Tilda Swinton
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Problemista as Elizabeth
- 2023 · The Killer as The Expert
- 2023 · Asteroid City as Dr. Hickenlooper
- 2022 · Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema as Self
- 2022 · Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio as Wood Sprite / Death (voice)
- 2021 · The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun as J.K.L. Berensen
- 2021 · What If...? as The Ancient One (voice)
- 2021 · Marvel Studios Legends as The Ancient One (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2020 · Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence as Self (archive footage)
- 2019 · The Personal History of David Copperfield as Betsey Trotwood
- 2019 · Uncut Gems as Anne - Adley's Auction Manager (voice)
- 2019 · The Boys as Ambrosius (voice)
- 2019 · Avengers: Endgame as The Ancient One
- 2019 · What We Do in the Shadows as Tilda
- 2018 · Suspiria as Madame Blanc / Dr. Klemperer / Helena Markos
- 2018 · Isle of Dogs as Oracle (voice)
- 2017 · Okja as Lucy Mirando / Nancy Mirando
- 2017 · War Machine as German Politician
- 2016 · Doctor Strange as The Ancient One
- 2016 · Hail, Caesar! as Thora Thacker / Thessaly Thacker
- 2015 · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · The Grand Budapest Hotel as Madame D.
- 2014 · Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self - Guest
- 2013 · Snowpiercer as Mason
- 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
- 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 · The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian as White Witch
- 2007 · Here’s Looking at You, Boy as Self
- 2005 · The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as White Witch
- 2005 · Made in Hollywood as Self
- 2005 · Constantine as Gabriel
- 2001 · Vanilla Sky as Rebecca Dearborn
- 2000 · The Beach as Sal
- 1998 · Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon as Muriel Belcher
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1994 · Remembrance of Things Fast: True Stories Visual Lies as
- 1992 · Orlando as Orlando
- 1987 · Friendship's Death as Friendship
- 1987 · Egomania: Island Without Hope as Sally
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee
- Future · Jenjira’s Magnificent Dream as
- 2026 · Broken English as The Overseer
- 2025 · Die Coen-Brüder - Eine amerikanische Geschichte as Self
- 2025 · Camaraderie as
- 2024 · The Hexagonal Hive and a Mouse in a Maze as Self
- 2023 · Cannes Uncut as Self
- 2021 · The Souvenir: Part II as Rosalind
- 2020 · The Human Voice Q&A With Pedro Almodovar And Tilda Swinton, Hosted By Mark Kermode as Self
- 2020 · The Human Voice as Woman
- 2020 · Last and First Men as Narrator (voice)
- 2019 · The Souvenir as Rosalind
- 2017 · The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger as Self
- 2016 · Phantom of the Universe as Narrator
- 2015 · B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989 as Self
- 2014 · Travelling at Night with Jim Jarmusch as Self
- 2013 · One Water as
- 2012 · Radioman as Self
- 2012 · Ashes as Self
- 2011 · Women, War & Peace as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · Behind Jim Jarmusch as Self
- 2009 · The Invisible Frame as The Cyclist
- 2009 · Moments on the Set of I Am Love as Self
- 2008 · Finding the Burn as Self / Katie Cox (archive footage)
- 2008 · DC Insiders Run Amuck as Self
- 2008 · The Man from London as Camélia
- 2008 · Derek as Narrator (voice)
- 2008 · The New Ten Commandments as Self
- 2007 · Stephanie Daley as Lydie Crane
- 2007 · Faceless as Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Sleepwalkers as Violinist Working As a Copy Clerk
- 2006 · Deep Water as Narrator (voice)
- 2005 · The Somme as Narrator (voice)
- 2002 · Tilda Swinton: The Love Factory as Self
- 2002 · Teknolust as Rosetta / Ruby / Marinne / Olive
- 1999 · Conceiving Ada as Ada Augusta Byron King, Countess of Lovelace
- 1996 · Female Perversions as Evelyn Stephens
- 1994 · Death of a World Star as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1994 · Glitterbug as Self
- 1994 · Visions of Heaven and Hell as Narrator (voice)
- 1993 · Blue as (voice)
- 1992 · Hamlet as Ophelia
- 1991 · The Party: Nature Morte as Queenie
- 1990 · Your Cheatin' Heart as Cissie Crouch
- 1990 · The Garden as Madonna/Voice Overs
- 1989 · War Requiem as The Nurse
- 1989 · Volcano Saga as Gudrun
- 1987 · The Last of England as The Maid
- 1986 · Caravaggio as Lena
- 1986 · Caprice as Lucky
- 1986 · Zastrozzi: A Romance as Julia
- Future · Death in Her Hands as Vesta Gul
- 2026 · Heart of Light: Eleven Songs for Fiji as
- 2025 · The Tree as
- 2025 · Flat 19 as
- 2025 · Ballad of a Small Player as Cynthia Blithe
- 2025 · Phantoms as
- 2025 · Timeslip as
- 2025 · Karl as Self
- 2025 · Instant Coffee as Self
- 2024 · The End as Mother
- 2024 · Impulse: Playing with Reality as Narrator
- 2024 · A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things as Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (voice)
- 2024 · The Room Next Door as Martha / Michelle
- 2024 · January Stories as
- 2024 · Obertura as The Gardenerette
- 2024 · Chroma as
- 2024 · Transparent as
- 2024 · Fantasmas as Water (voice)
- 2023 · Personal History as
- 2023 · All Kinds of Love as Self
- 2023 · Some Thoughts On The Common Toad as Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · The Eternal Daughter as Julie / Rosalind
- 2022 · Durmiente as
- 2022 · Three Thousand Years of Longing as Alithea
- 2022 · Sleep Song as
- 2021 · The Storms of Jeremy Thomas as Self
- 2021 · Goliath: Playing with Reality as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · Memoria as Jessica Holland
- 2019 · The Dead Don't Die as Zelda Winston
- 2018 · Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Letters from Generation Rx as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Letters from Baghdad as Gertrude Bell (voice)
- 2017 · async - first light as
- 2017 · Tania Libre as Narrator (voice)
- 2015 · A Bigger Splash as Marianne Lane
- 2015 · Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom' as Self / Social Services
- 2015 · Trainwreck as Dianna
- 2015 · Dreams Rewired as Narrator (voice)
- 2014 · Tilda in de Menil Land as
- 2014 · The Gospel According to St Derek as Self
- 2014 · Antarctica: On the Edge as Narrator (voice)
- 2014 · Snowpiercer: Transperceneige, From the Blank Page to the Black Screen as Self
- 2014 · Hot Dollar as
- 2013 · Only Lovers Left Alive as Eve
- 2013 · The Zero Theorem as Dr. Shrink-Rom
- 2013 · Death for a Unicorn as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · When Björk Met Attenborough as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · David Bowie: Five Years as Self (archive footage)
- 2013 · The Stars (Are Out Tonight) as
- Future · Untitled Apichatpong Weerasethakul Dreams Project as
- 2013 · Love Flesh as Self
- 2013 · Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes as Narrator (voice)
- 2012 · Song 1 as Self
- 2011 · Planet Tilda as
- 2011 · Cinema Is Everywhere as Self
- 2010 · Orlando In Uzbekistan as Self
- 2010 · Climate of Change as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · I Am Love as Emma Recchi
- 2009 · Getting On as Elke
- 2008 · Julia as Julia
- 2007 · Cannes: All Access as Self
- 2007 · Michael Clayton as Karen Crowder
- 2007 · Strange Culture as Hope Kurtz
- 2007 · Hitler's Favourite Royal as Narrator
- 2006 · Galapagos as Self - Presenter
- 2006 · Thumbsucker - Behind the Scenes as Self
- 2005 · Thumbsucker as Audrey Cobb
- 2005 · Broken Flowers as Penny
- 2005 · Absent Presence as
- 2003 · The Statement as Annemarie Livi
- 2003 · Young Adam as Ella Gault
- 2002 · Adaptation. as Valerie Thomas
- 2001 · The Deep End as Margaret Hall
- 2000 · The Dilapidated Dwelling as Narrator (voice)
- 2000 · Possible Worlds as Joyce
- 1999 · The Protagonists as Actress
- 1999 · The War Zone as Mum
- 1993 · The Open Universe as Carla
- 1993 · Wittgenstein as Lady Ottoline Morrell
- 1992 · Shakespeare: The Animated Tales as Ophelia (voice)
- 1992 · Man to Man as Ella / Max Gerike
- 1991 · Edward II as Isabella
- 1988 · Cycling the Frame as The Cyclist
- Future · WOLF as
- 1991 · Derek Jarman: A Portrait as Self
- 1990 · Your Cheatin' Heart as
- 1989 · Play Me Something as Hairdresser
- 1989 · A Call to Arms as
- 1988 · Degrees of Blindness as
- 1987 · Aria as Young Girl
- 1987 · Depuis le Jour as
- 1986 · The Sluggard as The Sluggard