Adrian Schiller


Adrian Townsend Schiller was an English actor. His most notable work was as Ealdorman Aethelhelm for three seasons of The Last Kingdom.
His tv and film credits also include A Touch of Frost, Bright Star, Terry Pratchett's Going Postal, Being Human, A Little Chaos, Son of God, The Danish Girl, Suffragette, Doctor Who, Victoria, Beauty and the Beast, The Mercy, Tolkien, Raised by Wolves, Censor, and The New Look.

Early life and career

Adrian Townsend Schiller was born in Oxford on 21 February 1964. He described himself as "a Jew, but not Jewish", as he "was brought up outside of any sort of Jewish tradition".
An actor on stage and screen with a career spanning over thirty years, Schiller began his television career appearing in an episode of Prime Suspect in December 1992.

Theatre

As a British stage actor, he did substantial work at major UK companies including Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, Young Vic, Shakespeare’s Globe, ETT, and Hampstead. Notable performances include Kulygin in Three Sisters at the Young Vic, and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Throughout his career, he continued taking demanding stage roles alongside his screen work. Shortly before his death, he toured internationally in a production of The Lehman Trilogy, directed by Sam Mendes.

Television and Film

Schiller was the face on the anti-drink-driving PIF Moment of Doubt on British TV, part of the DfT's 'Think! Road Safety' campaign from 2007. The advert won Best Casting at the BTACA awards in December 2008.
From 2018-2022, he played Ealdorman Aethelhelm for three seasons of The Last Kingdom. In his obituary in The Guardian, journalist Michael Coveney wrote that his performance "would suggest that here was a naturally authoritative actor, blessed with gravitas and style."
In 2021, he played Pasha Verdinikov in two episodes of Death in Paradise.

Death

Schiller died "suddenly and unexpectedly" on 3 April 2024, at the age of 60. His death was announced the following day in a statement by his agent. The cause of death was a major ischaemic stroke. According to the Stroke Association, this happens when a blockage stops blood from reaching part of the brain, causing brain cells to die. It also notes that roughly 85% of strokes in the UK are ischaemic, making this the most common type.

Stage

Selected stage appearances: