David Thewlis (born 20 March 1963) is an English actor known for a wide range of supporting and leading performances across film, television and animation. Born in Blackpool, in Lancashire, he has built a reputation for playing complex, often morally ambiguous characters as well as sympathetic everyman roles.

Notable roles

Thewlis gained broad public recognition for portraying Professor Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter film series, bringing warmth and quiet authority to the character. He also provided the voice of the Earthworm in the animated adaptation of James and the Giant Peach. On television he drew attention for his chilling turn as V.M. Varga in season three of Fargo, and in big‑budget cinema he appeared as Ares in Wonder Woman (credits).

Career and artistic range

Thewlis's career spans early independent dramas through studio pictures. He earned critical notice in the 1990s for intense dramatic work and has alternated between lead roles in smaller films and memorable supporting parts in larger productions. He is also active in television and animation, voicing characters such as the Shame Wizard in the series Big Mouth, and continues to take roles that emphasize psychological depth over glamour.

Selected filmography

  • Timeline (2003) — period science‑fiction/adventure
  • The Omen (2006) — horror remake appearance
  • The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) — supporting role in historical drama
  • War Horse (2011) — ensemble period film
  • Red 2 (2013) — action comedy
  • Earlier and other notable titles: Afraid of the Dark, Naked, Kingdom of Heaven, London Boulevard.

Thewlis's choices show a preference for character complexity: villains who unsettle audiences, flawed fathers, unreliable narrators and quietly heroic figures. Critics often single out his ability to make small gestures convey inner life. He has worked with a range of directors, from independent auteurs to mainstream filmmakers, which has allowed him to remain both visible and artistically adventurous.

Beyond screen acting, Thewlis has appeared in stage productions and continues to take on diverse projects in film, television and voice work. For further details on specific films and credits see individual entries or comprehensive databases and biographies about his career and selected productions listed above.