David Thewlis

David Thewlis

David Wheeler (born March 20, 1963), better known as David Thewlis, is an English actor and filmmaker. He is known as a character actor and has appeared in a wide variety of genres in both film and television. He has received the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and nominations for two BAFTA Awards, Golden Globe Award, Primetime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Thewlis made his film debut in Little Dorrit (1987) and acted in the Mike Leigh films Life is Sweet (1990) and Naked (1993), winning the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for the latter. He then appeared in films such as Black Beauty (1994), Restoration (1995), James and the Giant Peach (1996), Dragonheart (1996), and Seven Years in Tibet (1997). He became more widely known to film audiences for his roles as Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter franchise (2004–2011) and Ares / Sir Patrick Morgan in Wonder Woman (2017). Other film roles include Kingdom of Heaven (2005), The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008), War Horse (2011), The Theory of Everything (2014), Anomalisa (2015), I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020), and Enola Holmes 2 (2022). Thewlis' most notable television roles include V. M. Varga in the third season of FX's Fargo (2017), the voice of the Shame Wizard in the Netflix animated sitcoms Big Mouth (2017–present) and Human Resources (2022–present), Christopher Edwards in the HBO miniseries Landscapers (2021), and John Dee in the Netflix drama series The Sandman (2022). His performance in Fargo earned him nominations for an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a Critics' Choice Award.

More details

Known For

Filmography

2025

Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar: Fire and Ash
as Peylak
Movie - Released: 12/17/2025
The Thing with Feathers
The Thing with Feathers
as Crow (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/25/2025
Sherlock & Daughter
Sherlock & Daughter
as Sherlock Holmes
TV - Released: 4/16/2025

2024

KAOS
KAOS
as Hades
TV - Released: 8/29/2024

2023

The Artful Dodger
The Artful Dodger
as Norbert Fagin
TV - Released: 11/29/2023

2022

Enola Holmes 2
Enola Holmes 2
as Grail
Movie - Released: 11/30/2022
The Amazing Maurice
The Amazing Maurice
as Boss Man / Rat King (voice)
Movie - Released: 12/16/2022
Human Resources
Human Resources
as Memory Bank Manager (voice)
TV - Released: 3/18/2022
Human Resources
Human Resources
as Lionel St. Swithens (voice)
TV - Released: 3/18/2022
The Sandman
The Sandman
as John Dee
TV - Released: 8/5/2022

2021

Rare Beasts
Rare Beasts
as Vic
Movie - Released: 5/21/2021
Zack Snyder's Justice League
Zack Snyder's Justice League
as Ares
Movie - Released: 3/18/2021
Val
Val
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 7/23/2021
Landscapers
Landscapers
as Christopher Edwards
TV - Released: 12/6/2021

2020

Eternal Beauty
Eternal Beauty
as Mike
Movie - Released: 8/21/2020
Guest of Honour
Guest of Honour
as Jim
Movie - Released: 7/9/2020
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
as Father
Movie - Released: 8/28/2020
Barkskins
Barkskins
as Claude Trepagny
TV - Released: 5/25/2020

2019

The Feed
The Feed
as Lawrence Hatfield
TV - Released: 9/16/2019

2018

The Mercy
The Mercy
as Rodney Hallworth
Movie - Released: 2/9/2018
Beyond Boundaries: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal
Beyond Boundaries: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 8/21/2018

2017

Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
as Sir Patrick / Ares
Movie - Released: 5/30/2017
Harry Potter: A History Of Magic
Harry Potter: A History Of Magic
as Himself
Movie - Released: 10/28/2017
Justice League
Justice League
as Ares
Movie - Released: 11/15/2017
Big Mouth
Big Mouth
as Shame Wizard (voice)
TV - Released: 9/29/2017

2016

None of Them Are You: Crafting Anomalisa
None of Them Are You: Crafting Anomalisa
as Self
Movie - Released: 6/7/2016

2015

Macbeth
Macbeth
as Duncan
Movie - Released: 9/22/2015
Regression
Regression
as Professor Kenneth Raines
Movie - Released: 10/1/2015
Legend
Legend
as Leslie Payne
Movie - Released: 9/9/2015
An Inspector Calls
An Inspector Calls
as Inspector Goole - The Inspector
Movie - Released: 9/13/2015
Anomalisa
Anomalisa
as Michael Stone (voice)
Movie - Released: 12/30/2015

2014

Queen & Country
Queen & Country
as Sargeant Major Bradley
Movie - Released: 9/14/2014
The Theory of Everything
The Theory of Everything
as Dennis Sciama
Movie - Released: 11/7/2014
Stonehearst Asylum
Stonehearst Asylum
as Mickey Finn
Movie - Released: 10/23/2014
Movie
Sunday Roast
as Dick Puck
Movie - Released: 1/1/2014
Fargo
Fargo
as V.M. Vargas
TV - Released: 4/15/2014

2013

RED 2
RED 2
as The Frog
Movie - Released: 7/18/2013
The Zero Theorem
The Zero Theorem
as Joby
Movie - Released: 9/20/2013
The Fifth Estate
The Fifth Estate
as Nick Davies
Movie - Released: 10/11/2013
Separate We Come, Separate We Go
Separate We Come, Separate We Go
as Norman
Movie - Released: 10/25/2013

2012

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen
Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen
as (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 2/4/2012

2011

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
as Remus Lupin
Movie - Released: 7/12/2011
Anonymous
Anonymous
as William Cecil
Movie - Released: 10/21/2011
War Horse
War Horse
as Lyons
Movie - Released: 12/25/2011
The Lady
The Lady
as Michael Aris
Movie - Released: 11/30/2011
The Organ Grinder's Monkey
The Organ Grinder's Monkey
as Pablo (voice)
Movie - Released: 6/6/2011
How to Get a Head in Sculpture
How to Get a Head in Sculpture
as Self
Movie - Released: 2/23/2011

2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
as Remus Lupin
Movie - Released: 11/17/2010
Mr. Nice
Mr. Nice
as Jim McCann
Movie - Released: 10/7/2010
London Boulevard
London Boulevard
as Jordan
Movie - Released: 11/10/2010
Athena
Athena
as Chuck
Movie - Released: 4/21/2010

2009

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
as Remus Lupin
Movie - Released: 7/15/2009
Veronika Decides to Die
Veronika Decides to Die
as Dr. Blake
Movie - Released: 5/16/2009
Creating the World of Harry Potter
Creating the World of Harry Potter
as Self - 'Remus Lupin'
TV - Released: 11/17/2009

2008

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
as Father
Movie - Released: 5/7/2008

2007

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
as Remus Lupin
Movie - Released: 7/8/2007
The Inner Life of Martin Frost
The Inner Life of Martin Frost
as Martin Frost
Movie - Released: 10/11/2007

2006

The Omen
The Omen
as Keith Jennings
Movie - Released: 6/6/2006
Basic Instinct 2
Basic Instinct 2
as Roy Washburn
Movie - Released: 3/29/2006
The Street
The Street
as Joe Jennerson / Harry Jennerson
TV - Released: 4/13/2006

2005

Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven
as Hospitaler
Movie - Released: 5/3/2005
All the Invisible Children
All the Invisible Children
as Jonathan (segment "Jonathan")
Movie - Released: 9/1/2005
The New World
The New World
as Wingfield
Movie - Released: 12/25/2005

2004

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
as Remus Lupin
Movie - Released: 5/31/2004
The Magic Touch of Harry Potter
The Magic Touch of Harry Potter
as Self
Movie - Released: 6/11/2004

2003

Timeline
Timeline
as Robert Doniger
Movie - Released: 11/26/2003
Cheeky
Cheeky
as Harry Sankey
Movie - Released: 9/8/2003
Little Wolf's Book of Badness
Little Wolf's Book of Badness
as Mr. Twister (voice)
Movie - Released: 12/8/2003

2002

D.I.Y. Hard
D.I.Y. Hard
as Man
Movie - Released: 9/30/2002
Hamilton Mattress
Hamilton Mattress
as Hamilton Mattress (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/1/2002
Dinotopia
Dinotopia
as Cyrus Crabb
Movie - Released: 2/12/2002
Discovering Dinotopia
Discovering Dinotopia
as Cyrus
Movie - Released: 5/7/2002
Dinotopia
Dinotopia
as Cyrus Crabb
TV - Released: 5/12/2002

2001

Goodbye Charlie Bright
Goodbye Charlie Bright
as Charlie's Dad
Movie - Released: 5/11/2001

2000

Gangster No. 1
Gangster No. 1
as Freddie Mays
Movie - Released: 6/9/2000
The Miracle Maker
The Miracle Maker
as Judas Iscariot (voice)
Movie - Released: 3/31/2000
Endgame
Endgame
as Clov
Movie - Released: 9/10/2000
Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?
Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?
as Nesbit
Movie - Released: 3/10/2000

1999

Love Story
Love Story
as Dealer
Movie - Released: 1/1/1999

1998

Divorcing Jack
Divorcing Jack
as Dan Starkey
Movie - Released: 10/1/1998
Besieged
Besieged
as Jason Kinsky
Movie - Released: 2/5/1998
The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski
as Knox Harrington
Movie - Released: 3/6/1998

1997

Seven Years in Tibet
Seven Years in Tibet
as Peter Aufschnaiter
Movie - Released: 9/12/1997
The Making of 'DragonHeart'
The Making of 'DragonHeart'
as Self
Movie - Released: 1/14/1997
American Perfekt
American Perfekt
as Santini
Movie - Released: 6/11/1997

1996

James and the Giant Peach
James and the Giant Peach
as Earthworm (voice)
Movie - Released: 4/12/1996
DragonHeart
DragonHeart
as King Einon
Movie - Released: 5/31/1996
The Island of Dr. Moreau
The Island of Dr. Moreau
as Douglas
Movie - Released: 8/23/1996

1995

Restoration
Restoration
as John Pearce
Movie - Released: 12/29/1995
Total Eclipse
Total Eclipse
as Paul Verlaine
Movie - Released: 11/3/1995

1994

Black Beauty
Black Beauty
as Jerry Barker
Movie - Released: 7/29/1994
Dreamtown: A Brief Anatomy of Blackpool
Dreamtown: A Brief Anatomy of Blackpool
as Self
Movie - Released: 8/29/1994
Dandelion Dead
Dandelion Dead
as Oswald Martin
TV - Released: 10/30/1994

1993

Naked
Naked
as Johnny
Movie - Released: 9/14/1993
The Trial
The Trial
as Franz
Movie - Released: 6/18/1993
TV
Frank Stubbs Promotes
as Mike Bence
TV - Released: 7/12/1993

1992

Damage
Damage
as Detective
Movie - Released: 12/2/1992
Swords at Teatime
Swords at Teatime
as Mike
Movie - Released: 4/14/1992
Movie
Black and Blue
as Crematorium Attendant
Movie - Released: 9/27/1992

1991

Afraid of the Dark
Afraid of the Dark
as Locksmith / Tom Miller
Movie - Released: 10/10/1991
Filipina Dreamgirls
Filipina Dreamgirls
as Tim Shanks
Movie - Released: 9/15/1991
Movie
Journey to Knock
as Terry
Movie - Released: 9/17/1991
Movie
Skulduggery
as Tony
Movie - Released: 6/29/1991
Prime Suspect
Prime Suspect
as James Jackson
TV - Released: 4/7/1991

1990

Life Is Sweet
Life Is Sweet
as Nicola's Lover
Movie - Released: 11/15/1990
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
as Doctor
TV - Released: 1/10/1990

1989

Resurrected
Resurrected
as Kevin Deakin
Movie - Released: 3/12/1989
A Bit of a Do
A Bit of a Do
TV - Released: 1/13/1989

1988

Vroom
Vroom
as Ringe
Movie - Released: 11/11/1988
Deep Red Instant Love
Deep Red Instant Love
Movie - Released: 1/1/1988

1987

Road
Road
as Joey
Movie - Released: 10/7/1987
The Short & Curlies
The Short & Curlies
as Clive
Movie - Released: 12/1/1987
Little Dorrit
Little Dorrit
as George Braddle
Movie - Released: 12/11/1987
Valentine Park
Valentine Park
as Max
TV - Released: 6/19/1987

1986

The Singing Detective
The Singing Detective
as Second Soldier
TV - Released: 11/16/1986

1981

Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
TV - Released: 9/8/1981

Unknown

Movie