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Brenda Blethyn is a Actor and Writer British born on 20 february 1946 at Ramsgate (United-kingdom)
Brenda Anne Blethyn (née Brenda Anne Bottle; 20 February 1946) is an English actress who has worked in theatre, television and film, best known for her role in Mike Leigh's 1996 drama Secrets & Lies.
Blethyn has received two Academy Award nominations, two SAG Award nominations, two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one. In addition, she has won a BAFTA, an Empire Award and a Golden Lion and has earned a Theatre World Award and both a Critics' Circle Theatre Award and a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for her theatrical work.
Born into a working class home, Blethyn pursued an administrative career until her early 30s before enrolling in the Guildford School of Acting after the dissolution of her marriage in 1973. She subsequently joined the Royal National Theatre and received credits for her performances in Troilus and Cressida (1976) and Mysteries (1979). In 1981, Blethyn earned her first critical acclaim for Steaming.
In 1980, Blethyn made her television debut in Mike Leigh's film Grown-Ups. After a modest number of guest spots in several productions, in the mid-1980s she garnered leading roles in the short-run sitcoms Chance in a Million and The Labours of Erica. Having followed her big screen debut with smaller supporting roles in films such as The Witches (1990) and A River Runs Through It (1992), she made a major cinema breakthrough with her role in the 1996 dramedy Secrets & Lies, for which she received rave reviews.
Blethyn has since appeared in an eclectic range of films, including independent comedies such as Saving Grace (2000), Plots with a View (2002) and Clubland (2007), music-themed films like Little Voice (1998) and Beyond the Sea (2004) and big-budget dramas such as Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Atonement (2007), the latter of which rank among the biggest commercial successes of her career. In addition, Blethyn has appeared in television productions including The Buddha of Suburbia (1993), Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001), Belonging (2004) and War and Peace (2007). Her most recent leading role in TV drama is the title role in Vera (2011), playing Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope.
Blethyn kept her husband's surname as her professional name. British art director Michael Mayhew has been her partner for the past three decades. The couple married in June 2010.
Blethyn divides her time between her home in South London and by the sea in Kent. She likes old black-and-white classic films, such as Brief Encounter. She also likes watching DVD box sets and names Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad as her two of her favorites television shows. She is also passionate about cooking and solving crosswords.
Blethyn was awarded the OBE for services to drama in the 2003 New Year Honours List.
She is currently the chairwoman of the Kent Film and Television Board.
(2005)
(Actress)
(1992)
(Actress)
(1996)
(Actress)
Source : Wikidata
Brenda Blethyn
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Birth name Brenda Anne Bottle
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 20 february 1946 (78 years) at Ramsgate (United-kingdom)
Awards Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 20 february 1946 (78 years) at Ramsgate (United-kingdom)
Awards Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Brenda Anne Blethyn (née Brenda Anne Bottle; 20 February 1946) is an English actress who has worked in theatre, television and film, best known for her role in Mike Leigh's 1996 drama Secrets & Lies.
Blethyn has received two Academy Award nominations, two SAG Award nominations, two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one. In addition, she has won a BAFTA, an Empire Award and a Golden Lion and has earned a Theatre World Award and both a Critics' Circle Theatre Award and a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for her theatrical work.
Born into a working class home, Blethyn pursued an administrative career until her early 30s before enrolling in the Guildford School of Acting after the dissolution of her marriage in 1973. She subsequently joined the Royal National Theatre and received credits for her performances in Troilus and Cressida (1976) and Mysteries (1979). In 1981, Blethyn earned her first critical acclaim for Steaming.
In 1980, Blethyn made her television debut in Mike Leigh's film Grown-Ups. After a modest number of guest spots in several productions, in the mid-1980s she garnered leading roles in the short-run sitcoms Chance in a Million and The Labours of Erica. Having followed her big screen debut with smaller supporting roles in films such as The Witches (1990) and A River Runs Through It (1992), she made a major cinema breakthrough with her role in the 1996 dramedy Secrets & Lies, for which she received rave reviews.
Blethyn has since appeared in an eclectic range of films, including independent comedies such as Saving Grace (2000), Plots with a View (2002) and Clubland (2007), music-themed films like Little Voice (1998) and Beyond the Sea (2004) and big-budget dramas such as Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Atonement (2007), the latter of which rank among the biggest commercial successes of her career. In addition, Blethyn has appeared in television productions including The Buddha of Suburbia (1993), Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001), Belonging (2004) and War and Peace (2007). Her most recent leading role in TV drama is the title role in Vera (2011), playing Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope.
Biography
Blethyn married Alan James Blethyn, a graphic designer she met while working for British Rail, in 1964. The marriage ended in 1973.Blethyn kept her husband's surname as her professional name. British art director Michael Mayhew has been her partner for the past three decades. The couple married in June 2010.
Blethyn divides her time between her home in South London and by the sea in Kent. She likes old black-and-white classic films, such as Brief Encounter. She also likes watching DVD box sets and names Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad as her two of her favorites television shows. She is also passionate about cooking and solving crosswords.
Blethyn was awarded the OBE for services to drama in the 2003 New Year Honours List.
She is currently the chairwoman of the Kent Film and Television Board.
Best films
(2005)(Actress)
(1992)(Actress)
(1996)(Actress)
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Filmography of Brenda Blethyn (40 films)
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Ethel & Ernest (2016)
, 1h34Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Animation
Actors Jim Broadbent, Luke Treadaway, Brenda Blethyn, Pam Ferris, Roger Allam, Virginia McKenna
Roles Ethel Briggs (voice)
Rating76%
L’histoire vrai et chronologique à travers des moments poignants de la vie familiale d’Ethel et d’Ernest Briggs (les parents de Raymond Briggs) des années 1920 jusqu’à leur décès en 1971
Two Men in Town (2014)
, 1h58Directed by Rachid Bouchareb
Origin France
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Forest Whitaker, Harvey Keitel, Luis Guzmán, Ellen Burstyn, Tim Guinee, Dolores Heredia
Roles Emily Smith
Rating56%
William Garnett, ancien membre d’un gang du Sud du Nouveau Mexique, vient de passer dix-huit ans en prison pour meurtre. Converti à l'Islam et en quête de réinsertion, il est libéré en conditionnel pour bonne conduite et essaie de changer de vie. Il se lie d'amitié avec Emily Smith, son officier de probation, qui vient d'être transféré à Luna, petite ville du Nouveau Mexique. Mais au moment où Garnett commence à profiter de sa liberté et à connaitre le bonheur, il est malheureusement rattrapé par son passé. Entre le Sherif Agati, qui veut se venger du meurtre de son adjoint, tué vingt ans plut tôt et son ancien gang qui le harcèle pour le faire revenir, Garnett sent ses vieux démons remonter à la surface.
Mary and Martha (2013)
, 1h30Directed by Phillip Noyce
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Hilary Swank, Brenda Blethyn, Frank Grillo, Perla Haney-Jardine, Sam Claflin, James Woods
Roles Martha
Rating67%
The film tells the story of two very different women, Mary (Hilary Swank) and Martha (Brenda Blethyn), who both lose their sons to malaria.
My Angel (2011)
Genres Drama, Comedy
Actors Timothy Spall, Brenda Blethyn, Celia Imrie, Mel Smith, Angus Harrison
Roles Headmistress
Rating41%
Two of Britain s finest actors, Timothy Spall (Harry Potter) and Brenda Blethyn (Pride and Prejudice), star in this heart-warming Christmas story perfect for the whole family. Fifteen-year-old Eddie (Joseph Phillips) is on a shopping trip with his mother when she is tragically struck by a car and left in critical condition. With their father absent from their lives, Eddie and his brother Stewart (Angus Harrison) face the daunting prospect of potentially losing their mother just as Christmas approaches. One night, Eddie's mother visits him in a dream urging him to find a halo so that she may be saved. Stewart scoffs at Eddie’s “childish” dream and the only person Eddie can turn to is the grumpy Mr. Lambert (Spall), from his school.
The Calling (2010)
, 1h45Directed by Jan Dunn
Genres Drama, Comedy
Actors Brenda Blethyn, Emily Beecham, Joanna Scanlan, Rita Tushingham, Amanda Donohoe, Pauline McLynn
Roles Sister Ignatious
Rating56%
London River (2009)
, 1h28Directed by Rachid Bouchareb
Origin France
Genres Drama
Themes Films about racism, Films about terrorism
Actors Brenda Blethyn, Sotigui Kouyate, Roschdy Zem, Sami Bouajila, Francis Magee, Philip Quast
Roles Elisabeth
Rating68%
In July 2005, British Protestant war widow Elisabeth Sommers (Blethyn), who is a Guernsey farmer, and Francophone African Muslim Ousmane (Kouyaté) are strangers who meet in London. She is searching for her daughter, and him for his son, following the London bombings. Neither is close to their missing child. They fear that the daughter and son were killed in the bombings. They discover that they were a couple who lived together in a flat in London who planned to travel to France, but were killed by Hasib Hussain when the bus they were travelling on exploded in Tavistock Square.
Dead Man Running (2009)
, 1h32Directed by Alex De Rakoff
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Gangster films
Actors Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan, Blake Ritson, 50 Cent, Monet Mazur, Esmé Bianco
Roles Mother
Rating58%
After an increasing number of his clients fail to make good on their payments, Mr. Thigo (Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson) decides to take matters into his own hands, travelling to London to make an example of debtor Nick (Tamer Hassan). Thigo gives Nick just 24 hours to pay back the £100,000 he owes, and, just to make sure, Thigo holds Nick's wheelchair-using mother (Brenda Blethyn) hostage. Since Nick is already financially challenged, he is forced to be creative in order to come up with the money. At the same time, Thigo sabotages Nick's efforts in order to be sure that he can make an example of Nick to the other debtors.
, 58minutesOrigin USA
Genres Animation
Themes Films about animals, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Jim Cummings, Chloë Grace Moretz, Dee Bradley Baker, Peter Cullen, Ken Sansom, Kath Soucie
Roles Mama Heffalump (voice)
Rating57%
In a plot similar to Singin' in the Rain, Rabbit is named the first mayor of the Hundred Acre Wood for his great effort on planning their best friends picnic. Unfortunately, when Darby says that a mayor is in charge of everything, this goes to his head and he makes up a lot of rules, like "No Bouncing", "No Honey" and everything is by a schedule. By and by everyone gets annoyed by the new rules and finally when everyone (especially Tigger) can't follow the rules Rabbit and Beaver, who becomes the vice-mayor, decide to divide the wood so that Rabbit can be mayor on one side, and Tigger can be mayor on the other and they have Beaver draw a white line through the Hundred Acre Wood. The problem is that the White Line separates the people on each side from their friends. Everyone, except Darby and Buster, is to stay on their side which results to problems and chaos. Tigger and Pooh can no longer sleuth, Roo and Lumpy can't visit each other, Tigger and Rabbit no longer be friends, and goods, supplies and materials can't be traded (which means no thistles for Eeyore and no cookies made by Kanga). Rabbit sees the sadness and decides to cheer everyone up by having a picnic on his side and Tigger does the same. But the picnics are no fun due to everyone being separated until Darby hatches a plan to reunite the Hundred Acre Wood and have the white line removed and have everything go back to normal, and it worked.
Atonement (2007)
, 2h3Directed by Joe Wright
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Romance
Themes Political films
Actors James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave, Juno Temple
Roles Grace Turner
Rating77%
In 1935, Briony Tallis is a 13-year-old girl from a wealthy English family and has just finished writing a play. Briony attempts to stage the play with her three visiting cousins, twin boys and their teenage sister, Lola; however, they get bored and decide to go swimming. Briony stays behind and witnesses a significant moment of sexual tension between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, a servant's son (a man that Briony has a childish infatuation with). Robbie returns home and writes several drafts of letters to Cecilia, including one that is explicitly sexual and erotically charged (specifically, it uses the word “massive pudenda”). Initially written for the sake of humour, he does not intend to send it and sets it aside. On his way to join the Tallis family for dinner, Robbie asks Briony to deliver his letter, only to later realise that he has mistakenly given her the prurient draft. Briony secretly reads the letter and is simultaneously disgusted and jealous. She tells Lola of its contents and they call Robbie a “sex maniac” while debating whether to turn him into the police. That afternoon, Lola and her younger brothers meet a friend of the Tallis family, a wealthy chocolate manufacturer named Paul Marshall. Though he is much older than her, he excites Lola by flirting with her and treating her like an adult.
Clubland (2007)
, 1h45Directed by Cherie Nowlan
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romance
Actors Emma Booth, Rebecca Gibney, Brenda Blethyn, Richard Wilson, Philip Quast, Russell Dykstra
Roles Jean
Rating63%
Life for shy 21-year-old Tim Maitland (Khan Chittenden) is not always smooth sailing. His mum Jean (Brenda Blethyn) is a cafeteria worker by day who hits the comedy club circuit by night, while his dad John (Frankie J. Holden) is busy trying to recapture his fifteen minutes of fame from when he was a country and western singer back in 1975. But when the feisty beautiful Jill (Emma Booth) walks into Tim's life, things seem to be looking up. Unfortunately, there's another woman in Tim's life, one who will stand between him and the perfect romance... his mother!
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
, 2h7Directed by Joe Wright, Tim Bevan, Paul Webster, Eric Fellner
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Romantic comedy, Romance
Themes Films about families
Actors Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Simon Woods, Tom Hollander
Roles Mrs. Bennet
Rating78%
During the late 18th century, the Bennet family, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five daughters—Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia—live in comparative financial independence as gentry on a working farm in rural England. As Longbourn is destined to be inherited by Mr. Bennet's cousin, Mr. Collins, Mrs. Bennet is anxious to marry off her five daughters before Mr. Bennet dies.
Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005)
, 1h6Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Fantasy, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Film d'animation mettant en scène un animal, Mise en scène d'un éléphant, Mise en scène d'un lapin ou d'un lièvre, Mise en scène d'un ours, Musical films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Jim Cummings, John Fiedler, Kath Soucie, Ken Sansom, Peter Cullen, Brenda Blethyn
Roles Mama Heffalump (voice)
Rating64%
Winnie the Pooh and his friends hear a strange noise and find a set of large, circular footprints in the Hundred Acre Wood. During the night, Tigger's house is damaged by what appears to be an earthquake. The friends believe that there is a heffalump in the woods. Rabbit organizes an expedition to go try to catch it. Roo wants to comes long, but the others tell him he is too young and small to go. Despite this, Roo slips out on his own in search of the heffalump. He finds one; a playful young creature named Heffridge Trumpler Brompet Heffalump IV - "Lumpy" for short. Roo is afraid of his captive at first, but the two quickly become friends and play.
On a Clear Day (2005)
, 1h45Directed by Gaby Dellal
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Actors Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, Seán McGinley, Jamie Sives, Billy Boyd, Jodhi May
Roles Joan
Rating68%
The story is set in Glasgow, Scotland near the banks of the River Clyde. After completing the construction of the ship RFA Mounts Bay, Frank Redmond (played by Peter Mullan) and a few of his co-workers are laid off from the shipyards after 36 years service. This, along with his grief still suffered over the drowning of one of his sons many years ago, plummets Frank into a deep depression. He gets on well with his wife, Joan (Brenda Blethyn), but their relationship is distant. His other son, Rob (Jamie Sives), is a devoted house husband who looks after his twin sons, while his wife, Angela (Jodhi May) works full-time at the local Jobcentre. Rob has a troubled relationship with his father, feeling the guilt of being the 'surviving' son.
Beyond the Sea (2004)
, 1h58Directed by Kevin Spacey
Origin German
Genres Drama, Biography, Musical theatre, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Bob Hoskins, Bobby Darin, John Goodman, Sandra Dee
Roles Polly Cassotto
Rating66%
Rather than providing a straightforward biography, the film weaves fantasy sequences with scenes containing somewhat fictionalized accounts of events in Darin's life, and throughout it, the adult singer interacts with his younger self. It chronicles his determination to rise from his working class roots as Walden Robert Cassotto, a frail Bronx boy plagued by multiple bouts of rheumatic fever, and become a singer more famous than Frank Sinatra. To achieve that goal, he forms a band and struggles to find gigs at any nightclub that will hire him.
A Way of Life (2004)
, 1h33Directed by Amma Asante
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Actors Brenda Blethyn, Sara Gregory, Nathan Jones, Amma Asante, Nicholas McGaughey
Roles Annette
Rating66%
Leigh-Anne Williams is less than 20 years old and has already suffered the suicide of her mother when she was a child. Both Leigh-Anne and her brother Gavin were abused by their father, and they worry about their younger sister in her teens. Their father married their mother's sister and they have a young daughter.