JIM BROADBENT
Name: Jim Broadbent
Born: 24 May 1949 Lincoln, England
James Broadbent (born May 24, 1949) is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe- and
BAFTA-winning English theatre, film and television actor.
Broadbent was born in Lincoln, the son of Doreen "Dee" (née Findlay), a
sculptress, and Roy Laverick Broadbent, an artist, sculptor, interior designer,
and furniture maker who turned a former church into a theatre named after him.
Broadbent's parents were both amateur actors who co-founded the Holton Players
acting troupe; the two were described by the BBC as conscientious objectors
who "worked the land" rather than participate in World War II. He had a twin
sister who died at birth. Broadbent was educated at Leighton Park School, a
Quaker school in Reading, and briefly attended art college before
transferring to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Broadbent is married to painter and former theatre designer, Anastasia Lewis.
Broadbent's early stagework included a number of productions for The National
Theatre of Brent as the downtrodden assistant Wallace to Patrick Barlow's self
important actor/manager character Desmond Olivier Dingle. Broadbent and Barlow
played many male and female character roles in comically less than epic tellings
of historical and religious stories such as The Messiah, The Complete Guide to
Sex, The Greatest Story Ever Told (the story of Jesus), Revolution!!, All The
World's A Globe (Shakespeare). These were hits at the Edinburgh Fringe, in
London and on tour. Later stage work included the original productions of Kafka's
Dick (1986) and Our Country's Good (1988) at the Royal Court Theatre and work
for the Royal National Theatre including "The Government Inspector”. Work on the
stage with Mike Leigh includes “Goosepimples” and “Ecstasy”.
Broadbent made his film debut in 1978 with a tiny role in Jerzy Skolimowski's
The Shout, and made his television debut the following year. He went on to work
with Stephen Frears (for television, and in The Hit (1984)) and Terry Gilliam (in
Time Bandits (1981) and Brazil (1985) before establishing himself in Mike Leigh's
Life Is Sweet (1990). He proved his ability as a character actor in films
including The Crying Game (1992), Enchanted April (1992), Bullets Over Broadway
(1994), The Borrowers (1997) and Little Voice (1998) before taking a leading
role in another Mike Leigh film, Topsy-Turvy (1999). He played "The Shy Doctor"
in the 1999 Comic Relief parody Doctor Who sketch, Doctor Who and the Curse of
Fatal Death. In 2001, Broadbent starred in three of the year's most successful
films: Bridget Jones's Diary, Moulin Rouge!, for which he won a BAFTA and Iris,
for which he won an Oscar for his portrayal of John Bayley. He is regarded as
one of cinema's most reliable character actors and has a reputation of being
very easy to work with.
Broadbent also appeared as DCI Roy "The Slag" Slater, an associate character in
the enormously popular sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The character appeared in
three episodes over an eight-year period. He had originally been offered the
lead role of Del Trotter in the series, but he turned it down due to other
commitments. Other comic roles include the lead role in the sitcom The Peter
Principle and occasional guest appearances in Not The Nine O'Clock News and
Victoria Wood As Seen On TV.
Broadbent played the title role in Channel 4 drama, Longford in October 2006,
earning a BAFTA TV award, a Golden Globe and a 2007 Emmy nomination for his
performance. He appeared in the original radio production of The Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy, playing the character Vroomfondel.
On September 17, 2007 it was announced that he will play Horace Slughorn in the
sixth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Name: Jim Broadbent
Born: 24 May 1949 Lincoln, England
James Broadbent (born May 24, 1949) is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe- and
BAFTA-winning English theatre, film and television actor.
Broadbent was born in Lincoln, the son of Doreen "Dee" (née Findlay), a
sculptress, and Roy Laverick Broadbent, an artist, sculptor, interior designer,
and furniture maker who turned a former church into a theatre named after him.
Broadbent's parents were both amateur actors who co-founded the Holton Players
acting troupe; the two were described by the BBC as conscientious objectors
who "worked the land" rather than participate in World War II. He had a twin
sister who died at birth. Broadbent was educated at Leighton Park School, a
Quaker school in Reading, and briefly attended art college before
transferring to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Broadbent is married to painter and former theatre designer, Anastasia Lewis.
Broadbent's early stagework included a number of productions for The National
Theatre of Brent as the downtrodden assistant Wallace to Patrick Barlow's self
important actor/manager character Desmond Olivier Dingle. Broadbent and Barlow
played many male and female character roles in comically less than epic tellings
of historical and religious stories such as The Messiah, The Complete Guide to
Sex, The Greatest Story Ever Told (the story of Jesus), Revolution!!, All The
World's A Globe (Shakespeare). These were hits at the Edinburgh Fringe, in
London and on tour. Later stage work included the original productions of Kafka's
Dick (1986) and Our Country's Good (1988) at the Royal Court Theatre and work
for the Royal National Theatre including "The Government Inspector”. Work on the
stage with Mike Leigh includes “Goosepimples” and “Ecstasy”.
Broadbent made his film debut in 1978 with a tiny role in Jerzy Skolimowski's
The Shout, and made his television debut the following year. He went on to work
with Stephen Frears (for television, and in The Hit (1984)) and Terry Gilliam (in
Time Bandits (1981) and Brazil (1985) before establishing himself in Mike Leigh's
Life Is Sweet (1990). He proved his ability as a character actor in films
including The Crying Game (1992), Enchanted April (1992), Bullets Over Broadway
(1994), The Borrowers (1997) and Little Voice (1998) before taking a leading
role in another Mike Leigh film, Topsy-Turvy (1999). He played "The Shy Doctor"
in the 1999 Comic Relief parody Doctor Who sketch, Doctor Who and the Curse of
Fatal Death. In 2001, Broadbent starred in three of the year's most successful
films: Bridget Jones's Diary, Moulin Rouge!, for which he won a BAFTA and Iris,
for which he won an Oscar for his portrayal of John Bayley. He is regarded as
one of cinema's most reliable character actors and has a reputation of being
very easy to work with.
Broadbent also appeared as DCI Roy "The Slag" Slater, an associate character in
the enormously popular sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The character appeared in
three episodes over an eight-year period. He had originally been offered the
lead role of Del Trotter in the series, but he turned it down due to other
commitments. Other comic roles include the lead role in the sitcom The Peter
Principle and occasional guest appearances in Not The Nine O'Clock News and
Victoria Wood As Seen On TV.
Broadbent played the title role in Channel 4 drama, Longford in October 2006,
earning a BAFTA TV award, a Golden Globe and a 2007 Emmy nomination for his
performance. He appeared in the original radio production of The Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy, playing the character Vroomfondel.
On September 17, 2007 it was announced that he will play Horace Slughorn in the
sixth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.