Sir Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill was one of the most famous Prime Ministers of Great Britain, serving from 1940-1945 and again from 1951-1955. He was a key leader during World War II. While serving the Conservative Party in Parliament he was involved during the abdication of King Edward VIII and subsequent ascension of George VI to the throne. After George’s death Churchill served as the first prime minister for Queen Elizabeth II.

Churchill himself was a Nobel Prize winner in Literature (1953) and one of only eight people made an honorary citizen of the U.S. Because Churchill is such a luminary he has been portrayed repeatedly through film and TV history. Click through our gallery above of the actors who have portrayed the icon.

Pictured above is Winston Churchill on May 8th, 1945 during V-E (Victory in Europe) Day with from left to right: then Princess Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth, Churchill, King George VI and Princess Margaret on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

By Amanda Spears

Gary Oldman

“Darkest Hour” (2017)

Within days of becoming Prime Minister, Winston Churchill must face his most turbulent and defining trial: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany, or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty and freedom of a nation. Kristin Scott Thomas plays Clementine Churchill and Ben Mendelsohn plays King George VI. 

Oscar Wins: Best Actor for Oldman and Best Makeup and Hair.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design

Golden Globe Win: Best Film Drama Actor for Oldman.

BAFTA Award Wins: Best Actor for Oldman and Best Makeup and Hair.

SAG Award Win: Best Actor for Oldman.

Critics Choice Award Wins: Best Actor for Oldman and Best Makeup and Hair.

John Lithgow

“The Crown” (2016-2017)

A Netflix TV series that details the early reign of Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy). While guiding the new Queen, Churchill fights to retain power against pressure to retire. Lithgow made a surprise cameo appearance in the second season.

Emmy Wins: Best Drama Supporting Actor for Lithgow, Best Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (One Hour or More) and Best Period/Fantasy Costumes for a Series, Limited Series or Movie.

Emmy Nominations: Best Drama Series, Best Drama Actress for Foy, Best Drama Directing for Stephen Daldry (for episode: “Hyde Park Corner”), Best Drama Writing for Peter Morgan (for episode: “Assassins”), Best Main Title Design, Best Drama Series Casting, Best Original Dramatic Score (for episode: “Assassins”), Best Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) (for epsiode: “Smoke and Mirrors”) and Best Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series (for episode: “Hyde Park Corner”). 

Golden Globe Wins: Best Drama TV Series and Best Drama TV Actress for Foy

Golden Globe Nominations: Best TV Supporting Actor for Lithgow

SAG Award Wins: Best Drama Actor for Lithgow and Best Drama Actress for Foy

SAG Award Nominations: Best Drama Ensemble

Brian Cox

“Churchill”

A ticking-clock thriller following Winston Churchill in the 96 hours before D-Day. Also starring Miranda Richardson as Clementine Churchill and John Slattery as Dwight Eisenhower. 

Michael Gambon

“Churchill’s Secret” (2016)

A PBS TV movie about Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s stroke in the summer of 1953, which is consequently kept a secret from the rest of the world.

Ian McNeice

“Doctor Who” (2010-2011)

McNeice plays Churchill, who calls upon the Doctor (Matt Smith) in the long-running series to stop various alien threats in “The Beast Below,” “Victory of the Daleks,” “The Pandorica Opens” and in “The Wedding of River Song.”

Timothy Spall

“The King’s Speech” (2010)

The story of King George VI (Colin Firth) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, his sudden ascension to the throne following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of his newfound position in the midst of World War II.

Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Director for Tom Hooper, Best Original Screenplay for David Seidler and Best Actor for Firth

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actor for Geoffrey Rush, Best Supporting Actress for Helena Bonham Carter, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Art Direction

SAG Award Wins: Best Ensemble, and Best Actor for Firth

SAG Award Nominations: Best Supporting Actor for Rush and Best Supporting Actress for Bonham Carter

Brendan Gleeson

“Into the Storm” (2009)

Continuing the storyline of “The Gathering Storm” (2002), “Into the Storm” looks at the prime minister’s life and career at the end of World War II.

Emmy Award Wins: Best Movie/Miniseries Actor for Gleeson and Best Original Dramatic Score

Emmy Award Nominations: Best TV Movie, Best Movie/Miniseries Director for Thaddeus O’Sullivan, Best Movie/Miniseries Writing for Hugh Whitemore, Best Movie/Miniseries Supporting Actor for Len Cariou, Best Movie/Miniseries Supporting Actress for Janet McTeer, Best Movie/Miniseries Art Direction, Best Movie/Miniseries Casting, Best Movie/Miniseries Cinematography, Best Movie/Miniseries Costumes, Best Movie/Miniseries Hairstyling, Best Movie/Miniseries Sound Editing and Best Movie/Miniseries Special Visual Effects

Rod Taylor

“Inglorious Basterds” (2009)

A work of historical fiction taking place in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, in which a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner’s vengeful plans for the same.

Oscar Win: Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Quentin Taratino, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing

SAG Award Wins: Best Ensemble and Best Supporting Actor for Waltz

SAG Award Nominations: Best Supporting Actress for Diane Kruger

David Calder

“Wallis and Edward” (2005)

A TV movie about King Edward VIII (Stephen Campbell Moore) and his abdication of the throne in order to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson (Joely Richardson), which caused a scandal.

Mel Smith

“Allegiance” (2005)

The story of the meeting between the Irish Republican Michael Collins (Brendan Coyle) and Winston Churchill at his private residence, where over a tempestuous first meeting they form an unlikely friendship which helps decide the fate of two warring nations.

Christian Slater

“Churchill: The Hollywood Years” (2004)

In this parody of historical films Churchill is actually a young American marine who falls in love with Princess Elizabeth, stole an enigma code machine and almost single-handedly won a very alternative battle for Britain.

Albert Finney

“The Gathering Storm” (2002)

A remake of the 1974 film of the same name tells the story of Winston Churchill (Albert Finney) and his wife Clementine (Vanessa Redgrave) before World War II. Churchill continues to press his concerns about Hitler and is cast as a warmonger by both sides of Parliament. The film co-stars Lena Headey and Tom Hiddleston before they would become household names.

Emmy Award Wins: Best TV Movie, Best Movie/Miniseries Writing for Larry Ramin and Hugh Whitemore and Best Movie/Miniseries Actor for Finney

Emmy Award Nominations: Best Movie/Miniseries Directing for Richard Loncraine, Best Movie/Miniseries Actress for Redgrave, Best Movie/Miniseries Supporting Actor for Jim Broadbent, Best Movie/Miniseries Casting, Best Movie/Miniseries Costumes, Best Movie/Miniseries Single Camera Sound Mixing

David Ryall

“Bertie and Elizabeth” (2002)

A TV movie which chronicles the life of George VI (James Wilby) — who was forced to become king following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII (Charles Edwards) — and his relationship with his wife, Elizabeth (Julie Aubrey). The film co-starred Robert Hardy as FDR.

Bob Hoskins

“World War II: When Lions Roared” (1994)

A TV miniseries about the Tehran Conference between FDR (John Lithgow), Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin (Michael Caine) detailing the interaction between the three leaders at the end of World War II.

Emmy Award Wins: Best Lighting Direction (for part II)

Emmy Award Nominations: Best Miniseries, Best Miniseries/Movie Actor for Caine, Best Miniseries/Movie Cinematography (for part II), Best Miniseries/Movie Costume Design (for part II) and Best Miniseries/Movie Editing (for part I)

John Evans

“Casablanca Express” (1989)
“Honey Sweet Love” (1994)

Evans has played the famed prime minister twice. The first time was in “Casablanca Express” (pictured above), an action film set in 1942, when three agents are assigned to protect Churchill when it is learned that the Nazis are plotting to kidnap him.

The second time was in “Honey Sweet Love” a love story between a British commander and a Sicilian girl during World War II.

Howard Lang

“The Winds of War” (1983)

A miniseries about the trials of the Henry and Jastrow families as their lives intersect with some of the most famous individuals in the early years of World War II.

Emmy Award Wins: Best Miniseries/Movie Cinematography, Best Costumes and Best Visual Effects

Emmy Award Nominations: Best Limited Series, Best Miniseries/Movie Supporting Actor for Ralph Bellamy, Best Miniseries/Movie Supporting Actress for Polly Bergen, Best Miniseries/Movie Directing for Dan Curtis (for episode “Into The Maelstrom”), Best Miniseries/Movie Editing (for episode “Into The Maelstrom”), Best Miniseries/Movie Sound Editing (for episode “Into The Maelstrom”), Best Miniseries/Movie Sound Mixing (for episode “Into The Maelstrom”), Best Miniseries/Movie Sound Mixing (for episode “Cataclysm”), Best Miniseries/Movie Sound Mixing (for episode “Defiance”), Best Miniseries/Movie Art Direction

Robert Hardy

“Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years” (1981)
“The Woman He Loved” (1988)
“War and Remembrance” (1988)
“Bomber Harris” (1989)
“Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Sittaford Mystery” (2006)

Hardy has played the iconic Churchill in five different films portraying the prime minister throughout his life. He’s pictured above in “The Woman He Loved.”

BAFTA TV Award Nomination: Best Actor for “Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years”

Timothy West

“Churchill and the Generals” (1979)

A TV movie detailing the complicated relationship between Winston Churchill and the leaders of the British army during World War II.

BAFTA TV Award Nominations: Best Actor for West, Best Single Play for Alan Gibson, Best Television Lighting, Best Make Up and Best VTR Editor.

Richard Burton

“The Gathering Storm” (1974)

The story of British prime minister Winston Churchill, focusing on his place in British life just prior to World War II. Co-starred Robert Hardy as Joachim von Ribbentrop; Hardy would himself go on to portray Churchill mmany times.

Simon Ward

“Young Winston” (1972)

This historical drama is an account of the early life of the future British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, including his childhood, his time as a war correspondent in South Africa during the Second Boer War and culminating in his first election to Parliament.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Screenplay for Carl Foreman, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design

Golden Globe Win: Best English-Language Foreign Film

Golden Globe Nomination: Most Promising Newcomer for Ward

BAFTA Award Wins: Best Costume Design

BAFTA Award Nominations: Best Actor for Robert Shaw, Best Actress for Anne Bancroft, Most Promising Newcomer for Ward, Best Art Direction and Best Original Score

Patrick Wymark

“Operation Crossbow” (1965)

Allied agents attempt to infiltrate the Nazis’ rocket-research site in this war drama starring Sophia Loren, George Peppard and Trevor Howard.