Don't be surprised if you flip to Lifetime on Monday night and see Nicole Kidman, as she stars in the new biopic Grace of Monaco, premiering at 9 p.m. And quite another famous actor portrays Grace Kelly's husband in Grace of Monaco. The British actor Tim Roth stars as Prince Rainier III, who was the ruler of Monaco from 1949 to 2005. The film shows about one year in the life of actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly, which includes Rainier battling with French President Charles de Gaulle over the principality (known for its casinos) being a tax haven for wealthy French people. So who is the man taking on this royal duty?
Roth is a talented actor who has been making films for over 30 years, and he stars alongside Kidman, Frank Langella, and Parker Posey in the biopic, which has garnered a bad reputation despite the impressive cast. (Although they've all been better in other vehicles.) Grace of Monaco suffered from major creative disputes between the director Olivier Dahan and the producer Harvey Weinstein, which led to the movie being released on Lifetime, rather than in the theaters.
Roth may vaguely resemble Rainier in Grace of Monaco, but it's certainly not the only role we should recognize him for.
While Roth may not be a movie superstar, it's a testament to how he completely submerges himself in his characters that it can sometimes be a struggle to even recollect that he was the starring actor. So here are nine other roles where you may have seen Roth, which are all totally different from that of Prince Rainier III.
Vincent Van Gogh In Vincent & Theo
Roth is no stranger to portraying historical figures since he starred as Vincent Van Gogh in the 1990 movie Vincent & Theo about the artist's relationship with his brother.
Guildenstern In Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Another movie from 1990 about a pair of men, Roth starred alongside fellow talented Brit Gary Oldman as Guildenstern in the Hamlet-inspired Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
Mr. Orange In Reservoir Dogs
Roth and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino have had a long working relationship that started with Roth as Mr. Orange in 1992's Reservoir Dogs. For Tarantino fans, Roth is an essential part of his universe.
Pumpkin/Ringo In Pulp Fiction
Not only did Pulp Fiction mark another Tarantino-Roth collaboration, but the British actor got to hang out in a diner as a robber again (like in Reservoir Dogs) as Pumpkin/Ringo in the 1994 cult classic. (Ohhh, Honey Bunny.) Roth and Tarantino also spent the next year together with 1995's Four Rooms.
General Thade In Planet Of The Apes
I'm not going to pretend the 2001's Planet of the Apes with Mark Wahlberg is a classic by any means, but Roth continued to show how he could completely immerse himself in a role as the evil chimpanzee General Thade.
George In Funny Games
Roth starred opposite Kidman's friend, Naomi Watts, in the 2007 thriller Funny Games. Although the remake of the Austrian movie (directed by the same director, Michael Haneke) didn't receive great reviews, the film about a family being tortured by two young men while on vacation still fuels my nightmares.
Emil Blonsky/Abomination In The Incredible Hulk
Similar to his physical transformation in Planet of the Apes, Roth worked alongside Edward Norton's version of Bruce Banner in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Be careful, Roth! You might get typecast as evil military men who completely morph their bodies.
Dr. Cal Lightman In Lie To Me
Roth was on TV before Lifetime as the lead of the Fox show Lie to Me. He portrayed Dr. Cal Lightman for three seasons before the network canceled the show in 2011. It's OK, Roth. I'd rather see you in quirky films anyway.
George Wallace In Selma
In the Oscar-nominated film Selma, Roth portrayed who he referred to as "monstrous human being" Alabama Governor George Wallace in an interview with Eur Web, the man who opposed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the voting rights marches. Throughout his long and layered career, Roth has showcased the skills to portray good men and bad men — in both the real world and in the science fiction realm.
And Roth is nowhere near done making quality films. Roth's next most-anticipated film has a troubled production story like Grace of Monaco, but I have faith it will be a much more robust film since Roth has reunited with Tarantino again for The Hateful Eight. So, bring on the blood!
Images: Courtesy of Lifetime (2); Getty Images; Twentieth Century Fox; Universal Pictures; Paramount Pictures; honeyfred, garysoldman, 7oh3rd, filmandtvquotes, rosemaryconnelly, clarkesbellamie/Tumblr
