Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility and intense acting style, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three British Academy Film Awards, and nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards. His films have grossed over $11 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.
Oldman began acting in theatre in 1979 and made his film debut in Remembrance (1982). He appeared in London's Royal Court and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, with credits including Cabaret, Romeo and Juliet, Entertaining Mr Sloane, Saved, The Country Wife, and Hamlet. He rose to prominence in British film with his portrayals of Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986), Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears (1987) and Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990). Regarded as a member of the "Brit Pack", he achieved greater recognition as a New York gangster in State of Grace (1990), Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK (1991), and Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).
Oldman portrayed villainous roles in True Romance (1993), Léon: The Professional (1994), The Fifth Element (1997), Air Force One (1997), and The Contender (2000). He has also played franchise roles such as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series (2004–2011), James "Jim" Gordon in The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012), Lord Shen in Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), and Dreyfus in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Winston Churchill in the historical drama Darkest Hour (2017). He was Oscar-nominated for his portrayals of George Smiley in the thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), and Herman J. Mankiewicz in drama Mank (2020).
Oldman also wrote and directed the film Nil by Mouth (1997). On television, he starred in the BBC film The Firm (1989). Since 2022, he has starred as Jackson Lamb, a British spy in the Apple TV+ thriller series Slow Horses for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He also earned an Emmy-nomination for his guest role as a serious actor on the NBC sitcom Friends in 2001. He has also acted in music videos for David Bowie, Guns N' Roses, and Annie Lennox.
