Jonathan Pryce is a well-known Welsh singer and actor. He is well known for his versatility and for his role in the iconic ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film franchise. He began acting in theatre when he was in college in Carmel, Wales, UK. He was then given a scholarship to the ‘Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.’ He began his acting career as a guest star on renowned television shows. He has starred in plays including ‘Comedians,’ for which he received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. In a rendition of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy “Hamlet,” he played the main character. He won the ‘Laurence Olivier Award’ for Best Actor for his performance. After appearing in films such as ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes,’ ‘The Ploughman’s Lunch,’ ‘Brazil,’ and ‘The Doctor and the Devils,’ his reputation gradually grew. Pryce’s most recent films include ‘Narcopolis’ and ‘To Walk Invisible.’ He has received numerous honors and nominations for his film work, as well as being named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Childhood and Adolescence
Jonathan Pryce was born on June 1, 1947, in Carmel, Flintshire, Wales, as John Price. Margaret Ellen and Isaac Price, his parents, used to own a small grocery store together. He also has two older sisters.He attended Holywell Grammar School for his education.
Later, he enrolled in Edge Hill College, where he studied to become a teacher. During this period, he took part in his first theatrical performance. One of his teachers, who was blown away by Pryce’s performance, applied on his behalf to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and Pryce was awarded a scholarship to study there.
Career of Jonathan
Jonathan Pryce joined the Everyman Theatre Liverpool Company after graduating from the Academy. He was able to become the theatre’s Artistic Director as a result of his abilities. Later on, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company to perform.
He made his debut appearance on screen in 1972, in an episode of the British TV sci-fi series ‘Doomwatch,’ in which he played a minor role. In 1975, he had the lead part in the play “Comedians.” He appeared in several other plays during the next few years, including ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’ (1978) and ‘Macbeth’ (1980). His portrayal of the titular character in ‘Macbeth’ was well-received.
In 1976, he made his feature film debut in Stuart Rosenburg’s ‘Voyage of the Damned.’ Three Oscar nominations were given to the picture, in which he played a minor role. He made his film debut in the 1983 horror fantasy thriller ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes,’ in which he played a pivotal role. The film, directed by Jack Clayton, received a few nominations and awards. It was, however, a commercial flop.
The films ‘Martin Luther Heretic’ and ‘The Ploughman’s Lunch,’ both released in 1983, featured Jonathan Pryce in leading roles. In the following years, he performed in a number of films, both leading and supporting roles. ‘Brazil’ (1985), ‘Haunted Honeymoon’ (1986), ‘Glengarry Glenn Ross’ (1992), ‘A Business Affair’ (1994), and ‘Shopping’ are only a few of them (1994).
He received two Academy Awards for his performance in the film “Carrington” in 1995. Meanwhile, he continued to appear in TV shows like ‘Tickets for the Titanic’ and ‘Screen Two.’ He has starred in television movies such as ‘Barbarians at the Gate,’ which he starred in in 1993. In films such as ‘Regeneration’ (1997), ‘Stigmata’ (1999), ‘The Affair of the Necklace’ (2001), and ‘Unconditional Love,’ he had a key role (2002).
Jonathan Pryce rose to international fame in 2003 after starring in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,’ the first installment of the popular ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film franchise. The picture, directed by Gore Verbinski, was a big box office success.
In 2006 and 2007, Pryce reprised his character in the sequels ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.’ Both sequels were also big successes. In the 2007 TV film ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars,’ he played the legendary British investigator Sherlock Holmes.
It was shown on BBC. ‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’ (2009), ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ (2013), ‘The Salvation’ (2014), ‘Narcopolis’ (2015), and ‘To Walk Invisible’ (2016) are some of the other films in which he has appeared (2016).
He’s also appeared in several episodes of the popular American fantasy drama series ‘Game of Thrones.’ He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance.
Major Projects of Jonathan
Jonathan Pryce performed a pivotal role in Roger Spottiswoode’s 1997 James Bond picture ‘Tomorrow Never Dies.’ It was the eighteenth installment in the James Bond series, which follows the exploits of British spy James Bond. Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in the picture, which also featured Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher, and Jon Don Baker. It was a commercial success, as are most James Bond films. It received mostly negative feedback.
In the 2003 American fantasy picture ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,’ Pryce plays a pivotal role. Gore Verbinski directed the picture, which was the first entry in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film series.
Johnny Depp, who played the lead part, was joined by Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Jack Davenport in the picture. The picture was a major commercial and critical success, generating more than $ 650 million worldwide. It was also nominated for numerous Academy Awards.
‘Narcopolis,’ a British sci-fi film released in 2015, is one of Pryce’s most recent projects. In addition to Pryce, the picture starred Elliot Cowan, Elodie Yung, Robert Bathurst, and Harry Lloyd, and was directed by Justin Trefgarne.
Achievements & Awards
Jonathan Pryce earned two Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Play for his roles in “Comedians” and “Miss Saigon” in 1977 and 1991, respectively. In 1980, he received a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance as Hamlet in the famed Shakespearean drama.
Pryce earned the ‘Valladolid International Picture Festival Award’ for Best Actor for his part in the 1992 drama film ‘Glengarry Glen Ross.’ He won the ‘Evening Standard British Film Award’ for Best Actor for his part in the 1995 film ‘Carrington.’ At the Cannes Film Festival, he won another award for Best Actor for the same role.
He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Liverpool in 2006. Jonathan Pryce is also a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and a Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Pryce was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2009 Birthday Honors for his contribution to drama.
Personal History and Legacy
Jonathan Pryce has been married to actress Kate Fahy for a long time and the two share a home in London. Patrick, Gabriel, and Phoebe are their three children. He is also well-known for his charity endeavors. Pryce is a patron of ‘Friendship Works,’ a children’s charity, as well as a supporter of ‘Saving Faces,’ a surgical charity.
Estimated Net Worth
Jonathan Pryce has a net worth of $5 million. Jonathan Pryce is a Welsh actor and singer. Jonathan Pryce was born in June 1947 in Carmel, Flintshire, Wales. He began his career as a theater performer after studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.