[1] He is known for his roles in films such as Red Riding Hood (2011), The White Queen (2013), The Host (2013), Woman in Gold (2014), The Riot Club (2014), Bitter Harvest (2017), and The Wife (2018).

[6] He was chosen to play Jared Howe in the 2013 film adaptation of The Host, based on Stephenie Meyer's science fiction novel of the same name.

[13] In the 2013 television series The White Queen, Irons took the leading role of Edward IV of England.

In April 2017, producers announced Irons had been cast to play Joe Turner, the role created by Robert Redford in Three Days of the Condor (1975), in a television series based on the movie.

Terence Stamp, Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson, and Stefanie Martini also are among the large cast in the film.