Cary Elwes Wiki, Bio, Age, Net Worth, and Other Facts

Below is a compiled list of the most interesting facts about Cary Elwes. Check it out!

Cary Elwes was born in Westminster, London, England, the third son of interior designer/shipping heiress Tessa Georgina Kennedy and the late portrait painter Bede Evelyn Dominick Elwes. He is the brother of producer/agent Cassian Elwes and artist Damian Elwes. He was raised in London and attended Harrow. After graduating from Harrow, he moved to the US and studied drama at Sarah Lawrence College. He left school after two years to begin his film career. Cary is well respected by colleagues and fans alike and considered by many to be one of the finest actors working today. He is interested in history and says, “It’s deliberate that a lot of my films have been period pieces”. He is politically active for causes he believes in, such as protecting the environment and helping Native American people.

Interesting Facts about Cary Elwes

Father was Dominick Elwes (August 1931-September 1975), a portrait painter and Mayfair figure. Parents divorced when Cary was young. A sufferer of manic depression, Dominick was less of a commercial success compared to his artist father Simon Elwes. Dominick was later ostracized by a close circle of friends because of his link to the notorious Lord Lucan. He committed suicide at age 44.
His paternal grandfather was the famous portrait-painter Simon Elwes, and his other prominent ancestors include his great-grandfathers, tenor Gervase Elwes, diplomat James Rennell Rodd, 1st Baron Rennell, industrialist Ivan Rikard Ivanovic, and his great-great-great-grandfather, Alexander Kennedy, a civil/electrical engineer and academic.
His stage name “Cary Elwes” is actually his surname. The surname “Cary Elwes” was shortened to “Elwes” in some branches of his family.
Was chosen for the part of Westley in The Princess Bride (1987) after Rob Reiner saw him in Lady Jane (1986). He spent weeks training in fencing with both his left hand and right hand while performing acrobatics.
Older half-brother of Milica Kastner and Dillon Kastner from his mother’s marriage with Elliott Kastner.
Last name is pronounced El-wez.
Raised as a Catholic. He was an altar boy at Brompton Oratory in London. His father’s side includes several prominent Catholic clerics, and his paternal great-grandfather was Chamberlain to the Pope. His mother is a former Protestant-turned-Catholic.
He said after The Princess Bride (1987), he was getting lots of offers to act in several costume period pieces. He turned most of them down because he didn’t want to be typecast, as he had already starred in period pieces, mostly as a romantic love interest, in the previous films Another Country (1984), Lady Jane (1986), and Maschenka (1987). In contrast, he later starred in several films as a villain, which include Leather Jackets (1991), Twister (1996), The Jungle Book (1994),Ella Enchanted (2004), The Riverman (2004) to name a few.
Cary is the son of shipping heiress and interior designer Tessa Kennedy, who eloped with Cary’s father, painter Dominick Elwes. Cary’s stepfather, American producer Elliott Kastner, set up a production base at Pinewood Studios in Britain.
Was personally offered by Trevor Nunn, Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), to join the RSC after starring in Nunn’s film Lady Jane (1986). Elwes turned down the offer in order to continue working in films.
Entered Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, to study drama but left after two years. Also studied at the London Drama Centre.
His recurring character on The X Files (1993)’s 9th season, FBI Assistant Director Brad Follmer, is named after the show’s creator/executive producer Chris Carter’s assistant, Brad Follmer.

Personal Quotes by Cary Elwes

I used to sit in school and dream about getting into films.
Cary Elwes

I feel like if a film is well-written, then the character’s arc is complete. There really is very little room to expand on that afterwards.
Cary Elwes

There’s a shortage of perfects breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours.
Cary Elwes

The visceral experience of seeing a movie in three dimensions, coming at you in the theater, is obviously here to stay, because it is a unique experience. I think that kind of format is only appropriate for some genres, but I’m all for it.
Cary Elwes