{{short description|English actor, screenwriter and film director}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}} {{EngvarB|date=April 2014}} {{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| *[[Lancaster University]] ([[Bachelor of Music|BMus]] 1978) *[[University of East London]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]] 2003) *[[University of East Anglia]] ([[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] 2016)}} | 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> He is best known for his role as [[List of A Song of Ice and Fire characters #Mace Tyrell|Mace Tyrell]] in the [[HBO]] fantasy series ''[[Game of Thrones]]''.
==Life and career== [[File:Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Jasper Shaw.jpg|right|thumb|Ashton-Griffiths as Jasper Shaw, the bookseller, in [[Jane Campion]]'s ''[[Bright Star (film)|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, Lancaster|Furness College]], graduating in 1978.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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 film)|Brazil]]'' (1985) and ''[[The Brothers Grimm (film)|The Brothers Grimm]]'' (2005), ''[[Dreamchild]]'' (1985), ''[[Young Sherlock Holmes]]'' (1985), [[Gene Wilder]]'s ''[[Haunted Honeymoon]]'' (1986), [[Roman Polanski]]'s ''[[Pirates (1986 film)|Pirates]]'' (1986), [[Peter Greenaway]]'s ''[[The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover]]'' (1989), ''[[Mountains of the Moon (film)|Mountains of the Moon]]'' (1990), ''[[Chicago Joe and the Showgirl]]'' (1990), ''[[Shadowlands (1993 film)|Shadowlands]]'' (1993), ''[[The Portrait of a Lady (film)|The Portrait of a Lady]]'' (1996), ''[[The Wind in the Willows (1996 film)|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 (film)|Grace of Monaco]]'' (2014), and [[Mike Leigh]]'s ''[[Mr. Turner (film)|Mr. Turner]]'' (2014).
He has also worked extensively in television, including ''[[Jack the Ripper (miniseries)|Jack the Ripper]]'', ''[[The Odyssey (miniseries)|The Odyssey]]'', ''[[Merlin (TV miniseries)|Merlin]]'', ''[[Margaret (2009 film)|Margaret]]'', ''[[The Tudors]]'', ''[[Doctor Who]]'', ''[[Coronation Street]]'' and ''[[Father Brown (2013 TV series)|Father Brown]]''. He portrays [[Mace Tyrell|Lord Mace Tyrell]] in ''[[Game of Thrones]]'' in [[Game of Thrones (season 4)|Season 4]], [[Game of Thrones (season 5)|Season 5]], and [[Game of Thrones (season 6)|Season 6]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>
Ashton-Griffiths's debut novel ''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 nationality law|British]] and [[Canadian nationality law|Canadian citizenship]].
In 2003, Ashton-Griffiths attained an [[Master of Arts|MA]] in fine art from the [[University of East London]], and in 2016, he attained a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] in creative writing from the [[University of East Anglia]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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 (1985 film)|Brazil]]'' |Priest | |- |1985 |''[[Dreamchild]]'' |Mr. Duckworth | |- |1985 |''[[Young Sherlock Holmes]]'' |[[Inspector Lestrade]] | |- |1985 |''[[Pirates (1986 film)|Pirates]]'' |Moonhead | |- |1985 |''[[Plenty (film)|Plenty]]'' |Radio Producer | |- |1986 |''[[Haunted Honeymoon]]'' |Francis Jr. | |- |1987 |''[[Empire State (1987 film)|Empire State]]'' |Punter in Cafe | |- |1989 |''[[The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover]]'' |Turpin | |- |1989 |''Seven Minutes'' |Watchman | |- |1990 |''[[Mountains of the Moon (film)|Mountains of the Moon]]'' |Lord Cowley | |- |1990 |''[[Chicago Joe and the Showgirl]]'' |Inspector Tarr | |- |1991 |''[[King Ralph]]'' |Royal Photographer | |- |1993 |''[[Shadowlands (1993 film)|Shadowlands]]'' |Dr. Monk | |- |1994 |''[[The Madness of King George]]'' |MP | |- |1995 |''[[Restoration (1995 film)|Restoration]]'' |Mr. Bung | |- |1996 |''[[The Portrait of a Lady (film)|The Portrait of a Lady]]'' |Bob Bantling | |- |1996 |''[[Jude (film)|Jude]]'' |Auctioneer | |- |1996 |''[[The Wind in the Willows (1996 film)|The Wind in the Willows]]'' |The Prosecution Counsel | |- |1997 |''[[Swept from the Sea]]'' |Canon Van Stone | |- |1999 |''[[You're Dead (film)|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 (2002 film)|Nicholas Nickleby]]'' |Doctor | |- |2003 |''[[What a Girl Wants (film)|What a Girl Wants]]'' |Lord Orwood | |- |2004 |''[[Devil's Gate (2004 film)|Devil's Gate]]'' |Eagle | |- |2005 |''[[The Brothers Grimm (film)|The Brothers Grimm]]'' |Mayor | |- |2006 |''[[Irish Jam]]'' |Tom Flannery | |- |2008 |''[[Mutant Chronicles (film)|Mutant Chronicles]]'' |Science Monk | |- |2009 |''[[Bright Star (film)|Bright Star]]'' |Shopkeeper | |- |2009 |''Samuel Johnson: The Dictionary Man'' |Samuel Johnson | |- |2009 |''[[Tormented (2009 British film)|Tormented]]'' |Mr Humpage | |- |2009 |''Hell's Pavement'' |Daffyd Tudor | |- |2010 |''[[You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger]]'' |Jonathan Wunch | |- |2011 |''[[A Gun for George (film)|A Gun for George]]'' |Mr. Maddock |Short film |- |2013 |''[[Summer in February]]'' |Jory | |- |2014 |''[[Grace of Monaco (film)|Grace of Monaco]]'' |[[Alfred Hitchcock]] | |- |2014 |''[[Mr. Turner (film)|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 (2017 film)|Breathe]]'' |Chaplain | |- |2017 |''[[Crooked House (film)|Crooked House]]'' |Gaitskill | |- |2017 |''[[The Death of Stalin]]'' |Musician #1 | |- |2018 |''[[Christopher Robin (film)|Christopher Robin]]'' |Ralph Butterworth | |- |2020 |''The Show'' |First Cabby/Bus Conductor | |- |2020 |''My Dad's Christmas Date'' |Mr Thompson | |- |2021 |''[[The Score (2021 film)|The Score]]'' |Frank | |- |2022 |''[[The Other Me (2022 film)|The Other Me]]'' |Stranger | |- |2023 |''[[My Mother's Wedding]]'' |Best Man | |- |2024 |''Savage House'' |Dr Hemmings | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |1982 |''[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]'' |Orgo |Episode: "Boring" |- |1983 |''The Nation's Health'' |Unknown character |Episode: "Acute" |- |1984 |''[[The Secret Servant (Lyall novel)|The Secret Servant]]'' |Ivan |2 episodes |- |1986 |''[[Prospects (TV series)|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 (TV series)|Crossbow]]'' |Town Crier |Episode: "The Citadel" |- |1988 |''[[Jack the Ripper (miniseries)|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 (miniseries)|Heidi]]'' |Churchman |Miniseries |- |1993 |''[[The Darling Buds of May (TV series)|The Darling Buds of May]]'' |Mr. Ramsbottom |2 episodes |- |1994 |''[[Martin Chuzzlewit (TV series)|Martin Chuzzlewit]]'' |George Chuzzlewit |2 episodes |- |1994 |''[[The Wimbledon Trilogy|The Wimbledon Poisoner]]'' |Vicar |2 episodes |- |1995 |''[[Go Now (film)|Go Now]]'' |Walsh | Television film |- |1995 |''[[The Plant (film)|The Plant]]'' |Geoff the Producer | Television film |- |1996 |''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]'' |Valdemar Tymrak | Episode: "Report from the Grave" |- |1996 |''[[The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (TV series)|The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders]]'' |Gent at Mint | |- |1997 |''[[The Odyssey (miniseries)|The Odyssey]]'' |[[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] | 2 episodes |- |1997 |''[[Ivanhoe (1997 TV series)|Ivanhoe]]'' |Prior Aymer | 4 episodes |- |1997 |''[[Cadfael (TV series)|Cadfael]]'' |Thomas of Bristol | Episode: "St. Peter's Fair" |- |1998 |''[[Merlin (miniseries)|Merlin]]'' |Sir Boris |Miniseries |- |1998 |''[[The Children of the New Forest]]'' |Miller Sprigge |Miniseries |- |1998 |''[[Vanity Fair (1998 TV serial)|Vanity Fair]]'' |King [[George IV]] |1 episode |- |2000 |''[[Lady Audley's Secret#Adaptations|Lady Audley's Secret]]'' |Dr. Alwyn Mosgrave |Television film |- |2001 |''[[As If (British TV series)|As If]]'' |Shower Man |Episode: "Alex's POV" |- |2001 |''[[The Wonderful World of Disney]]'' |Friar Tuck |Episode: "[[Princess of Thieves]]" |- |2001 |''[[Micawber (TV series)|Micawber]]'' |Mr. Peck |Episode: "Micawber Learns the Truth" |- |2004 |''[[Keen Eddie]]'' |Glass Eye Gordon |Episode: "Citizen Cecil" |- |2005 |''[[Empire (2005 TV series)|Empire]]'' |[[Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus|Panza]] |4 episodes |- |2006 |''[[Torchwood]]'' |Mr Garet |Episode: "[[Random Shoes]]" |- |2007 |''[[Roman Mysteries (TV series)|Roman Mysteries]]'' |Tascius Pomponianus |Episode: "The Secrets of Vesuvius" |- |2007 |''A Very British Sex Scandal'' |"Khaki" Roberts |Television film |- |2007 |''[[Heroes and Villains (TV series)|Heroes and Villains]]'' |General Doppet |Episode: "Napoleon" |- |2008 |''[[The Passion (TV serial)|The Passion]]'' |Syrian Prefect |2 episodes |- |2008 |''[[Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic]]'' |Lumuel Panter | |- |2009 |''[[Margaret (2009 film)|Margaret]]'' |[[John Sergeant (journalist)|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]]'' |[[List of A Song of Ice and Fire characters|Mace Tyrell]] |13 episodes |- |2015 |''[[Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors]]'' |Dr. Philip Plumridge |Episode: "Are You Kidding Me?" |- |2016 |''[[Father Brown (2013 TV series)|Father Brown]]'' |Cardinal Bonipogio |Episode: "The Daughter of Autolycus" |- |2016 |''[[Marley's Ghosts]]'' |Mr. Busby |Episode: "Carly" |- |2017 |''[[Taboo (2017 TV series)|Taboo]]'' |Abraham Appleby |Episode: "Episode 1" |- |2017 |''[[Quacks (TV series)|Quacks]]'' |Bishop of Lambeth |2 episodes |- |2018 |Lucky Man |Arthur McCarthy |1 episode |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{IMDb name|0004355}} *[https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/roger-ashton-griffiths Roger Ashton-Griffiths] at [[Curtis Brown (agency)|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]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashton-Griffiths, Roger}} [[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]]