Jonathan Pryce

Lore & Background

Pryce was born John Price on 1 June 1947 in Carmel, Flintshire, the son of Margaret Ellen and Isaac Price, a former coal miner who ran a small general grocery shop. He was raised a Welsh Presbyterian and educated at Holywell Grammar School. At age 16, he went to art college before training to be a teacher at Edge Hill College. While studying, he took part in a college theatre production and applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where he was awarded a scholarship and graduated in 1971. He took the stage name Jonathan Pryce because his birth name was too similar to that of a performer already represented by Equity.

After graduation, Pryce joined the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool and eventually became its artistic director. He performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Nottingham Playhouse. His breakthrough screen performance was in Terry Gilliam's satirical dystopian black comedy Brazil (1985). He earned his first Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Pope Francis in The Two Popes (2019). For television, he received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for roles including Henry Kravis in Barbarians at the Gate, Prince Philip in The Crown, and a retired MI5 officer in Slow Horses.

Reader's Guide

Jonathan Pryce's significance lies in his versatile career spanning stage, film, and television, marked by critical acclaim and major awards. On stage, he won an Olivier Award for his title role in Hamlet (1980) and a Tony Award for originating the role of The Engineer in Miss Saigon (1991), despite controversy over his casting in yellowface. His film work includes iconic roles in Brazil, the Pirates of the Caribbean series, and The Two Popes, which earned him an Academy Award nomination. His television work includes acclaimed performances in The Crown, Game of Thrones, and Slow Horses. Pryce's knighthood in 2021 recognized his lasting contributions to drama. His legacy includes both celebrated performances and debates about representation in theatre.

Did You Know?

• Pryce was born John Price and changed his stage name because his birth name was too similar to a performer already represented by Equity.
• While at RADA, he worked as a door-to-door salesman of velvet paintings.
• He won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Miss Saigon in 1991, after a controversy over his casting in yellowface.
• He earned his first Academy Award nomination for portraying Pope Francis in The Two Popes (2019).