Why a world-class actor believes his knighthood helps him defend his unconventional ideas.
In short: Mark Rylance is a titan of the stage and screen, holding an Oscar, three Tonys, and a knighthood. Yet, he remains a vocal skeptic of Shakespearean authorship and an enthusiast for crop circles. He suggests that his high-profile honors provide a necessary shield against those who would dismiss his unorthodox beliefs.
Born David Mark Waters in 1960, Rylance spent his formative years in Wisconsin before returning to England to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He eventually adopted the stage name Mark Rylance because his birth name was already registered with Equity. His career trajectory is defined by a deep commitment to the craft, serving as the first artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe from 1995 to 2005 and earning acclaim for his transformative performances in both classical and contemporary roles.
Rylance’s professional life is marked by a rare versatility, moving seamlessly from the stage to high-profile film and television roles. He won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Rudolf Abel in Steven Spielberg’s 2015 film Bridge of Spies and earned widespread praise for his nuanced performance as Thomas Cromwell in the BBC’s Wolf Hall. Despite this mainstream success, he maintains a fierce independence, often using his platform to support political and social causes, including the Stop the War Coalition and the movement to make ecocide a crime.
His intellectual life is equally unconventional. Alongside figures like Derek Jacobi, Rylance has publicly questioned the traditional authorship of William Shakespeare’s plays, a stance that has drawn both curiosity and mockery. He views his knighthood, bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017, as a strategic asset. By establishing his status within the establishment, he believes it becomes more difficult for critics to simply label him as unstable or insane when he discusses topics like crop circles or authorship doubts, allowing his voice to carry weight despite the controversy.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Mark Rylance
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