Archive for the ‘Top UK actors’ tag
British Actor Ralph Fiennes
AN ACTOR FOR COMPLEX ROLES
A brilliant actor on the British stage, Ralph Fiennes became the cinema icon of fragility and complexity of the human soul, most of his films picturing complicated characters or situations.
A BORN ARTIST
Ralph Fiennes was born on December 22, 1962 in Suffolk, England, the first of six children. The photographer father and writer mother had a big influence on their children’s creativity, since they all chose show business.
Ralph was first attracted by painting but he eventually attended the London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1988. He was acclaimed for his roles in all the classics, and later became the first actor ever to win a Tony Award for performing the Melancholy Dane in Hamlet on Broadway (1995).
THE FAST SUCCESS
No surprise Ralph’s big talent brought him the favors of the big screen. In 1991, he made his TV debut in Prime Suspect. He then co-starred Juliette Binoche in Wuthering Heights (1992).
This first film was received just good enough to bring him his breakthrough one year later in Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List. His astonishing performance as a cruel Nazi Commandant won him an Academy award nomination for best supporting actor and a British Academy award.
So he definitely made his way to Hollywood. In 1994 he portrayed academic professor Charles Van Doren in Quiz Show; and in 1996 he beautifully played in the Academy award winning epic romance The English Patient. He was himself nominated for best actor.
A VERSATILE ACTING CAREER
But he next encountered a drop in his career, not making the best film choices, such as the flop The Avengers (1998). He then returned to theatre, achieving great performances including The Talking Cure at London’s National Theatre in 2002.
That year 2002, Ralph was back on screen. He tried not to settle himself in any one kind of film, and played every role with intensity. He appeared in the thriller Red Dragon, co-starred Jennifer Lopez in the romantic comedy Maid in Manhattan, and joined David Cronenberg for another Award winning film, Spider.
In 2005 he played in Fernando Meirelles’ The Constant Gardener, in which he delivered a poetic and moving performance.
Also that year Ralph’s surprise came from his villain role as Lord Voldemort in the blockbuster Harry Potter, joining the cast for the last four sequels.
However he went on playing deeper characters, and earning more award nominations along, opposite Academy award winner Kate Winslet in The Reader, Keira Knightley in The Duchess, and Susan Sarandon as a gay butler in HBO’s Bernard and Doris, all in 2008.
Recently he portrayed Hades in the big production remake of The Clash of the Titans (2010).
A COMPANION, BUT NOT A FATHER
Ralph met his first wife in 1983 at RADA. Alex Kingston is known as Doctor Corday in NBC’s ER. They married ten years later until 1997.
His next companion was actress Francesca Annis, but they split in 2006 because of a gossip reporting an affair between Ralph and a Romanian singer.
Rumor has it that since, Ralph is dating Ellen Barkin.
AN ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST
Ralph is currently working on a new challenge, directing and producing his first film, Coriolanus, and starring his theatre remake eponym role.
Ralph has proven to be an exceptional actor, but his particular charisma comes from the complexity of his acting. His darkest characters become sensitive and vulnerable, while his heroes have uncertain and tortured personalities.
Acting can come in many forms, explore your acting emotions at London Academy of Media Film TV
British Actor Clive Owen
HOLLYWOOD’S FAVORITE
Clive Owen belongs to a new generation of talented British actors. Although it is Hollywood that gave him his fame, seduced by his combination of virile and sensitive personality.
VOCATION FOR ACTING
Clive Owen was born on October 3, 1964, in Coventry, West Midlands, in a rough neighborhood. His father who was a country western singer left the family when Clive was 3 years old. The only child was then raised by his mother and her new husband.
At the age of 13, the school boy started to act on stage by playing the Artful Dodger in a production of Oliver! and joined a youth theater.
However, it took him two years after high school to get accepted at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1984. He then joined the Young Vic Theater Company. His first stage roles included Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, and Claudio in Measure for Measure.
FROM BRITISH TV SERIES TO AMERICAN CINEMA
His first appeared on TV in 1986 in the series Boon, before co-starring David Thewlis and Diana Quick in his debut film Vroom in 1988. The next year he played a psychopath in the BBC’s Precious Bane, aired in the US.
The big hit came in 1990 with English TV series Chancer, and later with Steven Poliakoff’s controversial Close my Eyes (1991), in which he amazingly portrayed an ambitious business man seduced by his older sister.
From this point Clive remained very active on acting, both in UK and in the US. In 1994 he appeared in The Turnaround, and in four TV productions, including high acclaimed The Return of the Native. In 1996 he had the leading role in the series Sharman, while co-starring Halle Berry in The Rich Man’s Wife.
In 1997 came one of the most challenging films of Clive’s career, Sean Matthias’ Bent, with Sir Ian McKellen. He gave a strong portrayal of a concentration camp inmate during the Holocaust.
Next the actor went back to his various and praised acting, on the London stage in Closer (1997), on TV in the BBC’s Second Sight (1999-2000), and on the big screen in The Croupier (1998). Despite its flop in the UK this film was very well received in the US, and definitely launched Clive’s Hollywood career.
He met Robert Altman for Gosford Park (2001), co-starred Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity (2002), and got the leading role in King Arthur (2004).
Also in 2004, his performance in the cinema version of Closer won him a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
He went on starring in more and more quality films, such as Spike Lee’s impressive Inside Man (2006), the brilliant Children of Men (2006), or Tom Tykwer’s International (2009).
A ROMANTIC LOVE STORY
Clive’s first and only love is his Juliet from the Romeo and Juliet play back in 1988. Sarah-Jane Fenton became his wife in 1995 and they now have two daughters, Hannah and Eve, 14 and 12 years old.
A NEW ICON
Clive also incarnates the image of ultra cool since he was the sexy Driver in the advertising Hire series for BMW in 2001.
Added to his success in The Croupier and Closer, Clive’s charisma put him on the list to be the next James Bond after Pierce Brosnan. But rumors said he was not interested in the role.
What then will be the next step in Clive Owen’s rising success story?
London Actor Alan Rickman
A DISTINGUISHED STAGE ACTOR CONVERTED TO CINEMA
Alan Rickman’s talent was first dedicated to theatre. However, the cinema industry did more than welcome this excellent actor. The whole public may not remember his name, but each of us is for sure always very pleased to see him on the screen.
A BORN ARTIST
Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman was born on February 21, 1946, in Hammersmith, London, from a Welsh mother and an Irish father. He and his three brothers and sisters were almost only raised by their mother for their father died when Alan was 8 years old.
Already gifted for art as a child, Alan won a scholarship to private West London’s Latymer Upper School. It allowed him to later attend the Royal College of Art and to start a successful career as a graphic designer.
HIS PASSION FOR ACTING
But at the age of 26 Alan dropped his career, to pursue his dream of being an actor. He went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for two years, where he already won several drama prizes, before joining the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). In the 80s he fast became a distinguished stage actor, playing important roles all around the UK. A good illustration is his role of Vicomte de Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, appearing in both London and Broadway RSC’s production, that got him a Tony Award nomination in 1987.
FROM THEATRE TO CINEMA
In 1988, despite no experience in cinema, Alan made his debut in cinema with Hollywood production Die Hard, playing a dangerous terrorist. He then played several small roles until his first breakthrough in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (1991), being the Sheriff of Nottingham opposite Kevin Costner.
But he did not want to be typecast, so the same year he played a sensitive lover in Truly, Madly, Deeply.
Those successes gave Alan further opportunities. He co-starred Emma Thompson – the first of several teaming together – in Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility (1995), and Julia Roberts in Michael Collins (1996). He surprised the public when he played in thriller Judas Kiss (1998) or in the sci-fi Galaxy Quest (1999).
Alan next big hit came in 2001 with his cast in the big production Harry Potter series, in which he perfectly fits the role of enigmatic Professor Severus Snape.
Recently he played the devilish Judge Turpin in Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2008).
A ROMANTIC LOVE STORY
Alan has been in a relationship with Rima Horton for over 40 years. Rima is an Economics lecturer and has a seat in her district Council. That is the reason why the couple live in separate houses.
Surprisingly they have no children.
A DEDICATED ARTIST
Alan is respected both by the public and critics for remaining a true artist, exploring all sides of acting while always challenging himself.
In 1997 Alan turned to directing and made The Winter Guest. It was good enough to be nominated for the Golden Lion in Venice Film Festival.
Discreetly he won more nominations and awards: a BAFTA nomination for Sense and Sensibility, an Emmy and Golden awards for his acclaimed performance in HBO’s TV film Rasputin (1996).
But his growing fame didn’t take away his passion for theatre and he was always present on London stage, for example in Antony and Cleopatra (1998) with Helen Mirren, or in Private Lives (2001).
Scottish Actor Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor, a discreet but yet talented actor
Ewan McGregor may not be the most famous actor in Hollywood, but he sure remains one of the most talented and eclectic one. From UK small budget productions to Hollywood blockbusters he has always revealed himself as a good convincing actor, able to play anything anyhow with the best choice of directors.
From a normal childhood to an early first break
Ewan Gordon McGregor was born on March 31, 1971, in the small Scottish city of Crieff. He lived a simple and calm childhood.
Despite the fact that both his parents were teachers they encouraged him to leave school at the age of 16 to start theatre at the Perth Repertory Theatre. Later on Ewan moved to London to join the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for three years, where he met Daniel Craig, and had Jude Law for his roommate.
But he never graduated, for a better opportunity came to him. He was offered a first role in Dennis Potter’s TV series Lipstick on Your Collar. The same year of 1993 he played in his first movie, Being Human.
An eclectic and “success-full” acting career
The public really recognized Ewan’s talent in 1994 when he played in Shallow Grave, directed by a young Danny Boyle. This first collaboration led them to further successful movies together.
Including their big breakthrough in 1996 with the cult adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel Trainspotting, in which Ewan starred as a cynic drug addict in Edinburgh. From this point on Ewan never stopped acting and gaining success.
In 1999 another huge claim was waiting for him as he joined the George Lucas’ Star Wars cast being young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Meanwhile Ewan had more talents to show whilst he appeared to be gifted for singing in Velvet Goldmine (1998), and as a partner for Nicole Kidmann in the awarded Moulin Rouge! (2001), and for Renee Zellweger in Down with Love (2003).
Ewan continuously surprised and convinced, for he was still accumulating a very eclectic filmography, by giving his voice to Rodney Copperbottom in Robots, or starring in The Island (2005). He worked with the most famous directors, from Tim Burton in the magic Big Fish (2004) to Woody Allen in Cassandra’s Dream (2007). And also co-starred with some of the best actors, only to name Jim Carrey in the touching I Love You Phillip Morris, or lately George Clooney in The Men Who Stare At Goats in 2009.
A simple private life away from the paparazzi
Despite his busy and successful acting life, Ewan chose to live a normal private life. In 1995 he married Eve Mavrakis, a French production designer. They have two biological daughters, Clara Mathilde and Esther Rose (14 and 9 years old). In 2006 they adopted their third daughter in Mongolia, Jamiyan.
The happy family lives in London, keeping their private life far from Celebrities magazines and TV shows.
Along with acting Ewan dedicates a real passion for motorcycle rides. In 2004, accompanied by his friend Charley Boorman, he went from London to New York through Central Europe and Canada. And in 2006 from Scotland to Cape Town.
Obviously we still have more to see, hear, and enjoy from Ewan McGregor in the near future, our greatest pleasure!
