Posted: May 14th, 2025

A Knight’s Tale Cast- Plot, Awards and Winning Moments

A film is memorable when its cast delivers in looks and performances. The location and setting also create a lasting impression. A heartthrob and a mind-blowing romance can make any film stick in your memory for life. A Knight’s Tale cast features Holywood’s favorite actors of the time. One of the brightest stars is the late Heath Ledger, who played the role of William Thatcher.

A Knight’s Tale is a 2001 medieval adventure film directed by Brian Helgeland and starring Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Shannyn Sossamon, and Mark Addy. The film follows the fictional story of William Thatcher, a commoner who pretends to be a knight to compete in a tournament.

Experience a knight’s journey to win tournaments like his master and court an elite young woman. Read on to learn more about A Knight’s Tale cast and their roles in this movie.

A Knight’s Tale Overview

Chaucer’s works, like ‘The Knight’s Tale’ and ‘Canterbury’s Tales’ play a role in the plot development. A little romance between Jocelyn and Thatcher also builds interest. The movie features the writing of Geoffrey Chaucer.

They set the movie in the 15th century with musical references from the 70s. Chaucer incorporates his works to create a riveting plot. It features two of his works with a few plot twists and turns to create the film. 

Filming of the Knight’s Tale started in May 2000 and ended in August. The crew and cast had first-hand experience at the spectacular location in the Czech Republic.

Critics had mixed reviews, but the film was a box office success, grossing $117 million against a budget of $65 million.

A Knight’s Tale Cast 

The late Heath Ledger was a rising star in 2001, and his looks made him a favorite heartthrob. Coupled with his star performance, Ledger is a film favorite for many film lovers.

The cast of A Knight’s Tale includes:

Heath Ledger as William Thatcher/ Sir Ulrich

Rufus Sewell as Count Adhemar

Shannyn Sossamon as Lady Jocelyn

Mark Addy as Roland

Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer

Alan Tudyk as Wat

Balian de Ibelin as Godfrey

James Purefoy as Edward, the Black Prince

Berenice Bejo plays the role of Christiana, Jocelyn’s loyal friend and lady-in-waiting.

James Purefoy played Sir Thomas Colville (Edward the Black Prince)

Christopher Casanove as John Thatcher

Scott Handy as Germaine

Alice Conor as Lone Girl

Berwick Kaler as Man in Stocks

Jonathan Slinger as Peter the Pardoner

Nick Brimble as Sir Ector

Roger Ashton Griffiths as Old Bishop

David Schneider as Relic Seller

Young William Thatcher

Leagh Conwell plays the role of young William Thatcher. William has long had a dream to become a knight.

A Knight’s Tale was filmed in Prague, the Czech Republic. Filming took place from May to August 2000.

Critical Reception

A Knight’s Tale received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes has a 58% rating, based on 149 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The site’s consensus reads: “A Knight’s Tale is an anachronistic and uneven blend of medieval setting and modern sensibilities, but Heath Ledger’s star power makes it entertaining.”

On Metacritic, the film scores 54 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews”.

Most people argue the movie becomes predictable at some point, making it obvious. The 1400s setting brings some life into the film. It is also anachronistic since there was no opera in the 1400s. Director Helgeland presents a great way to represent a time when there were no movies and music was nothing near what we know today. 

On Roger Ebert, the film receives 3 out of 4 stars. Heath Ledger delivers a good performance, boosting the film’s overall feel.

A Knight’s Tale Cast and Film Nominations

A Knight’s Tale got nominations for two Academy Awards: Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction. Ledger gets a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor–Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

If you’re a fan of Heath Ledger, medieval adventure films, or want to see a well-made film, A Knight’s Tale is definitely worth watching. The film’s strong cast and beautiful locations make it an enjoyable watch.

A Knight’s Tale Plot

William Thatcher is a peasant squire. When his master dies, he lives out his dream as a Knight by pretending to be him.

Thatcher is a commoner who pretends to be a knight to compete in a tournament. He gains the favor of Lady Jocelyn and the attention of Sir Thomas Colville, who hires him as his knight.

Thatcher’s charade comes to light when the Black Prince confronts him, but he impresses the Prince with his skill and stays in the tournament. He wins the tournament and returns to England as a hero.

However, his success is short-lived as Thatcher’s true identity is revealed, and he has to flee. With the help of his friends Roland and Wat, he makes his way back to England and confronts Colville. He defeats Colville in a duel and finally wins the hand of Lady Jocelyn.

A Knight’s Tale cast delivers a stunning performance despite the average ratings. The lead roles got MTV film nominations in 2002, though Shannyn Sossamon lost her nomination to Mandy Moore. The cast and crew did an overall good job with the film.

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