Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes ( rayf FYNEZ; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor and director. Recognised for his work on stage and screen, his accolades include a BAFTA Award and a Tony Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Born in Ipswich, Suffolk, Fiennes was trained at and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1985. A Shakespeare interpreter, he excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1995, Fiennes made his Broadway debut playing Prince Hamlet in the revival of Hamlet, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play. He was later Tony-nominated for his role as a traveling faith healer in the Brian Friel play Faith Healer (2006). Fiennes made his film debut playing Heathcliff in Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (1992). He has earned Academy Award nominations for his portrayals of Amon Göth in Schindler's List (1993), László Almásy in The English Patient (1996), and a Cardinal in Conclave (2024). He also acted in Quiz Show (1994), The End of the Affair (1999), Maid in Manhattan (2002), The Constant Gardener (2005), In Bruges (2008), The Reader (2008), The Hurt Locker (2009), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), A Bigger Splash (2015), Hail, Caesar! (2016) and The Menu (2022). He gained recognition for playing Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series (2005–2011), Gareth Mallory / M in the James Bond films (2012–2021), and Dr. Ian Kelson in 28 Years Later (2025) and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026). He has voiced roles in the animated films The Prince of Egypt (1998), Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), and The Lego Batman Movie (2017). Fiennes directed and starred in the films Coriolanus (2011) and The Invisible Woman (2013).