Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
Beyond Bishop's
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes (BWS 1976-1981)
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and director. Recognised for his work on stage and screen, has received numerous accolades, including a BAFTA Award and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
He is the eldest of six children. Four of his siblings are also in the arts: Martha Fiennes, a director; Magnus Fiennes, a musician; Sophie, a producer; and Joseph Fiennes, an actor. He is of English, Irish, and Scottish origin.
Ralph joined Bishop Wordsworth’s School in 1976 and left after his sixth form years in 1981. He acted in school play productions including A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt, in which he played Cromwell, directed by Chris Newman and Love’s Labours Lost by William Shakespeare in which he played Berowne, directed by John Cox. In 1990 he returned to take part in the School’s centenary celebrations by giving an illustrated talk on acting Shakespeare.
Fiennes has been honored with two Academy Award nominations, the first in 1994 for his performance in Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning Best Picture, Schindler's List (1993). Fiennes' chilling portrayal of Nazi Commandant Amon Goeth also brought him a Golden Globe nomination and a BAFTA Award, as well as Best Supporting Actor honors from numerous critics groups, including the National Society of Film Critics, and the New York, Chicago, Boston and London Film Critics associations. Four years later, Fiennes earned his second Oscar nomination, for Best Actor, in another Best Picture winner, Anthony Minghella's The English Patient (1996). He also garnered Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations, as well as two Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award nominations, one for Best Actor and another shared with the film's ensemble cast.
His long list of film credits also includes the award-winning drama The Reader (2008), co-starring Kate Winslet; Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar®-winning The Hurt Locker (2008); the Neil Jordan-directed films The End of the Affair (1999) and The Good Thief (2002).
Fiennes gained worldwide prominence for his portrayal as Lord Voldemort, the antagonist in the Harry Potter franchise. His first appearance was in the 2005 fantasy film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Fiennes made his feature film directorial debut with a contemporary version of Shakespeare's political thriller Coriolanus (2011), in which he also starred with Gerard Butler and Vanessa Redgrave. In 2022, Fiennes starred as chef Julian Slowik in the Mark Mylod-directed comedy horror The Menu. For his performance he received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. In 2024, Fiennes starred in the Edward Berger film Conclave, for which he received an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination.