David Warner Actor, Rory Lewis Portrait Photographer, London (2014)
David Warner, one of Britain’s most distinguished actors, was celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic for his extraordinary range — from romantic leads to sinister and psychologically complex characters. His filmography spans iconic works such as Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Omen, Time Bandits, Tron, Cross of Iron, Holocaust, Titanic, and Planet of the Apes.
For decades, Warner had famously declined professional portrait sittings, the last of which was with the legendary Cecil Beaton in 1965 when he was just twenty-four. By the time I approached him for my Northerners portrait series, he was seventy-two — a master actor whose presence had only deepened with time.
Determined to capture him, I wrote to several of his agents in the UK and the United States, though months passed without a reply. Not easily deterred, I learned through social media that he would be attending a Hammer Horror convention in London. I sent another letter to be delivered on the day, and to my great delight, David personally responded and agreed to a sitting.
David Warner Actor, Rory Lewis Portrait Photographer, London (2014)
David Warner Actor, Rory Lewis Portrait Photographer, London (2014)
Early in my career, like many photographers, I balanced a broad commercial workload — shooting everything from industrial products to aspiring actors — while yearning to focus on portraiture that was deeply human, expressive, and timeless. By my early thirties, I felt the urgency to define my artistic voice and create work that reflected who I truly was as a photographer. I knew that to attract the attention of editors, curators, and agents, I needed to produce a body of work entirely on my own terms — one that would both challenge and inspire.