Conleth Hill
A masterful stage actor who brought quiet, cunning depth to the role of a spider-like spymaster in the fantasy epic Game of Thrones.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Northern Irish actor·Birthday: November 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Conleth Hill's face, capable of shifting from obsequious servitude to chilling calculation in a flicker, became one of the most subtly compelling on television as Lord Varys in 'Game of Thrones.' But long before he was the 'Master of Whisperers,' Hill was a powerhouse of the stage, honing his craft in theatres from Belfast to Broadway. He earned his stripes in comedies and dramas, collecting two Olivier Awards in London for his work in 'Stones in His Pockets' and 'The Producers.' His Varys was a masterclass in restraint—a eunuch who wielded information as his weapon, his motives shrouded in a performance of gentle smiles and whispered truths. Hill brought a profound humanity to a character often described as a spider, reminding viewers that in a world of shouters and swordsmen, the softest voice could hold the most power.
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.
Conleth was born in 1964, 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 Conleth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Conleth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
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
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two Laurence Olivier Awards for his stage performances in 'Stones in His Pockets' and 'The Producers.'
- Received two Tony Award nominations for the Broadway transfers of those same plays.
- Portrayed the pivotal role of Lord Varys across all eight seasons of HBO's 'Game of Thrones.'
- Has performed leading roles at major theatres including the Royal National Theatre and the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
Did You Know?
He began his career as a sound engineer for BBC Radio in Belfast before training as an actor.
He is a founding member of the Rough Magic Theatre Company in Dublin.
He played both leading roles in the two-hander play 'Stones in His Pockets' during its run.
His brother, Ronan Hill, is a sound engineer who won Emmys for his work on 'Game of Thrones.'
“A small man can cast a very large shadow.”
