• Entertainment

12 Actors Who Appeared in John Le Carré Adaptations

1 minute read

Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers) and Hugh Laurie (House) are joining some of the most prestigious actors in Hollywood by starring in an adaptation of John Le Carré’s The Night Manager. Filled with political commentary and plenty of intrigue, Le Carré’s spy novels have been fodder for films and television series since the Cold War. His most famous series, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was turned into a TV shows, radio show and film.

And his projects have courted some of the world’s best actors and even two veterans of another famous spy series, James Bond. Here are some of the most memorable actors who brought Le Carré’s words to the screen.

 

Richard Burton as Alec Leamas in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, 1965.
Richard Burton as Alec Leamas in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, 1965Paramount Pictures
Anthony Hopkins as John Avery in The Looking Glass War, 1969.
Anthony Hopkins as John Avery in The Looking Glass War, 1969Archive Photos/Getty Images
Alec Guinness as George Smiley/"Beggarman" in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 1979.
Alec Guinness as George Smiley/"Beggarman" in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 1979Courtesy Everett Collection
Diane Keaton as Charlie in The Little Drummer Girl, 1984.
Diane Keaton as Charlie in The Little Drummer Girl, 1984Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sean Connery as Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair in The Russia House, 1990.
Sean Connery as Bartholomew "Barley" Scott Blair in The Russia House, 1990 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Pierce Brosnan as Andrew "Andy" Osnard in The Tailor of Panama, 2001.
Pierce Brosnan as Andrew "Andy" Osnard in The Tailor of Panama, 2001Columbia Pictures
Ralph Fiennes as Justin Quayle in The Constant Gardener, 2005.
Ralph Fiennes as Justin Quayle in The Constant Gardener, 2005Focus Features
Gary Oldman as George Smiley/"Beggarman" in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 2011
Gary Oldman as George Smiley/"Beggarman" in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 2011Focus Features
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Günther Bachmann in A Most Wanted Man, 2014.
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Günther Bachmann in A Most Wanted Man, 2014Lionsgate
Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine and Hugh Laurie as Richard Roper in The Night Manager, 2016.
Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine and Hugh Laurie as Richard Roper in The Night Manager, 2016Mitch Jenkins—AMC
Ewan McGregor as Peregrine "Perry" Makepeace in Our Kind of Traitor, 2016.
Ewan McGregor as Peregrine "Perry" Makepeace in Our Kind of Traitor, 2016 Lionsgate

More Must-Reads From TIME

Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com