Biografía

Sophisticated British accent and rich yet calm voice

Often plays assertive bureaucrats and sinister villains

Charming debonair personality

Towering height and slender frame

His characters often wear suits

Initially studied graphic design at an art school in Leicester, but on returning to Devon, a passion for acting took over his interest.

Played a Bond villain in Solo para sus ojos (1981) and Bond creator Ian Fleming in the TV movie Operación: ojo dorado (1989).

Following the death of his father when he was age four, his mother moved him and his siblings to the Plymouth area of Devon. Charles went on to take an interest in acting and two retired RADA actors agreed to coach him part time.

Despite frequently playing debonair characters, he claims he is not very fashionable in his personal life and usually dons a T-shirt and jeans at home.

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to drama in the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

I hate the "suave and debonair" tag. I am neither.

When you have a label stuck on you, people tend to believe it. If someone calls you suave and debonair you only get offered parts in a suit and a collar and tie. It just so happens I wear them reasonably well.

The quality of writing attracts me to films, also who the other actors are, who the director is, where it's being shot. Any or all of those things. But if the writing is really appalling then the money had better be really good. Sometimes you say yes to something you wouldn't always do because you need the money.

Hollywood seems to be now moving away from the idea of casting Brits as villains and is casting the French instead. It's something to do with the war, I suspect.

[1987 comment on Meryl Streep] Let's just say I found her a little distant. I hardly got to know her. We had dinner a couple of times, but she only spoke about work. I didn't find her easy to work with, but it's not her job to make it easy for me.