Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton — Biography

Scottish actress Katherine Matilda Swinton, born in London on 5 November 1960, is celebrated for physically transformative performances in both independent cinema and mainstream productions. She began her career in Derek Jarman's experimental films, including Caravaggio (1986), The Last of England (1988) and The Garden (1990), and won the Volpi Cup at Venice for playing Isabella in Edward II (1991). Her lead role in Sally Potter's Orlando (1992) brought her wider international recognition.

Swinton earned her first Golden Globe nomination for The Deep End (2001) and won both the Academy Award and the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress as corporate lawyer Karen Crowder in Michael Clayton (2007). She reached mass audiences as the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia films and as the Ancient One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while continuing to work with auteurs such as Jim Jarmusch, Bong Joon-ho and Wes Anderson, appearing in Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and Asteroid City (2023). She won the European Film Award for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011). In 2020 she received the BFI Fellowship and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Venice.