Jonathan Pryce (born Jonathan Price June 1, 1947) is a Welsh actor. Pryce worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Everyman Theatre Liverpool during the 1970s.

Jonathan Pryce.

In 1980, his performance in the title role of Hamlet at the Royal Court Theatre was acclaimed by some critics as the definitive Hamlet of his generation. He received an Olivier Award for the role which included a guttural rendition of the words of the ghost of Hamlet’s father uttered as if in his demonic possession. Pryce also gave a noteworthy performance as the successful but self-doubting writer Trigorin in a London production of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull in late 1985.

Having appeared on TV in the title role in Martin Luther, Heretic and in the Ian McEwan-scripted film The Ploughman’s Lunch (both 1983), Pryce played the subdued protagonist Sam Lowry in Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film, Brazil. Pryce has a good relationship with the film’s director, Terry Gilliam, later being cast by him in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989), and The Brothers Grimm (2005).

Pryce has shown himself a diverse actor, playing downtrodden and timid characters in Brazil, Timon of Athens (1981, TV), and Glengarry Glen Ross while also filling strong and authoritative roles in Evita as Juan Peron, the evil media baron Elliot Carver in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, besides as Seamus in Ronin (1998).