John Hurt
Acting
Sir John Vincent Hurt (January 22, 1940 – January 25, 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. He came to prominence for his role as Richard Rich in the film A Man for All Seasons (1966) and gained BAFTA Award nominations for his portrayals of Timothy Evans in 10 Rillington Place (1971) and Quentin Crisp in television film The Naked Civil Servant (1975) – winning his first BAFTA for the latter. He played Caligula in the BBC TV series I, Claudius (1976). Hurt's performance in the prison drama Midnight Express (1978) brought him international renown and earned Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards, along with an Academy Award nomination. His BAFTA-nominated portrayal of astronaut Kane, in the science-fiction horror film Alien (1979), notably included a scene where an alien creature burst out of his chest, named by several publications as one of the most memorable moments in cinema history. Hurt earned his third competitive BAFTA, along with his second Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, as Joseph Merrick in David Lynch's biopic The Elephant Man (1980). Other significant roles during the 1980s included Bob Champion in biopic Champions (1984), Mr. Braddock in the Stephen Frears drama The Hit (1984), Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) and Stephen Ward in the drama depicting the Profumo affair, Scandal (1989). Hurt was again BAFTA-nominated for his work in Irish drama The Field (1990) and played the primary villain, James Graham, in the epic adventure Rob Roy (1995). His later films include the Harry Potter film series (2001–11), the Hellboy films (2004 and 2008), supernatural thriller The Skeleton Key (2005), western The Proposition (2005), political thriller V for Vendetta (2005), action adventure Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), sci-fi action Outlander (2008) and the Cold War espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011). Hurt reprised his role as Quentin Crisp in An Englishman in New York (2009), which brought his seventh BAFTA nomination. He portrayed the War Doctor in the BBC TV series Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor", in 2013. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors; director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in the world". He possessed what was described as the "most distinctive voice in Britain", likened by The Observer to "nicotine sieved through dirty, moonlit gravel". His voice acting career encompassed films such as Watership Down (1978), The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Plague Dogs (1982), The Black Cauldron (1985), Dogville (2003) and Planet Dinosaur (2011) as well as BBC TV series Merlin (2008–2012). In 2012, he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement BAFTA Award, in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to cinema". He was knighted in 2015 for his services to drama.
Known for
Acting275
movieDoctor Who: Wish World & The Reality War
2025
The Doctor (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieHenry Fonda for President
2025
Self (archive footage)
movieDoctor Who at the Proms
2024
The Doctor (War) (archive footage)
movieHannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony
2021
Self (archive footage)
movieAyamé
2018
Narrator (voice)
movieMy Name Is Lenny
2017
Leslie Salmon
movieThe Journey
2017
Harry Patterson
movieJackie
2016
The Priest
The Pity of War: The Loves and Lives of the War Poets
2016
Siegfried Sassoon
movieBack to Utopia
2016
Professor Peter Panludic (voice)
movieThe Final Reel
2016
Self - Narrator (voice)
movieChickLit
2016
Francis Bonar
movieDoctor Who: The Husbands of River Song
2015
The Doctor (War) (picture) (uncredited)
movieThomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure: The Movie
2015
Sailor John (voice)
movieBreak
2015
Jack
movieThe Alchemist's Letter
2015
The Alchemist (voice)
movieHercules
2014
Cotys
movieOnly Lovers Left Alive
2013
Christopher Marlowe
movieThe Day of the Doctor: Cinema Intro
2013
The War Doctor
movieDoctor Who: The Day of the Doctor
2013
The War Doctor
movieThe Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
2013
The War Doctor (archive voice)
movieDoctor Who: The Night of the Doctor
2013
The War Doctor
movieHello: A Portrait Of Leslie Phillips
2013
Self / Stephen Ward
movieSnowpiercer
2013
Gilliam
movieJayne Mansfield's Car
2013
Kingsley Bedford
movieSwan Lake 3D - Live from the Mariinsky Theatre
2013
The Voice of the Winter Palace / Self
movieBenjamin Britten: Peace and Conflict
2013
Narrator (voice)
movieSightseers
2012
Jerusalem Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
tvLabyrinth
2012
Audric Baillard
moviePlanet Dinosaur: Ultimate Killers
2012
Narrator (voice)
movieMore Than Honey
2012
Narrator (english voice)
tvThe Hollow Crown
2012
The Chorus
movieThe Snipist
2012
The Ministry
tvPlayhouse Presents
2012
The Ministry (voice)
movieThe Gruffalo's Child
2011
The Owl (voice)
movieImmortals
2011
Old Zeus
tvPlanet Dinosaur
2011
Narrator
movie23 Degrees, 5 Minutes
2011
Professor Orit
movieMelancholia
2011
Dexter
movieThe Confession
2011
Priest
tvThe Confession
2011
Priest
tvHuman Planet
2011
Narrator (voice)
movieWhistle and I'll Come to You
2010
James Parkin
movieBrighton Rock
2010
Phil Corkery
movieA Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures
2010
Grandpa Sammy (voice)
movieLou
2010
Doyle
movieThe Gruffalo
2009
Owl (voice)
movieMaking History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World
2009
Self (archive footage)
movie44 Inch Chest
2009
Old Man Peanut
movieWaking Sleeping Beauty
2009
The Horned King (voice) (archive footage)
movieAn Englishman in New York
2009
Quentin Crisp
movieCentenary: The BP Story
2009
Narrator (voice)
movieLecture 21
2008
Mondrian Kilroy
tvMerlin
2008
Kilgharrah (voice)
movieHellboy II: The Golden Army
2008
Trevor Bruttenholm
movieRecount
2008
Warren Christopher
movieIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
2008
Professor Harold Oxley / Self
movieOutlander
2008
Rothgar
movieThe Oxford Murders
2008
Arthur Seldom
tvMasters of Science Fiction
2007
Samswope
movieBoxes
2007
Fanny's father
movieHellboy Animated: Blood and Iron
2007
Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm (voice)
moviePerfume: The Story of a Murderer
2006
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Plot Against Harold Wilson
2006
Narrator (voice)
movie'V for Vendetta' Unmasked
2006
Adam Sutler
movieShooting Dogs
2006
Christopher
movieV for Vendetta
2006
Adam Sutler
movieThe Proposition
2005
Jellon Lamb
movieOnce Upon a Halloween
2005
The Horned King (voice) (archive sound)
movieHiroshima
2005
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Skeleton Key
2005
Ben Devereaux
movieManderlay
2005
Narrator (voice)
Hiroshima: The First Weapon of Mass Destruction
2005
Narrator
tvDoctor Who
2005
The Doctor
movieValiant
2005
Felix (voice)
movieShort Order
2005
Felix
movieShadowing the Third Man
2004
Narrator (voice)
moviePride
2004
Harry (voice)
movieHellboy
2004
Prof. Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm
tvThe Alan Clark Diaries
2004
Alan Clark
movieDogville
2003
Narrator (voice)
movieMeeting Che Guevara & the Man from Maybury Hill
2003
Man from Maybury Hill
movieOwning Mahowny
2003
Victor Foss
movieCheck the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film
2003
Self / Self - Krapp ("Krapp's Last Tape")
movieThe Alien Saga
2002
Narrator (voice)
movieCrime and Punishment
2002
Porfiry, chief investigator
movieBait
2002
Jack Blake
movieMiranda
2002
Christian
tvEdge of the Universe
2002
Narrator (voice)
movieShaolin: Wheel of Life
2001
Narrator (voice)
movieHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
2001
Mr. Ollivander
movieCaptain Corelli's Mandolin
2001
Dr. Iannis
movieThe Hidden Wars of Desert Storm
2001
Narrator (voice)
movieTabloid
2001
Vince
movieLost Souls
2000
Father Lareaux
movieThe Tigger Movie
2000
Narrator (voice)
movieNew Blood
1999
Alan White
movieYou're Dead...
1999
Maitland
movieIf... Dog... Rabbit
1999
Sean Cooper
tvWatership Down
1999
General Woundwort (voice)
movieAll the Little Animals
1999
Mr. Summers
movieLove and Death on Long Island
1998
Giles De'Ath
movieThe Climb
1998
Chuck Langer
movieThe Commissioner
1998
James morton
tvParkinson
1998
Self
movieNight Train
1998
Michael Poole
movieBrute
1997
Babits
movieContact
1997
S. R. Hadden
movieTender Loving Care
1996
Dr. Turner
movieDead Man
1995
John Scholfield
Saigon Baby
1995
Jack Lee
movieWild Bill
1995
Charley Prince
tvPicture Windows
1995
Marquis de Prey
On Jupiter
1995
Narrator (voice)
movieRob Roy
1995
John Graham
moviePicture Windows: Two Nudes Bathing
1995
Marquis de Prey
movieThe World of Jim Henson
1994
The Storyteller (archive footage)
movieSecond Best
1994
Uncle Turpin
movieRabbit Ears - Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
1994
Narrator (voice)
movieEven Cowgirls Get the Blues
1994
The Countess
movieGreat Moments in Aviation
1994
Rex Goodyear
movieThumbelina
1994
Mr. Mole (voice)
movieMonolith
1993
Villano
tvGMTV
1993
Self
movieDark at Noon
1992
Anthony / Le Marquis
movieRed Fox
1991
Archie Carpenter
movieI Dreamt I Woke Up
1991
Boorman's Alter Ego
tvPerformance
1991
The Father
movieLapse of Memory
1991
Conrad Farmer
movieKing Ralph
1991
Lord Percival Graves
moviePaul McCartney: From Rio to Liverpool
1990
Narrator (voice)
movieFrankenstein Unbound
1990
Dr. Joe Buchanan / Narrator (voice)
movieThe Field
1990
Bird' O'Donnell
movieResident Alien
1990
Self - Actor
movieWindprints
1990
Charles Rutherford
movieWho Bombed Birmingham?
1990
Chris Mullin
movieRomeo.Juliet
1990
La Dame aux Chats / Mercutio (voice)
moviePoison Candy
1989
Robert Burger
tvThe Jim Henson Hour
1989
The Storyteller (archive footage)
movieScandal
1989
Stephen Ward
movieDavid Macaulay: Pyramid
1989
Khufu / Second French Explorer (voice)
movieThe Bengali Night
1988
Lucien Metz
movieA Dinner of Herbs
1988
Verse Reader
movieThe Storyteller: The True Bride
1988
The Storyteller
movieThe Storyteller: The Heartless Giant
1988
The Storyteller
movieThe Storyteller: Sapsorrow
1988
The Storyteller
movieThe Storyteller: Hans My Hedgehog
1988
The Storyteller
movieThe Storyteller: A Story Short
1988
The Storyteller
movieThe Storyteller: The Luck Child
1988
The Storyteller
movieThe Storyteller: Fearnot
1988
The Storyteller
movieThe Storyteller: The Soldier and Death
1988
The Storyteller
tvThe Storyteller
1988
The Storyteller
movieDeadline
1988
Granville Jones
movieWhite Mischief
1987
Gilbert Colville
movieVincent
1987
(voice)
movieSpaceballs
1987
John Hurt
movieAria
1987
The Actor
The Hunting of the Snark
1987
The Narrator (voice)
movieFrom the Hip
1987
Douglas Benoit
movieMonolith
1987
Narrator (voice)
movieIceberg
1987
Narrator (voice)
movieThames Film
1986
Narrator
tvScreenPlay
1986
Alfred
movieThe Strange Case of Yukio Mishima
1985
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Black Cauldron
1985
The Horned King (voice)
movieAfter Darkness
1985
Peter Hunningford
tvScreen Two
1985
Rex Goodyear / Jack Lee
movieNineteen Eighty-Four
1984
Winston Smith
movieThe Hit
1984
Braddock
movieSuccess Is the Best Revenge
1984
Dino Montecurva
movieChampions
1984
Bob Champion
tvNatural World
1983
Narrator
movieThe Osterman Weekend
1983
Lawrence Fassett
movieKing Lear
1983
The Fool
movieThe Plague Dogs
1982
Snitter (voice)
moviePartners
1982
Kerwin
movieNight Crossing
1982
Peter Strelzyk
movieHistory of the World: Part I
1981
Jesus - The Roman Empire
movieHeaven's Gate
1980
Billy Irvine
movieThe Elephant Man
1980
John Merrick
movieAlien
1979
Kane
tvCrime and Punishment
1979
Rodion Raskolnikov
movieThe Lord of the Rings
1978
Aragorn (voice)
movieWatership Down
1978
Hazel (voice)
movieThe Shout
1978
Anthony Fielding
movieThe Disappearance
1977
Atkinson
movieThree Dangerous Ladies
1977
Lt. George Simmonds
movieSpectre
1977
Mitri Cyon
tvI, Claudius
1976
Caligula
movieStream Line
1976
Chandler
movieThe Peddler
1976
Alec Cassell
movieThe Naked Civil Servant
1975
Quentin Crisp
tvSaturday Night Live
1975
March Hare
movieThe Ghoul
1975
Tom Rawlings
tvThe Sweeney
1975
Tony Grey
movieLittle Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs
1974
Malcolm Scrawdyke
tvNOVA
1974
Narrator
The Playboy of the Western World
1974
Christopher Mahon (Christy Mahon)
tvWessex Tales
1973
Joshua Harlborough
tvA Ghost Story for Christmas
1971
James Parkin
movieMr. Forbush and the Penguins
1971
Richard Forbush
movie10 Rillington Place
1971
Timothy Evans
tvGreat Performances
1971
Narrator
tvPlay for Today
1970
Alec Cassell
movieSinful Davey
1969
Davey Haggart
movieBefore Winter Comes
1969
Lieutenant Pilkington
tvITV Playhouse
1967
Guy Beresford
movieA Man for All Seasons
1966
Richard Rich
tvNET Playhouse
1966
Peter Heywood
tvGideon's Way
1965
Freddy Tisdale
movieThis Is My Street
1964
Charlie
movieThe Wild and the Willing
1962
Phil Corbett
Drama 61-67
1961
Private Briggs / Tom
tvGolden Globe Awards
1944
Self - Nominee