Charles Dance: From builder’s labourer with a stammer to Tywin Lannister

Charles Dance: From builder’s labourer with a stammer to Tywin Lannister

Before he was Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones or the commanding presence of The Jewel in the Crown, Charles Dance was a boy from Worcestershire whose father died when he was three and whose mother built a new life for the family, remarried to their lodger. A childhood marked by loss, a stammer and humble beginnings gave little hint of the commanding actor he would become.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Emmy-nominated actor to trace an extraordinary journey from working-class Devon to the stages of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Hollywood sets alongside Meryl Streep, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maggie Smith. Dance reveals how two eccentric mentors in rural Devon taught him to speak, act and think like an actor, and why, even now at 79, he still considers himself a “working actor” rather than a star.

It’s an intimate, reflective conversation about identity, perseverance, class, craft and the enduring magic of the stage- told with the wit and humility of a man who’s seen it all and still can’t quite believe his luck.

Episoder(315)

From The Vault: Miriam Margolyes

From The Vault: Miriam Margolyes

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Cariad Lloyd: Talking About Grief Changed My Life

Cariad Lloyd: Talking About Grief Changed My Life

Cariad Lloyd never set out to become the voice of modern grief, but after losing her father at just fifteen, the silence around death stayed with her. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien...

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Kevin Rowland: Beyond Come On Eileen

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From a shifting childhood split between Wolverhampton, rural Ireland and London, to fronting one of the most distinctive and uncompromising bands of the 1980s, Kevin Rowland’s life has been defined by...

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Irvine Welsh: We’re More Addicted Now Than in Trainspotting

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From the high-rises of Muirhouse to the heart of countercultural Britain, Irvine Welsh has built a literary universe fuelled by punk energy, dancefloor euphoria, and radical empathy. In this episode o...

1 Aug 20251h 1min

David Lammy: I’ve had imposter syndrome my whole life- until now

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From a working-class childhood in Tottenham to the Cabinet table, David Lammy’s path to becoming Foreign Secretary was anything but straightforward. Raised by a single mother after his father disappea...

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Grace Dent: Almost Everything I’ve Done, I’ve Been Told No First

Grace Dent: Almost Everything I’ve Done, I’ve Been Told No First

Before she was a MasterChef judge and one of Britain’s most distinctive food writers, Grace Dent was a Carlisle kid eating crispy pancakes and dreaming of life beyond beige dinners. In this episode of...

18 Jul 20251h 2min

Graham Fellows: Playing John Shuttleworth Came at a Cost

Graham Fellows: Playing John Shuttleworth Came at a Cost

Before he became known as the quirky, banana-snacking John Shuttleworth, Graham Fellows was a kid from Sheffield with dreams of classical acting and a knack for writing unforgettable songs. In this ep...

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Jon Culshaw: The Impressionist Who Fooled the Prime Minister

Jon Culshaw: The Impressionist Who Fooled the Prime Minister

Long before Dead Ringers or Spitting Image, Jon Culshaw was a schoolboy with a knack for mimicry and a fierce determination to escape into voices- finding freedom, fun, and a future through the radio ...

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