Cary Elwes
With a single, perfect role as the farm boy turned pirate Westley, he became the enduring heart of a beloved cult film classic.
Born 1962 (age 64)·English actor·Birthday: October 26·Baby Boomers
Biography
Cary Elwes carries the easy charm of someone born into English aristocracy, but his career is defined by a swashbuckling sincerity that made him an unexpected icon of 1980s cinema. Trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, his breakout was almost immediate, landing the lead in Rob Reiner's 'The Princess Bride.' As Westley, his earnest delivery of lines like 'As you wish' transformed him into a generation's ideal of romantic heroism. Rather than being typecast, he pivoted to a sharp comedic turn in Mel Brooks's 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights,' proving a deft hand at satire. His career settled into a steady rhythm of character roles in major films like 'Glory,' 'Bram Stoker's Dracula,' and 'Liar Liar,' where his polished demeanor often served as a foil. Decades later, his enduring connection to 'The Princess Bride' is less a burden than a testament to a performance so genuine it continues to captivate new audiences, a feat he chronicled in his memoir, 'As You Wish.'
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Cary was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Cary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as Westley in the beloved film 'The Princess Bride,' a role that achieved enduring cult status.
- Played the lead role of Robin Hood in Mel Brooks's parody film 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights.'
- Portrayed British officer John Bell in the acclaimed Civil War film 'Glory.'
- Published the bestselling behind-the-scenes memoir 'As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride.'
- Played a key role as Lawrence Gordon in the original 'Saw' film, a character who reappeared in multiple sequels.
Did You Know?
He performed most of his own stunts and sword-fighting in 'The Princess Bride,' training extensively for months.
He is a descendant of the famous English portrait painter Thomas Gainsborough.
He broke his toe while kicking the helmet in a famous scene from 'The Princess Bride,' and the scream of pain in the film is genuine.
He turned down the role of Eric Draven in 'The Crow,' which later went to Brandon Lee.
He provided the voice for the character of Sherlock Holmes in several animated direct-to-video films.
“Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”
