Dunkirk actor Sir Mark Rylance backs white poppy movement

Dunkirk Actor Sir Mark Rylance Supports White Poppy Movement

Academy Award-winning actor Sir Mark Rylance has voiced his support for the white poppy movement, which calls for Remembrance Sunday to be “decolonised.”

Support for the Peace Pledge Union Campaign

Sir Mark Rylance, known for his role in Christopher Nolan’s 2017 World War II film Dunkirk and his Oscar-winning performance in Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, joined the Peace Pledge Union (PPU) campaign this year. The PPU, which promotes the white poppy, has sparked controversy by demanding that “nationalist narratives” which “whitewash” and “glorify” the British Empire be removed from Remembrance Sunday.

Focus on Civilian Casualties

The 65-year-old actor said the upcoming Remembrance Sunday should “refocus our every effort to avert war.” He expressed deep admiration for the white poppy, which highlights the suffering of civilians, who now “far outnumber the tragic military casualties.”

“I do not understand the white poppy to be in any way an opposition to the red poppy worn in remembrance of military casualties. Unfortunately, wars are fought with and against civilians today and I consider it an offence not to remember their suffering.”

— Sir Mark Rylance

Veterans’ Reactions

The support for the white poppy has angered veterans, who described it as a “gut punch” that “belittles” the memory of troops who “paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

Author’s summary: Sir Mark Rylance endorses the white poppy movement’s call to broaden Remembrance Sunday to include recognition of civilian casualties and challenge traditional imperial narratives, sparking veteran backlash.

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The Telegraph The Telegraph — 2025-11-02

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