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Adrian Lester

Adrian Lester

Actor · Born August 14, 1968 (58) · Birmingham, England, UK

Adrian Lester CBE was born on August 14, 1968 in Birmingham, England. He is a multi award winning actor and director, known for seven seasons of the hit TV show Hustle (2004), The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and Primary Colors (1998) and his extensive classical work in the theatre playing Othello, Henry V, Rosalind and Hamlet to name but a few. He is married to actress and writer Lolita Chakrabarti. They have two children.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
August 14, 1968 (58)
From
Birmingham, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
37 on MovieCove · 64 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 26Down 18% in 30 days

What are Adrian Lester's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Action 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
Bonds
27%
Morality
22%
Self
15%
Survival
14%
Society
10%
Power
9%
Ideas
2%
Deception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 6 · Serious 3 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 4 · Intense 5

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

A split, not a type: Steady 8 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 2

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 7 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

11 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 11 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 11
Ally
3 of 11
Shadow
1 of 11
Herald
1 of 11
Show the 11 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Melancholic
9
Contemplative
8
Thrilling
7
Warm
5
Other
18

How their films linger

Feel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous3

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 Adrian Lester's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 29 of their 37 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Adrian Lester'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

64 credits, 37 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Mutiny(2026)

    as Captain Adam Spencer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Ponies(2026)

    Show 8 episodes · Writer · as Dane

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • The Hack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Apollo

  • Adrian Lester Remembers... Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Angel Pavement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Narrator

  • Renegade Nell(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · as Earl of Poynton

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 5 episodes · as Narrator · as Narrator (voice)

  • The Penitent: A Rational Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Procuratore

  • The Sandman(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Destiny

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Undeclared War(2022)

    Show 12 episodes · as PM Andrew Makinde

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Remembers… (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Trigger Point(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Joel Nutkins

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: Romeo and Juliet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Prince

  • Hymn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Gil

  • Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 6 episodes · as David Aston

  • Staged(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · as Adrian

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Rook(2019)

    Show 8 episodes · as Conrad Grantchester

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Curfew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 8 episodes · as Simon Donahue

  • Mary Queen of Scots(2018)

    as Lord Randolph

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Trauma(2018)

    Show 3 episodes · as Jon Allerton

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Euphoria(2017)

    as Aron

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Riviera(2017)

    Show 11 episodes · as Robert Carver

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Grey Lady(2017)

    as Johnson

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Breakable You(2017)

    as Ken Yates

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Undercover(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · as Nick Johnson

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • London Spy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Professor Marcus Shaw

  • Britain's Racist Election (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Narrator (Voice Only)

  • Red Band Society(2014)

    Show 4 episodes · as Dr. Naday

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Othello

  • National Theatre Live: Othello (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Othello

  • Jimi: All Is by My Side(2013)

    as Michael X

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Sleep with Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Richard

  • Case 39(2009)

    as Wayne

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Merlin(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Myror

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Ballet Shoes(2007)

    as Mr. Sholsky

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Bonekickers(2008)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ben Ergha

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows

  • Doomsday(2008)

    as Sergeant Norton

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Starting Out in the Evening(2007)

    as Casey Davis

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Scenes of a Sexual Nature(2006)

    as Pete

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • As You Like It(2006)

    as Oliver De Boys

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Ghost Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Afterlife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Day After Tomorrow(2004)

    as Simon

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Hustle(2004)

    Show 42 episodes · Director · as Michael Stone

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Final Curtain(2002)

    as Jonathan Stitch

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Tragedy of Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Hamlet

  • Dust(2001)

    as Edge

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Born Romantic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Jimmy

  • Girlfriends(2000)

    Show 10 episodes · as Ellis Carter

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Maybe Baby(2000)

    as George

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Best (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Rocky

  • Jason and the Argonauts(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Orpheus

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Love's Labour's Lost(2000)

    as Dumaine

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Storm Damage(2000)

    as Danny

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Primary Colors(1998)

    as Henry Burton

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Up on the Roof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Scott

  • Les Sœurs Soleil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Isaac Nelson

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

    as Bobby

  • Silent Witness(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Danny

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Ray

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

    Show 1 episode · as Bobby

  • For the Greater Good (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Young Gay Man

  • Touch and Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Lute

  • Natural World(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 64 titles from 1983 to 2026; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

Primary Colors (1998)

$52M worldwide

Highest rated

Hustle (2004)

Midcredits 92nd

Most popular right now

Mutiny (2026)

Film career

19832026

Peak 2007 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 3 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
Acting64 of 64: 62 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score44thDirecting1 of 64: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting1 of 64: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s9 · acting2000s23 · 23 acting · 1 crew2010s15 · acting2020s16 · 16 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
9803

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.

How do Adrian Lester's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 39th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 37 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 37 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed18

Most divisive · actor

Storm Damage (2000)

84th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director

Hustle (2004)

Midcredits 92nd · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 46. 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 Adrian Lester's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles38–93 · median 78 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles13–57 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles30–79 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles30–44 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles45–81 · median 70 · intenseheavier than most 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 Adrian Lester work with?

People who share at least 2 of Adrian Lester's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joely Richardson shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers