Which actor played Maxim de Winter in 'Rebecca'?

Which actor played Maxim de Winter in Rebecca? Laurence Olivier. He portrays the wealthy English widower whose first wife, Rebecca, dominates the atmosphere of Manderley even though she died before the story begins. Joan Fontaine plays Maxim’s unnamed second wife, while Judith Anderson plays the devoted and intimidating housekeeper Mrs. Danvers.

Rebecca was Alfred Hitchcock’s first American film and was released in 1940. It adapts Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 novel and was produced by David O. Selznick. Olivier’s Maxim initially appears brooding and emotionally damaged, leading his new bride—and the audience—to suspect that he remains devoted to Rebecca’s memory.

The film later reveals that Maxim’s first marriage was not the romantic ideal others imagine. In the film’s altered version of events, Rebecca’s death was accidental, a change shaped partly by Hollywood censorship requirements. Rebecca received 11 Academy Award nominations and won Best Picture and Best Cinematography. Olivier was nominated for Best Actor, but the stored answer refers to the actor, not the character’s full name.