Rafe Spall

Acting

Rafe Spall

Born

1983-03-10 (43)

Place of birth

East Dulwich, London, England, UK

Known for

Acting

Credits

74 titles

Rafe Joseph Spall is an English actor on both stage and screen. He is perhaps best known for his roles in BBC's The Shadow Line, Channel 4's Pete versus Life, One Day, Anonymous, and the Ridley Scott film Prometheus. He played writer Yann Martel in the 2012 film Life of Pi.

Known for

Film credits

2020s · 4 titles

2010s · 26 titles

The Big Short poster
7.4

The men who made millions from a global economic meltdown.

The Big Short

2015

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom poster
6.5

Three years after Jurassic World was destroyed, Isla Nublar now sits abandoned. When the island's dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

2018

Prometheus poster
6.6

A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Prometheus

2012

The BFG poster
6.3

An orphan little girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the human world.

The BFG

2016

Life of Pi poster
7.4

The story of an Indian boy named Pi, a zookeeper's son who finds himself in the company of a hyena, zebra, orangutan, and a Bengal tiger after a shipwreck sets them adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

Life of Pi

2012

One Day poster
7.4

After spending the night together on the eve of their college graduation, Dexter and Emma are shown each year on the same date to see where they are in their lives. They are sometimes together, and sometimes not.

One Day

2011

Men in Black: International poster
5.9

The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

Men in Black: International

2019

The Ritual poster
6.3

A group of college friends reunite for a trip to the forest, but encounter a menacing presence in the woods that's stalking them.

The Ritual

2017

The World's End poster
6.8

Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

The World's End

2013

Just Mercy poster
7.8

The powerful true story of Harvard-educated lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who goes to Alabama to defend the disenfranchised and wrongly condemned — including Walter McMillian, a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence. Bryan fights tirelessly for Walter with the system stacked against them.

Just Mercy

2019

I Give It a Year poster
5.5

After a quick courtship, two lovers hastily decide to tie the knot. As their first year of marriage unfolds, temptation and incompatibility put their relationship in jeopardy.

I Give It a Year

2013

What If poster
6.7

Medical-school dropout Wallace has been repeatedly burned by bad relationships. So while everyone around him, including his roommate Allan, seems to be finding the perfect partner, Wallace decides to put his love life on hold. It is then that he meets Chantry, an animator who lives with her longtime boyfriend Ben. Wallace and Chantry form an instant connection, striking up a close friendship. Still, there is no denying the chemistry between them, leading the pair to wonder, what if the love of your life is actually your best friend?

What If

2013

Anonymous poster
6.4

Set against the backdrop of the succession of Queen Elizabeth I, and the Essex Rebellion against her, the story advances the theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford who penned Shakespeare's plays.

Anonymous

2011

Get Santa poster
6.1

A father and son must team up to save Christmas when they discover Santa Claus sleeping in their garage, having crashed his sleigh and found himself on the run from the police.

Get Santa

2014

Mum's List poster
6.9

The story of Singe and Kate, a couple from North Somerset, whose lives were turned upside down when Kate was diagnosed with an incurable breast cancer. Over her last few days, she created her list: writing her thoughts and memories down, to help the man she loved create the best life possible for their two sons, after she was gone.

Mum's List

2016

Swallows and Amazons poster
6.3

Four children dream of escaping the tedium of a summer holiday with their mother. When finally given permission to camp on their own on an island in the middle of a vast lake, they are overjoyed. But when they get there they discover they may not be alone… The battle for ownership of a lonely island teaches them the skills of survival, the value of friendship and the importance of holding your nerve.

Swallows and Amazons

2016

X+Y poster
6.7

Struggling to connect with those around him, a teenage math prodigy trains for the International Mathematical Olympiad, where a budding romance with a fellow contestant breaks through his emotional walls and teaches him that love cannot be calculated.

X+Y

2015

Earthbound poster
4.4

At eleven years old Joe Norman is told by his dying father that he is an alien hiding on earth. Joe believes him. He grows up to be a die-hard fan-boy working in a comic shop. When he falls for down-to-earth Maria, a fellow sci-fi fan, he is inspired to lead a more normal social existence. Until intergalactic bounty hunters track Joe down at his new office and the couple soon learn the dangerous truth about who Joe really is.

Earthbound

2012

Denmark poster
6.2

Herb’s life is a mess. He’s lost his welfare, can’t hold a job, can’t talk to his son, has a neighbour who won’t shut up and a diet that consists mainly of cheap beer and mushy peas. It’s no way to live and he knows it. Then he learns from a TV news report that Danish prisoners have it way better than he does: a job, accessible healthcare, the quiet of the countryside, even an HDTV. They’re practically living in hotels. He says goodbye (and good riddance) to his dingy flat and smuggles himself to Denmark aboard a cargo ship, landing in a quaint town with everything he needs -- including a bank to rob. But when he meets a friendly local barmaid and a lovable stray dog that won’t leave his side, he begins to wonder if prison really is his only chance of a fulfilling life.

Denmark

2019

The Scouting Book for Boys poster
6.3

Thomas Turgoose (This Is England) stars as David, a young boy who lives a carefree life on a coastal caravan park with his best friend Emily (Holliday Grainger). When David learns that Emily is being forced to move away, he helps her hide out in a remote cave on the beach. But as David watches the police close in on his missing friend, their innocent secret takes on a life of its own. When the real reason Emily wants to escape comes to light, David's world is shattered. Swept up in a situation out of his control, and with his feelings for his best friend growing stranger by the day, David is forced to take action.

The Scouting Book for Boys

2010

Grandpa's Great Escape poster
6.1

Many years ago, Grandpa was a World War II flying ace, but sadly he is now suffering from Alzheimer's disease. When his family can no longer look after him, he is moved to Twilight Towers, an old people's home. It soon becomes clear that Miss Dandy is running Twilight Towers for her own ulterior motives, and it is up to Grandpa and grandson Jack to make a daring escape. Failure could have the direst of consequences, but success will give Grandpa a final chance to relive his past and take to the sky once again in his beloved Spitfire.

Grandpa's Great Escape

2018

The Furious Gods: Making Prometheus poster
7.0

An in-depth documentary on the making of Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," featuring cast and crew interviews, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage. Released on the 4-disc Collector's Edition Blu-ray set.

The Furious Gods: Making Prometheus

2012

Harry Price: Ghost Hunter poster
6.1

When MP's wife Grace Goodwin is found naked on a London street, Harry Price is summoned to investigate claims that her house is haunted.

Harry Price: Ghost Hunter

2015

SUS poster
5.5

Election Night 1979: Margaret Thatcher is about to come into power. A young black man is held on suspicion of murdering his pregnant wife. Officers Karn and Wilby, racist to the core and high on the prospect of a Conservative Party victory, try to lure the suspect into a quick confession. But the night has just begun...Callous humiliation gives way to a barrage of sinister violence, leading to a devastating conclusion.Written by Barrie Keefe, who was behind the British classic The Long Good Friday, SUS is an emotionally charged and incredibly tense crime drama that serves as a powerful outcry against past institutional racism. But in the age of counter-terrorism SUS also begs the question: has history caught up with us?

SUS

2010

National Theatre Live: Hedda Gabler poster
8.6

Hedda and Tesman have just returned from their honeymoon and the relationship is already in trouble. Trapped but determined, Hedda tries to control those around her, only to see her own world unravel.

National Theatre Live: Hedda Gabler

2017

Off the Page: Death of England poster
NR

A grieving son's funeral speech turns into an elegy for his father, the national football team, and a country torn apart by its identity crisis. Rafe Spall stars in a 'microplay', written by Roy Williams and directed by Clint Dyer after a conversation with Barney Ronay. Death of England is the latest in a series of plays made in collaboration between The Guardian journalists and Royal Court Theatre-makers.

Off the Page: Death of England

2014

2000s · 19 titles

Shaun of the Dead poster
7.5

Shaun lives a supremely uneventful life, which revolves around his girlfriend, his mother, and, above all, his local pub. This gentle routine is threatened when the dead return to life and make strenuous attempts to snack on ordinary Londoners.

Shaun of the Dead

2004

Green Street Hooligans poster
7.3

After being wrongfully expelled from Harvard University, American Matt Buckner flees to his sister's home in England. Once there, he is befriended by her charming and dangerous brother-in-law, Pete Dunham, and introduced to the underworld of British football hooliganism. Matt learns to stand his ground through a friendship that develops against the backdrop of this secret and often violent world. 'Green Street Hooligans' is a story of loyalty, trust and the sometimes brutal consequences of living close to the edge.

Green Street Hooligans

2005

Hot Fuzz poster
7.6

Former London constable Nicholas Angel finds it difficult to adapt to his new assignment in the sleepy British village of Sandford. Not only does he miss the excitement of the big city, but he also has a well-meaning oaf for a partner. However, when a series of grisly accidents rocks Sandford, Angel smells something rotten in the idyllic village.

Hot Fuzz

2007

A Good Year poster
6.7

Failed London banker Max Skinner inherits his uncle's vineyard in Provence, where he spent many childhood holidays. Upon his arrival, he meets a woman from California who tells Max she is his long-lost cousin and that the property is hers.

A Good Year

2006

Kidulthood poster
6.3

A day in the life of a group of troubled 15-year-olds growing up in west London.

Kidulthood

2006

Grindhouse poster
7.0

Grindhouse combines Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror, a horror comedy about a group of survivors who battle zombie-like creatures, and Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, an action thriller about a murderous stuntman who kills young women with modified vehicles. It is presented as a double feature with fictitious exploitation trailers preceding each segment.

Grindhouse

2007

The Last Drop poster
4.2

Different factions in WWII-era Holland race to find a stash of Nazi gold.

The Last Drop

2006

The Lion in Winter poster
5.9

Christmas 1183, Angevin Empire: King Henry II plans to announce his successor to the throne. Jockeying for the crown, though, is complex. Henry has three sons and wants his boy Prince John to take over. Henry's wife, Queen Eleanor, believes their son Prince Richard should be king. As family and various schemers gather for the holiday, each tries to make the indecisive king choose their option.

The Lion in Winter

2003

Cracker: Nine Eleven poster
7.0

After living in Australia for the past decade, Fitz and Judith return to Manchester in 2004 for their daughter Katie's wedding. Drinking too much at the reception, Fitz stumbles through a rambling toast, which only embarrasses the bride. Instead of spending time with his grandson, son of his married son Mark, Fitz opts to join in the investigation of a serial killer who has an apparent dislike of Americans in the wake of the U.S. Invasion of Iraq.

Cracker: Nine Eleven

2006

The Calcium Kid poster
5.5

When milkman Jimmy Connelly accidentally puts Britain's contender for the World title out of action, he is propelled from amateur boxer to the world stage and announced as the replacement contender for the championship fight.

The Calcium Kid

2004

Wide Sargasso Sea poster
5.6

Dramatisation of Jean Rhys's novel set in 19th-century Jamaica. The tragic story of the first Mrs Rochester from Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre centres on an arranged marriage between a white Creole heiress and a brooding Englishman, who fall in love only to be torn apart by rumours, paranoia and a cultural divide.

Wide Sargasso Sea

2006

Dracula poster
5.6

The Romanian count known as Dracula is summoned to London by Arthur Holmwood, a young Lord who is one the verge of being wed. Unknown to Arthur's future bride Lucy, her future husband is infected with syphilis and therefore cannot consummate their marriage. Arthur has laid his hopes of being cured on the enigmatic count; as it is said that Dracula has extraordinary powers. But these supernatural powers have sinister origins. The Count is a vampire. Soon Arthur realizes his serious mistake as all hell breaks loose and the Count infects others with his ancient curse. But Dracula has not counted on the young Lord acquiring the assistance of the Dutch Vampire expert Prof. Abraham Van Helsing.

Dracula

2006

A Room with a View poster
5.5

When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperon Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in to remedy the situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy's life forever but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany affect her marriage plans?

A Room with a View

2007

The Legend of the Tamworth Two poster
5.0

Based on a true story, the movie tells the story of two pigs, named Butch and Sundance, who staged a dramatic escape from an abattoir in January 1998 and remained at large for a week ...

The Legend of the Tamworth Two

2004

Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me poster
2.3

Candid and poignant drama about the comedian Frankie Howerd and the relationship with his long-term, long-suffering manager, and gay partner, Dennis Heymer. Despite his overtly camp persona, Howerd kept his companionship with Heymer under wraps for 35 years, until his death in 1992. Yet through career disaster, social stigma, illegality, numerous infidelities and Howerd's own deep-seated issues about his homosexuality, their love endured.

Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me

2008

Get Off My Land poster
NR

Written and directed by Douglas Ray, starring Ruth Wilson and Rafe Spall, Get Off My Land tells the story of a couple on a walk in the countryside who meet a farmer…

Get Off My Land

2007

No artwork available
NR

The classic scenario of a couple separating their CDs at the end of a relationship is given a new spin for the iPod generation.

Modern Life Is Rubbish

2009

The Chatterley Affair poster
5.3

The trial, under The Obscene Publications Act, of the publishers of D.H. Lawrence's 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'in 1960 was a sensation that consumed the nation. The movie follows two fictional jurors, Helena and Keith, who become passionate lovers during the course of the trial and whose affair mirrors the themes of the novel.

The Chatterley Affair

2006

Out of Control poster
4.5

Drama following the lives of three teenage boys sent to a young offenders' institution.

Out of Control

2002

Series credits

Black Mirror poster
8.3

Twisted tales run wild in this mind-bending anthology series that reveals humanity's worst traits, greatest innovations and more.

Black Mirror

2011

Agatha Christie's Marple poster
7.8

The adventures of Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster living in the quiet little village of St Mary Mead. During her many visits to friends and relatives in other villages, Miss Marple often stumbles upon mysterious murders which she helps solve. Although the police are sometimes reluctant to accept Miss Marple's help, her reputation and unparalleled powers of observation eventually win them over.

Agatha Christie's Marple

2004

The Last Leg poster
5.7

Adam Hills and co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker provide some offbeat commentary on the significant moments of the past seven days.

The Last Leg

2013

Soccer AM poster
6.3

Soccer AM is a British Saturday-morning football-based comedy/talk show, predominantly based around the Premier League. Originally presented by Jane Hoffen, Gary Stevens and Russ Williams, they lasted just a year before Helen Chamberlain and Tim Lovejoy replaced them, where Lovejoy served for over a decade. He has since been replaced by Andy Goldstein and, more recently, Max Rushden. The show has been aired on Sky Sports 2 each Saturday morning of the football season since 1995 from 7:00am or 9:00am to noon originally and currently between 10:00am and 12:00pm. In early 2009, the 500th episode was broadcast. Although the show is filmed live from 2010 it has been broadcast on a momentary delay due to bad language and/or inappropriate content from certain guests. The show's current sponsor is Procter & Gamble through their Head & Shoulders brand. The show was previously sponsored by Frijj, a brand of milkshake, after Dairy Crest signed a £2 million sponsorship deal. Parts of the show have remained since the beginning, whilst new items have been introduced each season. In that respect, it is almost the same every week, the difference being new football footage and comedy skits. Every week sees a new group of celebrity guests, generally featuring at least one footballer who is free on the Saturday, and a mix of musicians, TV personalities, and other sportsmen.

Soccer AM

1995

Trying poster
7.6

All Nikki and Jason want is a baby—the one thing they can't have. So they decide to adopt. With their dysfunctional friends, screwball families, and chaotic lives, will the adoption panel agree that they're ready to be parents?

Trying

2020

The War of the Worlds poster
6.6

In Edwardian England, George and his partner Amy attempt to defy society and start a life together as they face the escalating terror of an alien invasion, fighting for their lives against an enemy beyond their comprehension.

The War of the Worlds

2019

Smoke poster
6.1

When an arson investigator begrudgingly teams up with a police detective, their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions.

Smoke

2025

Under Salt Marsh poster
6.6

Morfa Halen is a tight-knit Welsh town precariously nestled between towering mountains and a fast-encroaching sea that threatens its very existence. As a once-in-a-generation storm begins to gather far out at sea, former detective turned teacher Jackie Ellis discovers the body of her 8-year-old pupil, Cefin, seemingly drowned. The discovery sends shockwaves through the community, reviving the ghost of an unsolved cold case that rocked the town three years prior - the disappearance of Jackie’s niece, Nessa, which cost her career.

Under Salt Marsh

2026

The English poster
7.3

An aristocratic Englishwoman, Lady Cornelia Locke, arrives into the new and wild landscape of the American West to wreak revenge on the man she sees as responsible for the death of her son.

The English

2022

Bait poster
6.6

Shah Latif is a struggling actor on the cusp of landing the role of a lifetime, only to find himself thrust into a full blown existential crisis and trippy conspiracy thriller all at the same time.

Bait

2026

Secret Service poster
6.7

A British intelligence officer Kate Henderson races against time to uncover a UK politician's potential ties with the Kremlin, risking her reputation and family, as a murder and election loom.

Secret Service

2026

Roadies poster
6.2

An insider's look at the reckless, romantic, funny, and often poignant lives of a committed group of "roadies," who live for music and the de facto family they've formed along the way.

Roadies

2016

The Salisbury Poisonings poster
6.8

In March 2018 Salisbury became the site of an unprecedented national emergency. This three-part dramatisation focuses on the extraordinary heroism shown by the local community.

The Salisbury Poisonings

2020

Desperate Romantics poster
7.4

Six-part drama series set in and among the alleys, galleries and flesh-houses of 19th-century industrial London, following the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a vagabond group of English painters, poets and critics.

Desperate Romantics

2009

Twisted Tales poster
7.7

Twisted Tales is a dark and stylish comedy drama series. With intense scripts written by a mix of established writers and upcoming talent, each story is a self-contained episode with a mysterious twist. The tales set out to spook the brain and tickle the funny bone, so be prepared to expect the unexpected. The series is very closely related to Spine Chillers, an earlier BBC Three series. In effect, Twisted Tales is a rebranded second series of the earlier successful production.

Twisted Tales

2005

Spine Chillers poster
7.5

Anthology series of black comedies, which sets out to deliver excellent stories with a darkly comic twist.

Spine Chillers

2003

Sons of Liberty poster
6.8

A radical group of young men band together in secrecy to change the course of history and make America a nation.

Sons of Liberty

2015

The Shadow Line poster
7.6

A murder is investigated by both sides of the line, cops and criminals, using opposing methods. But the real line is the morality within each person and how far they will go before they cross it.

The Shadow Line

2011

The Rotters' Club poster
8.0

Friends Ben Trotter, Doug Anderton and Philip Chase deal with teenage angst, their parents' complex lives, and the political and social turmoil of the 1970s, including a tragic IRA pub bombing that affects Ben's family.

The Rotters' Club

2005

Pete versus Life poster
6.5

Pete versus Life is a Channel 4 sitcom created by George Jeffrie and Bert Tyler-Moore. It stars Rafe Spall and the first episode was aired on 6 August 2010. It was recommissioned for a second series after averaging 1.6 million viewers and a young demographic during its first run, and series two started airing on 21 October 2011.

Pete versus Life

2010

No artwork available
NR

There's a Prime Minister in the attic, a coffee bar in the basement, and a wallpapered labyrinth of romance, crisis and heartbreak in-between. Set in the only terrace house in history with mice and a nuclear deterrent, it's the only knock-through in the world where a hangover can start a war. The government will be fictional and unspecific, but the problems will be real. We'll never know which party is in power, because once the whole world hits the fan it barely matters.

Number 10

—

No artwork available
NR

When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperon Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in to remedy the situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy's life forever but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany affect her marriage plans?

A Room with a View

2008

He Kills Coppers poster
5.0

Three policemen are brutally murdered during the 1966 World Cup celebrations. "He Kills Coppers" follows three men connected to the deaths; Frank (a fellow policeman), Tony (an ambitious journalist, and witness to the murders), and Billy (the murderer).

He Kills Coppers

2008

The Romantics poster
4.0

No synopsis available yet.

The Romantics

2006

My Online Nightmare poster
7.0

Accounts of some of the most extraordinary tales of scammers and fraudsters who have used the internet to find their victims and to lure and con them, with terrifying and sometimes deadly results.

My Online Nightmare

2017