# Tom Hollander
**Tom Hollander** (Thomas Anthony Hollander, born 1967 in Bristol, England) is a British actor whose work spans stage, film, television, and radio, known for roles including Mr Collins in *Pride & Prejudice* (2005), Lord Cutler Beckett in the *Pirates of the Caribbean* franchise, the vicar in the BBC sitcom *Rev.*, Major Corkoran in *The Night Manager*, and a turn in HBO's *The White Lotus* (2022)[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/). He has won a BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, with nominations for a Tony Award and an Olivier Award[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/). The Library of Congress authority record lists his fields of activity as acting, television production and direction, and television authorship[2](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003001011.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967, Bristol, England[2](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003001011.html) |
| Signature screen roles | Mr Collins (*Pride & Prejudice*, 2005), Lord Cutler Beckett (*Pirates of the Caribbean*, 2006–07), Rev. Adam Smallbone (*Rev.*, 2010–14), Major Corkoran (*The Night Manager*)[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) |
| Major awards | BAFTA Best Supporting Actor for *The Night Manager*; BAFTA best sitcom (2011) for *Rev.*; SAG Award; FIPA Best Actor for *Cambridge Spies* (2003)[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903) |
| Stage honors | Ian Charleson Award winner 1992 (*The Way of the World*); Olivier and Tony nominations for *Travesties*[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [4](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/tom-hollander/profile/) |
| Training | Dragon School, Oxford (1975–80); Abingdon School; Cambridge Footlights; president of the Marlowe Society; National Youth Theatre[5](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/) • [1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) |
| Recent work | Boris Berezovsky in *Patriots* (Almeida Theatre); Truman Capote in *Feud* season two; Alfred Hitchcock in Netflix's *Monster: The Ed Gein Story*[5](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/) • [6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tom-hollander/) |
## Early life and training
Hollander grew up in Oxford after his Bristol birth. At the [Dragon School](https://www.edgepedia.org/dragon-school), which he attended between 1975 and 1980, his teacher Andrew Roberts encouraged him to play the title role in *Oliver*; he continued to [Abingdon School](https://www.edgepedia.org/abingdon-school) before attending Cambridge University[5](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/) • [3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903).
His first screen appearance came early. After being noticed in Children's Music Theatre's *The Leaving of Liverpool* (1981), he appeared at age fourteen as the young protagonist in the BBC's *John Diamond* (1981)[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). At Cambridge he was a member of the [Footlights](https://www.edgepedia.org/footlights) and president of the Marlowe Society[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/), collaborated there with his childhood friend [Sam Mendes](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-mendes) in *Cyrano de Bergerac* (1988), appeared in the Cambridge Footlights Revue (1988), and played in the West End production of *The Cherry Orchard* (1989) with [Judi Dench](https://www.edgepedia.org/judi-dench)[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). Earlier projects included *The Caucasian Chalk Circle* (1985) for the National Youth Theatre and *A Midsummer Night's Dream* for OUDS[5](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/).
## Stage career
He began his career in theater[7](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/sep/19/on-my-radar-tom-hollander-cultural-highlights). He won the Ian Charleson Award in 1992 for playing Witwoud in *The Way of the World* at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/). He was a three-time [Ian Charleson](https://www.edgepedia.org/ian-charleson) finalist: winner in 1992, nominated in 1996 for *Tartuffe*, and a finalist in 1997 for playing Khlestakov in *The Government Inspector*[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903).
His stage credits span the leading British houses: Baby in the original Royal Court production of [Jez Butterworth](https://www.edgepedia.org/jez-butterworth)'s *Mojo*, *As You Like It* (Cheek by Jowl), *A Flea in Her Ear* (Old Vic), *Landscape with Weapon* (National Theatre), *The Hotel in Amsterdam* and *The Threepenny Opera* (both Donmar), *King Lear*, and *Don Juan* (Sheffield Crucible)[4](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/tom-hollander/profile/). He made his Broadway debut as Bosie in the Almeida Theatre's production of David Hare's *The Judas Kiss* (1998) opposite [Liam Neeson](https://www.edgepedia.org/liam-neeson) at the Broadhurst Theatre[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [4](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/tom-hollander/profile/). Playing [Henry Carr](https://www.edgepedia.org/henry-carr) in a revival of Tom Stoppard's *Travesties* at the Apollo Theatre earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Olivier Awards and, in the Broadway transfer, a Tony Award nomination[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [4](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/tom-hollander/profile/). His most recent stage role on record was as Boris Berezovsky in Peter Morgan's *Patriots* at the Almeida Theatre, London[5](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/).
## Film and television career
Early screen work in the 1990s included *True Blue* (1996), *Some Mother's Son* (1996), *Bedrooms and Hallways* (1998), and *The Very Thought of You* (1998); Variety called him the "undisputed hit of the pic" for *Martha – Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence* (1998)[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). His agency CV lists early television credits including Paolo in *Absolutely Fabulous* (directed by Bob Spiers, BBC) and O'Leary in *The Bill* (ITV)[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tom-hollander/).
**Period drama and franchise villainy.** In Robert Altman's *Gosford Park* (2001) he played Anthony Meredith[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). He portrayed King George V in the BBC's *The Lost Prince* and King George III in HBO's *John Adams* (2008)[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/). His Mr Collins in [Joe Wright](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-wright)'s *Pride & Prejudice* (2005) and his Lord Cutler Beckett in *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* (2006) and *At World's End* (2007), described by IMDb as "the magnificently petty tyrant", became his most widely seen film roles[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). He worked three times with Joe Wright, in *Pride & Prejudice* (2005), *The Soloist* (2009), and *Hanna* (2011)[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903).
**Comedy and satire.** He played Simon Foster, a British government minister, in [Armando Iannucci](https://www.edgepedia.org/armando-iannucci)'s *In the Loop* (2009)[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). From 2010 to 2014 he played the inner-city vicar Adam Smallbone in the BBC sitcom *Rev.*, which he co-created with James Wood and co-wrote; the series won the BAFTA for best sitcom in 2011[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [7](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/sep/19/on-my-radar-tom-hollander-cultural-highlights).
**Later screen work.** He won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Major Corkoran in the BBC series *The Night Manager*[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/). Film credits followed in *Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation* (2015), *A Private War* (as Sean Ryan, directed by Matthew Heineman), *Breathe* (as David, directed by [Andy Serkis](https://www.edgepedia.org/andy-serkis)), *The Promise* (as Garin, directed by Terry George), and *Bohemian Rhapsody* (2018)[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tom-hollander/). He played King George V again in *The King's Man* (2021)[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). In 2020 he led the cast as Douglas Petersen in David Nicholls's four-part BBC adaptation of *Us*, a man whose wife wants to leave him while his son Albie is closer to his mother[5](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/) • [8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/us/tom/). He appeared in HBO's *The White Lotus* (2022) and has voiced [Alfred Pennyworth](https://www.edgepedia.org/alfred-pennyworth) in the animated series *Harley Quinn* (2020–present)[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/).
## Awards and recognition
The BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor recognized his performance as Major Corkoran in *The Night Manager*[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/). *Rev.* took the BAFTA for best sitcom in 2011[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/). He won Best Actor at the FIPA International Television Festival for playing [Guy Burgess](https://www.edgepedia.org/guy-burgess) in *Cambridge Spies* (2003)[3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). On stage, the Ian Charleson Award (1992) and the Olivier and Tony nominations for *Travesties* mark his theater career, and he also received a Time Out Best Actor award for *Tartuffe*[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [4](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/tom-hollander/profile/). He has also won a Screen Actors Guild Award[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/).
## By the numbers
His recorded honors include one BAFTA acting win (Best Supporting Actor, *The Night Manager*), one BAFTA program win (*Rev.*, 2011), one SAG Award, one FIPA Best Actor award (*Cambridge Spies*, 2003), one Ian Charleson Award win (1992) with two further finalist years (1996, 1997), and one Olivier nomination plus one Tony nomination, both for *Travesties*[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/) • [3](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903). Franchise and series spans on record include the two *Pirates of the Caribbean* films (2006–07), *Rev.* (2010–14), and *Harley Quinn* voice work running from 2020 to the present[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/).
## What has changed since 2023
At the Almeida Theatre he played the exiled Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky in [Peter Morgan](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-morgan)'s *Patriots*[5](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/). He then took the role of Truman Capote in *Feud* season two, listed by his alma mater among his upcoming television projects[5](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/). His agency profile lists him as Alfred Hitchcock in Ryan Murphy's Netflix production *Monster: The Ed Gein Story*[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tom-hollander/). These follow his appearance in *The White Lotus* (2022)[1](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/).
## Reception and acting style
BBC Radio 4 describes him as a "multi-award-winning, painfully versatile actor best known for Rev, The Night Manager and BBC Radio 4's School Drama", the last confirming his radio drama work[9](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2cwhH8zlBDyf4KT7ml6G33B/28-reasons-why-we-love-tom-hollander). His own account of playing villains is practical rather than grand: in a 2017 Guardian interview he said screen villains "tend to be two-dimensional to give heroes a plot", counted his villains in *Pirates of the Caribbean* and *Hanna* among them, and said that villains are seldom as multidimensional as his *Night Manager* character Corky, an associate arms dealer[10](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/12/tom-hollander-interview-stoppard-travesties-rev). The Guardian's 2020 profile frames his career arc as theater-first, with *Rev.* as the co-created sitcom that made him an award-winning lead and *The Night Manager* the source of his Bafta[7](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/sep/19/on-my-radar-tom-hollander-cultural-highlights).
## References
1. [Tom Hollander, ACMI](https://www.acmi.net.au/creators/84175--tom-hollander/)
2. [Hollander, Tom, 1967- , Library of Congress Name Authority](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003001011.html)
3. [Tom Hollander biography, IMDb](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0390903)
4. [Tom Hollander Biography, Broadway Buzz, Broadway.com](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/tom-hollander/profile/)
5. [Tom Hollander, Dragon School Oxford alumni record](https://www.dragonschool.org/eminent_dragons/tom-hollander/)
6. [Tom Hollander, United Agents](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/tom-hollander/)
7. [On my radar: Tom Hollander's cultural highlights, The Guardian (2020)](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/sep/19/on-my-radar-tom-hollander-cultural-highlights)
8. [Interview with Tom Hollander, BBC Media Centre (2020)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/us/tom/)
9. [28 Reasons Why We Love Tom Hollander, BBC Radio 4](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2cwhH8zlBDyf4KT7ml6G33B/28-reasons-why-we-love-tom-hollander)
10. [Tom Hollander interview, The Guardian (2017)](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/12/tom-hollander-interview-stoppard-travesties-rev)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Gw to H*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license