Eldest of 6 children born to photographer Mark Fiennes and his wife, Jini - aka Jennifer Lash - a novelist. Siblings are Martha Fiennes, a director; Magnus, a musician; Sophie, a producer; and twins Joseph Fiennes, an actor, and Jacob, a gamekeeper. Foster brother Michael (Mick) is an archaeologist. Cousin is British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. Attended Bishop Wordsworth Boys' School, the Chelsea College of Art & Design, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Joined Britain's Royal National Theatre in 1987 and the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1988.


Name pronounced "Rafe Fines". Of the roughly one dozen actors to play "Hamlet" on Broadway, he is the first to win a Tony Award for doing so, in the 1995 Almeida Theatre production directed by Jonathan Kent. Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#33). [1995] His uncle, Nicholas Lash, is a former priest and Cambridge theology professor, and his great-uncle, Dom Patrick Moore, is a Benedictine monk. Gained several pounds of muscle for his role in Red Dragon (2002). Is the oldest of 6 children - younger siblings; Martha Fiennes (b. 1964), Magnus Hubert Fiennes (b. 1965), Sophia Victoria Fiennes (b. 1967) and Jacob Mark Fiennes & Joseph Fiennes (fraternal twins) (b. 27 May 1970). He also has a foster brother, Michael Emery (b. 31 Dec 1952) who has been with the family since he was 11. He and his The End of the Affair (1999) co- star Julianne Moore have acted in separate Hannibal Lecter films: he in Red Dragon (2002) and she in Hannibal (2001). Appears in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) with Gary Oldman. Both of them have played villains in the Hannibal Lecter films: Fiennes played Francis Dolarhyde in Red Dragon (2002), and Oldman played Mason Verger in Hannibal (2001). 8th cousin of Prince Charles. He was considered for the role of Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code (2006). Tom Hanks was cast instead. Broke up with Francesca Annis [February 7, 2006]. He and his brother, Joseph Fiennes, have both worked with Cate Blanchett (Oscar and Lucinda (1997) and Elizabeth (1998)), Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener (2005) and Enemy at the Gates (2001)) and Liv Tyler (Onegin (1999) and Stealing Beauty (1996)). His performance as "Amon Goeth" in Schindler's List (1993) is ranked #61 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006). Filmed his role as Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) (2005) in only two days. Good friends with Jay-Z. He was a guest of a Belgrade Film Festival - FEST 2009. Friend of the late Natasha Richardson. "The Hurt Locker" (2008) marks the third best picture Oscar winning film that Ralph Fiennes has co-starred in. In addition, the other two, "Schindler's List" (1993; Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominee) and "The English Patient" (1996; Best Actor Oscar nominee), were also dramas set during wartime.