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Rufus Sewell

Rufus Sewell

Actor · Born October 29, 1967 (58) · Twickenham, England, UK

Primetime Emmy nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 1 other major award body

Rufus Frederik Sewell (born 29 October 1967) is an English actor. In film, he has appeared in The Woodlanders, Dangerous Beauty, Dark City, A Knight's Tale, The Illusionist, Tristan and Isolde, and Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence. On television, he starred in the 2010 mini-series The Pillars of the Earth. Earlier he played the hero, Will Ladislaw, in the BBC adaptation of George Eliot's Middlemarch. In 2003, he appeared in the lead role in Charles II: The Power and The Passion. He starred in the CBS drama Eleventh Hour which was cancelled in April 2009. On stage, he originated the role of Septimus Hodge in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia and the role of Jan in Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll, which earned him an Olivier Award and a Tony Award nomination for the latter performance. Description above from the Wikipedia article Rufus Sewell, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 29, 1967 (58)
From
Twickenham, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
51 on MovieCove · 79 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 58% in 30 days

What are Rufus Sewell's films like?

Across their 42 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Fantasy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Fantasy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
24%
Bonds
22%
Morality
21%
Survival
11%
Power
10%
Ideas
6%
Society
6%
Romantic love10 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 34 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 11

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 14 · Intense 15

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 13 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 5

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 17 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 3

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 18 · Full focus 7

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 11 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 11

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 19 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 5

Roles they play

29 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 13 of 29 analyzed roles.

Shadow
13 of 29
Hero
5 of 29
Ally
4 of 29
Shapeshifter
3 of 29
Trickster
2 of 29
Mentor
1 of 29
Threshold guardian
1 of 29
Show the 29 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
25
Melancholic
21
Dread
10
Romantic
10
Contemplative
12
Other
39

How their films linger

Bittersweet18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 13 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous11

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Rufus Sewell's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 37 of their 51 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Rufus Sewell's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

79 credits, 51 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Pride and Prejudice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 6 episodes · as Mr. Bennet

  • The Uninvited(2024)

    as Gerald

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Trouble with Jessica(2023)

    as Richard

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Scoop(2024)

    as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Diplomat(2023)

    Show 30 episodes · as Hal Wyler

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Kaleidoscope(2023)

    Show 9 episodes · as Roger Salas

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • The Sandman(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Time

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Old(2021)

    as Charles

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Father(2020)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Pale Horse(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mark Easterbrook

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Judy(2019)

    as Sid Luft

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Modern/Love in 7 Short Films(2019)

    as Tom

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Victoria(2016)

    Show 7 episodes · as Lord Melbourne

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Gods of Egypt(2016)

    as Urshu

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Rise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Blinky Bill the Movie(2015)

    as The Cat (voice)

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Killing Jesus(2015)

    as Caiaphas

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Man in the High Castle(2015)

    Show 40 episodes · as John Smith

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Devil's Hand(2014)

    as Jacob Brown

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Hercules(2014)

    as Autolycus

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Brunchers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Tom

  • I'll Follow You Down(2013)

    as Gabriel 'Gabe' Whyte

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Carlo Grace

  • All Things to All Men(2013)

    as Parker

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Restless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lucas Romer

  • Hotel Noir(2012)

    as Felix

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Parade's End(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Reverend Duchemin, Edith's husband

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter(2012)

    as Adam

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Zen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 3 episodes · as Aurelio Zen

  • The Tourist(2010)

    as The Englishman

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Pillars of the Earth(2010)

    Show 8 episodes · as Tom Builder

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Eleventh Hour(2008)

    Show 18 episodes · as Jacob Hood

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Vinyan(2008)

    as Paul Belhmer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • John Adams(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · as Alexander Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Downloading Nancy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Albert Stockwell

  • British Film Forever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Amazing Grace(2006)

    as Thomas Clarkson

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Holiday(2006)

    as Jasper

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Out of the Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as English Trader

  • The Illusionist(2006)

    as Crown Prince Leopold

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Paris, Je T'aime(2006)

    as William (Père-Lachaise)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Tristan + Isolde(2006)

    as Marke

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Taming of the Shrew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Petruchio

  • ShakespeaRe-Told(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The Legend of Zorro(2005)

    as Armand

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Last King(2003)

    Show 4 episodes · as Charles II

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Victoria Station (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as The Cabbie

  • Helen of Troy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as King Agamemnon of Mycenae

  • Extreme Ops(2002)

    as Ian

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • She Creature(2001)

    as Angus

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • A Knight's Tale(2001)

    as Count Adhemar

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Higher Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Ross

  • Bless the Child(2000)

    as Eric Stark

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Arabian Nights(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ali Baba

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • In a Savage Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Mick Carpenter

  • Illuminata (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Dominique

  • The Very Thought of You(1998)

    as Frank

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Dark City(1998)

    as John Murdoch

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Dangerous Beauty(1998)

    as Marco Venier

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Woodlanders(1997)

    as Giles Winterbourne

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Hamlet(1996)

    as Fortinbras

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Victory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Martin Ricardo

  • Henry IV (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Harry Percy (Hotspur)

  • Carrington(1995)

    as Mark Gertler

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Cold Comfort Farm(1995)

    as Seth Starkadder

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • A Man of No Importance(1994)

    as Robbie Fay

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Citizen Locke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Midshipman Clarke

  • Dirtysomething (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Clive

  • Middlemarch(1994)

    Show 6 episodes · as Will Ladislaw

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Dirty Weekend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Tim

  • Gone to Seed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 6 episodes · as Billy Brooker

  • The Last Romantics (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Mike Costain

  • Performance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Hotspur

  • Twenty-One(1991)

    as Bobby

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Clive · as Mike Costain · as Robbie Fay

  • All That I Am (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Billion Dollar Spy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Gus Hathaway

  • Mr. Sunny Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Queenstown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 79 titles, 74 of them dated from 1985 to 2025; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

The Tourist (2010)

$279M worldwide

Highest rated

The Father (2020)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

The Diplomat (2023)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19852025

Peak 2007 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 20 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting79 of 79: 79 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score61st

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s20 · acting2000s23 · acting2010s21 · acting2020s9 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 9% of 34 roles
9500101520

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

7 major nominations and no wins, 2006–2026.

  1. 2026
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  2. 2025
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Drama Series
  3. 2024
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
  4. 2019
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
  5. 2006
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Rufus Sewell's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 37; across their 34 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 34

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 34

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 34

Midcredits score across 51 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 51 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

Killing Jesus (2015)

91st percentile spread · 44% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Father (2020)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 33 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Rufus Sewell's work okay for kids?

Across up to 23 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore19 titles12–81 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity23 titles24–53 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity20 titles13–64 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs20 titles13–54 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense19 titles17–68 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Rufus Sewell work with?

People who share at least 2 of Rufus Sewell's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Gambon shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles