Joseph Fiennes

Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 26 May 1970), known as Joseph Fiennes, is an English actor. His numerous accolades include an Actor Award as well as nominations for a BAFTA Award and a Laurence Olivier Award. Fiennes rose to stardom portraying William Shakespeare in the romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love (1998), for which he was nominated for the Actor Award and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He also portrayed Sir Robert Dudley in the biographical drama Elizabeth (1998), Commisar Danilov in the war drama Enemy at the Gates (2001), and Martin Luther in the historical film Luther (2003). On television, he portrayed Monsignor Timothy Howard in the second season of the TV series American Horror Story (2012–2013). His performance as Commander Fred Waterford in the TV series The Handmaid's Tale (2017–2021) was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2018. On the stage, Fiennes's 2023 portrayal of Gareth Southgate in James Graham's Dear England earned him a nomination for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.