Adrian Schiller

Adrian Townsend Schiller (21 February 1964 – 3 April 2024) was an English actor. His most notable work was as Ealdorman Aethelhelm for three seasons of The Last Kingdom (2018-2022).

His tv and film credits also include A Touch of Frost (2000), Bright Star (2009), Terry Pratchett's Going Postal (2010), Being Human (2010), A Little Chaos (2014), Son of God (2014), The Danish Girl (2015), Suffragette (2015), Doctor Who (episode "The Doctor's Wife" 2011), Victoria (2016–2019), Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Mercy (2017), Tolkien (2019), Raised by Wolves (2020), Censor (2021), and The New Look (2024).

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 (2012), and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (2022). 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.

From 2018-2022, he played Ealdorman Aethelhelm for three seasons of The Last Kingdom.

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. as Mr Penge, footman at Kensington Palace Beauty and the Beast (2017) The Mercy (2017) The Last Kingdom (2018–2022) Tolkien (2019) Raised by Wolves (2020) Censor (2021) The New Look (2024)

Computer games Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings (2009) (video game, Magnus Völler) Fable III (2010) (video game, The Crawler) Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (2010) Assassin's Creed III (2012) Raid: World War II (2017)