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Tilda Swinton: Biography, Facts and Career

Who is Tilda Swinton? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team4 min read✓ Fact-checked
Tilda Swinton
Harald Krichel via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Katherine Matilda "Tilda" Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a Scottish actress. Known for her physically transformative performances of eccentric and enigmatic characters on stage and screen, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, and a Volpi Cup, in addition to nominations for five Actor Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her as one of the greatest actors of the 21st century. Swinton began her career by appearing in Derek Jarman's experimental films Caravaggio (1986), The Last of England (1988), War Requiem (1989), and The Garden (1990). For her portrayal of Isabella of France in Edward II (1991), she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. She next starred in Orlando (1992), Female Perversions (1996), and The Beach (2000), and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of a desperate mother in The Deep End (2001). Swinton received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a corporate attorney in Michael Clayton (2007). Other notable credits include Vanilla Sky (2001), Adaptation (2002), Young Adam (2003), Constantine, Broken Flowers (both 2005), Burn After Reading, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (both 2008), I Am Love (2009), We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), Only Lovers Left Alive (2013), Snowpiercer (2014), Trainwreck (2015), Suspiria (2018), Memoria (2021), The Eternal Daughter (2022), and The Room Next Door (2024). Swinton garnered mainstream recognition with her roles as the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia series (2005–2010) and the Ancient One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise (2016–2019). She frequently collaborates with filmmaker Wes Anderson, appearing in Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), The French Dispatch (2021), and Asteroid City (2023). Swinton has received various honours throughout her career, including a special tribute by the Museum of Modern Art in 2013, the British Film Institute Fellowship and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2020, and the Honorary Golden Bear in 2025.

Quick facts about Tilda Swinton

  • Full name: Tilda Swinton
  • Born: 1960-11-04
  • Nationality: United Kingdom
  • Known as: Actor
  • Wikidata ID: Q200534

Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Tilda Swinton?

Katherine Matilda "Tilda" Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a Scottish actress.

What nationality is Tilda Swinton?

Tilda Swinton is United Kingdom.

When was Tilda Swinton born?

Tilda Swinton was born on 1960-11-04.

Sources

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