Tilda Swinton
Actor, Producer, Writer, Director
5 November 1960 (65 years)
Katherine Matilda Swinton (born November 5, 1960) is an award-winning British actress of Scottish descent, known for her versatile roles in independent films and blockbusters. She is a recipient various accolades throughout her long career, including an Academy Award and two BAFTA Awards, in addition to being nominated 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 film-maker and recognizes 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.
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 film-maker and recognizes 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
Filmography
| 2026 | WOLF · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2025 | Broken English · as The Overseer |
| 2025 | Moon: Nature's Secret Force · as Narrator |
| 2025 | Ballad of a Small Player · as Cynthia Blithe |
| 2024 | The End · as Mother |
| 2024 | The Room Next Door · as Martha / Michelle |
| 2024 | A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things · as Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (voice) |
| 2024 | Fantasmas · as Water (voice) |
| 2023 | Problemista · as Elizabeth |
| 2023 | The Killer · as The Expert |
| 2023 | Asteroid City · as Dr. Hickenlooper |
| 2022 | The Eternal Daughter · as Julie / Rosalind |
| 2022 | Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio · as Wood Sprite / Death (voice) |
| 2022 | Three Thousand Years of Longing · as Alithea |
| 2021 | The Souvenir: Part II · as RosalindOn Plex |
| 2021 | The French Dispatch · as J.k.l. Berensen |
| 2021 | Memoria · as Jessica Holland |
| 2021 | What If…? · as The Ancient One (voice) |
| 2021 | Marvel Studios: Legends · as The Ancient One (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2020 | The Human Voice · as Woman |
| 2020 | Last and First Men · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2019 | Uncut Gems · as Anne - Adley's Auction Manager (voice) |
| 2019 | The Personal History of David Copperfield · as Betsey Trotwood |
| 2019 | The Boys · as Ambrosius (voice) |
| 2019 | The Souvenir · as Rosalind |
| 2019 | The Dead Don't Die · as Zelda Winston |
| 2019 | Avengers: Endgame · as The Ancient One |
| 2019 | What We Do in the Shadows · as Tilda |
| 2018 | Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2018 | Suspiria · as Madame Blanc / Dr. Klemperer / Helena Markos |
| 2018 | Isle of Dogs · as Oracle (voice) |
| 2017 | Letters from Generation Rx · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2017 | Okja · as Lucy Mirando / Nancy Mirando |
| 2017 | War Machine · as German Politician |
| 2017 | Tania Libre · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2016 | Doctor Strange · as The Ancient One |
| 2016 | Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter · as Narrator |
| 2016 | Letters from Baghdad · as Gertrude Bell (voice) |
| 2016 | Hail, Caesar! · as Thora Thacker / Thessaly Thacker |
| 2015 | A Bigger Splash · as Marianne Lane |
| 2015 | Trainwreck · as Dianna |
| 2015 | Dreams Rewired · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2014 | Antarctica 3D: On the Edge · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2014 | The Grand Budapest Hotel · as Madame D. |
| 2013 | Only Lovers Left Alive · as Eve |
| 2013 | The Zero Theorem · as Dr. Shrink-Rom |
| 2013 | Snowpiercer · as Mason |
| 2013 | Death for a Unicorn · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2013 | When Björk Met Attenborough · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2012 | Moonrise Kingdom · as Social Services |
| 2011 | We Need to Talk About Kevin · as Eva Khatchadourian |
| 2010 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader · as White Witch |
| 2010 | Climate of Change · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2009 | The Invisible Frame · as The Cyclist |
| 2009 | I Am Love · as Emma Recchi |
| 2009 | Getting On · as Elke |
| 2009 | The Limits of Control · as Blonde |
| 2008 | The Curious Case of Benjamin Button · as Elizabeth Abbott |
| 2008 | Burn After Reading · as Katie Cox |
| 2008 | Strictly Courtroom · as Karen Crowder |
| 2008 | The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian · as White Witch |
| 2008 | Julia · as Julia |
| 2008 | Derek · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2007 | Hitler's Favourite Royal · as NarratorOn Plex |
| 2007 | The Man from London · as Camélia |
| 2007 | Strange Culture · as Hope Kurtz |
| 2007 | Michael Clayton · as Karen Crowder |
| 2007 | Faceless · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2006 | Deep Water · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2006 | Stephanie Daley · as Lydie CraneOn Plex |
| 2005 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe · as White Witch |
| 2005 | Line of Fire: The Somme · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2005 | Thumbsucker · as Audrey Cobb |
| 2005 | Broken Flowers · as Penny |
| 2005 | Constantine · as Gabriel |
| 2003 | The Statement · as Annemarie Livi |
| 2003 | Young Adam · as Ella Gault |
| 2002 | Adaptation. · as Valerie Thomas |
| 2002 | Teknolust · as Rosetta / Ruby / Marinne / Olive |
| 2001 | Vanilla Sky · as Rebecca Dearborn |
| 2001 | The Deep End · as Margaret Hall |
| 2000 | Possible Worlds · as Joyce |
| 2000 | The Beach · as Sal |
| 1999 | The Protagonists · as Actress |
| 1999 | The War Zone · as Mum |
| 1998 | Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon · as Muriel Belcher |
| 1997 | Conceiving Ada · as Ada Augusta Byron King, Countess Of Lovelace |
| 1996 | Female Perversions · as Evelyn Stephens |
| 1994 | |
| 1993 | Blue · as (voice)On Plex |
| 1993 | Wittgenstein · as Lady Ottoline Morrell |
| 1992 | Orlando · as Orlando |
| 1992 | Shakespeare: The Animated Tales · as Ophelia (voice) |
| 1991 | Edward II · as IsabellaOn Plex |
| 1990 | Your Cheatin' Heart · as Cissie Crouch |
| 1990 | Das offene Universum · as Carla |
| 1990 | The Garden · as Madonna/voice Overs |
| 1989 | Play Me Something · as Hairdresser |
| 1989 | War Requiem · as The Nurse |
| 1988 | Cycling the Frame · as The Cyclist |
| 1987 | The Last of England · as The Maid |
| 1987 | Friendship's Death · as Friendship |
| 1987 | Aria · as Young GirlOn Plex |
| 1986 | Egomania: Island Without Hope · as Sally |
| 1986 | Caravaggio · as Lena |
| 1986 | Screenplay (1986) · as Ella |
| 1986 | Caprice · as Lucky |
| 1986 | Zastrozzi: A Romance · as Julia |
| 2026 | WOLF · as Executive Producer |
| 2024 | |
| 2021 | Memoria · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema · as Executive Producer |
| 2017 | Okja · as Co-Producer |
| 2016 | Letters from Baghdad · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | The Seasons In Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger · as Executive Producer |
| 2011 | We Need to Talk About Kevin · as Executive Producer |
| 2009 | |
| 2008 | Derek · as Executive Producer |
| 2006 | Stephanie Daley · as Executive ProducerOn Plex |
| 2005 | Thumbsucker · as Co-Executive Producer |