Jonathan Pryce
Welsh actor and knighted stage and screen star.
Sir Jonathan Pryce, born John Price on 1 June 1947 in Carmel, Flintshire, is a Welsh actor celebrated for his work across stage, film, and television. His career has earned him two Tony Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards, along with nominations for an Academy Award, three BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, and six Emmys. In 2021, he was knighted for his contributions to drama.
Pryce trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) after studying at Holywell Grammar School, art college, and Edge Hill College, where he first performed in a college theatre production. He graduated from RADA in 1971 with an Acting diploma, having worked as a door-to-door salesman of velvet paintings to support himself. He adopted the stage name "Jonathan Pryce" because his birth name was already taken by another Equity member.
His stage career began in the early 1970s at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool, where he later became artistic director, and he also performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Nottingham Playhouse. He won an Olivier Award for his title role in *Hamlet* at the Royal Court Theatre in 1980 and another Olivier for playing The Engineer in the musical *Miss Saigon* in 1990. On Broadway, he earned a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his debut in *Comedians* (1977) and a second Tony for Best Actor in a Musical for the Broadway transfer of *Miss Saigon* (1991).
His film breakthrough came in Terry Gilliam's dystopian black comedy *Brazil* (1985). Known for his versatility, Pryce has appeared in big-budget films such as *Evita* (1996), *Tomorrow Never Dies* (1997), and the *Pirates of the Caribbean* series (2003–2007), as well as independent films like *Glengarry Glen Ross* (1992), *The Age of Innocence* (1993), *Carrington* (1995), *The New World* (2005), and *The Wife* (2017). He received his first Academy Award nomination for portraying Pope Francis in *The Two Popes* (2019).
On television, Pryce earned four Primetime Emmy nominations for playing Henry Kravis in *Barbarians at the Gate* (1993), a wealthy widower in *Return to Cranford* (2010), Prince Philip in *The Crown*, and a retired MI5 officer in *Slow Horses*. He also portrayed Thomas Wolsey in *Wolf Hall* (2015), the High Sparrow in *Game of Thrones* (2015–2016), and Sir Stuart Strange in *Taboo* (2017).
Pryce was raised in Carmel, Flintshire, the son of Margaret Ellen (née Williams) and Isaac Price, a former coal miner who ran a grocery shop with his wife. He has two older sisters and was brought up as a Welsh Presbyterian. After leaving RADA, he made his first screen appearance in a 1972 episode of *Doomwatch* and later starred in two Stephen Frears television films. His early stage roles included a part written for him in Trevor Griffiths' *Comedians*, which moved to the Old Vic and then Broadway. He also appeared in the radio series *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* as Zarniwoop, a role he reprised in 2005.
- born
- 1 June 1947
- field
- Actor
- nationality
- Welsh
- known_for
- Stage and screen performances, including Hamlet, Miss Saigon, Brazil, The Two Popes
Lore & Background
Pryce was born John Price on 1 June 1947 in Carmel, Flintshire, the son of Margaret Ellen (née Williams) and Isaac Price, a former coal miner who ran a small general grocery shop with his wife. He has two older sisters and was raised a Welsh Presbyterian. He was educated at Holywell Grammar School, and at the age of 16, went to art college before he started training to be a teacher at Edge Hill College (now Edge Hill University) in Ormskirk, Lancashire. While studying, he took part in a college theatre production and applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Pryce was subsequently awarded a scholarship to RADA, graduating in 1971, with Acting (RADA Diploma). He joined Equity, and took 'Jonathan Pryce' as his stage name because his birth name was too similar to that of a performer already represented by Equity. While at RADA, he worked as a door-to-door salesman of velvet paintings.
Reader's Guide
Pryce began his career as a stage actor in the early 1970s. His work in theatre includes an Olivier Award–winning performance in the title role of the Royal Court Theatre's Hamlet in 1980 and as The Engineer in the stage musical Miss Saigon in 1990. On the Broadway stage he earned two Tony Awards—the first for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his Broadway debut role in Comedians (1977), the second for Best Actor in a Musical for the Broadway transfer of the musical Miss Saigon (1991). His breakthrough screen performance was in Terry Gilliam's satirical dystopian black comedy film Brazil (1985). Critically lauded for his versatility, Pryce has appeared in big-budget films including Evita (1996), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and Pirates of the Caribbean series (2003–2007), as well as independent films such as Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), The Age of Innocence (1993), Carrington (1995), The New World (2005) and The Wife (2017). He earned his first Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Pope Francis in The Two Popes (2019). For his work on television, he received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his portrayals of Henry Kravis in the HBO film Barbarians at the Gate (1993), a wealthy widower in the BBC series Return to Cranford (2010), Prince Philip in the Netflix series The Crown, and as a retired senior MI5 officer in the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses. Pryce also played Thomas Wolsey in the BBC limited series Wolf Hall (2015), the High Sparrow in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2015–2016) and Sir Stuart Strange in the series Taboo (2017).
Did You Know?
- Pryce was born John Price and took 'Jonathan Pryce' as his stage name because his birth name was too similar to that of a performer already represented by Equity.
- While at RADA, he worked as a door-to-door salesman of velvet paintings.
- He won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his Broadway debut role in Comedians (1977).
- He earned his first Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Pope Francis in The Two Popes (2019).
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