Ralph Fiennes’ 10 Greatest Roles: ‘Conclave,’ ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel,’ and More

Ralph Fiennes is the type of actor that’s so consistently excellent that it’s paradoxically easy to take him for granted. Equally at home as a supporting player as a leading man, Fiennes has steadily been turning in great onscreen turns for three decades since his 1993 breakout, and he’s been celebrated with two Oscar nominations. But he hasn’t been recognized since the ’90s, despite a growing body of immaculate, perfectly-calibrated performances.

For many, Fiennes is most famous as a villain, utilizing his icy blue eyes for menacing effect. He broke out and received his first Oscar nomination in 1993 playing infamous Nazi war criminal Amon G?th in “Schindler’s List,” giving a pitiless and terrifying performance. In 2005, he was introduced to a whole new generation of audience members as the serpentine, ghastly, resurrected Voldemort in “Harry Potter,” which remains perhaps his best known role.

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Yet Fiennes, an actor who can convey extraordinary emotion with simplicity and nuance, has had a wildly varied career playing all sorts of different archetypes. He’s been a father figure in “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” a lover in “The English Patient,” a washed-up music producer in “A Bigger Splash,” and an action hero in “Strange Days.” His skills as an actor lie in bringing his subtle touch to the very different men he plays.

In his latest role, he gets a great showcase for the nuances that make him pop as an actor. In “Conclave,” Edward Berger’s pulpy papal thriller about the election of a new Pope, Fiennes leads the cast as Cardinal Lawrence, the archbishop in charge of shepherding the proceedings forward, who uncovers the secrets and scandals behind some of the notable candidates jockeying for the position. It’s one of Fiennes’ best performances, and one that has made him a strong contender in this year’s Oscar season.

With “Conclave” out in theaters now, IndieWire is taking a look at Fiennes’ best work. Read on for 10 of the actor’s greatest film performances, ranked.

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