Jeremy John Irons (born 19 September 1948 in Cowes, Isle of Wight) is an English film, television, stage and voice actor.
Well-known for his deep baritone voice, he is described by one critic as "whipped cream with glass shards" that "reeks of magnificent bastardry". He has won an Academy Award, a Tony and an Emmy, making him one of the few actors to win the "Triple Crown" of acting awards, as well as two Golden Globes. He's very British in his Hollywood roles, and is not afraid to have some fun while doing a villain role for cash.
It's difficult to make a meaningful anagram out of his name. He also literally tore his voice box due to yelling a line so loud during a recording session of The Lion King - specifically the line "YOU WON'T GET A SNIFF WITHOUT ME! in "Be Prepared". Very few people, if any, can do that!
Roles:
- Assassin's Creed: Alan Rikkin
- Beautiful Creatures: Macon Ravenwood
- The Beekeeper
- Betrayal: Jerry
- The Borgias: Rodrigo Borgia / Pope Alexander VI
- Brideshead Revisited: Charles Ryder
- The Colour of Magic: Lord Vetinari
- Comic Relief: Severus Snape
- The Count of Monte Cristo (Rai): Abbott Faria
- Damage: Dr. Stephen Fleming
- DC Extended Universe: Alfred Pennyworth
- Dead Ringers: Elliot and Beverly Mantle
- Die Hard with a Vengeance: Simon Gruber
- Dungeons & Dragons (2000): Profion
- Eragon: Brom
- The BBC's Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2: Henry IV
- House of Gucci: Rodolfo Gucci
- The House of the Spirits: Esteban Trueba
- Inland Empire: Kingsley Stewart
- Kafka: Franz Kafka
- Kingdom of Heaven: Tiberius
- The Last Lions: Narrator
- The Lion King (1994): Scar
- Once Upon a Studio (2023)
- Lolita (1997): Humbert Humbert
- The Man in the Iron Mask: Aramis
- Margin Call: John Tuld
- The Mission: Father Gabriel
- Munich - The Edge of War: Neville Chamberlain
- Poseidon's Fury: Poseidon (before the attraction's overhaul in 2001)
- Race as Jeremiah Mahoney
- Reversal of Fortune: Claus von Bülow (the role that won him his Academy Award).
- Seasons of the Vine: Narrator
- Spaceship Earth: Narrator (1994-2007)
- The Timekeeper: H. G. Wells
- The Time Machine (2002): The Über-Morlock
- Watchmen: Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias
- The Simpsons (2012): Moe's Dishrag (voice)
Tropes in his works:
- Affably Evil: Often plays this type of character or ones who simply pretend to be charming. Either way, his suave demeanor, dry wit, boundless charisma and impeccable manners make them impossible not to be taken in by, even when you know full well how evil they are. In fact, that's often exactly why you're taken in by them.
- Baritoneof Strength: In courtesy of doing the voice of Scar in The Lion King.
- Cold Ham: Even when he's not chewing the scenery with glee, he can be quite dramatic with small gestures and facial expressions.
- Deadpan Snarker: His characters are never short of witty remarks or dry humor, especially his villains.
- Depraved Kids' Show Host: Or rather a kids show host that went on to play a number of depraved characters in films, including a paedophile in Lolita. But he started out as a presenter on the 1970s British children's TV show Play Away
- Evil Brit: Often cast as a villain in roles that rarely conceal his Britishness, if ever.
- Evil Sounds Deep: Most certainly comes into play when he's playing a dangerous villain.
- Large Ham: When he wants to, he can devour scenery like there's no tomorrow. Especially as a villain.
- Male Frontal Nudity: He notably did it at age 71 in Watchmen, for the first time since Brideshead Revisited nearly 40 years earlier.
- Man of Wealth and Taste: He plays a lot of them, to the point of it being his usual role.
- Mentor Archetype: If his character isn’t a villain, they’re likely to be the hero’s mentor, like Alfred Pennyworth, Brom, or Macon Ravenwood. Of course, they might not be entirely trustworthy…
- Narrator: He’s narrated quite a few documentaries, as well as the 3rd version of Spaceship Earth at EPCOT.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: His characters tend to be quite debonair and are always impeccably dressed and stylish.
