Sting
Known for Acting · 278 credits
- Born
- 1951-10-02 (age 74)
- Place of birth
- Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK
- Also known as
- Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner · The Police
Biography
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (born 2 October 1951), known as Sting, is an English singer-songwriter, musician, activist, and actor. He was the frontman, principal songwriter and bassist for new wave band the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a solo career in 1985 and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music.
Sting has sold a combined total of more than 100 million records as a solo artist and as a member of the Police. He has received three Brit Awards, including Best British Male Artist in 1994 and Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2002; a Golden Globe; an Emmy; and four Academy Award nominations. As a solo musician and as a member of the Police, Sting has received 17 Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Police in 2003. Sting has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors; a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II for services to music; Kennedy Center Honors; and the Polar Music Prize. In May 2023, he was made an Ivor Novello Fellow.
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner was born at Sir G B Hunter Memorial Hospital in Wallsend, Northumberland, England, on 2 October 1951, the eldest of four children of Audrey (née Cowell), a hairdresser, and Ernest Matthew Sumner, a milkman and former fitter at an engineering works. He grew up near Wallsend's shipyards, which made an impression on him. As a child, he was inspired by the Queen Mother waving at him from a Rolls-Royce to divert from the shipyard prospect towards a more glamorous life. He helped his father deliver milk and by ten was "obsessed" with an old Spanish guitar left by an emigrating friend of his father.
Sting attended St Cuthbert's Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne. He visited nightclubs such as Club A'Gogo to see Cream and Manfred Mann, who influenced his music. He learned to sing and play simultaneously by listening to records at 78 rpm. After leaving school in 1969, he enrolled at the University of Warwick in Coventry, but left after a term. After working as a bus conductor, building labourer, and tax officer, he attended the Northern Counties College of Education (now Northumbria University) from 1971 to 1974 and qualified as a teacher.[20] He taught at St Paul's First School in Cramlington for two years.
Sting performed jazz in the evenings, at weekends, and during breaks from college and teaching, playing with the Phoenix Jazzmen, Newcastle Big Band and Last Exit. He gained his nickname after his habit of wearing a black and yellow jumper with hooped stripes with the Phoenix Jazzmen. Bandleader Gordon Solomon thought he looked like a bee (or according to Sting himself, "they thought I looked like a wasp"), which prompted the name "Sting". In the 1985 documentary Bring On the Night a journalist called him Gordon, to which he replied, "My children call me Sting, my mother calls me Sting, who is this Gordon character?" In 2011, he told Time "I was never called Gordon. You could shout 'Gordon' in the street and I would just move out of your way". Despite this, he chose not to legally change his name to "Sting". ...
Known For
The Simpsons
1989
as Sting (voice)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Guest/Musical Guest
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self / Self - Guest
Late Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self - Musical Guest
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host / Self - Host & Musical Guest / Self - Musical Guest
TV Shows (86)
The Simpsons
1989
as Sting (voice)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Guest/Musical Guest
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self / Self - Guest
Late Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self - Musical Guest
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host / Self - Host & Musical Guest / Self - Musical Guest
Markus Lanz
2008
as Self
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
2008
as Self
The Graham Norton Show
2007
as Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self / Self - Musical Guest
CBS News Sunday Morning
1979
Leute heute
1997
as Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self / Self - Guest
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
as Self - Guest
Late Night with David Letterman
1982
as Self - Guest
The One Show
2006
as Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self / Self - Musical Guest
Vivement dimanche
1998
as Self
Champs-Elysées
1982
as Self / Self - The Police
Only Murders in the Building
2021
as Sting
Sacrée soirée
1987
as Self
X Factor
2008
as Self - Guest
Behind the Music
1997
as Self
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
2015
as Self
MTV Video Music Awards
1984
as Self
Today
1952
as Self
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
1975
as Self
Bambi
1948
as Self
The Oscars
1953
as Self
The Larry Sanders Show
1992
as Sting
Film '72
1971
as Self
Le monde est à vous
1987
as Self
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
1990
as Zarm (voice)
Parkinson
1998
as Self
An Audience with...
1978
as Self
Ally McBeal
1997
as Sting
Kulturplatz
2004
as Self
GMTV
1993
as Self
Rove
1999
as Self
Finding Your Roots
2012
as Self
American Music Awards
1974
as Self - Musical Guest
Victoires de la musique
1985
as Self
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
1963
as Self - The Police / Self - Musical Guest
TOTP2
1994
as Self
Inas Nacht
2007
as Self
Star Academy
2001
as Self
Rockpalast
1974
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999
as Self - Guest
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
2004
as Self
Salut les Terriens !
2006
as Self - Guest
Lubach
2025
MTV Unplugged
1989
as Self
CMT Crossroads
2002
as Self
Lo + plus
1995
as Self - Guest
TFI Friday
1996
as Self
The Old Grey Whistle Test
1971
as Self
The BRIT Awards
1977
as Self
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
2016
as Self - Performer
Titel, Thesen, Temperamente
1967
as Self
Legends
2006
as Self
Movies (192)
Dune
1984
as Feyd Rautha
Bee Movie
2007
as Sting (voice)
Brüno
2009
as Self - 'Dove of Peace'
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
1998
as JD
Zoolander 2
2016
as Sting
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1988
as Heroic Officer
Sting Festival de Viña del Mar
2011
as Self
Lindisfarne's Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story
2021
as Self
Sting - Englishman In Japan
1994
as Self
WHAM!
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Being Mick
2001
as Self
Kaamelott: The Second Chapter (Part II)
2026
as Horsa
Radioman
2012
as Self
Acceleration Punk
1977
as Self
Sting Unplugged
1991
as Self - Double Bass, Vocals
Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward
1999
as Self
Quadrophenia
1979
as Ace Face
The Bride
1985
as Frankenstein
Great North: A Run. A River. A Region.
2021
as Self
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
2020
as Self
Sting's 40th Birthday Celebration: Live from the Hollywood Bowl
1991
as Self - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
20 Feet from Stardom
2013
as Self
Jaco
2015
as Self
The Mighty
1998
as The Balladeer
Live 8
2005
as Self
The Big Night In
2020
as Self
Kaamelott: The First Chapter
2021
as Horsa
GIMS à Paris la Défense Arena : le concert événement
2025
as Self : Guest (virtual)
Branford Marsalis: Steep
1991
as Self
The Police: Around The World
1982
as Self
Plenty
1985
as Mick
Attenborough at 90
2016
as Self
Live Aid
1985
as Self
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2022
as Self
Sting - Sounds Like Art Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
2026
FireAid Benefit Concert
2025
as Self
Julia and Julia
1988
as Daniel Hosler
The Book of Solutions
2023
as Sting
The Police - Outlandos To Synchronicities
1995
as Self
The Soul Cages Concert
1991
as Self
The Filth and the Fury
2000
as Self (archive footage)
Sting ...All This Time
2001
as Self - Lead Singer
The Beatles Revolution
2000
as Self
Tina Turner : Celebrate!
1999
as Self
The Sweatbox
2002
as Self
The Best of Max Headroom
1987
as Self
Christmas@Home 2022: Das Weihnachtskonzert mit Daniel Hope, Sting und weiteren Gästen
2022
as Self : Singer
Brimstone & Treacle
1982
as Martin Taylor
Pavarotti & Friends
1992
as Self
Message in a Bottle
2024
as Self - Lead Vocals
VH1 Rock Honors: The Who
2008
as Self
Urgh! A Music War
1981
as Self
Sting: Radio 2 in the Park
2024
as Self
The Grotesque
1995
as Fledge
Sting: 57th and 9th - The Interviews
2016
as Self
Iain Goes Inside the Last Ship
2014
as Self
I Want My MTV
2019
as Self
Sting and the Police at the BBC
2024
as Self
Under the Volcano
2021
as Self
America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001
as Self - Performer
Stormy Monday
1988
as Finney
Hope for Haiti Now
2010
as Self
Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation
2007
as Self
Dire Straits: Money For Nothing
1985
as Sting (voice)
The Police: Certifiable
2008
as Self - Bass, Vocals
PoliWood
2009
as Self
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman
1998
as Billy Idol
Sting, Daniel Hope & Freunde in Berlin Mit Golda Schultz, Bruce Liu u.v.m.
2022
The Police - Live in Rio
2007
as Self
Mylène Farmer : Les Clips L'Intégrale (1999-2020)
2021
as Self
The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special
1995
as Self
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
1982
as Self
Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Mylène Farmer: 2019 - Le Film
2019
as Self
The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3D! On Ice!
2010
as Self
Sonic Sea
2016
as Self
Music for Montserrat
1997
as Self
Pavarotti The Duets
2008
as Self
Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special
1992
as Self
The Police - Live In Oakland
1983
as Self - Vocals, Bass
The Police – Live Ghost In The Machine
1996
as Self - Vocals, Bass
The Dark Side of The Sun
2017
as Narrator
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
2005
as Self
Sting at the Pantheon in Paris - 50 Years of FIP Radio
2021
as Self
Dire Straits at Live Aid
1985
as Self
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
1988
as Self
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
2006
as Self
Sting: A Winter's Night...Live From Durham Cathedral
2009
as Self
An Intimate Evening with Mary J. Blige - Live from the House of Blues
2005
as Self
Destination Dune
1983
as Self
An Audience with Elton John
1997
as Self
George Michael: A Different Story
2004
as Self
Pavarotti, Birth of a Pop Star
2017
as Self
Take That Away!
1993
as Self
The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts
2009
as Self
The Police - Live '79 at Hatfield Polytechnic
1979
as Self
Billy Joel: The 100th - Live at Madison Square Garden
2024
as Self
In Thanks We Trust
2025
as Self
Herb Alpert Is...
2020
as Self
Rock'n'roll... Of Corse!
2016
as Self
Live Aid
2004
as Self
2012: Time for Change
2010
as Self
Sting: A Free Man
2017
as Self
The Police - Every Breath You Take
2003
as Self - Bass, Vocals
Bruce Springsteen A MusiCares Tribute
2014
as Self
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert
1988
as Self
Sting: Live In Berlin
2010
as Self - Performer
Sting: Beyond The Police
2017
as Self - Musician
Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB
2009
as Self
Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police
2012
as Self
Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy
1993
as Narrator (voice)
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
2004
as Self
The Police: Live In Concert Tokyo
2008
as Self
Free Spirits
as Guía
One World, One Voice
1990
as Self
The Very Best of Sting & The Police
1997
as Self (archive footage)
Zucchero | Sugar Fornaciari
2023
as Self
Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon
2022
as Self
Chris Botti in Boston
2009
as Self
Artemis '81
1981
as Helith
About Sting
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (born 2 October 1951), known as Sting, is an English singer-songwriter, musician, activist, and actor. He was the frontman, principal songwriter and bassist for new wave band the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a solo career in 1985 and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music. Sting has sold a combined total of more than 100 million records as a solo artist and as a member of the Police. He has received three Brit Awards, including Best B… With 278 credits spanning from 1948 to 2026, Sting has appeared in 192 films and 86 TV shows.
Fans searching for Sting movies, Sting filmography, or the latest projects starring Sting can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Sting Movies
- Dune (1984) — as Feyd Rautha
- Bee Movie (2007) — as Sting (voice)
- Brüno (2009) — as Self - 'Dove of Peace'
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) — as JD
- Zoolander 2 (2016) — as Sting
Where to Watch Sting Films
Most Sting movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Sting, check our movies catalogue and browse page.