Sir David Mark Rylance Waters (born 18 January 1960 in Ashford, Kent, England) is an English actor, theatre director, and playwright. He was the first artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe in London, between 1995 and 2005. His film appearances include Prospero's Books (1991), Angels and Insects (1995), Institute Benjamenta (1996), and Intimacy (2001). Rylance won the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Rudolf Abel in Bridge of Spies (2015). Rylance played the title role in Steven Spielberg's The BFG (2016), a live-action film adaptation of the children's book by Roald Dahl, and appeared in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk (2017), based on the British evacuation in World War II. He appeared as James Halliday in Spielberg's 2018 film Ready Player One, based on the novel of the same name.
Inside The Institute
(Self)
Prospero's Books
(Ferdinand)
Intimacy
(Jay)
Angels and Insects
(William Adamson)
The Other Boleyn Girl
(Sir Thomas Boleyn)
Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life
(Jakob)
Measure for Measure: Live from The Globe
(Vincentio, Duke of Vienna)
Henry V at Shakespeare's Globe
(Henry V)
Much Ado About Something
(Himself)
Richard II - Live at Shakespeare's Globe
(Richard II)
Muse of Fire
(Self)
Days and Nights
(Stephen)
Loving
(Charlie Raunce)
Bing’s Christmas and Other Stories
(Flop)
The Grass Arena
(John Healy)
Wallenberg: A Hero's Story
(Nikki Fodor)
The Government Inspector
(Dr. David Kelly)
Bridge of Spies
(Rudolf Abel)
Inland
(Dunleavy)
The BFG
(The BFG)
We Are Many
(Self)
Twelfth Night
(Olivia)
The Gunman
(Terrance Cox)
The McGuffin
(Gavin)
Dunkirk
(Mr. Dawson)
Hearts of Fire
(Fizz)
Ready Player One
(Anorak / Halliday)
Blitz
(Roberts)
Anonymous
(Condell)
Shakespeare's Globe
(Himself)
Shakespeare: The Man Behind the Name
Love Lies Bleeding
(Conn Ellis)
In Lambeth
(William Blake)
Waiting for the Barbarians
(The Magistrate)
Nothing Is Truer than Truth
(Self)
The Trial of the Chicago 7
(William Kunstler)
The Way of the Wind
(Satan)
The Phantom of the Open
(Maurice Flitcroft)
Don't Look Up
(Peter Isherwell)
The Outfit
(Leonard Burling)
Bones and All
(Sully)
Spirit of Place
Bing & Friends: Birthday Celebration
(Flop (voice))
Wolf Hall: The Inside Story
(Self)
Wolf Hall
(Thomas Cromwell)
Tony Awards
(Self - Winner)
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Bing
(Narrator / Flop (voice))
The Undeclared War
(John Yeabsley)
Leonardo
(Leonardo)
My Grandparents' War
(Self)
Wallenberg: A Hero's Story
(Nikki Fodor)
Great Performances
(King Henry V)