Anton Lesser

Last updated

Anton Lesser
Anton Lesser (2011).jpg
Lesser in June 2011
Born (1952-02-14) 14 February 1952 (age 72)
Alma mater
OccupationActor
Years active1979–present
SpouseMadeleine Lesser
Children2

Anton Lesser (born 14 February 1952 [1] ) is a British actor. He is known for his roles as Qyburn in the HBO series Game of Thrones , Harold Macmillan in The Crown , Clement Attlee in A United Kingdom , Chief Superintendent Bright in Endeavour , [2] and Major Partagaz in Star Wars: Andor . An associate of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he has performed numerous Shakespearean roles on stage and television.

Contents

Early life and education

Anton Lesser was born in Birmingham [3] on 14 February 1952, [4] the son of David Lesser and his wife Amelia Cohen.[ citation needed ] He is of Jewish background. [5]

He was educated at Moseley Grammar School and the University of Liverpool, where he read architecture.[ citation needed ]

Lesser went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from 1974 until 1976, [3] and on graduation in 1977 [6] was awarded the Bancroft Gold Medal as the most promising actor of his year. His final performance there was as Gethin Price in Comedians by Trevor Griffiths. [3]

Career

Lesser was spotted in Comedians and offered a contract by the casting director for the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). [3]

As an associate artist with the RSC, Lesser played many of Shakespeare's great roles. [3] In the BBC Television Shakespeare productions he was Troilus ( Troilus and Cressida ), Edgar ( King Lear ), and Feste ( Twelfth Night ). On stage, he has portrayed Romeo (a titular character in his play), Prince Hamlet (the titular character of his play), Brutus ( Julius Caesar ), Petruchio ( The Taming of the Shrew ), Richard III (the titular character of his play), and others. [7]

When he moved down to London, the reviews were less flattering than he had become accustomed to at the RSC. However he continued to win roles on stage, including as Stanley in Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew , Rover in Wild Oats and Brutus in Deborah Warner’s Julius Caesar in 1975. [3]

Lesser is a frequent radio contributor and played the title role in the BBC Radio adaptations of the first five Marcus Didius Falco mysteries by Lindsey Davis. He has also recorded many audiobooks, including much of the work of Charles Dickens. His recording of Great Expectations won him a Talkie Award. Other books range from John Milton's Paradise Lost , Homer and Rumi [8] to contemporary novels by Robert Harris ( Fatherland ) and Philip Pullman. For two months in 2013, Lesser was a regular cast member playing Robin Carrow in Ambridge Extra , a BBC Radio 4 Extra spin-off from the BBC Radio 4 drama The Archers . [9]

In 2013, during the third season of the HBO Max series Game of Thrones , Lesser began playing the recurring role of Qyburn, an enigmatic mad scientist who served as part of the retinue of Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). Qyburn, and Lesser's portrayal of him, were popular with fans, particularly as the series went on and the character appeared more frequently and had greater influence over the narrative. [10] [11] The Ringer described him as "the last curious man in Westeros" and noted that the character "refuses to seem like a MacGuffin, despite totally being one." [12] The character returned across the remainder of the series run until the finale in 2019; Qyburn was one of the characters who perished in the final episode, which led to many fans producing memes about his abrupt death. [13]

In 2015, Lesser was announced as a public supporter of Chapel Lane Theatre Company based in Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom. [14]

Lesser portrayed Thomas More in the BBC mini-series Wolf Hall , and received a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. [15]

In 2022, Lesser played Major Partagaz, a supporting antagonist in the Star Wars spinoff Andor . His performance of Partagaz, a ranking member of the Empire's intelligence agency, the Imperial Security Bureau, was noted by critics. Digital Spy noted that Lesser delivered dialogue on Imperial bureaucracy with "powerful coolness." [16]

Personal life

With his wife Madeleine Adams, Lesser has two children, Harry and Lily. Lily Lesser is an actress and has acted alongside her father in Endeavour and Wolf Hall. [17]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982 The Missionary Young Man
1985 The Assam Garden Mr. Sutton
1997 FairyTale: A True Story Wounded Corporal
2000 Esther Kahn Sean
2001 Charlotte Gray Monsieur Renech
2003 Imagining Argentina General Guzmán
Y Mabinogi TeyrnonVoice role
2005 River Queen Major Baine
2006 Miss Potter Harold Warne
2009Deep SleepShort film
2011 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Lord John Carteret
The Lady Professor Finnis
Flutter Bruno
2012 The Scapegoat Father McReady
2014 Closer to the Moon Comrade Holban
2016 A United Kingdom Prime Minister Attlee
Allied Emmanuel Lombard
The Exception General Falkenberg
2017 On Chesil Beach Reverend Woollett
Disobedience Rav Krushka
The Other DoorInterviewer 1Short film
Catherine the Great: Lovers and SonsPeter III
2018Seasonal ContractThe NarratorVoice role, short film
2020 The Courier Bertrand
Tick Tick TickNarratorShort film
Kindred Dr. Richards
GatecrashSid
2021A Cold Supper Behind HarrodsLeo
Galahad JonesMitch MullinsShort film
Benediction Stephen Tennant (Older)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979 The Mill on the Floss Philip WakenMiniseries, 6 episodes
OresteiaOrestesMiniseries, 3 episodes
1981 The Cherry Orchard TrofimovTelevision film
Troilus & CressidaTroilusTelevision film
1982 Crown Court John Peat3 episodes
King LearEdgarTelevision film
1983 Good and Bad at Games CoxTelevision film
1984 Sakharov Valery ChalidzeTelevision film
Freud Wilhelm Fliess Miniseries, 5 episodes
1985 Anna of the Five Towns Willie PriceMiniseries, 3 episodes
1987 Great Performances RobberEpisode: "Monsignor Quixote"
London EmbassyRobert BronhouseMiniseries, 1 episode: "Tomb with a View"
1988 Twelfth Night, or What You Will FesteTelevision film
Screen Two Stanley Spencer Episode: "Stanley"
The Play on One VincenzoEpisode: "Airbase"
A Vote for HitlerA.L. RowseTelevision film
1989 Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story KarlTelevision film
1990 ScreenPlay Robert CecilEpisode: "Traitors"
1991 The Strauss Dynasty Gustav LeviMiniseries, 8 episodes
1992Downtown LagosMungo DawsonMiniseries, 3 episodes
1994 Guinevere EnvoyTelevision film
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales Leontes Voice role, 1 episode: "The Winter's Tale"
1995 The Politician's Wife Mark HollisterMiniseries, 3 episodes
Bugs Patrick MarcelEpisode: "Pulse"
Moses EliavMiniseries, 2 episodes
1996 Sharman GalileeEpisode: "Pretend We're Dead"
Testament: The Bible in Animation JosephVoice role, 1 episode: "Joseph"
The Moonstone Ezra Jennings Television film
1997 Bodyguards Dusan MesicEpisode: "A Choice of Evils"
Into the BlueDr. John OckletonTelevision film
1998 Invasion: Earth Lt. Charles TerrellMiniseries, 4 episodes
Vanity Fair Mr. Pitt CrawleyMiniseries, 5 episodes
The EchoBilly BlakeMiniseries, 2 episodes
1999Pure WickednessDr. Andrew Ward1 episode
Trial by FireBrian RedwoodTelevision film
2000 The Miracle Maker King Herod Voice role, television film
Safe as HousesMr. DunnTelevision film
The Scarlet Pimpernel Antoine PicardEpisode: "Friends & Enemies"
Lorna Doone Counsellor DooneTelevision film
2001 Perfect Strangers StephenMiniseries, 3 episodes
Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes MilburnMiniseries, 1 episode: "The White Knight Stratagem"
Uprising Nathan LenskyTelevision film
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story Vidas Merlinis - Research ScientistMiniseries, 2 episodes
SwallowPaul Valley3 episodes
2002 Animated Tales of the World The Flower of FernVoice role, 1 episode: "Flower of Fern, a Tale from Poland"
Dickens Charles Dickens Miniseries, 3 episodes
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Bertilak - Green KnightVoice role, television film
Waking the Dead Professor Ray LevinEpisode: "Special Relationship"
The Project Stanley HallMiniseries, 2 episodes
Foyle's War Austin CarmichaelEpisode: "Eagle Day"
2003 Eroica SukowatyTelevision film
Midsomer Murders Eddie DarwinEpisode: "Birds of Prey"
Danielle Cable: Eyewitness Henry BattenTelevision film
2004 Silent Witness Marcus GwilymEpisode: "Death by Water"
Dirty Filthy Love CharlesTelevision film
Spooks Nicholas AshworthEpisode: "A Prayer for My Daughter"
2005 Ahead of the Class Graham RangerTelevision film
The Girl in the Café GeorgeTelevision film
Class of '76 Martin GibsonMiniseries, 2 episodes
Nova Voltaire Episode: "E=mc²: Einstein's Big Idea"
2006 Dalziel and Pascoe Paul GoodmanEpisode: "Guardian Angel"
Vital Signs Dr. Lindsay4 episodes
New Tricks Pete MackintyreEpisode: "Bank Robbery"
The OutsidersMaurice HestonTelevision film
A Touch of Frost Dennis PriorEpisode: "Endangered Species"
2008 Midsomer Murders Reverend Wallace StoneEpisode: "Talking to the Dead"
The Palace Archbishop of Canterbury2 episodes
Agatha Christie's Poirot Inspector KelseyEpisode: "Cat Among the Pigeons"
Einstein and Eddington Fritz Haber Television film
Little Dorrit Mr. Merdle9 episodes
2009 Casualty 1909 Dr. Henry Head 4 episodes
2010 Holby City Sol CaplinEpisode: "Faith No More"
Five Daughters Dr. Nat CaryMiniseries, 2 episodes
Garrow's Law John Farmer4 episodes
Primeval: Webisodes Gideon Miniseries, 3 episodes
2011 Primeval GideonRecurring role, 6 episodes
The Hour Clarence FendleyMain role, 5 episodes
The Man Who Crossed Hitler Rudolf Olden Television film
2012 Secret State Sir Michael RixMiniseries, 2 episodes
2012–2016 The Hollow Crown Duke of Exeter 4 episodes
2013 Spies of Warsaw Doctor LappMiniseries, 4 episodes
Mad Dogs Alex1 episode
Ripper Street Dr. Karl Crabbe2 episodes
The Escape Artist Richard Mayfield, QCMiniseries, 3 episodes
Atlantis KyrosEpisode: "Pandora's Box"
2013–2019 Game of Thrones Qyburn Recurring role, 22 episodes
2013–2023 Endeavour Chief Superintendent / ACC Reginald BrightMain role, 35 episodes
2014 Father Brown Father IgnatiusEpisode: "The Mysteries of the Rosary"
The Musketeers Émile De MauvoisinEpisode: "The Homecoming"
The Game CMiniseries, 1 episode
2015 Wolf Hall Thomas More Miniseries, 4 episodes
Life in Squares Dr. HyslopMiniseries, 2 episodes
Le DonneSalvatoreMiniseries, 5 episodes
2015–2016 Dickensian Fagin Main role, 15 episodes
2016 Hooten & the Lady HerculesMiniseries, 1 episode: "Moscow"
2017 Will WalsinghamEpisode: "The Play's the Thing"
The Crown Harold Macmillan Main role (season 2), 8 episodes
2019–2020 The Trial of Christine Keeler Michael Eddowes Miniseries, 6 episodes
2021 A Discovery of Witches Rabbi Loew1 episode
2022 Killing Eve RobertEpisode: "Making Dead Things Look Nice"
Andor Major Partagaz7 episodes
1899 Henry Singleton8 episodes
2023 Better Vernon Marley4 episodes

Podcasts

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020 The Sandman Dr. John HathawayVoice role, 20 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020 South of the Circle Professor HargreavesVoice role

Theatre performances

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2016 BAFTA TV Awards Best Supporting Actor Wolf Hall Nominated [19]
2018 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Game of Thrones Nominated [20] [21]
The Crown Nominated

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References

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