Will Shakespeare — Shakespeare in Love Character Profile

About Will Shakespeare

A struggling playwright and actor suffering from writer's block. He transforms a comedy into a tragedy inspired by his secret romance with Viola de Lesseps, wins a royal wager, performs as Romeo, and ultimately immortalizes her in his future works.

Will Shakespeare — Character Profile

Quick Facts about Will Shakespeare

Education

King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon

Occupation

actor, writer, poet

Manner of Death

Natural causes

Will Shakespeare's Known Relations

• John Shakespeare — Father
• Hamnet Shakespeare — Child
• Susanna Hall — Child
• Judith Quiney — Child
• Mary Shakespeare — Mother
• Edmund Shakespeare — Sibling
• Gilbert Shakespeare — Sibling
• Joan Shakespear — Sibling
• Joan Shakespeare — Sibling
• Margaret Shakespeare — Sibling
• Anne Shakespeare — Sibling
• Richard Shakespeare — Sibling
• Anne Hathaway — Spouse
• Lord Chamberlain's Men — Affiliation
• King's Men — Affiliation

Will Shakespeare appears in 2 titles

• Shakespeare in Love (1998)
• Hamnet (2025) — character page

Character Facts

Played by

Joseph Fiennes

Appears in

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Role

Protagonist

More characters from Shakespeare in Love

• Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow)
• Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush)
• Hugh Fennyman (Tom Wilkinson)
• Ralph Bashford (Jim Carter)
• Queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench)
• Nol (Barnaby Kay)
• Richard Burbage (Martin Clunes)
• Christopher Marlowe (Rupert Everett)
• Wabash (Mark Williams)
• Nurse (Imelda Staunton)
• Frees (Tim McMullan)
• Lady De Lesseps (Jill Baker)