Joseph Fiennes (born 27 May 1970) is an English film and stage actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayals of William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love, Sir Robert Dudley in Elizabeth, Commisar Danilov in Enemy at the Gates, Martin Luther in Luther, Merlin in Camelot, and his portrayal of Mark Benford in the 2009 TV series FlashForward.Fiennes was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England in 1970, the son of novelist Jennifer Lash and photographer Mark Fiennes. He is a third cousin once removed of Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Bt., eighth cousin twice removed of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and 3rd cousin 14 times removed of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. He is also 14th great-grandson of James IV of Scotland, 25th great-grandson of William the Conqueror, 27th great-grandson of Brian Boru, 28th great-grandson of Harold Godwinson, 28th great-grandson of Hugh Capet and 32nd great-grandson of Charlemagne. The youngest of six siblings, his elder siblings are actor Ralph Fiennes, filmmakers Sophie Fiennes and Martha Fiennes, composer Magnus Fiennes, and conservationist Jacob Fiennes, his twin brother. His foster brother, Michael Emery, is an archaeologist.
