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Tilda Swinton

Born: 1960

Biography

Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received various accolades throughout her career, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and five Screen Actors Guild Awards. Swinton began her career by appearing in experimental films starting with Caravaggio (1986), followed by The Last of England (1988), War Requiem (1989), and The Garden (1990). She won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for her portrayal of Isabella of France in Edward II (1991). She next starred in Sally Potter's Orlando (1992), for which she received a nomination for the European Film Award for Best Actress. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance in The Deep End (2001), and followed this with appearances in Vanilla Sky (2001), Adaptation (2002), Constantine (2005), Julia (2008), and I Am Love (2009). For the film Young Adam (2003), she won the British Academy Scotland Award for Best Actress. Her performance in Michael Clayton (2007) won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Additionally, she won the European Film Award for Best Actress and received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the psychological thriller We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011). Swinton has also played the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia series (2005–2010) and the Ancient One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Swinton was awarded the Richard Harris Award by the British Independent Film Awards in recognition of her contributions to the British film industry. In 2013, she was given a special tribute by the Museum of Modern Art. In 2020, Swinton was awarded the British Film Institute Fellowship, the highest honour presented by the institution, for her "daringly eclectic and striking talents as a performer and filmmaker and recognises her great contribution to film culture, independent film exhibition and philanthropy." That same year, The New York Times ranked her thirteenth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century up to that point.
Known For Acting
Gender Female
Place of Birth London, England, UK

Resources

Movies

Young Adam

Ella Gault in Young Adam

Broken Flowers

Penny in Broken Flowers

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Constantine

Gabriel in Constantine

Thumbsucker

Audrey Cobb in Thumbsucker

Vanilla Sky

Rebecca Dearborn in Vanilla Sky

The Beach

Sal in The Beach

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Adaptation.

Valerie Thomas in Adaptation.

Michael Clayton

Karen Crowder in Michael Clayton

Stephanie Daley

Lydie Crane in Stephanie Daley

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Elizabeth Abbott in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Burn After Reading

Katie Cox in Burn After Reading

Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon

Muriel Belcher in Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon

Caravaggio

Lena in Caravaggio

The Man from London

Camélia in The Man from London

Julia

Julia in Julia

The Limits of Control

Blonde in The Limits of Control

The Deep End

Margaret Hall in The Deep End

Orlando

Orlando in Orlando

I Am Love

Emma Recchi in I Am Love

The Statement

Annemarie Livi in The Statement

Female Perversions

Eve Stephens in Female Perversions

War Requiem

The Nurse in War Requiem

The War Zone

Mum in The War Zone

Edward II

Isabella in Edward II

Possible Worlds

Joyce in Possible Worlds

Teknolust

Rosetta / Ruby / Marinne / Olive in Teknolust

Climate of Change

Narrator (voice) in Climate of Change

The Invisible Frame

The Cyclist in The Invisible Frame

Blue

(voice) in Blue

Wittgenstein

Lady Ottoline Morrell in Wittgenstein

Conceiving Ada

Ada Augusta Byron King, Countess of Lovelace in Conceiving Ada

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Madame D. in The Grand Budapest Hotel

Cinema Is Everywhere

Self in Cinema Is Everywhere

Glitterbug

Self in Glitterbug

The Garden

Madonna/Voice Overs in The Garden

Strange Culture

Hope Kurtz in Strange Culture

Only Lovers Left Alive

Eve in Only Lovers Left Alive

The Protagonists

Actress in The Protagonists

The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger

Self in The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger

The Zero Theorem

Dr. Shrink-Rom in The Zero Theorem

Love Flesh

Self in Love Flesh

Friendship's Death

Friendship in Friendship's Death

Here’s Looking at You, Boy

Self in Here’s Looking at You, Boy

Egomania: Island Without Hope

Sally in Egomania: Island Without Hope

Moonrise Kingdom

Social Services in Moonrise Kingdom

Snowpiercer

Minister Mason in Snowpiercer

Death for a Unicorn

Narrator (voice) in Death for a Unicorn

Cycling the Frame

The Cyclist in Cycling the Frame

Degrees of Blindness

in Degrees of Blindness

Travelling at Night with Jim Jarmusch

Self in Travelling at Night with Jim Jarmusch

A Bigger Splash

Marianne Lane in A Bigger Splash

Trainwreck

Dianna in Trainwreck

Volcano Saga

Gudrun in Volcano Saga

Dreams Rewired

Narrator (voice) in Dreams Rewired

Sleepwalkers

Violinist working as a Copy Clerk in Sleepwalkers

Remembrance of Things Fast: True Stories Visual Lies

in Remembrance of Things Fast: True Stories Visual Lies

Deep Water

Narrator (voice) in Deep Water

B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989

Self in B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989

Hail, Caesar!

Thora Thacker / Thessaly Thacker in Hail, Caesar!

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Eva Khatchadourian in We Need to Talk About Kevin

Suspiria

Madame Blanc / Helena Markos / Dr. Klemperer in Suspiria

The Somme

Narrator (voice) in The Somme

Isle of Dogs

Oracle (voice) in Isle of Dogs

Play Me Something

Hairdresser in Play Me Something

Derek

Narrator (voice) in Derek

Your Cheatin' Heart

in Your Cheatin' Heart

Letters from Baghdad

Gertrude Bell (voice) in Letters from Baghdad

War Machine

German Politician in War Machine

Okja

Lucy Mirando / Nancy Mirando in Okja

When Björk Met Attenborough

Narrator (voice) in When Björk Met Attenborough

Song 1

Self in Song 1

async - first light

in async - first light

Antarctica: On the Edge

Narrator (voice) in Antarctica: On the Edge

Memoria

Jessica Holland in Memoria

Letters from Generation Rx

Narrator (voice) in Letters from Generation Rx

The Souvenir

Rosalind in The Souvenir

The Personal History of David Copperfield

Betsey Trotwood in The Personal History of David Copperfield

The Open Universe

Carla in The Open Universe

The Dead Don't Die

Zelda Winston in The Dead Don't Die

A Call to Arms

in A Call to Arms

Three Thousand Years of Longing

Alithea in Three Thousand Years of Longing

Tilda Swinton: The Love Factory

Self in Tilda Swinton: The Love Factory

The French Dispatch

J.K.L. Berensen in The French Dispatch

Last and First Men

Narrator (voice) in Last and First Men

The Souvenir: Part II

Rosalind in The Souvenir: Part II

Faceless

Narrator (voice) in Faceless

14 Actors Acting

Self in 14 Actors Acting

Caprice

Lucky in Caprice

Depuis le Jour

in Depuis le Jour

One Water

in One Water

Snowpiercer: Transperceneige, From the Blank Page to the Black Screen

Self in Snowpiercer: Transperceneige, From the Blank Page to the Black Screen

The Last of England

The Maid in The Last of England

Man to Man

Ella / Max Gerike in Man to Man

Visions of Heaven and Hell

Narrator (voice) in Visions of Heaven and Hell

Cannes: All Access

Self in Cannes: All Access

The Human Voice

Woman in The Human Voice

Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence

Self (archive footage) in Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Wood Sprite / Death (voice) in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Doctor Strange

The Ancient One in Doctor Strange

Avengers: Endgame

The Ancient One in Avengers: Endgame

Derek Jarman: A Portrait

Self in Derek Jarman: A Portrait

The Eternal Daughter

Julie / Rosalind in The Eternal Daughter

Tania Libre

Narrator (voice) in Tania Libre

The Storms of Jeremy Thomas

Self in The Storms of Jeremy Thomas

Asteroid City

Dr. Hickenlooper in Asteroid City

Ashes

Self in Ashes

Problemista

Elizabeth in Problemista

Moments on the Set of I Am Love

Self in Moments on the Set of I Am Love

The End

in The End

The Killer

The Expert in The Killer

Durmiente

in Durmiente

David Bowie: Five Years

Self (archive footage) in David Bowie: Five Years

The Dilapidated Dwelling

Narrator (voice) in The Dilapidated Dwelling

Goliath: Playing with Reality

Narrator (voice) in Goliath: Playing with Reality

Thumbsucker - Behind the Scenes

Self in Thumbsucker - Behind the Scenes

Uncut Gems

Anne - Adley's Auction Manager (voice) in Uncut Gems

Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'

Self / Social Services in Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema

Self in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema

The Gospel According to St Derek

Self in The Gospel According to St Derek

Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes

Narrator (voice) in Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes

Aria

Young Girl in Aria

Cannes Uncut

Self in Cannes Uncut

The Party: Nature Morte

Queenie in The Party: Nature Morte

Radioman

Self in Radioman

The Making of The Grand Budapest Hotel

Self / Madame D. in The Making of The Grand Budapest Hotel

Some Thoughts On The Common Toad

Narrator (voice) in Some Thoughts On The Common Toad

The Sluggard

The Sluggard in The Sluggard

The Room Next Door

Martha in The Room Next Door

Untitled Apichatpong Weerasethakul Project

in Untitled Apichatpong Weerasethakul Project

All Kinds of Love

Self in All Kinds of Love

“…and then we dance?”

Dancer in “…and then we dance?”

Behind Jim Jarmusch

Self in Behind Jim Jarmusch

The Human Voice Q&A With Pedro Almodovar And Tilda Swinton, Hosted By Mark Kermode

Self in The Human Voice Q&A With Pedro Almodovar And Tilda Swinton, Hosted By Mark Kermode

The Ballad of a Small Player

in The Ballad of a Small Player

TV Shows