British Actors You Should Know: Anton Lesser

Anton Lesser is a perfect example of the type of artist our British Actors You Should Know series was intended to highlight. He is an actor with an impressive resume who is comfortable performing in all mediums. Yet many viewers may draw a blank when his name comes up. Midlands-born Lesser began his higher education at the University of Liverpool, where he studied architecture. So when did the acting bug bite, young Anton? Believe it or not, he decided to change careers by simply watching a film.

“When I was overseas doing voluntary service in Nigeria between my terms at university, I saw this British Council film about the Royal Shakespeare Company. It starred this actor, Ian Richardson, as Prospero (from “The Tempest”), and that triggered the whole thing. That lit the torch. I had no inclination at all before that moment,"

After university, Lesser attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Listening to his creative heart was the right choice; upon graduation in 1977, he was named the most promising actor of his year. Following his RADA training, Lesser moved on to the Royal Shakespeare Company. He spent a considerable part of the next two decades taking on many of Shakespeare's principal roles, including Petruchio, Romeo, and Richard III, for the stage and televised productions. Much sought after for his voice talents, Lesser has been featured in many BBC Radio play adaptations and narrated a wide range of audiobooks, including classics such as The Iliad, The Odyssey, and several of Shakespeare's works.