Rufus Sewell

Acting

Rufus Sewell

Born

1967-10-29 (58)

Place of birth

Twickenham, England, UK

Known for

Acting

Credits

86 titles

Rufus Frederik Sewell (born 29 October 1967) is an English actor. In film, he has appeared in The Woodlanders, Dangerous Beauty, Dark City, A Knight's Tale, The Illusionist, Tristan and Isolde, and Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence. On television, he starred in the 2010 mini-series The Pillars of the Earth. Earlier he played the hero, Will Ladislaw, in the BBC adaptation of George Eliot's Middlemarch. In 2003, he appeared in the lead role in Charles II: The Power and The Passion. He starred in the CBS drama Eleventh Hour which was cancelled in April 2009. On stage, he originated the role of Septimus Hodge in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia and the role of Jan in Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll, which …

Known for

Film credits

2020s · 7 titles

The Father poster
8.1

A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages and, as he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

The Father

2020

Old poster
6.3

A group of families on a tropical holiday discover that the secluded beach where they are staying is somehow causing them to age rapidly – reducing their entire lives into a single day.

Old

2021

Scoop poster
6.4

Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization gives an insider account of how the women of Newsnight secured Prince Andrew's infamous interview.

Scoop

2024

The Uninvited poster
5.7

Rose and Sammy enjoy an idyllic life with love, a Hollywood Hills home, and a curious son. During a party, Sammy assigns unusual significance to it, while Rose juggles preparations amid distractions. The unexpected arrival of Helen, who claims residence there, oscillates between confusion and lucidity. Strangely, Helen possesses intimate knowledge of the house and its guests. Her revelations spark drama, unearthing hidden truths and compelling Rose to confront her past, future, and the desire for change.

The Uninvited

2025

The Trouble with Jessica poster
6.0

Sarah and Tom are in terrible financial trouble. On the brink of losing everything, they’ve managed to find a buyer for their stylish London home. When their best friends Richard and Beth come round for a final dinner, an uninvited old friend, Jessica, tags along.

The Trouble with Jessica

2024

This Ordinary Thing poster
NR

A film about non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust.

This Ordinary Thing

2025

Return to Dark City poster
9.0

Documentary about Dark City featuring interviews with director Alex Proyas, producer Andrew Mason, production designers Patrick Tatopoulos and George Liddle, costume designer Liz Keough, storyboard artist Peter Pound, director of photography Dariusz Wolski, actor Rufus Sewell, hair & makeup artist Leslie Vanderwalt and VFX creative director Peter Doyle.

Return to Dark City

2025

2010s · 15 titles

Gods of Egypt poster
5.7

A common thief joins a mythical god on a quest through Egypt.

Gods of Egypt

2016

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter poster
5.8

President Lincoln's mother is killed by a supernatural creature, which fuels his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

2012

Hercules poster
5.8

When a new enemy threatens the innocent, Hercules must lead his fearless team of warriors in a battle against overwhelming odds.

Hercules

2014

The Tourist poster
6.2

American tourist Frank meets mysterious British woman Elise on the train to Venice. Romance seems to bud, but there's more to her than meets the eye.

The Tourist

2010

Blinky Bill the Movie poster
5.4

Blinky Bill is a little koala with a big imagination. An adventurer at heart, he dreams of leaving the little town of Green Patch and following in his missing father’s footsteps. When Blinky discovers a mysterious marker that hints at his Dad’s whereabouts, he embarks on a journey that takes him beyond the boundary of Green Patch and into the wild and dangerous Outback.

Blinky Bill the Movie

2015

Judy poster
6.7

Thirty years after starring in 'The Wizard of Oz', beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

Judy

2019

I'll Follow You Down poster
6.0

After the disappearance of a young scientist on a business trip, his son and wife struggle to cope, only to make a bizarre discovery years later – one that may bring him home.

I'll Follow You Down

2013

All Things To All Men poster
4.3

A thief is caught up in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse between a maverick cop and London crime boss.

All Things To All Men

2013

The Devil's Hand poster
5.2

Five young Amish girls accused of being Satan's children must fight for their lives when their devout community elders insist they be "cleansed" before turning 18.

The Devil's Hand

2014

Hotel Noir poster
5.7

Los Angeles, 1958: a detective holes up in a downtown hotel awaiting killers to come get him. During the course of one night he will meet various occupants of the hotel and the truth of how he came to be in his present situation will be revealed.

Hotel Noir

2012

Killing Jesus poster
6.3

Jesus of Nazareth’s life and ministry were subject to seismic social and political events that led to his execution and changed the world forever.

Killing Jesus

2015

Modern/Love in 7 Short Films poster
7.3

Seven romantic comedies from the UK, Australia, and the US explore our modern romantic entanglements in all their hilarious, mundane, sexy and nerve-wracking ways. The festival hits from Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca star well-known actors like Natalie Dormer, Tom Burke, Yvette Nicole Brown and Rob Huebel among others.

Modern/Love in 7 Short Films

2019

The Sea poster
5.4

A man returns to the sea where he spent his childhood summers in search of peace following the death of his wife.

The Sea

2013

The Brunchers poster
7.2

A couple tries to tackle the London brunch scene, but getting a seat is harder than anticipated.

The Brunchers

2013

Rise poster
5.9

In the near future, sentient robots are targeted for elimination after they develop emotional symmetry to humans and a revolutionary war for their survival begins.

Rise

2016

2000s · 18 titles

A Knight's Tale poster
6.9

William Thatcher, a knight's peasant apprentice, gets a chance at glory when the knight dies suddenly mid-tournament. Posing as a knight himself, William won't stop until he's crowned tournament champion—assuming matters of the heart don't get in the way.

A Knight's Tale

2001

The Holiday poster
7.1

Two women, one American and one British, swap homes at Christmastime following bad breakups. Each woman finds romance with a local man but realizes that the imminent return home may end the relationship.

The Holiday

2006

The Legend of Zorro poster
6.1

Despite trying to keep his swashbuckling to a minimum, a threat to California's pending statehood causes the adventure-loving Don Alejandro de la Vega and his wife, Elena, to take action.

The Legend of Zorro

2005

Tristan & Isolde poster
6.7

An affair between the second in line to Britain's throne and the princess of the feuding Irish spells doom for the young lovers.

Tristan & Isolde

2006

The Illusionist poster
7.3

With his eye on a lovely aristocrat, a gifted illusionist named Eisenheim uses his powers to win her away from her betrothed, a crown prince. But Eisenheim's scheme creates tumult within the monarchy and ignites the suspicion of a dogged inspector.

The Illusionist

2006

Paris Je T'aime poster
6.8

Olivier Assayas, Gus Van Sant, Wes Craven and Alfonso Cuaron are among the 20 distinguished directors who contribute to this collection of 18 stories, each exploring a different aspect of Parisian life. The colourful characters in this drama include a pair of mimes, a husband trying to choose between his wife and his lover, and a married man who turns to a prostitute for advice.

Paris Je T'aime

2006

Extreme Ops poster
4.8

While filming an advertisement, some extreme sports enthusiasts unwittingly stop a group of terrorists.

Extreme Ops

2002

Bless the Child poster
5.4

When Maggie's sister Jenna saddles her with an autistic newborn named Cody she touches Maggie's heart and becomes the daughter she has always longed for. But six years later Jenna suddenly re-enters her life and, with her mysterious new husband, Eric Stark, abducts Cody. Despite the fact that Maggie has no legal rights to Cody, FBI agent John Travis takes up her cause when he realizes that Cody shares the same birth date as several other recently murdered children.

Bless the Child

2000

Amazing Grace poster
6.9

The true story of William Wilberforce and his courageous quest to end the British slave trade. Along the way, Wilberforce meets intense opposition, but his minister urges him to see the cause through.

Amazing Grace

2007

Vinyan poster
5.1

Six months after losing her only child in the Southeast Asia tsunami, Jeanne is convinced she sees him in a film about orphans living in the jungles.

Vinyan

2008

Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature poster
5.8

Two carnies (Sewell and Gugino) abduct a mermaid in Ireland, circa 1900, and decide to transport her to America. As their ship loses its way and heads towards the mythical Forbidden Islands, the mermaid begins to display its deadly side.

Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature

2001

Downloading Nancy poster
5.4

When Albert Stockwell comes home from work one day he finds a note from his wife of 15 years, Nancy, saying she has gone to see friends. After waiting several days, Albert realizes that his wife is missing. Nancy has met her salvation on the Internet in the form of Louis Farley. Nancy and Louis, both wounded souls, take comfort in one another through e-mail, pictures, and promises of perverse sexual encounters.

Downloading Nancy

2008

The Taming of the Shrew poster
8.0

A young harridan MP marries a title in order to advance towards her goal of becoming party leader.

The Taming of the Shrew

2005

Out of the Blue poster
NR

Told from the point of view of an English trader working in the North Tower of the World Trade Centre, the poem-film Out Of The Blue was commissioned by Channel 5 and broadcast five years after the 9.11 attacks on America.

Out of the Blue

2006

Higher Love poster
6.4

Ross, who lives with his eccentric Uncle Cullen, is desperately trying to become a successful businessman. When he attempts to sell the family wine collection to finance a new venture, his uncle hatches a plan to remind Ross of the talent he left behind.

Higher Love

2001

A Knight's Tale: Making Of poster
10.0

A closer look into the filmmaking of Brian Helgeland's "A Knight's Tale".

A Knight's Tale: Making Of

2002

Dark City: Memories of Shell Beach poster
NR

Beginning with an introduction to the creation of the story, this featurette delves into all facets of the production of 1998's Dark City, and eventually provides a ten minute discussion of the film's reception. A retrospective that runs the gamut of the cast and crew's experiences on the film. We get a look at some storyboards, hear about weirding out the MPAA, and see star and amateur shutterbug Rufus Sewell present the many photos he took on the set.

Dark City: Memories of Shell Beach

2008

Victoria Station poster
9.0

A controller in a London cab office looks for a driver to pick up a fare from Victoria Station. The driver who answers has never heard of Victoria Station. And he already has a "passenger on board", albeit a very unusual one.

Victoria Station

2003

1990s · 17 titles

Dark City poster
7.3

A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans.

Dark City

1998

Dangerous Beauty poster
7.0

Veronica is brilliant, gifted and beautiful, but the handsome aristocrat she loves, Marco Venier, cannot marry her because she is penniless and of questionable family. So Veronica's mother, Paola, teaches her to become a courtesan, one of the exotic companions favored by the richest and most powerful Venetian men. Veronica courageously uses her charms to change destiny -- and to give herself a chance at true love.

Dangerous Beauty

1998

Hamlet poster
7.3

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother now marrying the murderer... his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing.

Hamlet

1996

A Man of No Importance poster
6.2

Alfie Byrne is a middle-aged bus conductor in Dublin in 1963. He would appear to live a life of quiet desperation: he's gay, but firmly closeted, and his sister is always trying to find him "the right girl". His passion is Oscar Wilde, his hobby is putting on amateur theatre productions in the local church hall. We follow him as he struggles with temptation, friendship, disapproval, and the conservative yet oddly lyrical world of Ireland in the early 1960s.

A Man of No Importance

1994

The Very Thought of You poster
5.7

Laurence recounts to his neighbour how his life long friendship with Frank and Daniel has been overturned in just three days by their each independently meeting, and falling for, Martha, who has no idea of their connection. Slowly the tale unfolds, the narrative moving backwards and forwards gradually filling in the gaps until we see the whole picture

The Very Thought of You

1998

Cold Comfort Farm poster
6.8

In this adaptation of the satirical British novel, Flora Poste, a plucky London society girl orphaned at age 19, finds a new home with some rough relatives, the Starkadders of Cold Comfort Farm. With a take-charge attitude and some encouragement from her mischievous friend, Mary, Flora changes the Starkadders' lives forever when she settles into their rustic estate, bringing the backward clan up to date and finding inspiration for her novel in the process.

Cold Comfort Farm

1995

Carrington poster
6.2

Painter Dora Carrington develops an intimate but extremely complex bond with writer Lytton Strachey. Though Lytton is a homosexual, he is enchanted by the mysterious Dora and they begin a lifelong friendship that has strangely romantic undertones. Eventually, Lytton and Dora decide to live together, despite the fact that the latter has fallen in love with military man Ralph Partridge, whom she plans to marry.

Carrington

1995

Twenty-One poster
4.9

Katie is a free spirited independently minded 21-year-old. The film follows her as she reflects on the men in her life. Along the way we meet her drug addict boyfriend Bobby, her lover Jack, close friend Baldy, and her father.

Twenty-One

1991

Dirty Weekend poster
5.0

Shortly after she moves into her own flat in Brighton, Bella finds she is being spied on and generally harassed by a man living across from her. Finally driven to solving the problem with a hammer, she realises she is then ready for a crusade against other such problem males

Dirty Weekend

1993

Victory poster
5.2

Axel Heyst is an American recluse with a dubious past living in the Dutch East Indies port of Surabaya circa 1913. Staying in a German hotel there, Heyst becomes entranced with a member of the hotel's all-female orchestra.

Victory

1996

Dirtysomething poster
5.7

Dirtysomething centres around young lovers Becca and Dog, an older fellow traveller, sage Larry, and is about the pitfalls of giving up the alternative 'crustie' liftestyle of no fixed abode and travelling to settle down.

Dirtysomething

1994

Illuminata poster
5.4

It's the start of the 20th century, and Tuccio, resident playwright of a theatre repertory company offers the owners of the company his new play, "Illuminata". They reject it, saying it's not finished, and intrigue starts that involves influential critic Bevalaqua, theatre star Celimene, young lead actors and other theatre residents

Illuminata

1998

The Woodlanders poster
5.1

The story is set in late 19th century rural corner of South England. The daughter of timber merchant Melbury, Grace, returns to the town after finishing school. Her father now believes she can find a better husband than her childhood sweetheart, woodsman Giles. She marries handsome young doctor Fitzpiers, but soon finds out he's not the man of her dreams and she still loves Giles.

The Woodlanders

1998

In a Savage Land poster
4.8

Two anthropologists married to each other go to an island off of Papua New Guinea for field research in pre-World War II. Eventually the war breaks out and many lives are disrupted and complicated.

In a Savage Land

1999

The Last Romantics poster
NR

A semi-fictionalized account of the life of writer F.R. Leavis, his mentor Arthur Quiller Couch, and Leavis's own students at Cambridge University.

The Last Romantics

1992

Henry IV poster
8.5

Henry Bolingbroke has now been crowned King of England, but faces a rebellion headed by the embittered Earl of Northumberland and his son (nicknamed 'Hotspur'). Henry's son Hal, the Prince of Wales, has thrown over life at court in favour of heavy drinking and petty theft in the company of a debauched elderly knight, Sir John Falstaff. Hal must extricate himself from some legal problems, regain his father's good opinions and help suppress the uprising.

Henry IV

1995

No artwork available
10.0

Story of John Locke...

Citizen Locke

1994

Undated · 3 titles

Series credits

The Diplomat poster
7.6

Amid an international crisis, a US diplomat contends with her high-profile job as ambassador to the UK and her strained marriage to a political star.

The Diplomat

2023

Tony Awards poster
NR

The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances, and an award is given for regional theatre.

Tony Awards

1956

The Man in the High Castle poster
7.5

Explore what it would be like if the Allied Powers had lost WWII, and Japan and Germany ruled the United States. Based on Philip K. Dick's award-winning novel.

The Man in the High Castle

2015

The Sandman poster
7.8

After years of imprisonment, Morpheus — the King of Dreams — embarks on a journey across worlds to find what was stolen from him and restore his power.

The Sandman

2022

Screen Two poster
7.1

Series of single made-for-television dramas.

Screen Two

1985

Screen Two poster
7.1

Series of single made-for-television dramas.

Screen Two

1985

Screen Two poster
7.1

Series of single made-for-television dramas.

Screen Two

1985

Victoria poster
7.4

The story of Queen Victoria, who came to the throne at a time of great economic turbulence and resurgent republicanism – and died 64 years later the head of the largest empire the world had ever seen, having revitalised the throne’s public image and become “grandmother of Europe”.

Victoria

2016

Performance poster
6.3

An anthology series of various plays and dramatic performances.

Performance

1991

Eleventh Hour poster
6.6

Dr. Jacob Hood is a brilliant biophysicist and special science advisor to the government who investigates scientific crises and oddities. His crusade is to protect the substance of science against those who would abuse and misuse scientific discoveries for their own gain.

Eleventh Hour

2008

John Adams poster
7.7

Adapted from David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, this lavish seven-part miniseries chronicles the life of Founding Father John Adams, starting with the Boston Massacre of 1770 through his years as an ambassador in Europe, then his terms as vice president and president of the United States, up to his death on July 4, 1826.

John Adams

2008

The Pillars of the Earth poster
7.7

A sweeping epic of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty, a sensuous, spirited story set against a backdrop of war, religious strife and power struggles in 12th Century England.

The Pillars of the Earth

2010

Kaleidoscope poster
6.8

A master thief and his crew attempt an epic and elaborate heist worth $7 billion dollars — but betrayal, greed and other threats undermine their plans.

Kaleidoscope

2023

Helen of Troy poster
6.1

Paris of Troy goes to Sparta on a diplomatic mission and falls in love with Helen, the wife of King Menelaus. When lovers flee to Troy, the bloody seeds of a long war, sown by King Agamemnon of Mycenae, finally sprout, so an old prophecy is fulfilled.

Helen of Troy

2003

The Pale Horse poster
5.8

After a list of names is found in the shoe of a dead woman, one of the named people begins investigating and is drawn to the The Pale Horse, the home of a trio of rumored witches living in a small village. Word has it that the witches can do away with wealthy relatives using dark arts.

The Pale Horse

2020

Arabian Nights poster
6.8

Targeted for assassination by his first wife and his evil brother, a young sultan must marry by the next full moon or he will lose his kingdom. His uncertainty over his newfound bride causes her to stall the sultan with a series of fantastic stories to ease the tension and stall her impending execution.

Arabian Nights

2000

Charles II: The Power and The Passion poster
6.3

Charles II: The Power & the Passion is a four-part television miniseries, broadcast on BBC One from 16 November to 7 December 2003. The series depicts the reign of Charles II, covering the period just before his Restoration in 1660. It focuses on his conflicts with Parliament, his relationships with his mistresses—particularly Barbara Villiers—and his efforts to restore England after the Civil War. When shown in the United States, as The Last King: The Power and the Passion of King Charles II, nearly an hour was removed for broadcast by the A&E Network. The edits often make little regard for either the full production's continuity or coherence.

Charles II: The Power and The Passion

2003

Parade's End poster
6.5

The story of a love triangle between a conservative English aristocrat, his mean socialite wife and a young suffragette in the midst of World War I and a Europe on the brink of profound change.

Parade's End

2012

Middlemarch poster
7.8

19th century Great Britain. The Industrial Revolution brings both the promise and fear of change. In the provincial town of Middlemarch, the progressive Dorothea Brooke desperately seeks intellectual fulfillment in a male-dominated society and is driven into an unhappy marriage to the elderly scholar Casaubon. No sooner do they embark on their honeymoon than she meets and develops an instant connection with Casaubon's young cousin, Will Ladislaw. When idealistic Doctor Lydgate arrives, his new methods of medicine sweep him into the battle between conservatives and liberals in town. He quickly becomes enamored of the beautiful, privileged Rosamond Vincy, a woman whose troubles seem bound to destroy him.

Middlemarch

1994

Restless poster
7.1

A young woman finds out that her mother worked as a spy for the British Secret Service during World War II and has been on the run ever since.

Restless

2012

Zen poster
7.1

Zen is a British television mini series produced by Left Bank Pictures for the BBC, co-produced with WGBH Boston for its Masterpiece anthology series, Mediaset and ZDF. It stars Rufus Sewell and Caterina Murino and is based on the Aurelio Zen detective novels by Michael Dibdin. The series was filmed on location in Italy, but the dialogue is in English. The series, which comprises three 90-minute films, was broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sunday evenings from 2 January 2011 on BBC One. The three films were based on the books Vendetta, Cabal and Ratking.

Zen

2011

Pride and Prejudice poster
NR

Elizabeth Bennet is an unmarried woman and the second of five daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet from Hertfordshire, near London. The Bennet home can only be inherited by males in the family, so the pressure is on for the daughters to marry well or risk losing everything. While out in society, Elizabeth interacts with single men like Mr. Darcy, an outwardly curmudgeon who is misunderstood.

Pride and Prejudice

2026

ShakespeaRe-Told poster
7.4

Four of Shakespeare's plays are dramatically relocated to the modern day.

ShakespeaRe-Told

2005

No artwork available
NR

At a resort, a privileged family and the people who work for them collide in the pursuit of power, wealth and status.

Queenstown

—

British Film Forever poster
5.5

Running for seven weeks from July 2007, each week focused on a different genre, examining British film by genre. Presented by Jessica Stevenson the series featured over 200 exclusive interviews with leading actors and directors including Sir Michael Caine, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Kate Winslet.

British Film Forever

2007

Gone to Seed poster
3.3

Gone to Seed is a British comedy-drama series created by Tony Grounds, a standalone spin-off to his earlier Gone to the Dogs. With much of the cast returning—albeit in new roles—the six-episode series follows the Plant family, who have run a garden centre in Rotherhithe since Dickens’ time, surviving both war and redevelopment. But now, family rivalry threatens to poison their unlikely paradise when matriarch Mag refuses to hand over control to her triplet children. Frumpy Hilda has only one passion in life: Milwall FC. Country/western singer Monty dreams of turning the run-down nursery into a floral oasis in the heart of Docklands, whilst his one-eyed jobless builder and part-time wrestler Winston doesn’t know a begonia from a buttercup! Meanwhile, local conman Wesley Willis lurks in the shadows and knows the true-worth of prime-location London real-estate.

Gone to Seed

1992