Mark Williams

Mark Williams

Active - 1983 - 2023  |   Born - Aug 22, 1959 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England  |   Genres - Drama, Mystery, Spirituality & Philosophy

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Biography by AllMovie

A British character actor best known for two feats -- his lengthy tenure as a participant in the small-screen sketch comedy program The Fast Show, and his multi-film portrayal of the genial and sweet-natured patriarch Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter movies -- Mark Williams in fact chalked up a lengthy series of feature roles that extended far beyond the scope of those projects, beginning in the early '80s. Throughout, he tended to specialize in average-looking everyman types but made his strongest impression in fantasy-themed material. He debuted on the big screen in the 1982 Privileged (during his early twenties) and subsequently signed for projects including The Master (1989), Kill Line (1991), and The Borrowers (1997). Fantasy lovers will invariably associate Williams with his Weasley characterization, but may also remember his portrayal of Billy (a goat who had been changed into human form) in the Robert De Niro-Michelle Pfeiffer fantasy adventure Stardust (2007).

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Factsheet

  • Made his film debut in 1982 alongside Hugh Grant in the Oxford University Film Foundation production of Privileged.
  • Rose to fame in the 1990s on the sketch-comedy show The Fast Show; has since stated he is uncomfortable being typecast as a comedian and prefers to be considered a character actor.
  • Has presented several documentary programs including 2004's Mark Williams on the Rails and 2006's Mark Williams' Big Bangs.
  • Became known internationally for playing Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter films.
  • Returned to TV in the title role of the BBV show Father Brown in 2013.
  • Is an avid supporter of the Aston Villa soccer team.