Roger Ashton-Griffiths

{{short description|English actor, screenwriter and film director}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Roger Ashton-Griffiths

| image = Roger Ashton-Griffiths 2023.jpg

| caption = Ashton-Griffiths in 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|1|19|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Hertfordshire, England

| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|class=nowrap|

| occupation = Actor, director, writer

| yearsactive = 1982–present

| spouse = Sharmini Thillaimuthu

| children = 2

}}

Roger Ashton-Griffiths (born 19 January 1957) is an English character actor, screenwriter and film director.{{cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/person/2581/Roger-Ashton-Griffiths|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103090110/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/2581/Roger-Ashton-Griffiths|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 November 2012|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=The New York Times|date=2012|title=Roger Ashton-Griffiths|access-date=15 November 2018}} He is best known for his role as Mace Tyrell in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones.

Life and career

File:Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Jasper Shaw.jpg's Bright Star (2008)]]

Born in Hertfordshire, Ashton-Griffiths attended Altrincham Grammar School for Boys in Manchester. He then read music at Lancaster University, where he was a member of Furness College, graduating in 1978.{{Cite web |last=University |first=Lancaster |title=Lancaster University on BBC University Challenge {{!}} Lancaster University |url=http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/articles/2013/lancaster-university-on-bbc-university-challenge/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.lancaster.ac.uk |language=en}} He began his career as a singer with the English National Opera at the London Coliseum between 1979 and 1981.

He has appeared in numerous high-profile films, including Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985) and The Brothers Grimm (2005), Dreamchild (1985), Young Sherlock Holmes (1985), Gene Wilder's Haunted Honeymoon (1986), Roman Polanski's Pirates (1986), Peter Greenaway's The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), Mountains of the Moon (1990), Chicago Joe and the Showgirl (1990), Shadowlands (1993), The Portrait of a Lady (1996), The Wind in the Willows (1996), A Knight's Tale (2001), Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York (2002), Woody Allen's You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010), Olivier Dahan's Grace of Monaco (2014), and Mike Leigh's Mr. Turner (2014).

He has also worked extensively in television, including Jack the Ripper, The Odyssey, Merlin, Margaret, The Tudors, Doctor Who, Coronation Street and Father Brown. He portrays Lord Mace Tyrell in Game of Thrones in Season 4, Season 5, and Season 6.{{cite web|title=Game of Thrones Season 6 Mace Tyrell Interview with Roger Ashton-Griffiths|url=http://flicksandthecity.com/game-of-thrones-season-6-mace-tyrell-interview-with-roger-ashton-griffiths/|website=flicksandthecity.com|access-date=15 November 2018|date=29 May 2016}}

Ashton-Griffiths's debut novel [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Case-Cat-Adam-Roger-Ashton-Griffiths-ebook/dp/B0CBCQQLVN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=12MI0CPI3GNG1&keywords=Cat+adam&qid=1689147840&s=books&sprefix=cat+adam%2Caps%2C84&sr=1-3 The Case of Cat Adam] was published in 2023.

Personal life

Ashton-Griffiths is married to Sharmini Thillaimuthu, a senior studio director at the BBC, with whom he has two children. He lives in Suffolk, and has dual British and Canadian citizenship.

In 2003, Ashton-Griffiths attained an MA in fine art from the University of East London, and in 2016, he attained a PhD in creative writing from the University of East Anglia.{{cite news|url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/game-of-thrones-star-joins-fellow-uea-graduates-1-4622837|title=Game of Thrones star joins fellow UEA graduates|author=Lauren Cope|work=Eastern Daily Press|date=19 July 2016|access-date=15 November 2018}} In 2010, he was appointed a Fellow of Furness College, Lancaster.

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year !Title !Role !Notes
1984 \|The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood \|1st Coachman \|
1985 \|Brazil \|Priest \|
1985 \|Dreamchild \|Mr. Duckworth \|
1985 \|Young Sherlock Holmes \|Inspector Lestrade \|
1985 \|Pirates \|Moonhead \|
1985 \|Plenty \|Radio Producer \|
1986 \|Haunted Honeymoon \|Francis Jr. \|
1987 \|Empire State \|Punter in Cafe \|
1989 \|The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover \|Turpin \|
1989 \|Seven Minutes \|Watchman \|
1990 \|Mountains of the Moon \|Lord Cowley \|
1990 \|Chicago Joe and the Showgirl \|Inspector Tarr \|
1991 \|King Ralph \|Royal Photographer \|
1993 \|Shadowlands \|Dr. Monk \|
1994 \|The Madness of King George \|MP \|
1995 \|Restoration \|Mr. Bung \|
1996 \|The Portrait of a Lady \|Bob Bantling \|
1996 \|Jude \|Auctioneer \|
1996 \|The Wind in the Willows \|The Prosecution Counsel \|
1997 \|Swept from the Sea \|Canon Van Stone \|
1999 \|You're Dead \|Cliff Sniffton \|
2001 \|A Knight's Tale \|Old Bishop \|
2001 \|Deflation \|Meditating Man \|Short film; also writer and director
2002 \|Gangs of New York \|P. T. Barnum \|
2002 \|Nicholas Nickleby \|Doctor \|
2003 \|What a Girl Wants \|Lord Orwood \|
2004 \|Devil's Gate \|Eagle \|
2005 \|The Brothers Grimm \|Mayor \|
2006 \|Irish Jam \|Tom Flannery \|
2008 \|Mutant Chronicles \|Science Monk \|
2009 \|Bright Star \|Shopkeeper \|
2009 \|Samuel Johnson: The Dictionary Man \|Samuel Johnson \|
2009 \|Tormented \|Mr Humpage \|
2009 \|Hell's Pavement \|Daffyd Tudor \|
2010 \|You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger \|Jonathan Wunch \|
2011 \|A Gun for George \|Mr. Maddock \|Short film
2013 \|Summer in February \|Jory \|
2014 \|Grace of Monaco \|Alfred Hitchcock \|
2014 \|Mr. Turner \|Henry William Pickersgill \|
2015 \|The London Firm \|The Contractor \|
2015 \|Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse \|The Potter \|
2015 \|The Lobster \|Doctor \|
2017 \|Breathe \|Chaplain \|
2017 \|Crooked House \|Gaitskill \|
2017 \|The Death of Stalin \|Musician #1 \|
2018 \|Christopher Robin \|Ralph Butterworth \|
2020 \|The Show \|First Cabby/Bus Conductor \|
2020 \|My Dad's Christmas Date \|Mr Thompson \|
2021 \|The Score \|Frank \|
2022 \|The Other Me \|Stranger \|
2023 \|North Star \|Best Man \|
2024 \|Savage House \|Dr Hemmings \|
\| \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

1984

|The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood

|1st Coachman

1985

|Brazil

|Priest

1985

|Dreamchild

|Mr. Duckworth

1985

|Young Sherlock Holmes

|Inspector Lestrade

1985

|Pirates

|Moonhead

1985

|Plenty

|Radio Producer

1986

|Haunted Honeymoon

|Francis Jr.

1987

|Empire State

|Punter in Cafe

1989

|The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

|Turpin

1989

|Seven Minutes

|Watchman

1990

|Mountains of the Moon

|Lord Cowley

1990

|Chicago Joe and the Showgirl

|Inspector Tarr

1991

|King Ralph

|Royal Photographer

1993

|Shadowlands

|Dr. Monk

1994

|The Madness of King George

|MP

1995

|Restoration

|Mr. Bung

1996

|The Portrait of a Lady

|Bob Bantling

1996

|Jude

|Auctioneer

1996

|The Wind in the Willows

|The Prosecution Counsel

1997

|Swept from the Sea

|Canon Van Stone

1999

|You're Dead

|Cliff Sniffton

2001

|A Knight's Tale

|Old Bishop

2001

|Deflation

|Meditating Man

|Short film; also writer and director

2002

|Gangs of New York

|P. T. Barnum

2002

|Nicholas Nickleby

|Doctor

2003

|What a Girl Wants

|Lord Orwood

2004

|Devil's Gate

|Eagle

2005

|The Brothers Grimm

|Mayor

2006

|Irish Jam

|Tom Flannery

2008

|Mutant Chronicles

|Science Monk

2009

|Bright Star

|Shopkeeper

2009

|Samuel Johnson: The Dictionary Man

|Samuel Johnson

2009

|Tormented

|Mr Humpage

2009

|Hell's Pavement

|Daffyd Tudor

2010

|You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

|Jonathan Wunch

2011

|A Gun for George

|Mr. Maddock

|Short film

2013

|Summer in February

|Jory

2014

|Grace of Monaco

|Alfred Hitchcock

2014

|Mr. Turner

|Henry William Pickersgill

2015

|The London Firm

|The Contractor

2015

|Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse

|The Potter

2015

|The Lobster

|Doctor

2017

|Breathe

|Chaplain

2017

|Crooked House

|Gaitskill

2017

|The Death of Stalin

|Musician #1

2018

|Christopher Robin

|Ralph Butterworth

2020

|The Show

|First Cabby/Bus Conductor

2020

|My Dad's Christmas Date

|Mr Thompson

2021

|The Score

|Frank

2022

|The Other Me

|Stranger

2023

|North Star

|Best Man

2024

|Savage House

|Dr Hemmings

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year !Title !Role !Notes
1982 \|The Young Ones \|Orgo \|Episode: "Boring"
1983 \|The Nation's Health \|Unknown character \|Episode: "Acute"
1984 \|The Secret Servant \|Ivan \|2 episodes
1986 \|Prospects \|Eddie \|2 episodes
1986 \|C.A.T.S. Eyes \|Humbart \|Episode: "Freezeheat"
1987 \|Hardwicke House \|P.E. Teacher \|Episode: "First Day of Term"
1988 \|Crossbow \|Town Crier \|Episode: "The Citadel"
1988 \|Jack the Ripper \|Rodman \|2 episodes
1989 \|Shadow of the Noose \|William Thompson \|Episode: "Gun in Hand"
1989 \|The Bill \|D.I. Larber \|Episode: "Time Out"
1990 \|Grange Hill \|Walt \|4 episodes
1991 \|Lovejoy \|Antique Shop Owner \|Episode: "Montezuma's Revenge"
1992 \|The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles \|Sinister German \|Episode: "Austria, March 1917"
1992 \|The Life and Times of Henry Pratt \|Len Arrowsmith \|2 episodes
1993 \|Heidi \|Churchman \|Miniseries
1993 \|The Darling Buds of May \|Mr. Ramsbottom \|2 episodes
1994 \|Martin Chuzzlewit \|George Chuzzlewit \|2 episodes
1994 \|The Wimbledon Poisoner \|Vicar \|2 episodes
1995 \|Go Now \|Walsh \| Television film
1995 \|The Plant \|Geoff the Producer \| Television film
1996 \|Tales from the Crypt \|Valdemar Tymrak \| Episode: "Report from the Grave"
1996 \|The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders \|Gent at Mint \|
1997 \|The Odyssey \|Polites \| 2 episodes
1997 \|Ivanhoe \|Prior Aymer \| 4 episodes
1997 \|Cadfael \|Thomas of Bristol \| Episode: "St. Peter's Fair"
1998 \|Merlin \|Sir Boris \|Miniseries
1998 \|The Children of the New Forest \|Miller Sprigge \|Miniseries
1998 \|Vanity Fair \|King George IV \|1 episode
2000 \|Lady Audley's Secret \|Dr. Alwyn Mosgrave \|Television film
2001 \|As If \|Shower Man \|Episode: "Alex's POV"
2001 \|The Wonderful World of Disney \|Friar Tuck \|Episode: "Princess of Thieves"
2001 \|Micawber \|Mr. Peck \|Episode: "Micawber Learns the Truth"
2004 \|Keen Eddie \|Glass Eye Gordon \|Episode: "Citizen Cecil"
2005 \|Empire \|Panza \|4 episodes
2006 \|Torchwood \|Mr Garet \|Episode: "Random Shoes"
2007 \|Roman Mysteries \|Tascius Pomponianus \|Episode: "The Secrets of Vesuvius"
2007 \|A Very British Sex Scandal \|"Khaki" Roberts \|Television film
2007 \|Heroes and Villains \|General Doppet \|Episode: "Napoleon"
2008 \|The Passion \|Syrian Prefect \|2 episodes
2008 \|Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic \|Lumuel Panter \|
2009 \|Margaret \|John Sergeant \|Television film
2009 \|Henry VIII: The Mind of a Tyrant \|Cardinal Wolsey \|3 episodes
2009 \|The Tudors \|Sir John Hutton \|2 episodes
2010 \|Accidental Farmer \|Bill \|Television film
2011 \|Little Crackers \|First Magistrate \|Episode: "Alan Davies' Little Cracker: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Daytime"
2013 \|NTSF:SD:SUV:: \|Robinson \|Episode: "U-KO'ed"
2014 \|The Musketeers \|Elderly Priest \|Episode: "Friends and Enemies"
2014 \|This is Jinsy \|Head of Decency \|Episode: "Penny's Pendant"
2014 \|Doctor Who \|Quayle \|Episode: "Robot of Sherwood"
2014–15 \|Coronation Street \|Neurosurgeon \|7 episodes
2014–16 \|Game of Thrones \|Mace Tyrell \|13 episodes
2015 \|Doctors \|Dr. Philip Plumridge \|Episode: "Are You Kidding Me?"
2016 \|Father Brown \|Cardinal Bonipogio \|Episode: "The Daughter of Autolycus"
2016 \|Marley's Ghosts \|Mr. Busby \|Episode: "Carly"
2017 \|Taboo \|Abraham Appleby \|Episode: "Episode 1"
2017 \|Quacks \|Bishop of Lambeth \|2 episodes
2018 \|Lucky Man \|Arthur McCarthy \|1 episode

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

1982

|The Young Ones

|Orgo

|Episode: "Boring"

1983

|The Nation's Health

|Unknown character

|Episode: "Acute"

1984

|The Secret Servant

|Ivan

|2 episodes

1986

|Prospects

|Eddie

|2 episodes

1986

|C.A.T.S. Eyes

|Humbart

|Episode: "Freezeheat"

1987

|Hardwicke House

|P.E. Teacher

|Episode: "First Day of Term"

1988

|Crossbow

|Town Crier

|Episode: "The Citadel"

1988

|Jack the Ripper

|Rodman

|2 episodes

1989

|Shadow of the Noose

|William Thompson

|Episode: "Gun in Hand"

1989

|The Bill

|D.I. Larber

|Episode: "Time Out"

1990

|Grange Hill

|Walt

|4 episodes

1991

|Lovejoy

|Antique Shop Owner

|Episode: "Montezuma's Revenge"

1992

|The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

|Sinister German

|Episode: "Austria, March 1917"

1992

|The Life and Times of Henry Pratt

|Len Arrowsmith

|2 episodes

1993

|Heidi

|Churchman

|Miniseries

1993

|The Darling Buds of May

|Mr. Ramsbottom

|2 episodes

1994

|Martin Chuzzlewit

|George Chuzzlewit

|2 episodes

1994

|The Wimbledon Poisoner

|Vicar

|2 episodes

1995

|Go Now

|Walsh

| Television film

1995

|The Plant

|Geoff the Producer

| Television film

1996

|Tales from the Crypt

|Valdemar Tymrak

| Episode: "Report from the Grave"

1996

|The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders

|Gent at Mint

1997

|The Odyssey

|Polites

| 2 episodes

1997

|Ivanhoe

|Prior Aymer

| 4 episodes

1997

|Cadfael

|Thomas of Bristol

| Episode: "St. Peter's Fair"

1998

|Merlin

|Sir Boris

|Miniseries

1998

|The Children of the New Forest

|Miller Sprigge

|Miniseries

1998

|Vanity Fair

|King George IV

|1 episode

2000

|Lady Audley's Secret

|Dr. Alwyn Mosgrave

|Television film

2001

|As If

|Shower Man

|Episode: "Alex's POV"

2001

|The Wonderful World of Disney

|Friar Tuck

|Episode: "Princess of Thieves"

2001

|Micawber

|Mr. Peck

|Episode: "Micawber Learns the Truth"

2004

|Keen Eddie

|Glass Eye Gordon

|Episode: "Citizen Cecil"

2005

|Empire

|Panza

|4 episodes

2006

|Torchwood

|Mr Garet

|Episode: "Random Shoes"

2007

|Roman Mysteries

|Tascius Pomponianus

|Episode: "The Secrets of Vesuvius"

2007

|A Very British Sex Scandal

|"Khaki" Roberts

|Television film

2007

|Heroes and Villains

|General Doppet

|Episode: "Napoleon"

2008

|The Passion

|Syrian Prefect

|2 episodes

2008

|Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic

|Lumuel Panter

2009

|Margaret

|John Sergeant

|Television film

2009

|Henry VIII: The Mind of a Tyrant

|Cardinal Wolsey

|3 episodes

2009

|The Tudors

|Sir John Hutton

|2 episodes

2010

|Accidental Farmer

|Bill

|Television film

2011

|Little Crackers

|First Magistrate

|Episode: "Alan Davies' Little Cracker: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Daytime"

2013

|NTSF:SD:SUV::

|Robinson

|Episode: "U-KO'ed"

2014

|The Musketeers

|Elderly Priest

|Episode: "Friends and Enemies"

2014

|This is Jinsy

|Head of Decency

|Episode: "Penny's Pendant"

2014

|Doctor Who

|Quayle

|Episode: "Robot of Sherwood"

2014–15

|Coronation Street

|Neurosurgeon

|7 episodes

2014–16

|Game of Thrones

|Mace Tyrell

|13 episodes

2015

|Doctors

|Dr. Philip Plumridge

|Episode: "Are You Kidding Me?"

2016

|Father Brown

|Cardinal Bonipogio

|Episode: "The Daughter of Autolycus"

2016

|Marley's Ghosts

|Mr. Busby

|Episode: "Carly"

2017

|Taboo

|Abraham Appleby

|Episode: "Episode 1"

2017

|Quacks

|Bishop of Lambeth

|2 episodes

2018

|Lucky Man

|Arthur McCarthy

|1 episode

References

External links

{{IMDb name|0004355}}
[https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/roger-ashton-griffiths Roger Ashton-Griffiths] at Curtis Brown
[https://www.johnsonandalcock.co.uk/ashtongriffiths-roger Roger Ashton-Griffiths] at Johnson and Alcock
[http://www.alumni.lancs.ac.uk/content/default.aspx?id=306&pid=40&tabId=38 Alumni of the Lancaster University]

Category:Living people

Category:1957 births

Category:Alumni of Lancaster University

Category:Alumni of Furness College, Lancaster

Category:Alumni of the University of East London

Category:Alumni of the University of East Anglia

Category:English male film actors

Category:English male television actors

Category:English people of Canadian descent

Category:Male actors from Hertfordshire

Category:People educated at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys

Category:20th-century English male actors

Category:21st-century English male actors

Category:English screenwriters

Category:English male screenwriters

Category:English film directors

Category:English opera singers