Why The President From G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra Looks So Familiar

When the "Transformers" movie wowed theater-goers with its explosive special effects in 2007, studios once again attempted to cash in on '80s nostalgia with "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" in 2009. The movie brought the popular Hasbro action figures to life with big stars like Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt — and in spite of dismal reviews from critics, the movie spawned a franchise with a sequel, a planned third film, and an upcoming spin-off, "Snake Eyes."

"G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" has the elite American military team going up against the villainous McCullen (Christopher Eccelston), also known as iconic G.I. Joe nemesis Destro. McCullen puts into motion an evil plot to throw the world into chaos using nanobots, and it's up to the Joes to stop him. McCullen's plans also involve infiltrating the White House, which, of course, houses the U.S. president, played by Jonathan Pryce.

If you think that Pryce looks familiar, he should. The British actor has been a mainstay in cinema and television for decades, playing every kind of role imaginable. Whether you're familiar with his earlier or recent work, it's likely that you may remember him from one of his many roles over the years.

Jonathan Pryce has had a long professional relationship with writer and director Terry Gilliam, whose often bizarre and existential films are either loved by audiences or leave them scratching their heads. Pryce first teamed up with Gilliam as the star of 1985's "Brazil," a surreal dark comedy which takes place in a dystopian society. Pryce plays Sam Lowry, a man with a dead-end job and no future whose life is upended when a beautiful woman he thought only existed in his dreams turns out to be real. The movie is a satire which explores the absurdity of hyper-bureaucracy and reliance on technology and has often been compared to George Orwell's novel "1984."

Pryce went on to appear in other Gilliam films, such as "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen," "The Brothers Grimm," and "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote." He played the titular character in the latter alongside "The Last Jedi" star Adam Driver.

Demonstrating his acting range, Jonathan Pryce took on a variety of roles during the 1990s. In the '92 drama "Glengarry Glen Ross," Pryce worked alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, and Alan Arkin. The movie (based on a play by David Mamet) tells the story of a group of real estate agents who are desperate to keep their jobs when a corporate motivator threatens to fire all but two employees. In 1993, Pryce appeared in a small supporting role in the romantic drama "The Age of Innocence."

Pryce went on to showcase his singing talents in the 1996 film adaption of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Evita." He played the role of Juan Perón, a military man who — along with his paramour Eva Duarte (Madonna) — would inspire a revolution which leads to him becoming the president of Argentina. One year later, Pryce took on the part of Bond villain Elliot Carver in "Tomorrow Never Dies."

Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise made pirates cool again with the release of "The Curse of the Black Pearl" and helped launch the careers of actors such as Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom — not to mention bringing Johnny Depp back into the public eye. While there are now five movies carrying the "Pirates of the Caribbean” name, it was the original trilogy that stayed with audiences for years afterward. Of course fans remember Knightley as Elizabeth Swann, the pirate lover who later became pirate queen — but she is also the daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann, who is played by Jonathan Pryce.

He might be hard to recognize at first thanks to the enormous wig he wears, but yes, that is Pryce. He played Governor Swann in all three movies in the original "Pirates" trilogy. Although he had taken on mainly dramatic roles in the past, Pryce proved his comedic talents as well with his portrayal of the foppish governor.

A lot happens in Season 5 of "Game of Thrones." Arya becomes No One, Daenerys rides a dragon at last, and Jon Snow takes on the role of lord commander of the Night's Watch, ultimately leading to a shocking betrayal. Yet one moment in particular should stand out in the minds of fans — the humiliating parade of shame that Cersei suffers as she walks naked through the streets of King's Landing.

The fanatic High Sparrow is the one responsible for Cersei's suffering, as well as the suffering of many others, making him almost seem like a worse villain than the lioness herself. Jonathan Pryce plays the religious zealot who makes Cersei's life a living hell by influencing her son, King Tommen, and reinstituting the Faith Militant. The High Sparrow features prominently in both the fifth and sixth season in "Game of Thrones" and meets a fiery end along with the Tyrells when Cersei takes her vengeance by blowing up the Sept of Baelor in "The Winds of Winter."

Over the last few years, Netflix has become a serious contender during awards season with its original films. "The Two Popes" is a drama based on actual events which led to the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the succession of Pope Francis in Vatican City in 2013. The movie explores themes such as religion, friendship, and forgiveness and also uncovers some of the disturbing corruption which was discovered within the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Jonathan Pryce portrays Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (the future Pope Francis) alongside Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict.

The film earned high praise from critics and was nominated for several awards, including an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama. Pryce was also nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe in the Best Actor categories. The actor will return to Netflix in the upcoming seasons of "The Crown," where he will play Prince Philip.