play Comedians that had been written with him in mind. He later played it again on Broadway in 1976 under Mike Nichols, earning the 1977 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.
Behind the award
Pryce originated the Engineer in the 1990 West End musical Miss Saigon, and Actors' Equity tried to block his Broadway transfer over his casting as a Eurasian character.
Big break
Pryce was cast as Pope Francis in The Two Popes partly because of his striking resemblance to the real pope, and the role brought his first Academy Award nomination.
Jonathan Pryce movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl2003 Action, Adventure, Fantasyas Governor Weatherby Swann
IMDb rating 8.11.3M votes
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest2006 Action, Adventure, Fantasyas Governor Weatherby Swann
IMDb rating 7.4837K votes
Most often with
Gore Verbinski directed three of these films, Terry Gilliam three. Three actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Bill Paterson's page
Kevin McNally's page
Mackenzie Crook's page
Ben Kingsley's page
Jim Broadbent's page
Pierce Brosnan's page
Gore VerbinskiDirector, 3 films, 2003 to 2007
All films by Gore Verbinski
All films by Terry Gilliam
Also three films together11 more actors
- Johnny DeppPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Richard E. GrantThe Thursday Murder Club (2025), Comic Relief: Doctor Who - The Curse of Fatal Death (1999) and The Age of Innocence (1993)
- Stellan SkarsgårdPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Ronin (1998)
- Keira KnightleyPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Orlando BloomPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Roger Ashton-GriffithsThe Brothers Grimm (2005), Haunted Honeymoon (1986) and Brazil (1985)
- Anna ChancellorHysteria (2011), Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars (2007) and What a Girl Wants (2003)
- Lee ArenbergPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- David RyallHysteria (2011), Unconditional Love (2002) and Carrington (1995)
- Jack DavenportPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- David BailiePirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Jonathan Pryce's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$4.7 billion
35 of the 63 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 63 films: 35 worldwide figure; 9 us gross only; 9 never in cinemas; 3 streaming, short cinema run; 7 figure not found.
- 35Worldwide figure
- 9US gross only
- 9Never in cinemas
- 3Streaming, short cinema run
- 7Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 87% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$1.1B22.9% of the total
- 2$962M20.6% of the total
- 3$655M14.1% of the total
- 4$372M8.0% of the total
- 5$333M7.1% of the total
- 6$303M6.5% of the total
- 7$213M4.6% of the total
- 8$141M3.0% of the total
$616 millionfrom the other 27 films with a worldwide figure, 13% of the total
Awards
Seven awards and honors from 1977 to 1995, three of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | |||
| 1995 | Best Actor | Carrington | Won |
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1991 | Best Actor in a Musical | Miss Saigon | Won |
| 1977 | Best Featured Actor in a Play | The Comedians | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| 1977 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Won | ||
| Laurence Olivier Awards | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.