A long time ago we missed the 60th birthday of Sir Kenneth Branagh, but he has had a terrific last year, winning an Oscar for Belfast 2021 for Best Original Screenplay, which was also nominated as Best Film and for his direction and he became the first person to be nominated for an Oscar in seven different categories. His career achievements are phenomenal - previously he was Oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actor My Week with Marilyn 2011, Best Adapted Screenplay Hamlet 1996, Best Short Film Swan Song 1992, Best Actor & Best Director Henry V 1989; won an Emmy 2001 for Conspiracy 2001 and has been nominated for Shackleton 2022, Warm Springs [as Franklin D Roosevelt]2005 & Wallander 2008; won BAFTA this year for Best British Film (nominated also for Best Film & Best Original Screenplay) and has won BAFTAS for Best Director Henry V 1989, the Michael Balcon Award for Best British Contribution to Cinema 1993, and a TV Award for Best Actor & Series Wallander 2008 as well as nominations for previously named films. He has been onscreen since 1981 & may also be remembered for Fortunes of War 1987, Othello 1995, as Gilderoy Lockhart in the Harry Potter series, Shackleton 2002, Valkyrie 2008, Wallander on TV 2008-16, Macbeth 2013, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit 2014, Dunkirk 2017, has now played Poirot twice 2017 and 2022, Tenet 2020, has directed many of the Shakespeare films he has been in as well as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 1994 in which he appeared opposite De Niro, the Poirot & Jack Ryan films and of course directed Thor 2011; has also narrated numerous documentary series. Born in the Tigers Bay area of Belfast, Northern Ireland and growing up in poverty as in the film his family escaped the Troubles there and moved to Reading, Berks when he was nine – educated at Meadway Comprehensive in Tilehurst, where he appeared in school productions & acquired received pronunciation to avoid bullying; joined RSC at 23 but found the company too large and impersonal so formed his own, the Renaissance Theatre Company with Prince Charles as Patron; started filming Shakespeare and encouraged & inspired others to appear such as Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Keanu Reeves. As well as his 74 screen credits as an Actor and 23 as Director, he is renowned as an outstanding stage actor – SWET Best Newcomer 1982; at 23 was the youngest ever actor to play Hamlet for RSC – 1984 acclaimed as Henry V at Barbican, City of London; 1990 Honorary Doctorate Queen’s University, Belfast, where made a Freeman 2018; Knighthood 2012; Freeman of Stratford-upon-Avon 2022. He loves football and is a fan of Tottenham Hotspur, NI side Linfield and Rangers in Scotland. We believe him more than worthy of a match in his honour and hope you accept – if the numbers or ratings do not suit, then please make contact.
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