The most influential British actor of all time, according to science
British cinema might not have had the resources that Hollywood has gloriously revelled in and flushed for decades, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been able to exert as much influence, with some of the greatest movies of all time helmed by British directors.
Think of everything from the tension-fisted thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock to the gritty social realism and dark comedy of Mike Leigh’s bittersweet dramas. It might be a small island, but among rolling landscapes and suburban towns with housing projects are stories waiting to be told, inspired by ancient folklore, close-knit communities, or significant political turmoil.
For years, the business of getting into acting as a Briton wasn’t that easy unless you had a good education, and the most common accents you could hear onscreen were, to put it plainly, those that were really posh. While this is still an issue today (a staggeringly large number of British actors are privately educated), there came a time in the late 1950s when things started to shift, and soon, films that explored working-class characters became more and more common, and as a result, working-class actors emerged, too.
The increase in diversity that came from this era was a turning point for British cinema, which was becoming more mainstream by the year. When the James Bond franchise emerged in 1962, a new spy-based phenomenon was born, and with it came a new British icon from humble origins, Sean Connery.
In a scientific study titled ‘Identification of key films and personalities in the history of cinema from a Western perspective’, by Livio Bioglio and Ruggero G Pensa, the pair highlighted some of the most influential actors, and Connery was one of few British ones to make it onto the list. While Hollywood stars dominate the rankings, the 007 actor’s influence has always been inescapable. By originating the iconic role, Connery became widely known as the face of this new franchise, playing Bond for seven movies, including Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever.
Connery was more than just Bond, of course, starring in movies like Murder on the Orient Express and The Untouchables, but his tenure as the spy really sealed the deal for his legacy. Proving that you didn’t have to descend from the Hollywood Hills to become a success story, Connery has gone down in cinema history as one of the most celebrated stars. Yet, there’s one less-commonly known British actor who actually ranks higher than him on Bioglio and Pensa’s list.
Sitting at number nine, just under Vincent Price and Bruce Willis, is Desmond Llewelyn. If you don’t know his name, you might know his face: he’s appeared alongside Connery in several Bond movies as Q. In fact, he continued to play the role long after the hero had left the franchise building, making his mark on British cinema as an important member of the fictional version of MI6.
With 17 appearances as Q, as well as roles in popular movies like Cleopatra and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Llewelyn wasn’t exactly a leading man, but his dedication to successful movies made him the most influential British actor, according to science. How accurate can that title really be when we’re all much more familiar with Connery than Llewelyn, though?
I’m not going to argue with science here, but Llewelyn making it so high onto the list, predominantly for a recurring role in the James Bond franchise, is certainly interesting.
