The dapper and prolific Jeremy Irons has a birthday coming up tomorrow, September 19, which seems a good time to give a rundown of his historical costume movie and TV hits. There are plenty to choose from! Like many British actors of his era, he started in theater and transitioned to the many BBC costume dramas of the 1970s and 1980s (that were also broadcast on PBS’ Masterpiece Theater in America). Jeremy Irons also had starring and supporting roles in a vast number of historical costume movies. Here are the biggies!
Frank Tregear in The Pallisers (1974)
Franz Liszt in Notorious Woman (1974)
Charles Henry Smithson / Mike in The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1982)
Charles Ryder in Brideshead Revisited (1981)
Charles Swann in Swann in Love (1984)
Father Gabriel in The Mission (1986)
Kafka in Kafka (1991)
Humbert Humbert in Lolita (1997)
Aramis in The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
F. Scott Fitzgerald in Fitzgerald aka Last Call (2002)
Antonio in The Merchant of Venice (2004)
Tiberias in Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Pucci in Casanova (2005)
Lord Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, in Elizabeth I (2005)
Alfred Stieglitz in Georgia O’Keeffe (2009)
Rodrigo Borgia in The Borgias (2011-13)
Henry IV in The Hollow Crown (2012)
Avery Brundage in Race (2016)
Secretary of War in Their Finest (2017)
What’s your favorite of Jeremy Irons’ historical costume movie or TV roles?
Alas, when I think of Irons, movies like “Dungeons and Dragons” or “Eragon” come to mind. “Dead Ringers” is a close second in my head.
Brideshead Revisited forever. I’m due for a rewatch…
It’s on BritBox (which is available thru Amazon Video, among other places), & I’ve marked it for a nice sitdown myself!
That voice! That presence! & totally agree, Iron Mask is a waste of awesome talent x
No matter how many of these versions I see he will always be Uncle Scar from The Lion King. “Be pre-paaared…..”
I’m currently watching “The Borgias.” With all the young men in the series, Jeremy Irons in a long white dress is still the hottest guy on screen. I’ve been a fan since “The French Lieutenant’s Woman.” It doesn’t matter what the time period, he always wears it well.
Jeremy Irons period roles – for me – are divided into early, middle and late period.
Of his early works I like him as Frank Tregear in Pallisers, of course his appearance opposite Aloysius in Brideshead (my favourite adaptation) as Charles Ryder, & Charles Henry Smithson/Mike in French Lieutenant’s Woman. Middle period is Fr Gabriel in the Mission and Swann in Swann in Love
Late Period is Antonio in Merchant of Venice (whole cast was excellent), Leicester opposite Mirren’s Elizabeth & Pope Alexander VI
A friend said about Irons’ portrayal of Leicester: ‘At last – a Dudley with BALLS!’
He’s my favourite next to Robert Hardy’s portrayal. I feel that Mr Irons role was more the consummate politician and someone who knew Elizabeth from her cradle days while Mr Hardy role was more the suitor and someone Elizabeth kept on his toes.
Two different interpretations 30 or so years apart.
YAS.
He’s the only reason I watched The Borgias at first… and then I started tuning in for the costumes alone.
If you ever go to Westminster Cathedral, get the audio guide because it’s voiced by Jeremy Irons.
Jeremy Irons, talking sexily in your ear in a church. Delicious.
Sorry, Westminster Abbey, obviously!
He has certainly aged very well, but he has always had a very mature, I dunno, sort of wise/chastened face. I thought he was peak Teh Hotness as Dudley. That role (and movie) made me actually ache for the real Elizabeth I, thinking how she was never ever really able to be with the man she loved and who was probably the best man for her,
Also, we have Jeremy Irons ‘ to thank for the Astonishing Handsomeness that is his son, Max Irons. Yowza.