Profile Text
Rylance in 2014, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: David Mark Rylance Waters
Place of Birth: Ashford, Kent, England, U.K.
Date of Birth: 18 January, 1960
Ethnicity: English, some Irish
Mark Rylance is an English actor, theatre director, and playwright. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Bridge of Spies (2015). His roles also include the films Hearts of Fire , The Grass Arena , Prospero’s Books , Institute Benjamenta , Angels & Insects , Intimacy (2001), The Other Boleyn Girl , Anonymous , Blitz (2011), Days and Nights (2013), The Gunman (2015), The BFG (2016), Dunkirk (2017), Ready Player One , Waiting for the Barbarians , The Trial of the Chicago 7 , The Phantom of the Open , Don’t Look Up , The Outfit , Bones and All , and Inland (2022); the made-for-tv movies Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story , Incident in Judaea , and The Government Inspector ; and the series Screen Two , Leonardo , Bing , Wolf Hall , The Undeclared War , and Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light ; as well as many acclaimed stage performances.
He is the son of Elizabeth Anne (Skinner) and Thomas David R. Waters, teachers of English. His sister is opera singer and author Susannah Waters. His grandmother was Irish. He was raised partly in Connecticut and Wisconsin in the United States, where his father worked.
Mark was married to Claire Louise van Kampen, a director, composer, and playwright, until her death. His stepdaughter is actress Juliet Rylance .
Mark’s maternal grandfather was Osmond Skinner (the son of Alfred Skinner and Edith “Cissie” Lack). Osmond was born in Lewisham, London, England. He was taken as a POW by the Japanese during World War II. Edith was the daughter of Edward Quidington Lack and Sarah Brookman.
Mark’s maternal grandmother was Hazel Agnes Goodbun (the daughter of Captain Richard Prescott Goodbun and Fanny Maria Newman). Hazel was born in Dover, Kent, England. Richard was the son of Charles Goodbun and Elizabeth Gambrill. Fanny was the daughter of William Newman and Sophia Pheasey.
Mark’s paternal grandfather likely was Thomas Fletcher Rylance Waters (the son of Thomas Fletcher Waters and Margaret Ellen Rylance). Thomas Fletcher Rylance Waters was born in Salford, Lancashire, England. His paternal grandparents were James Waters and Elizabeth Fletcher. Margaret was the daughter of William Rylance and Ellen/Helen Warburton.
Mark’s paternal grandmother likely was Alice Isabel Mooney (the daughter of Alexander Patrick Mooney). Alice was born in Preston, Lancashire, England.
Sources: Information about Mark’s family history, on My Grandparents’ War , 2019 – https://www.theguardian.com
Marriage record of Mark’s maternal grandparents, Osmond Skinner and Hazel Agnes Goodbun – https://www.familysearch.org
Mark’s maternal grandfather, Osmond Skinner, on the 1901 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org Osmond Skinner on the 1911 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Mark’s maternal great-grandparents, Richard Prescott Goodbun and Fanny Maria Newman – https://www.familysearch.org