Simon Callow
Yet another stage actor, Simon Callow has made himself a reputation as something of a luvvie in roles such as Charles Dickens in Doctor Who, and, perhaps most famously, Gareth in Richard Curtis’ Four Weddings and a Funeral (for which he was BAFTA nominated). Expressing a perfect combination of warmth and exasperation, it’s not difficult to imagine Callow as Bruce’s faithful retainer, grumbling away petulantly after years of mess and mayhem.
Ralph Fiennes
Another, perhaps, not quite intuitive pick for Bruce’s (ostensibly) non-threatening butler, Ralph Fiennes is one of the most critically acclaimed actors on his list. From the time he first arrived in the public consciousness with his harrowing portrayal of Nazi Commandant Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List, Fiennes has been scarcely out of the limelight. From Voldemort in Harry Potter (yes, again) to decent bureaucrat Mallory in Skyfall, his range is undeniable and, most pressingly, he was the very picture of English manners as John Steed in The Avengers (no, the first and terrible one, not the Marvel one). In-keeping with the character, they even gave him a bowler hat and umbrella.
Jeremy Irons
Another strong candidate, Jeremy Irons is a study in contrast, capable of chilling stillness and boundless exuberance in equal measure, as vengeful terrorist Simon Gruber in Die Hard With a Vengeance or The Pope himself in The Borgias. Also equally at home in film and TV, he’s racked up every award there’s going – Oscar, Emmy, Tony. His voice, cultured and nuanced, is immediately identifiable: even if Alfred weren’t to be an onscreen presence in the new film, Irons could carry it off over the Batmobile intercom. After all, he was Scar in The Lion King.
Daniel Day Lewis
And topping the category in wishful thinking… Daniel Day Lewis is the performer’s performer: king of the method, he has more Academy Awards for Best Actor than anyone else in history (three, if you were wondering). Burying himself in ferocious, barnstorming performances in the likes of Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood, Day Lewis’ sensitive side has surfaced in the form of the softly spoken Lincoln or indomitable cripple Christy Brown in My Left Foot. He’s one of the actors on this list who may be just too talented, too devoted, for a bit part.
Helen Mirren
The only female Alfred on this list, like Day Lewis above her, (Dame) Helen Mirren makes the cut simply because of the caliber of her acting. Though her dignified performance Elizabeth II may have won her an Oscar in Stephen Frears‘ The Queen, Mirren spent fifteen years as the damaged but indomitable DCI Tennyson in Prime Suspect (securing her six Emmy nominations and two wins). With a list of awards and nominations that takes up a whole Wikipedia article, Mirren’s proven she can do anything, so why not a maternal, cool-as-ice Alfred(a)?
Geoffrey Rush
And the hits just keep on coming with Geoffrey Rush. Whether you know him as the scurvy Barbossa in the Pirates of the Caribbean series (the only character other than Johnny Depps‘ Captain Jack to be brought back for Stranger Tides) or as unconventional speech therapist Lionel Logue in The King’s Speech, Rush is one of those actors with a knack for reinvention. Who else could play the chameleonic Peter Sellers in HBO’s The Life and Death of…? He might belong to the Commonwealth, but Rush could certainly blow us away as our favorite gentleman’s gentleman.
And now, without further ado, onto our favorites in Part 6!
