Background and career
Sir Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility and intense acting style, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and three BAFTAs, as well as nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards. His films have grossed over US$11 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.
Oldman began acting in theatre in 1979 and made his film debut in Remembrance (1982). He appeared in the Royal Court Theatre in London and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, with credits including Cabaret, Romeo and Juliet, Entertaining Mr Sloane, Saved, The Country Wife and Hamlet. He rose to prominence in British film with his portrayals of Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986), Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears (1987) and Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990). Regarded as a member of the "Brit Pack", he achieved greater recognition as an American gangster in State of Grace (1990), Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK (1991) and Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).
Oldman portrayed villainous characters in True Romance (1993), Léon: The Professional (1994), The Fifth Element (1997), Air Force One (1997) and The Contender (2000). He has also played franchise roles such as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series (2004–2011), James Gordon in The Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), Lord Shen in Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) and Dreyfus in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Sir Winston Churchill in the historical drama Darkest Hour (2017). He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayals of George Smiley in the thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and Herman J. Mankiewicz in the drama Mank (2020).
Oldman wrote and directed the film Nil by Mouth (1997) and starred in the BBC television film The Firm (1989). He has received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his portrayal of Jackson Lamb, a cantankerous British spy, in the Apple TV+ thriller series Slow Horses (2022–), and his guest role as an inebriated actor in a 2001 double episode of the NBC sitcom Friends. Oldman has acted in music videos for David Bowie, Guns N' Roses and Annie Lennox. He was made a Knight Bachelor by King Charles III in the 2025 Birthday Honours.
How Gary Oldman makes money
His films have grossed over US$11 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. And I was a little bit sort-of with my nose in the air and sort-of thinking 'well the theatre—so much more superior' and all of that." He reconsidered based on the salary and the urging of his agent.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (2024-08-28), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
