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Character Biographies
The following information was compiled from various sources, including the character bios at the official King Arthur movie site (offsite link), production notes (offsite link), the King Arthur novelization by Frank Thompson, and quotes from the movie script. Hopefully in time and as more information becomes available, more characters will be added to the list. Current bios in the works are the Romans, including the bishops, Alecto, and Fulcinia.
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| ![]() Arthur: Clive Owen |
The son of a Roman officer and Briton woman, and ancestrally named for the first, Artorius, Arthur serves as the commander of the Sarmatian Knights. While he is not much older than some of the Knights, Arthur has the respect and loyalty of them all. Arthur is a man of duty and faith. He is a Christian, however he respects his knights' religion and does not attempt to convert any of them. He believes strongly that all men are equal and free, and that he should right whatever wrongs he witnesses in the world. Such beliefs lead him to free pagan serfs from torture and lead an entire group of serfs to safety, despite much opposition from his Knights.
In battle, Arthur is an able warrior, though he fights not for joy of battle, but rather in hopes that there will come a day without a battlefield. After fifteen years of service to the Roman Empire, he is more than ready for peace. However during his last mission, Arthur begins to feel more of an attachment to his Briton roots and begins to see that while his Rome - a place of civilization, order, and freedom - no longer exists, Britain still holds hope.
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| ![]() Bors: Ray Winstone |
Bors is the oldest of the Sarmatian Knights and has a good sense of humor. In combat, he prefers utilizing brute strength as opposed to finesse and strategy, and often fights with his axe or small knives held in his fists. He has fathered 11 bastards and in the movie, his lover is Vanora. Although he jokes about his children and how he doesn't want to be troubled giving them names, it's clear that he is fond of them all and they look up to him.
Unlike some of his fellow Knights, Bors does not look to return to Sarmatia after his fifteen years of service. He hopes instead to gain some position of power in Britain, to have the "run of all this place."
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| ![]() Dagonet: Ray Stevenson |
Dagonet, a formidable knight, holds to a strong code of honor. Quiet, noble, and chivalrous, Dagonet is extremely loyal to Arthur because of all the Knights, he understands best that they would be little more than "vicious wolves" without his leadership. Extremely deadly on the battlefield, down to his studded jacket which doubles as a weapon, Dagonet is a force to be reckoned with. He prefers action to words, but he possesses a tender nature which shines when he rescues the young Lucan and nurses him back to health.
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| ![]() Galahad: Hugh Dancy |
The youngest of the Sarmatian Knights, Galahad is least accepting of the fifteen years of service to Rome. He remembers home the keenest of the knights and dreams everyday of returning. Galahad takes no pleasure in fighting and killing and refers to the forced service as "a bad memory." He is quick to temper and fitting his personality, his weapon of choice is a shield that doubles as an attacking weapon, which he uses in a slashing fashion.
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| ![]() Gawain: Joel Edgerton |
Gawain has spent more years fighting for Rome than living in Sarmatia and the concept of 'home' isn't very clear in his memory. He lives for the battlefield and has no fear of death, so long as he takes as many lives as possible. After attaining freedom, he'll either become a wanderer or find a beautiful Sarmatian woman to wed. His weapon of choice is the axe.
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| ![]() Lancelot: Ioan Gruffudd |
Lancelot was only a young man when the Romans came to take him from his home in Sarmatia for his fifteen years of service to the Roman Empire. He quickly gained a reputation as a skilled fighter and despite his dislike for Rome, became Arthur's dear friend and right-hand man. With his two swords, Lancelot is more than capable of facing down any enemy.
While Arthur holds a more optimistic vision of the world, Lancelot understands that there will "always be a battlefield." He is pagan and he refuses to go on his knees to any God. He does not believe that a God exists, for otherwise why would there be so much pain and suffering on the earth? However while he scorns Arthur's God, he remains dedicated to Arthur and even humbles himself enough to beg Arthur not to throw his freedom away.
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| ![]() Tristan: Mads Mikkelsen |
The mysterious one of the knights, Tristan is Arthur's trusted scout, and is almost always riding ahead and making sure the road is clear. Because of his job, he often spends a lot of time alone in the wilderness, with his hawk as company. Of the knights, he is probably the most sadistic, as he takes pleasure in killing, but also remains the calmest. Very little else is known about Tristan. Tristan is also known as: Tristran, Tristren, Tristram, Tristrem
His blade is a curved, oriental-influenced one, of which Tristan uses swiftly in combat. He is also very formidable with the bow.
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| ![]() Jols: Sean Gilder |
Squire to the knights, Jols is loyal to Arthur and respectful of all the knights. He accompanies them on several missions, although he occassionally stays behind in the Roman fortress near Hadrian's Wall. He is a supporter of Arthur's beliefs in freedom and equality. Although his ethnicity is never declared, it is guessed Jols is a Sarmatian who has either been recently taken and in training to be a knight or who failed to become a knight and must serve fifteen years as a squire. He does not appear Roman and shows little respect for members of the Roman clergy. He is capable with a blade and proves so in the Battle of Badon Hill.
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| ![]() Guinevere: Kiera Knightley |
Widely considered the daughter of Merlin, it is known for a fact that she is a woman of high birth among the Woads and holds a leadership role. In battle, her arrow is the first that flies and often with deadly accuracy. Her skill with a bow and arrow is equal, or perhaps greater than, the skill of men. Guinevere fights fiercely for Britain's freedom and is willing to do anything to ensure that goal...including uniting with Arthur, the Roman-Briton who has killed so many of her people.
After being rescued by Arthur from the torture chambers of Bishop Marius, Guinevere slowly comes to realize Arthur is a good man. However when it becomes apparent Arthur might not fight for Britain's cause against the invading Saxons, the calculating Guinevere must somehow find a way to convince him to stay.
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| ![]() Lucan: Johnny Brennan |
Lucan is a young boy who is imprisoned and ill-treated by Marius, to be used as a sacrifice. After Dagonet rescues him and treats his broken arm, Lucan comes to form a close relationship with the older knight. His age is estimated to be 8. Although he does not speak much, from his relationship with Dagonet, it can be seen that Lucan is brave and trusting.
After Dagonet's death, Lucan took the knight's ring from his fingers and was seen wearing it on a string around his neck during the funeral scene. He tried to pull Dagonet's sword from the grave, as young Arthur did, but wasn't strong enough yet. Early script excerpts showed Lucan to be the son of Fulcinia, wife of Marius.
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| ![]() Merlin: Stephen Dillane |
Referred to as the "Dark Magician" by Lancelot, Merlin is the enigmatic leader of the Woads, native fighters of Britain who want to win their country back. Merlin is a wise man, who has trained his fighters well in the art of guerilla warfare. Although he is not the best fighter amongst the Woads, he still commands all the respect of all the Woads and an order from him, no matter how disputed, is obeyed. It is widely assumed that he is the father of Guinevere.
Unlike many Woads, Merlin sees promise in Arthur as potential ally rather than an enemy. As he admits to Arthur, "Rome was my enemy. Not Arthur." Merlin understands that the best hope for Britain is Arthur, and that while both have killed the other's friends, an alliance would be best for them both.
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| ![]() Cerdic: Stellan Skarsgård |
The chieftein of the Saxons, a largely barbaric bunch who kill everything in sight, Cerdic is fearless, brutal, and extremely ruthless. He has a mind for military strategy and is one of the most powerful Saxon fighters, but he is also absolute in his authority and does not tolerate even simple questions from his son. Cerdic has no qualms about sacrificing any of his men, so long as he gains the victory. To him, there is never the question of whether or not the ends justify the means.
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| ![]() Cynric: Til Schweiger |
Son of Cerdic, Cynric cares more for his men than his ruthless father. He is willing to venture a few protests on his mens' behalf, but is quick to back down at the slightest sign of anger from his father. According to the novelization of the movie, the scar on his face was given to him by his father in a moment of displeasure. Cynric relies on bodyguards and a Briton spy for his protection, although in combat he is an able fighter. His powerful frame lends him a great advantage in close combat, however he has little sense of honor and would cheerfully attack a man from behind.
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| ![]() Raewald: Brian McGuinness |
High in the Saxon chain of command, Raewald used to serve as lieutenant to Cynric. However after Cynric's failure to capture the Roman family, Cerdic promotes Raewald to second in command, displacing his son. To hurt Cynric, Cerdic refers to Raewald as "like a son" to him, although Raewald appears more shocked by the promotion than elated. Cynric becomes increasingly bitter as Raewald begins to give orders to his men, and the tension between the two is evident in the Battle of Badon Hill.
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