SIMON HAINES

Simon is an award-winning actor and filmmaker, best known as elf commander Malendol in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, queer villain Owen Michaels in Emmerdale, smug news anchorman Rod Reed in Murder Most Puzzling (PBS/5), as well as TV & film for BBC, ITV, Netflix, and leading theatre roles in the West End and at the Dutch National Theatre.

 

In cinemas now: Stephen King's The Running Man (Paramount) directed by Edgar Wright. Coming out in 2026: roles in 3 feature films and 2 television series, including spy thriller Ponies (Universal) opposite Emilia Clarke.

​

Simon is proudly queer (bisexual) and neurodiverse (dyspraxic), and that intersectionality informs his work. Born in North Somerset to a single-parent benefits-class family, he went on to study English at Cambridge University, where he wrote/performed comedy with the Cambridge Footlights, and then trained as an actor at Guildhall.

​

As a filmmaker, he has directed/written/produced several short films, winning awards and screening at festivals worldwide, including London’s Raindance Festival. His latest short as writer-director Senior Consultant! started its festival journey at BAFTA-qualifying LOCO (London Comedy Film Festival) and has won awards for Best Acting Ensemble and Best Writer.

​​

He has been teaching since 2011. He teaches and directs at top drama schools and is a tutor at the National Film and Television School (NFTS). He coaches actors and directors privately, including for Hollywood movies and British television. ​​

​​

Simon is apprentice and mentee to ‘coach to the stars’ Adrienne Weiss, whose clients include Emmy-winners and Oscar-winners. Simon is the only person in the UK certified to teach Adrienne’s world-renowned method for getting great performances from actors. Simon has also consulted for Professor Ken Rea, notably for The Outstanding Actor (Bloomsbury) - a popular set textbook in drama schools worldwide.